ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:just stick a fork in it. what is left to discuss?

when ecnl makes their plans clear, you can have at it again.

Just doing our part to ensure 400 hits ASAP. We've moved to America exporting its problems (not new news) and problems with the NCAA. At this rate we'll 400 tonight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

This is the misconception. Why are there so few Q4 kids at the higher levels? Its not one season. Its not that every older kid in 8th grade is worse than their younger counterparts. Really sit with that question. It makes no sense. The answer is over years of being the youngest kid and other challenges of being trapped, kids drop out. LONG before this magical age you speak of where birthdays don't matter anymore and it all comes down to skill. It isn't just one season.

Being a Q4 kid has nothing to do with dropping soccer. kids drop the sport because they come to realize they don't have or want a future in the sport. They get other interests, especially in high school. If some kids don't make varsity by sophomore year that turns a lot kids off the sport too. You can't consider your kid a high level player if they can't make a high school varsity team by their sophomore year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

News flash, many if not most ECNL clubs do not allow their players to play HS until they’re committed to a college.

That is a patently false statement. ECNL thrived where DA didn't in large part because it allowed for HS participation. ECNL for U-15-U19 is only for one season, whereas U-13/U-14 is for the whole year. Why? Because of the direct conflict with HS soccer. Regardless of your opinion of HS soccer, ECNL clubs work closely with the High Schools in many regions. Heck, a lot of High School work at those clubs too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

So parents are playing billions a year for youth soccer. Considering transfer solidarity payments are less than peanuts, where would the money come from if pay to play was gone?

Solidarity and training fees are small in the US right now. I’m a FIFA player agent as well as a parent, and I see the fees that come through…it’s like $2k average.

That is changing though! You have to remember the ability to collect fees is pretty new to the US. The more the NCAA and the courts screw up college athletics, the more professional soccer becomes the goal.

Forget age cutoffs, the thing youth parents should be putting more energy into is adding chaos to the NCAA if you want a viable professional pathway and a youth system that doesn’t need to think about today’s economics because they know the payments will be coming from European pro clubs.

Maybe that is why I'm such a SY fan. Do most parents want their kids to go pro? Elite soccer (at least for girls) is made up of wealthy parents that realize their ROI is thrashed but don't care. They just want Suzy to attend Stanford and get a degree while entering the elite club of D1 athletes competitive companies seek. Its a resume builder. I'd personally be upset if my daughter wanted to continue with soccer after college. $60k a year and falling behind coworkers on her career path would make me regret this whole thing. College is the end goal for me and the parents I know but maybe I have that part wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

News flash, many if not most ECNL clubs do not allow their players to play HS until they’re committed to a college.

That is a patently false statement. ECNL thrived where DA didn't in large part because it allowed for HS participation. ECNL for U-15-U19 is only for one season, whereas U-13/U-14 is for the whole year. Why? Because of the direct conflict with HS soccer. Regardless of your opinion of HS soccer, ECNL clubs work closely with the High Schools in many regions. Heck, a lot of High School work at those clubs too.

There you go letting facts get in the way again. lol. I try once to set the ignorantly opinionated straight, then I just let them rant. Maybe in some small market the club is threatened by HS ball. The largest concern in my market is injury. Everyone knows its a risk playing with less skilled players that use physicality to overcome technical skill but I don't know one kid that doesn't play HS ball and most of the teams here are top 10 in the nation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

This is the misconception. Why are there so few Q4 kids at the higher levels? Its not one season. Its not that every older kid in 8th grade is worse than their younger counterparts. Really sit with that question. It makes no sense. The answer is over years of being the youngest kid and other challenges of being trapped, kids drop out. LONG before this magical age you speak of where birthdays don't matter anymore and it all comes down to skill. It isn't just one season.

Being a Q4 kid has nothing to do with dropping soccer. kids drop the sport because they come to realize they don't have or want a future in the sport. They get other interests, especially in high school. If some kids don't make varsity by sophomore year that turns a lot kids off the sport too. You can't consider your kid a high level player if they can't make a high school varsity team by their sophomore year.

