ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ECNL saving everything for the podcasts.

I know I'll be hanging on every word. Great marketing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Subtle changes in 25, lol. Really? Have you not read the last 300 pages?? This is not a subtle group.

Its not even as simple as intra club transfers. They want the best kids in the are. Where I live, 3 of the top teams in the nation are within a stones throw of each other. You think they are sitting around waiting for another 12 months to start making moves? A mistake in how they handle this could set them back for a generation.

My daughter is the age of the target group. I was nearly assaulted today on the sidelines of an elite workout session. I told one parent my kid is a Q4 baby and I suddenly had tons of new 'friends'. Parents can't wait to kick your kid off the team to add my child and they are going to pull every string to make it happen. We're one day into this madness and things have shifted whether you know it or not. There will be nothing subtle about how this goes down.

"Elite training" 🤣🤣🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You need serious help.

Just reporting the news. I'm truly sorry for your loss but don't shoot the messenger. My kid was sought after before, Im just being honest that it’s a feeding frenzy out there now with this switch. We aren't seeking it out, we didn't ask for this. My girl LOVES soccer, she's amazing at it. She's swimming in the same circles as national players and she's always the youngest in every group. She's at the age where we'll need to commit to a club and Im being honest that it's your Q1/Q2 spot she's gonna take. Be mad if you want. But wasting that energy on me is useless.

anyone else picturing a really sweaty, overweight balding guy sitting in his basement writing this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

All great teams? ... Hahahahahha ... IF that were true, then you wouldn't have tons of teams at the bottom of their tables that get squashed year-in and year-out. Our local longtime ECNL clubs likes to tout it's college recruitments all the time -- except they aren't D1 very often. At least USYS has relegation in its National League where your team needs to win for several years just to get to the top -- although hype machines say they possibly can't be as good.

Then you don't live or compete where we do. ECNL is expanding too fast and that has consquences. The lower level clubs lie about all sorts of stats. Even the D1 players that were 'recruited' aren't actually playing for the team. Trust me I know. But I'll say it again, that isn't the world Im personally concerned with. There are levels and levels to this game. If you're worried about playing time, making a team or trying to get an advantage to score more goals then you're having an entirely different discussion than most of us on here.

Actually, the writing has been on the wall for months that this change was coming. And I agree at the systemic level it makes sense. For me, what I'm most concerned about individual players and their families after they've spent years in the CURRENT system to get where they are and HOW they are treated during this transition. What's unfortunately typical is the clubs wanting to gain an edge and field the best teams possible. I've seen lots of talk of unofficial rules that Q4 players can't stay with their current teams -- which is part and parcel of all the folks here crowing about all great it's going to be. All that BS is why there should be, IMO, a slow transition at the younger age groups, first. Instead, we're about to witness a lot of what's bad/wrong with youth soccer where clubs/leagues look out more for themselves while talking trash instead of focusing on and helping their own players (YET AGAIN).

AND, this entire fragmented mostly for-profit/club/league first echo-system is exactly why top talent are more often leaving it now as fast as possible and going to a pro level/pathway as teenagers OR finding better things to do with their time and money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You need serious help.

Just reporting the news. I'm truly sorry for your loss but don't shoot the messenger. My kid was sought after before, Im just being honest that its a feeding frenzy out there now with this switch. We aren't seeking it out, we didn't ask for this. My girl LOVES soccer, she's amazing at it. She's swimming in the same circles as national players and she's always the youngest in every group. She's at the age where we'll need to commit to a club and Im being honest that it's your Q1/Q2 spot she's gonna take. Be mad if you want. But wasting that energy on me is useless.

My son is honestly not afraid of your daughter taking his spot. How many teams cut you for you to feel this invested in your daughter's soccer status?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:342....so close! Remember when 300 was a distant dream?! I know we can do it folks. We're one misspelled leak from ECNL away from 400. I have faith.

It's not just 400 that should be the goal. TalkingSoccer.com's thread is at 365

SoCalSoccer is out of the running -- although they started late at 55

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You need serious help.

