DA vs ECNL vs everything else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loudoun ECNL will be average to below. Top Loudoun kids going to FCV DA. A few good kids will get left out of FCV DA and either tryout for WS DA or Loudoun ECNL.

Mclean, BRYC, and VDA will be fine because they are geographical separated.

This is a big issue for WS IMO. They are surrounded by 2 decent ECNL clubs (Mclean and BRYC) who are successfully retaining their players. If WS could draw those kids they would be the big dog on campus.

Arlington will be Arlington. They will not really draw any additional kids...BUT those Arlington kids currently elsewhere may come back home...Which again...could be another problem for WS

There aren't many Arlington kids on Washington Spirit VA, at least not at the U14 or U15 ages. Maybe one or two. Same with BRYC, maybe one or two girls at those ages went to Wash Spirit.

PP is pro-Spirit. No problem there. But with the big cost differences, there will be those that choose to drive into Arlington instead of out to Reston. There is no reason to pretend any different. They both offer great opportunities over ECNL for younger players and families.

[Anonymous]

Arlington posted ID sessions for next week:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/973587552505647104

I wonder why they only have one session for the 05s? I've seen that team play and their is opportunity for stronger players, it isn't deep through the roster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Arlington posted ID sessions for next week:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/973587552505647104

I wonder why they only have one session for the 05s? I've seen that team play and their is opportunity for stronger players, it isn't deep through the roster

good question. also, from the registration, they have 2007 and 2006 birth years, so this is getting all the 5th graders out for coaches to take a look

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loudoun ECNL will be average to below. Top Loudoun kids going to FCV DA. A few good kids will get left out of FCV DA and either tryout for WS DA or Loudoun ECNL.

Mclean, BRYC, and VDA will be fine because they are geographical separated.

This is a big issue for WS IMO. They are surrounded by 2 decent ECNL clubs (Mclean and BRYC) who are successfully retaining their players. If WS could draw those kids they would be the big dog on campus.

Arlington will be Arlington. They will not really draw any additional kids...BUT those Arlington kids currently elsewhere may come back home...Which again...could be another problem for WS

Arl. already has several Mclean girls on the U9s and with DevAcad more will come ......

Arlington Soccer serves Arlington and all the surrounding zip codes. It doesn't matter if you don't live in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ probably depends on the age, right?

Older 05 and 04s perhaps stay intact at ASA, but 06s and 07s lots more potential for some adds. That's the idea, draw them in younger. U13 is not even real DA -- DA-lite basically --and is a draw for U14, the real beginning year. 07s are pre-DA now so that could see the most action.

Again I have to ask from where? Arlington is already the Elephant in the room in that area. Gunston has a relationship with Spirit already so there is that mind-share already. How many kids currently playing for Gunston or Alexandria have already been spurned by Arlington? I mean, if you tried out and didn't make Red at U9 or moved up by U10 how many of those kids are bothering to come back?

There are currently 6 07 teams. That is anywhere from 75-90 kids right there. Gunston by contrast has 2 teams in the 07 age bracket. My guess is, most of those Gunston kids are likely Arlington B team to bubble Red and on down the Arlington food chain as is.

So the draw for Arlington will be certainly larger at the U little rec and U9 ages to get kids into the system leaving fewer kids potentially for neighboring programs. I just don't see many outside kids making any inroads into Arlington past U10.

That's not true. Also, how many top players at U9- U12 [pre-DA] have ever left for a better team elsewhere? Not many . . . . . . . . Flow is the other way at those ages.

[Anonymous]

Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

+1
Nothing new ...... when clubs have a weak age group players play up or leave. Will be hard for 1 place to rule all comers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

+1
Nothing new ...... when clubs have a weak age group players play up or leave. Will be hard for 1 place to rule all comers!

I bet DA will win out over time. You will have a bunch of ECNL and one DA(maybe two) in the area. DA has taken off nationally and will get all the attention and hype. The DMV will have watered down ECNL with a strong DA. As the pp said, the best girls will go to the strongest team and that will be the DA(add in the exposure, hype, named coaches, ECNL 2nd league status nationally, etc.). This happened with the boys side and there in no reason to think it will not be the same on the girls side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

+1
Nothing new ...... when clubs have a weak age group players play up or leave. Will be hard for 1 place to rule all comers!

I bet DA will win out over time. You will have a bunch of ECNL and one DA(maybe two) in the area. DA has taken off nationally and will get all the attention and hype. The DMV will have watered down ECNL with a strong DA. As the pp said, the best girls will go to the strongest team and that will be the DA(add in the exposure, hype, named coaches, ECNL 2nd league status nationally, etc.). This happened with the boys side and there in no reason to think it will not be the same on the girls side.

Maybe over time, if DA lives up to the "hype". I don't believe its true for the U15s and above right now but time will tell for the younger age groups.

I agree that having just one, maybe two, would make it more likely to rise to the top. I don't see how having 3 DAs in our area - 4 if you count MD - makes it that elite. If you don't make one DA team, you shouldn't have several other DA options to try out for. That doesn't make sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

+1
Nothing new ...... when clubs have a weak age group players play up or leave. Will be hard for 1 place to rule all comers!

I bet DA will win out over time. You will have a bunch of ECNL and one DA(maybe two) in the area. DA has taken off nationally and will get all the attention and hype. The DMV will have watered down ECNL with a strong DA. As the pp said, the best girls will go to the strongest team and that will be the DA(add in the exposure, hype, named coaches, ECNL 2nd league status nationally, etc.). This happened with the boys side and there in no reason to think it will not be the same on the girls side.

