GA & MLS NEXT Form Strategic Alliance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things I believe to be true

1. The GA/MLSN, while meaningful, will not fundamentally change the landscape
2. I would MUCH rather be a GA playoff team than a 500 ECNL team.
3. If I had a choice between a GA and an ECNL playoff team I would choose ECNL
4. A majority of top teams on both sides are talent aggregators, not talent developers. The true development comes outside of 1.5 hours of club practice 3X a week
5. US Soccer/GA/ECNL need an outlet for kids that are truly all in on elite soccer so kids dont have to patchwork quilt S&C, technical development, film study, tactics, team play, etc.
6. There has to be a way to play competitive games without spending 2K in travel 15 times a year to play league games and another 3-4K to go play a 4-5 day long showcase/playoff event
7. We should get “for profit” clubs out of youth sports. Their mission is fundamentally misaligned with youth development. I know of an alphabet club that is 2X more expensive than their closest 401c3 rival and that rival has better coaching standards, better fields, better programming and better admin. You cant tell me that is better for youth sports.

I’d rather 1000x be a GA playoff team than any ECNL playoff team that is not 1st or 2nd in their division.

Why would you want to fly out to Washington state as the 4th seed in your conference with no chance of winning anything.

What about 4th place in your GA division? What you said doesn’t make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things I believe to be true

1. The GA/MLSN, while meaningful, will not fundamentally change the landscape
2. I would MUCH rather be a GA playoff team than a 500 ECNL team.
3. If I had a choice between a GA and an ECNL playoff team I would choose ECNL
4. A majority of top teams on both sides are talent aggregators, not talent developers. The true development comes outside of 1.5 hours of club practice 3X a week
5. US Soccer/GA/ECNL need an outlet for kids that are truly all in on elite soccer so kids dont have to patchwork quilt S&C, technical development, film study, tactics, team play, etc.
6. There has to be a way to play competitive games without spending 2K in travel 15 times a year to play league games and another 3-4K to go play a 4-5 day long showcase/playoff event
7. We should get “for profit” clubs out of youth sports. Their mission is fundamentally misaligned with youth development. I know of an alphabet club that is 2X more expensive than their closest 401c3 rival and that rival has better coaching standards, better fields, better programming and better admin. You cant tell me that is better for youth sports.

I’d rather 1000x be a GA playoff team than any ECNL playoff team that is not 1st or 2nd in their division.

Why would you want to fly out to Washington state as the 4th seed in your conference with no chance of winning anything.

What about 4th place in your GA division? What you said doesn’t make sense.

Obviously you don't understand how playoffs work.

What they're saying is getting invited to ECNL playoffs as a 4th place team in your division is not what you want. It will be supper expensive and the league will seed you against the top team in the first round. Basically you'll pay a bunch of $$$ just to get blown out in the first game of playoffs.

Or you to to GA playoffs and are the top team and play against all the bottom feeders initially in playoffs.

Most people would choose to win not cannon fodder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things I believe to be true

1. The GA/MLSN, while meaningful, will not fundamentally change the landscape
2. I would MUCH rather be a GA playoff team than a 500 ECNL team.
3. If I had a choice between a GA and an ECNL playoff team I would choose ECNL
4. A majority of top teams on both sides are talent aggregators, not talent developers. The true development comes outside of 1.5 hours of club practice 3X a week
5. US Soccer/GA/ECNL need an outlet for kids that are truly all in on elite soccer so kids dont have to patchwork quilt S&C, technical development, film study, tactics, team play, etc.
6. There has to be a way to play competitive games without spending 2K in travel 15 times a year to play league games and another 3-4K to go play a 4-5 day long showcase/playoff event
7. We should get “for profit” clubs out of youth sports. Their mission is fundamentally misaligned with youth development. I know of an alphabet club that is 2X more expensive than their closest 401c3 rival and that rival has better coaching standards, better fields, better programming and better admin. You cant tell me that is better for youth sports.

Points make some sense other than 2. You would still want to be on an Ecnl team for the exposure. On the GA playoff team your 1-8 or even 1-11 may be fine. The bottom of your team is not being recruited. Bottom of bad Ecnl teams are still being recruited.

Top 2-3 of GA teams in most conferences better than bottom half of ECNL teams in overlapping geography across most age groups. Not always but most of the time. Pretty simple to look up results.

It also depends on the conference. Certain GA conferences are better than others. Just like ECNL. Many of the top GA conference winners would beat ECNL conference winners. It all depends on what's being compared.