Just reporting the news. I'm truly sorry for your loss but don't shoot the messenger. My kid was sought after before, Im just being honest that it’s a feeding frenzy out there now with this switch. We aren't seeking it out, we didn't ask for this. My girl LOVES soccer, she's amazing at it. She's swimming in the same circles as national players and she's always the youngest in every group. She's at the age where we'll need to commit to a club and Im being honest that it's your Q1/Q2 spot she's gonna take. Be mad if you want. But wasting that energy on me is useless.

anyone else picturing a really sweaty, overweight balding guy sitting in his basement writing this?

I thought the same thing. He can’t be serious, can he?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im confused, why are SY people happy? Change was supposed to be a done deal for 25.

Because this thread is legit filled with parents of 5-10 year old pre-pre-pre-pre-ECNL players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, those 10% moving "down" are more of boon for the younger players to help them develop and improve. In a way, those 10% clawed, scratched and survived all these years to only get relegated to less competition. Sure they got screwed by the trap year BUT now there getting screwed by their own elite leagues who for their own selfish reasons want them on younger teams now. But hey, they'll score some goals!

Man! Is common sense really that uncommon?? C'mon, work those mental muscles.....I know you can get there if you try hard enough. You only think they are going to be playing down because of the BY lie you've been living. In the real world there is no actual advantage to being born in Q1. We artificially made it a special quarter to be born. It correlates to nothing until you get up to international competition. In every normal sense the advantage should go to September babies. There is no 'playing down', you're now going to get a front row seat to what the other kids in 6th grade are capable of. It has nothing to do with scoring goals. You're going to compete for high school roster spots with other 9th graders. You're going to compete for scholarships with other 11th graders. When you're in 11th grade, are you competing for scholarships with 10th graders?? When you try out for the 9th grade team are you competing against 8th graders?? So it what universe does it make sense to keep playing down. Your kid is playing down now and its a lie.

See you in the fall. lol.

And now we “artificially make it Q3.” The mental gymnastics these SY parents make is nothing short of shocking. Your kid won’t be better tomorrow morning…it’s all and only about doing the work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, those 10% moving "down" are more of boon for the younger players to help them develop and improve. In a way, those 10% clawed, scratched and survived all these years to only get relegated to less competition. Sure they got screwed by the trap year BUT now there getting screwed by their own elite leagues who for their own selfish reasons want them on younger teams now. But hey, they'll score some goals!

Man! Is common sense really that uncommon?? C'mon, work those mental muscles.....I know you can get there if you try hard enough. You only think they are going to be playing down because of the BY lie you've been living. In the real world there is no actual advantage to being born in Q1. We artificially made it a special quarter to be born. It correlates to nothing until you get up to international competition. In every normal sense the advantage should go to September babies. There is no 'playing down', you're now going to get a front row seat to what the other kids in 6th grade are capable of. It has nothing to do with scoring goals. You're going to compete for high school roster spots with other 9th graders. You're going to compete for scholarships with other 11th graders. When you're in 11th grade, are you competing for scholarships with 10th graders?? When you try out for the 9th grade team are you competing against 8th graders?? So it what universe does it make sense to keep playing down. Your kid is playing down now and its a lie.

See you in the fall. lol.

And here it is -- September babies MUST have the advantage over all others?.OK .... I think that's why the soccer federation is actually secretly hoping that maybe our fragmented system can have elite leagues with both BY and SY, so it can actually reduce RAE and grow the sport by giving players and families multiple options/pathways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My son is honestly not afraid of your daughter taking his spot. How many teams cut you for you to feel this invested in your daughter's soccer status?

