That is a dumb and loaded question. It’s a game. It’s why people play sports. If the favorite won every game, nobody would play sports. Penn Fusion 08s won ECNL last year, yet did not make it out of group play this year. Happens in every sport at every level. |
Yah except that some of these local teams have won nothing. Oh recruitment is now at the phase of recruitment based on connections. |
Do you have that deep of knowledge with YNT rosters and college commitments nationally to even be able discuss that? |
Stop moving goalposts. You got debunked. You’re at Fairfax Braddock Road Vienna onion mcbrave union now! It’ll be okay. |
Its called the internet, pretty easy to look up and lots of top clubs list all their commitments. Any way you look at it that team really underachieved, lots of those VDA parents talked a lot of smack about Nattys. |
They didn’t. |
Again, assuming facts not in evidence. Some of these talented players may have ended up as top commits in spite of their coaches. |
PF 08s were 3-0 w/ a GD of +20 in group play. They lost in a shootout in the Round of 16 to PDA, who lost a shootout to Real Colorado who won it all. That is not at all the same as not making it out of group play. |
Boom! What that guy said. |
Michigan Hawks 09 and SLSG 09 did not get out of group play. What about the world famous Bethesda 2010’s? |
Pointing out that one game was 14-0 WTF! (overall argument still stands, but if you're wondering how it got so out of hand) |
Because having those national team players and P4 commits is often at odds with winning playoff games. Getting commits is more a function of promotion, both by the club/coaches and self promotion. The things you do on the field to stand out as a player being recruited are different than if your primary goal is for the team to win. Players will be more selfish, trying to get highlight worthy plays. They will do whatever is necessary to get more playing time even if it comes at the detriment to the team or teammates. Coaches who have invested in promoting certain players to recruiters need to play those players even if it's a bad matchup or the player is not performing, because to not play them would harm their P4 commit paths. To be sure there are teams with loads of P4 commits and they win playoffs, but those teams have collected so much talent compared to our local teams who have some top level talent but not across the entire roster so they need to make different decisions. |
Agree with this comment - in many cases, at this age, it's less about the team and more about the individual players and less about the overall team experience. It's a tough balance for sure for both the players and the coaches/clubs to balance. And, as this moves forward, I can see where teams at the later stages of U17 and especially at the U18/19 start to loose steam. Playing to stay fit, working on individual goals and not getting hurt become the focus rather than team accolades. |
| Thank god we’re only focused on D1! The kids going to D3 schools should be shot. |
| A few more announcements for the 2027 s just came out. |