The BY crowd will only realize the error of their thinking when the shoe is on the other foot. I guess the majority of high level players are Jan through June because...ummmm...the weather was warmer when they were born?? I don't even have a theory you could possibly be holding onto. In five years when Q3 kids are dominating the sport I look forward to coming back here and reminding you that the June kids aren't good anymore because they aren't trying hard enough. They are dropping out of soccer at alarming rates because they all suddenly realized they liked other sports. The avoidance of the obvious is incredible and what infuriates the Q4 crowd. Just admit you've had an advantage that is going away and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

So parents are playing billions a year for youth soccer. Considering transfer solidarity payments are less than peanuts, where would the money come from if pay to play was gone?

Solidarity and training fees are small in the US right now. I’m a FIFA player agent as well as a parent, and I see the fees that come through…it’s like $2k average.

That is changing though! You have to remember the ability to collect fees is pretty new to the US. The more the NCAA and the courts screw up college athletics, the more professional soccer becomes the goal.

Forget age cutoffs, the thing youth parents should be putting more energy into is adding chaos to the NCAA if you want a viable professional pathway and a youth system that doesn’t need to think about today’s economics because they know the payments will be coming from European pro clubs.

Maybe that is why I'm such a SY fan. Do most parents want their kids to go pro? Elite soccer (at least for girls) is made up of wealthy parents that realize their ROI is thrashed but don't care. They just want Suzy to attend Stanford and get a degree while entering the elite club of D1 athletes competitive companies seek. Its a resume builder. I'd personally be upset if my daughter wanted to continue with soccer after college. $60k a year and falling behind coworkers on her career path would make me regret this whole thing. College is the end goal for me and the parents I know but maybe I have that part wrong.

This may be another difference between boys and girls. Very different goals because the payoffs are far different. I only have girls so I wonder if it's as pay to play on the boys side? The level of elitism in girls soccer is shocking. The resources needed to be on the best teams is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

News flash, many if not most ECNL clubs do not allow their players to play HS until they’re committed to a college.

That is a patently false statement. ECNL thrived where DA didn't in large part because it allowed for HS participation. ECNL for U-15-U19 is only for one season, whereas U-13/U-14 is for the whole year. Why? Because of the direct conflict with HS soccer. Regardless of your opinion of HS soccer, ECNL clubs work closely with the High Schools in many regions. Heck, a lot of High School work at those clubs too.

Yes this is false at least on the girls' side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

You’ve got serious issues. 😂

I’m glad you’re proud of your kiddo. It just seems like you’re thinking this change does something for you personally. And you absolutely seem to be reveling in your child not having to “play up” (in the BY cutoff system). Pretty damning for what seems like a hyper competitive personality.

lol. Yep, I'm the only competitive parent on this thread. I'm the only competitive parent on the sidelines and Im a bad guy because I'm looking for advantages for my kid to excel in this wild pay for play world which resembles the hunger games every tryout season. Gimme a break...wake up man.

This thread does crack me up with parents all pointing fingers on who is too invested in youth soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

So parents are playing billions a year for youth soccer. Considering transfer solidarity payments are less than peanuts, where would the money come from if pay to play was gone?

Solidarity and training fees are small in the US right now. I’m a FIFA player agent as well as a parent, and I see the fees that come through…it’s like $2k average.

That is changing though! You have to remember the ability to collect fees is pretty new to the US. The more the NCAA and the courts screw up college athletics, the more professional soccer becomes the goal.

Forget age cutoffs, the thing youth parents should be putting more energy into is adding chaos to the NCAA if you want a viable professional pathway and a youth system that doesn’t need to think about today’s economics because they know the payments will be coming from European pro clubs.

Maybe that is why I'm such a SY fan. Do most parents want their kids to go pro? Elite soccer (at least for girls) is made up of wealthy parents that realize their ROI is thrashed but don't care. They just want Suzy to attend Stanford and get a degree while entering the elite club of D1 athletes competitive companies seek. Its a resume builder. I'd personally be upset if my daughter wanted to continue with soccer after college. $60k a year and falling behind coworkers on her career path would make me regret this whole thing. College is the end goal for me and the parents I know but maybe I have that part wrong.

