Forum Index
»
Sports General Discussion
Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
From Last Fall - http://www.soccerwire.com/news/clubs/youth-girls/growing-list-of-youth-clubs-reconsider-decline-girls-da-membership/ |
Anonymous
No, I suggested that perhaps the Spirit cannot gets its act together in regards to the DA. I did not suggest that the DA is falling apart. There was no DA for BEst to throw the towel in on. They were simply affiliated with the Spirit for scouting purposes but the Spirit holds the rights to DA not BRYC. The fact that BRYC took an opportunity to join ECNL says more about their desire to control their own destiny rather than be a part of an alliance frankly does not speak negatively on the Girls DA or even the Spirit for that matter. At face value it just means that BRYC simply prefers some league and structure certainty as well as their own club identity. |
Anonymous
It also gives their boys a new league structure |
Anonymous
| Exciting times for BRYC. |
Anonymous
I thought the ECNL for boys was not a separate league, but a championship tournament they were allowed to join if they did well in their respective leagues. |
Anonymous
No it is a league with conferences just like girls ECNL http://www.boysecnl.com/ |
Anonymous
See link below. VPL considered a separate conference, based on the performance the teams in selected age bracket will qualify for ENPL. Boys ECNL leagues seem to spruce up when the clubs aren't already part of a US Club Soccer. Not sure which conference BRYC will be a part of. I don't think EDP. |
Anonymous
http://www.boysecnl.com/2016/12/initial-clubs-in-boys-ecnl-northeast-conference-announced/ |
Anonymous
| Our DS has the goal to play in college and we are definitely having trouble keeping up with the various leagues. In addition to BRYC, do we think there will be any other DMV teams joining Boys ECNL? I assume DA will still be top dog and ECNL will take some time to get established, but it has attracted some top teams. How do you think ECNL be viewed in the hierarchy? How would you rank DA, ECNL, National League, Region 1, EDP, CCL, etc. as destinations for competitive players shooting for Div. 1 college soccer? Where will the most competitive players want to play? Do all these leagues provide more top-level options for the high concentration of strong DMV players or is the competition getting diluted? We still remember when NCSL Division 1 was where it was at and how quickly competition shifted to CCL..... |
Anonymous
| Noone played soccer where I grew up (and they still don't). We played a lot of basketball and other sports. Every weekend, kids from all over the city came to a few outdoor basketball courts and just played all day. Winner stayed on, etc. The best kids came from all over to try to rule the courts. Very competitive. Anything like that happen around here but for soccer? Competitive pick up/street soccer games? |
Anonymous
I am in NoVA. You can go to almost any artificial turf soccer field on a weekend during the travel league off season and their will be competitive pick up games. Helps to speak Spanish. |
Anonymous
The ENPL will have a long hill to climb to compete against a pretty established Boys DA. In regards to ECNL? It will become the defacto B league for as long as it hangs on. It will take a few years for the GDA to become established so those young ladies currently established in ECNL and are currently involved in the recruitment process I would see little reason for them to change teams. I believe that the viability of ECNL will on a number of factors: 1. ECNL will actually have to expand. This will be needed to reduce travel and the costs associated with travel. Why this is important is the fact that there will be a level of talent drain from ECNL to GDA. ECNL has an excellent structure but it cannot ask parents to spend 5k a season for lower competition, even if it is only slightly lower. ECNL will have to align their conferences more regionally to strike a balance. 2. Coaches. ECNL can easily survive if their clubs can attract and maintain high quality coaches. The reality is, we have lots and lots of talented players and the more players that are exposed to quality coaching and competition the better it is for everyone. We need more players playing and being coached a t high level, not less. I support both league being viable and healthy. 3. ECNL needs to stay true to their mission, "a pathway to college". Allowing kids to play high school and other sports while maintaining a solid league structure and commitment to quality can allow ECNL to carve out a valuable niche. The reality is U.S. Soccer wants an Academy and Professional path. They would rather NWSL develop their elite players over Colleges. Colleges do not develop and many kids often ride the pine so to speak their first few seasons. Basically there are two differing objectives and if the ECNL can prove to still be a viable pathway to college then they will do just fine. |
Anonymous
NP, but this strikes me as a very good summary overall. I'm not as optimistic about ECNL/EPNL's ability to remain viable as you are though, due to one of the factors you mention: ECNL/EPNL will cost an awful lot, and require a lot of travel, for a second tier league. I'm curious about your take on the PP's question about how National League will fit in with the ECNL/EPNL hierarchy? One thing I've very much disliked about ECNL is that they allow their players to play in State Cup and other non-ECNL competitions. I think it would be better for kids and soccer in the country as a whole if that were forbidden (as it is in the DA) so that more kids, especially those who are not rich, have an opportunity to participate in competitions that have the potential to bring them to the attention of college coaches and national team staff. Also, I'd love to hear what, if anything, people have heard about the messaging from CCL on all this. |
Anonymous
|
A couple of little notes here
Some of the top teams competing in National league have joined the boys ECNL. There are several YOuth National Team players on these squads. Top Colleges will attend tge showcases. There will be many multi sport exceptional athletes on show. In comparison to Boys DA it may be a little step behind but not by much, clubs like Baltimore Celtic regularly scrimmage D.C. United and the scores are always marginal either way. Our local mls club does not do a fantastic job with DA and the surrounding clubs who also have DA at younger age groups only run to u14 and u15. For players looking to go to college who cannot make a D.C. United squad of 20 at their age will look to ECNL as the next best option. National league will now be as diluted as ever. |