This is why many GA parents get annoyed with the coat tail ECNL parents who's kids play on sucky ECNL teams but love to comment online about how ECNL is somehow "better". Sorry, the ability to get blown out week after week isn't an attribute.

ECNL conference winners would wipe the floor with GA conference winners. Nationals (Michigan) was a perennial powerhouse with multiple team national championships and several overall club national championships. Take a look at Midwest standings. They’re doing fine but nowhere near their success in GA.

lol - I bet you have an ECNL hat and shirt. Dork

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things I believe to be true

1. The GA/MLSN, while meaningful, will not fundamentally change the landscape
2. I would MUCH rather be a GA playoff team than a 500 ECNL team.
3. If I had a choice between a GA and an ECNL playoff team I would choose ECNL
4. A majority of top teams on both sides are talent aggregators, not talent developers. The true development comes outside of 1.5 hours of club practice 3X a week
5. US Soccer/GA/ECNL need an outlet for kids that are truly all in on elite soccer so kids dont have to patchwork quilt S&C, technical development, film study, tactics, team play, etc.
6. There has to be a way to play competitive games without spending 2K in travel 15 times a year to play league games and another 3-4K to go play a 4-5 day long showcase/playoff event
7. We should get “for profit” clubs out of youth sports. Their mission is fundamentally misaligned with youth development. I know of an alphabet club that is 2X more expensive than their closest 401c3 rival and that rival has better coaching standards, better fields, better programming and better admin. You cant tell me that is better for youth sports.

Points make some sense other than 2. You would still want to be on an Ecnl team for the exposure. On the GA playoff team your 1-8 or even 1-11 may be fine. The bottom of your team is not being recruited. Bottom of bad Ecnl teams are still being recruited.

Top 2-3 of GA teams in most conferences better than bottom half of ECNL teams in overlapping geography across most age groups. Not always but most of the time. Pretty simple to look up results.

It also depends on the conference. Certain GA conferences are better than others. Just like ECNL. Many of the top GA conference winners would beat ECNL conference winners. It all depends on what's being compared.

This is why many GA parents get annoyed with the coat tail ECNL parents who's kids play on sucky ECNL teams but love to comment online about how ECNL is somehow "better". Sorry, the ability to get blown out week after week isn't an attribute.

ECNL conference winners would wipe the floor with GA conference winners. Nationals (Michigan) was a perennial powerhouse with multiple team national championships and several overall club national championships. Take a look at Midwest standings. They’re doing fine but nowhere near their success in GA.

Everyone agrees with you. But why do you think it’s such a significant thing to constantly point out? It does not hurt GA one bit that the Nationals left. Why do you focus on it so much? It’s not the flex you think it is.

[Anonymous]

Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

[Anonymous]

DD plays for a GA team and is right in the thick of college recruiting. There are plenty of things to be concerned about the recruiting process. Will she get offers from schools that are good academic and soccer fits? Will she remain committed to the grinding process over the next year or burn out? Will she get her grades up enough to get accepted to the schools she wants. Should she play HS soccer? Will she be able to avoid major injury? Will college coaches think she isn’t big enough for her position? Will she lose her love of soccer as it becomes more of a job? Will we be able afford if she doesn’t get much scholarship money?

But you know what is not and has never been a concern? Whether she will have enough opportunities to play in front of college scouts and be seen. GA showcases have always had that in spades. Not to mention all the non-GA showcases we go to like PDA, Jeff Cup, Penn Fusion, ID camps, and coaches that have watched training. The colleges are there. All the ECNL vs GA talk is so silly. Which club/team/league is better? It’s a non-issue to anyone who has actually been through it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD plays for a GA team and is right in the thick of college recruiting. There are plenty of things to be concerned about the recruiting process. Will she get offers from schools that are good academic and soccer fits? Will she remain committed to the grinding process over the next year or burn out? Will she get her grades up enough to get accepted to the schools she wants. Should she play HS soccer? Will she be able to avoid major injury? Will college coaches think she isn’t big enough for her position? Will she lose her love of soccer as it becomes more of a job? Will we be able afford if she doesn’t get much scholarship money?

But you know what is not and has never been a concern? Whether she will have enough opportunities to play in front of college scouts and be seen. GA showcases have always had that in spades. Not to mention all the non-GA showcases we go to like PDA, Jeff Cup, Penn Fusion, ID camps, and coaches that have watched training. The colleges are there. All the ECNL vs GA talk is so silly. Which club/team/league is better? It’s a non-issue to anyone who has actually been through it.

