ECNL moving to school year part 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pathway for an MLSN2 player to move up to MLSN1 has now become significantly harder, almost impossible for some. Because MLSN2 functions as a school year (SY) feeder team, so players would have to skip an age group to join a birth-year-based MLSN1 roster. Realistically, very few Aug–Dec players will be able to make that jump.

In other words, the MLSN system now has virtually NO upward pipeline. If you’re an Aug–Dec player, breaking into the MLSN1 team (where the older Jan–July players compete, some nearly a full year older) will be extremely difficult. And when there’s no real pathway from MLSN2 to MLSN1, players WILL leave.

Families invest in these MLSN pay-to-play academies (not DC United Academy) because they hope their child might eventually reach the first team. That possibility has essentially been removed. MLSN academies will be forced to convince their MLSN2 Aug–Dec players to stay instead of moving to ECNL, where they would actually have a chance to reach a national-level first team.

By “first team,” I mean better coaching, field priority (which becomes a major issue in bad weather; MLSN1 will be training indoors while MLSN2 won’t, as has happened before), access to VEO analytics, and more visibility with recruiters. First team is FIRST TEAM. Second team is always at the back of the line, that’s the reality.

Ummm. Typically if players seem like they can play MLS1 but are small they are biobanded until they hit puberty and catch up with everyone else.

It’s not just about size; the mental aspect matters too, yet mental development doesn’t seem to be considered when determining biobanding

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Q4 kid. 11 yr old. Was starting mls pipeline and looking likely mls2. We will try out at ECNL. Even if 2nd team there, have a chance to make the top team at some point. Either way, would likely be more of an impact on ECNL 2nd team than MLS2. Also, MLS is too disorganized. Club will have a nightmare.

Why is soccer such a mess?

Great question!

Now, US is the only country in the world with 2 different age cutoff systems for youth soccer.

Also, soccer is the only youth sport in US (as far as I know) with 2 different age cutoff systems.

So yes, soccer in US is a mess!

No US has 2 different soccer pathways.

BY = Pro
SY = Youth HS College

If college soccer didn't exist (which it doesnt in other countries) there wouldn't be a reason to do SY.

SY also is allegedly done here to increase participation rates at the younger ages. It is a legit concern at the youngest age groups and lower levels.

In other countries there is no college soccer so playing professionally and rec/pub soccer are the only non pro options. This is why everyone else is BY only.

The US has 2 player player pathways Pro and College. This us why there are 2 groupings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pathway for an MLSN2 player to move up to MLSN1 has now become significantly harder, almost impossible for some. Because MLSN2 functions as a school year (SY) feeder team, so players would have to skip an age group to join a birth-year-based MLSN1 roster. Realistically, very few Aug–Dec players will be able to make that jump.

In other words, the MLSN system now has virtually NO upward pipeline. If you’re an Aug–Dec player, breaking into the MLSN1 team (where the older Jan–July players compete, some nearly a full year older) will be extremely difficult. And when there’s no real pathway from MLSN2 to MLSN1, players WILL leave.

Families invest in these MLSN pay-to-play academies (not DC United Academy) because they hope their child might eventually reach the first team. That possibility has essentially been removed. MLSN academies will be forced to convince their MLSN2 Aug–Dec players to stay instead of moving to ECNL, where they would actually have a chance to reach a national-level first team.

By “first team,” I mean better coaching, field priority (which becomes a major issue in bad weather; MLSN1 will be training indoors while MLSN2 won’t, as has happened before), access to VEO analytics, and more visibility with recruiters. First team is FIRST TEAM. Second team is always at the back of the line, that’s the reality.

Ummm. Typically if players seem like they can play MLS1 but are small they are biobanded until they hit puberty and catch up with everyone else.

It’s not just about size; the mental aspect matters too, yet mental development doesn’t seem to be considered when determining biobanding

So 5 months of players are so mentally destroyed that they cant be biobanded and play BY? Thats just dumb. There's grade down players playing up in BY now and they're fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Q4 kid. 11 yr old. Was starting mls pipeline and looking likely mls2. We will try out at ECNL. Even if 2nd team there, have a chance to make the top team at some point. Either way, would likely be more of an impact on ECNL 2nd team than MLS2. Also, MLS is too disorganized. Club will have a nightmare.

Why is soccer such a mess?

Great question!

Now, US is the only country in the world with 2 different age cutoff systems for youth soccer.

Also, soccer is the only youth sport in US (as far as I know) with 2 different age cutoff systems.

So yes, soccer in US is a mess!

No US has 2 different soccer pathways.

BY = Pro
SY = Youth HS College

If college soccer didn't exist (which it doesnt in other countries) there wouldn't be a reason to do SY.