I know it'd feel much better to imagine me an 'overly' invested, overweight, balding parent. I'm just average in my neighborhood folks. My kid played AYSO, was better than all the kids and invited to club. She sat the bench while she learned the ropes then was quickly bored because she was better than everyone. We saw her frustration and moved her to a flight 1 team across town. That was rapidly not enough and she was bored again. For those of you in this world you know what comes next. Playing way up. Playing with boys. The alphabet soup of teams. Invites to every camp and trainer imaginable. Those things lead to more invites and more invites. She was old enough for ECNL this year but honestly we don't care about the letters, and her current team is a place where's she's happy. Not tons of development because once again, she's the best kid by far and once again, we're turning our wheels on next steps. Got invited to some special training camp in town for the holiday break and we drove her out there. Someone asked if she was 8th or 9th grade and I laughed. She's far younger than that but she's a beast. With the emails flying around today the ENCL teams are salivating. If I'm being honest, and only parents that operate at this level will understand, I wish she WASN'T as good as she is. Life would be easier. And now THIS craziness?! Ughh. I don't want to pull her out of school early. I don't want to drive all over. I don't want her missing time with her friends. I just want her to be a happy kid. But with this change I feel like I'm a terrible parent if I don't let her see how far her talents can take her. And she's the one pushing us.

Trying to provide context that my daughter is not on an uncommon path in these competitive areas and its just parents trying to do what's best and its a confusing, mad world. But if it helps to imagine me a fat, balding guy obsessed with this stuff, don't let reality get in the way, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:342....so close! Remember when 300 was a distant dream?! I know we can do it folks. We're one misspelled leak from ECNL away from 400. I have faith.

It's not just 400 that should be the goal. TalkingSoccer.com's thread is at 365

SoCalSoccer is out of the running -- although they started late at 55

We're slowing down here folks and we're losing focus. Remember, we're not sure if it's REALLY going SY. The announcement could be fake. ECNL is going to start a revolution and BY always sucked. Do not slow down on the useless bickering or those other sites are going to beat us. Keep up the energy, we're almost there!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And now we “artificially make it Q3.” The mental gymnastics these SY parents make is nothing short of shocking. Your kid won’t be better tomorrow morning…it’s all and only about doing the work.

I see the wheels turning....you can do it, you're almost there! I know the shock of it all is still settling in but I have faith you'll get there. It's not artificially anything. Who will kids compete against in high school? Who will they compete with for scholarships......aaaaaand who should they compete with to begin with. C'mon...you can do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We're slowing down here folks and we're losing focus. Remember, we're not sure if it's REALLY going SY. The announcement could be fake. ECNL is going to start a revolution and BY always sucked. Do not slow down on the useless bickering or those other sites are going to beat us. Keep up the energy, we're almost there!!

lol, checking this thread makes my day. I'm almost sad we're getting clarity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My son is honestly not afraid of your daughter taking his spot. How many teams cut you for you to feel this invested in your daughter's soccer status?

I know it'd feel much better to imagine me an 'overly' invested, overweight, balding parent. I'm just average in my neighborhood folks. My kid played AYSO, was better than all the kids and invited to club. She sat the bench while she learned the ropes then was quickly bored because she was better than everyone. We saw her frustration and moved her to a flight 1 team across town. That was rapidly not enough and she was bored again. For those of you in this world you know what comes next. Playing way up. Playing with boys. The alphabet soup of teams. Invites to every camp and trainer imaginable. Those things lead to more invites and more invites. She was old enough for ECNL this year but honestly we don't care about the letters, and her current team is a place where's she's happy. Not tons of development because once again, she's the best kid by far and once again, we're turning our wheels on next steps. Got invited to some special training camp in town for the holiday break and we drove her out there. Someone asked if she was 8th or 9th grade and I laughed. She's far younger than that but she's a beast. With the emails flying around today the ENCL teams are salivating. If I'm being honest, and only parents that operate at this level will understand, I wish she WASN'T as good as she is. Life would be easier. And now THIS craziness?! Ughh. I don't want to pull her out of school early. I don't want to drive all over. I don't want her missing time with her friends. I just want her to be a happy kid. But with this change I feel like I'm a terrible parent if I don't let her see how far her talents can take her. And she's the one pushing us.

Trying to provide context that my daughter is not on an uncommon path in these competitive areas and its just parents trying to do what's best and its a confusing, mad world. But if it helps to imagine me a fat, balding guy obsessed with this stuff, don't let reality get in the way, lol.

I hope for your mental health this is satire. But I'm not sure 😬