Maybe over time, if DA lives up to the "hype". I don't believe its true for the U15s and above right now but time will tell for the younger age groups.

I agree that having just one, maybe two, would make it more likely to rise to the top. I don't see how having 3 DAs in our area - 4 if you count MD - makes it that elite. If you don't make one DA team, you shouldn't have several other DA options to try out for. That doesn't make sense to me.

We’ve covered this already. The real world logistics of traffic in this area makes having one DA to Rule them all but impossible for anything but the older ages when the kids can drive themselves to practice.

There were 3 ECNL teams before is having 4 DAs really that big a stretch? Also, currently ASA is not a full GDA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

+1
Nothing new ...... when clubs have a weak age group players play up or leave. Will be hard for 1 place to rule all comers!

I bet DA will win out over time. You will have a bunch of ECNL and one DA(maybe two) in the area. DA has taken off nationally and will get all the attention and hype. The DMV will have watered down ECNL with a strong DA. As the pp said, the best girls will go to the strongest team and that will be the DA(add in the exposure, hype, named coaches, ECNL 2nd league status nationally, etc.). This happened with the boys side and there in no reason to think it will not be the same on the girls side.

Maybe over time, if DA lives up to the "hype". I don't believe its true for the U15s and above right now but time will tell for the younger age groups.

I agree that having just one, maybe two, would make it more likely to rise to the top. I don't see how having 3 DAs in our area - 4 if you count MD - makes it that elite. If you don't make one DA team, you shouldn't have several other DA options to try out for. That doesn't make sense to me.

We’ve covered this already. The real world logistics of traffic in this area makes having one DA to Rule them all but impossible for anything but the older ages when the kids can drive themselves to practice.

There were 3 ECNL teams before is having 4 DAs really that big a stretch? Also, currently ASA is not a full GDA.

I could see 4 DA younger ages and one after u16. So the big cut would be at u16.

[Anonymous]

^^ Spirit will not lose either DA. I could see NOVA getting trimmed down but the MD side should have a DA.

[Anonymous]

The DA will not contract. The formula is not set up to have a few dozen superteams across the country, it is set up to have ~100 (ultimately) local/regional teams with a wide enough net to funnel in all the elite players. From those ~100 teams, the NTC's funnel players down into the national teams. Locally, all 3.5 DA clubs will be given a pretty long leash to develop competitiveness.

The one thing that is a guarantee is that there will be continuous change as long as we have multiple national organizations pulling and tugging against each other, and multiple regional, and local leagues doing the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different theory. There will soon be 7 NoVa clubs playing ECNL or DA. There are not enough elite players to support these clubs. I suspect that an age group may have enough to field 2 elite teams. By elite, I mean teams that could pre-DA be Jeff Cup top bracket (it’s not the same now without the DA clubs), or compete at ECNL nationals or (assuming there is one ) DA nationals. USYS nationals has been decimated by DA/ECNL and US Soccer’s nationals - so that no longer has the same pedigree it used to have.

The top players want to compete on these top teams. They will self select and move what they feel is the best team. The strongest club for one age probably won’t be the strongest for the next. As evidence - look at MClean’s 02s or BRYCs 03s. Both have players playing up - if they weren’t, McLeans 03s and BRYCs 04s would be significantly stronger.

Don’t assume that because club X now has (DA or ECNL) that players won’t leave. Players move. It has always happened, it will keep happening. Only difference now is there are more potential landing spots.

+1
Nothing new ...... when clubs have a weak age group players play up or leave. Will be hard for 1 place to rule all comers!

I bet DA will win out over time. You will have a bunch of ECNL and one DA(maybe two) in the area. DA has taken off nationally and will get all the attention and hype. The DMV will have watered down ECNL with a strong DA. As the pp said, the best girls will go to the strongest team and that will be the DA(add in the exposure, hype, named coaches, ECNL 2nd league status nationally, etc.). This happened with the boys side and there in no reason to think it will not be the same on the girls side.

Everyone has seen this before. For the U-littles, it all depends on what that the best 1 or 2 girls do in your team/club peer group. Do they stay for ECNL or their NCSL team, or do they give DA a look at one of the upcoming ID sessions at WS, FCV, and ASA? It only takes a few going out to check things out to cause an age group at a club/team to really change. DA really is after those top 1-2, but with the trickle affect, you will get players 3-5 thinking as well. Players 6-10 are probably not DA anyway. A trickle here or there will probably lead to a shift overtime, where the top 1-3 on any given team are regularly focusing on their local DA when they hit U12, and their non-DA club expects and understands that. Would be nice for the girls who can't make DA to have a fallback that was not as expensive as ECNL. That is a very expensive platform (same cost as ASA and FCV DAs) just to be able to play in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This discussion between Spirit and Arlington will be where do players from McLean and Vienna go. Traffic patterns different, but distances similar from parts of those zips.

Eventually those that are after GDA will go to one destination or the other, especially the rising 13Us. 08s probably want out of McLean anyway, so give DA some time.

Spirit is a big draw with its younger players and great coaches, and Arlington has always had a better run program compared to MYS and VYS, both of which have always had issues with coaches, BODs, etc.

The problem in McLean Youth Soccer is not the ECNL. A lot of parents still like that option, at least in the short term. The problem is the horrible and mean coach running those younger teams. Why stay around for the ECNL after that environment?