What a load of gibberish. By that notion all of US soccer has been on a pro pathway since 2016 with Jan 1 cutoffs . Almost none of MLSN players are going to have a whiff of playing pro and that number will continue to decrease as they won’t get the best players. They will get the players whose parents can afford the time money and travel and who are psyching their kid into playing professional which most do not want to. Even those that do want to, rarely have the talent. Now they will lose 40% of the potential player pool to ECNL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Q4 kid. 11 yr old. Was starting mls pipeline and looking likely mls2. We will try out at ECNL. Even if 2nd team there, have a chance to make the top team at some point. Either way, would likely be more of an impact on ECNL 2nd team than MLS2. Also, MLS is too disorganized. Club will have a nightmare.

Why is soccer such a mess?

Great question!

Now, US is the only country in the world with 2 different age cutoff systems for youth soccer.

Also, soccer is the only youth sport in US (as far as I know) with 2 different age cutoff systems.

So yes, soccer in US is a mess!

No US has 2 different soccer pathways.

BY = Pro
SY = Youth HS College

If college soccer didn't exist (which it doesnt in other countries) there wouldn't be a reason to do SY.

SY also is allegedly done here to increase participation rates at the younger ages. It is a legit concern at the youngest age groups and lower levels.

In other countries there is no college soccer so playing professionally and rec/pub soccer are the only non pro options. This is why everyone else is BY only.

The US has 2 player player pathways Pro and College. This us why there are 2 groupings.

“Pathway”😉

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pathway for an MLSN2 player to move up to MLSN1 has now become significantly harder, almost impossible for some. Because MLSN2 functions as a school year (SY) feeder team, so players would have to skip an age group to join a birth-year-based MLSN1 roster. Realistically, very few Aug–Dec players will be able to make that jump.

In other words, the MLSN system now has virtually NO upward pipeline. If you’re an Aug–Dec player, breaking into the MLSN1 team (where the older Jan–July players compete, some nearly a full year older) will be extremely difficult. And when there’s no real pathway from MLSN2 to MLSN1, players WILL leave.

Families invest in these MLSN pay-to-play academies (not DC United Academy) because they hope their child might eventually reach the first team. That possibility has essentially been removed. MLSN academies will be forced to convince their MLSN2 Aug–Dec players to stay instead of moving to ECNL, where they would actually have a chance to reach a national-level first team.

By “first team,” I mean better coaching, field priority (which becomes a major issue in bad weather; MLSN1 will be training indoors while MLSN2 won’t, as has happened before), access to VEO analytics, and more visibility with recruiters. First team is FIRST TEAM. Second team is always at the back of the line, that’s the reality.

Ummm. Typically if players seem like they can play MLS1 but are small they are biobanded until they hit puberty and catch up with everyone else.

It’s not just about size; the mental aspect matters too, yet mental development doesn’t seem to be considered when determining biobanding

So 5 months of players are so mentally destroyed that they cant be biobanded and play BY? Thats just dumb. There's grade down players playing up in BY now and they're fine.

But that’s not the case for everyone. For Q4 players, BY system an mean nearly a full year of difference between peers, which can be mentally and physically challenging. And what if size isn’t the main factor, can an overgrown kid really be biobanded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The pathway for an MLSN2 player to move up to MLSN1 has now become significantly harder, almost impossible for some. Because MLSN2 functions as a school year (SY) feeder team, so players would have to skip an age group to join a birth-year-based MLSN1 roster. Realistically, very few Aug–Dec players will be able to make that jump.

In other words, the MLSN system now has virtually NO upward pipeline. If you’re an Aug–Dec player, breaking into the MLSN1 team (where the older Jan–July players compete, some nearly a full year older) will be extremely difficult. And when there’s no real pathway from MLSN2 to MLSN1, players WILL leave.

Families invest in these MLSN pay-to-play academies (not DC United Academy) because they hope their child might eventually reach the first team. That possibility has essentially been removed. MLSN academies will be forced to convince their MLSN2 Aug–Dec players to stay instead of moving to ECNL, where they would actually have a chance to reach a national-level first team.

By “first team,” I mean better coaching, field priority (which becomes a major issue in bad weather; MLSN1 will be training indoors while MLSN2 won’t, as has happened before), access to VEO analytics, and more visibility with recruiters. First team is FIRST TEAM. Second team is always at the back of the line, that’s the reality.

agreed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pathway for an MLSN2 player to move up to MLSN1 has now become significantly harder, almost impossible for some. Because MLSN2 functions as a school year (SY) feeder team, so players would have to skip an age group to join a birth-year-based MLSN1 roster. Realistically, very few Aug–Dec players will be able to make that jump.

In other words, the MLSN system now has virtually NO upward pipeline. If you’re an Aug–Dec player, breaking into the MLSN1 team (where the older Jan–July players compete, some nearly a full year older) will be extremely difficult. And when there’s no real pathway from MLSN2 to MLSN1, players WILL leave.