Shhhh - don’t tell the ECNL t-shirt and hat guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

They will get the same exposure… Only difference is that now they won’t be adding anymore trophies to their resume. As long as Michigan Hawks stay in ecnl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

They will get the same exposure… Only difference is that now they won’t be adding anymore trophies to their resume. As long as Michigan Hawks stay in ecnl.

Same exposure and level of competition in GA vs ECNL? LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

They will get the same exposure… Only difference is that now they won’t be adding anymore trophies to their resume. As long as Michigan Hawks stay in ecnl.

Same exposure and level of competition in GA vs ECNL? LOL

All you need is enough exposure. Both have more than enough. Level of competition means very little in this context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

They will get the same exposure… Only difference is that now they won’t be adding anymore trophies to their resume. As long as Michigan Hawks stay in ecnl.

Same exposure and level of competition in GA vs ECNL? LOL

Yes. Same exposure. I know that’s hard to believe when you're brainwashed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

I am yes. In GA they usually put multiple teams in GA playoffs and they did well. Let’s say only 300 college coaches at GA instead of the 400 at ECNL. So they got in front of 300 coaches at the highest levels of GA. Now, at ECNL, several teams miss playoffs because they play Hawks, SBV, SLSG, Eclipse so they are not getting the 400 because they dont even make the trip. It is not calculus.

Hence the argument you would rather be a GA playoff team than an ECNL team that does not make the playoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nationals shot themselves in the foot.
Now they are just a middle of the pack club in a stacked conference.

Before, their matches against Lou Fusz, NEFC, TopHat, CUP et al used to attract 100+ colleges.

Now they might not even see the ecnl playoffs in some age groups…

Are you arguing that nationals players will get less exposure in ECNL than they did in GA?

I am yes. In GA they usually put multiple teams in GA playoffs and they did well. Let’s say only 300 college coaches at GA instead of the 400 at ECNL. So they got in front of 300 coaches at the highest levels of GA. Now, at ECNL, several teams miss playoffs because they play Hawks, SBV, SLSG, Eclipse so they are not getting the 400 because they dont even make the trip. It is not calculus.

Hence the argument you would rather be a GA playoff team than an ECNL team that does not make the playoffs.

But, but, but… my Sally has an ECNL patch on her jersey! She’s gonna be seen by every single school out there at every event! It says it right there on twitter!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things I believe to be true

1. The GA/MLSN, while meaningful, will not fundamentally change the landscape
2. I would MUCH rather be a GA playoff team than a 500 ECNL team.
3. If I had a choice between a GA and an ECNL playoff team I would choose ECNL
4. A majority of top teams on both sides are talent aggregators, not talent developers. The true development comes outside of 1.5 hours of club practice 3X a week
5. US Soccer/GA/ECNL need an outlet for kids that are truly all in on elite soccer so kids dont have to patchwork quilt S&C, technical development, film study, tactics, team play, etc.
6. There has to be a way to play competitive games without spending 2K in travel 15 times a year to play league games and another 3-4K to go play a 4-5 day long showcase/playoff event
7. We should get “for profit” clubs out of youth sports. Their mission is fundamentally misaligned with youth development. I know of an alphabet club that is 2X more expensive than their closest 401c3 rival and that rival has better coaching standards, better fields, better programming and better admin. You cant tell me that is better for youth sports.

Points make some sense other than 2. You would still want to be on an Ecnl team for the exposure. On the GA playoff team your 1-8 or even 1-11 may be fine. The bottom of your team is not being recruited. Bottom of bad Ecnl teams are still being recruited.

Top 2-3 of GA teams in most conferences better than bottom half of ECNL teams in overlapping geography across most age groups. Not always but most of the time. Pretty simple to look up results.

It also depends on the conference. Certain GA conferences are better than others. Just like ECNL. Many of the top GA conference winners would beat ECNL conference winners. It all depends on what's being compared.

This is why many GA parents get annoyed with the coat tail ECNL parents who's kids play on sucky ECNL teams but love to comment online about how ECNL is somehow "better". Sorry, the ability to get blown out week after week isn't an attribute.

ECNL conference winners would wipe the floor with GA conference winners. Nationals (Michigan) was a perennial powerhouse with multiple team national championships and several overall club national championships. Take a look at Midwest standings. They’re doing fine but nowhere near their success in GA.

lol - I bet you have an ECNL hat and shirt. Dork

Do you have GA gear? 🤣