Families invest in these MLSN pay-to-play academies (not DC United Academy) because they hope their child might eventually reach the first team. That possibility has essentially been removed. MLSN academies will be forced to convince their MLSN2 Aug–Dec players to stay instead of moving to ECNL, where they would actually have a chance to reach a national-level first team.

By “first team,” I mean better coaching, field priority (which becomes a major issue in bad weather; MLSN1 will be training indoors while MLSN2 won’t, as has happened before), access to VEO analytics, and more visibility with recruiters. First team is FIRST TEAM. Second team is always at the back of the line, that’s the reality.

Ummm. Typically if players seem like they can play MLS1 but are small they are biobanded until they hit puberty and catch up with everyone else.

This could be a mechanism for clubs to retain some Aug-dec kids but doesn’t that get weird college recruitment time because you are playing half a year down ? Or is the thought by then they would play in their BY cohort?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pathway for an MLSN2 player to move up to MLSN1 has now become significantly harder, almost impossible for some. Because MLSN2 functions as a school year (SY) feeder team, so players would have to skip an age group to join a birth-year-based MLSN1 roster. Realistically, very few Aug–Dec players will be able to make that jump.

In other words, the MLSN system now has virtually NO upward pipeline. If you’re an Aug–Dec player, breaking into the MLSN1 team (where the older Jan–July players compete, some nearly a full year older) will be extremely difficult. And when there’s no real pathway from MLSN2 to MLSN1, players WILL leave.

Families invest in these MLSN pay-to-play academies (not DC United Academy) because they hope their child might eventually reach the first team. That possibility has essentially been removed. MLSN academies will be forced to convince their MLSN2 Aug–Dec players to stay instead of moving to ECNL, where they would actually have a chance to reach a national-level first team.

By “first team,” I mean better coaching, field priority (which becomes a major issue in bad weather; MLSN1 will be training indoors while MLSN2 won’t, as has happened before), access to VEO analytics, and more visibility with recruiters. First team is FIRST TEAM. Second team is always at the back of the line, that’s the reality.

Ummm. Typically if players seem like they can play MLS1 but are small they are biobanded until they hit puberty and catch up with everyone else.

This could be a mechanism for clubs to retain some Aug-dec kids but doesn’t that get weird college recruitment time because you are playing half a year down ? Or is the thought by then they would play in their BY cohort?

No this is because in BY all players (that arent MLSN biobanded) can do is play up. Whish will make players that are MLSN1 even more desirable to collge recruiters. This is because not only are they playing against pro players and receiving pro development sone will also be playing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet MLS Next will be reconsidering or going back from this decision next year.

My guess is many MLNS1 clubs are right now calling ECNL phones, asking about chances of joining it.

I think this is correct. I think it is going to be a very uncomfortable FEST for MLSN leadership.

You do know that you can't actually wish a whole imaginary scenario into being?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a bad situation for the academy players most dropped out of school and gave up a lot to be in the pipeline. If they suddenly had the rug pulled out and new players came in the lawsuits would fly..,.

MLS is doing the best it can with a s*it burger.

Who dropped out of school to play for a MLSN2 team?
Is this thread for lunatics

[Anonymous]

Let me get this straight, 2 years ago parents were fine with their kid playing in NAL
This year they're fine with NAL becoming MLSN2

Next year they're going to run to ECNL because MLSN2 is still MLSN2 with the same age cutoff as ECNL

Is that the working theory?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a bad situation for the academy players most dropped out of school and gave up a lot to be in the pipeline. If they suddenly had the rug pulled out and new players came in the lawsuits would fly..,.

MLS is doing the best it can with a s*it burger.

Who dropped out of school to play for a MLSN2 team?
Is this thread for lunatics

MLS academy players means mls academy players (dc united) not mls academy division/mls2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me get this straight, 2 years ago parents were fine with their kid playing in NAL
This year they're fine with NAL becoming MLSN2

Next year they're going to run to ECNL because MLSN2 is still MLSN2 with the same age cutoff as ECNL

Is that the working theory?

That’s the theory for August-December birthdays. This year, a u15 Aug-dec birthday is eligible for u15 mls1 or u15 mls2 team. Many stay for the hope of being moved from 2 to 1.

Next year, those birthdays will be eligible for u16 mls1 or u15 mls2. If they don’t make the mls1 team there is no hope of being moved up in the future because they are now playing an age group below.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me get this straight, 2 years ago parents were fine with their kid playing in NAL
This year they're fine with NAL becoming MLSN2

Next year they're going to run to ECNL because MLSN2 is still MLSN2 with the same age cutoff as ECNL

Is that the working theory?

Alphabet soup. kids and parents want to be on the top team within a club. MLSN2 is firmly a third best option now.