Playing pro female soccer is not a path for the future unless you are crazy good so on the YNT or think you will get on WNT and are either very pretty or edgy in a way that is in demand at that moment for marketing. If you do not fir this but can go to Stanford as PP says above then you should do that and start your life.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

So parents are playing billions a year for youth soccer. Considering transfer solidarity payments are less than peanuts, where would the money come from if pay to play was gone?

Solidarity and training fees are small in the US right now. I’m a FIFA player agent as well as a parent, and I see the fees that come through…it’s like $2k average.

That is changing though! You have to remember the ability to collect fees is pretty new to the US. The more the NCAA and the courts screw up college athletics, the more professional soccer becomes the goal.

Forget age cutoffs, the thing youth parents should be putting more energy into is adding chaos to the NCAA if you want a viable professional pathway and a youth system that doesn’t need to think about today’s economics because they know the payments will be coming from European pro clubs.

Maybe that is why I'm such a SY fan. Do most parents want their kids to go pro? Elite soccer (at least for girls) is made up of wealthy parents that realize their ROI is thrashed but don't care. They just want Suzy to attend Stanford and get a degree while entering the elite club of D1 athletes competitive companies seek. Its a resume builder. I'd personally be upset if my daughter wanted to continue with soccer after college. $60k a year and falling behind coworkers on her career path would make me regret this whole thing. College is the end goal for me and the parents I know but maybe I have that part wrong.

Playing pro female soccer is not a path for the future unless you are crazy good so on the YNT or think you will get on WNT and are either very pretty or edgy in a way that is in demand at that moment for marketing. If you do not fir this but can go to Stanford as PP says above then you should do that and start your life.

Eeesh. I don't know that world at all. The marketability part never crossed my mind. What sad commentary and more reason to not make pro the goal.

[Anonymous]

Eyeballing 400!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

News flash, many if not most ECNL clubs do not allow their players to play HS until they’re committed to a college.

That is a patently false statement. ECNL thrived where DA didn't in large part because it allowed for HS participation. ECNL for U-15-U19 is only for one season, whereas U-13/U-14 is for the whole year. Why? Because of the direct conflict with HS soccer. Regardless of your opinion of HS soccer, ECNL clubs work closely with the High Schools in many regions. Heck, a lot of High School work at those clubs too.

You’re not correct. And it depends on the ECNL club…the most competitive (and many that want to be the most competitive) DO NOT allow it. Does “ECNL” allow for it? Yes. But that doesn’t mean clubs have to allow for it.

Tons of reasons for this. They don’t want to lose time un-coaching bad HS practices, they don’t want added work and wear on their athletes, they want to minimize injuries, they want to make sure the athlete is getting the right exposure to the schools they want to target, etc.

One of the big selling points for RL in many markets is that the kids have the time and freedom to play HS soccer if that is important to them. And I can tell you, for kids that playing HS soccer is important enough to drop to RL or play for a bottom ECNL club, is a kid that has already capped their soccer career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

No PP, but to answer your question: Your kid likely has more experience (maybe at least a year, depending on when they started) AND perhaps more experience on bigger fields (depends on what age they are at). Right now, that edge only helps in 9th grade. If/when the switch happens, it'll be an edge for that season and the older they are, the less of an edge, really. As for the Jan kid, they're more than likely welcome a more experienced player onto their team. Younger players want to play up as much as possible. It helps them get better.

This is the misconception. Why are there so few Q4 kids at the higher levels? Its not one season. Its not that every older kid in 8th grade is worse than their younger counterparts. Really sit with that question. It makes no sense. The answer is over years of being the youngest kid and other challenges of being trapped, kids drop out. LONG before this magical age you speak of where birthdays don't matter anymore and it all comes down to skill. It isn't just one season.

Being a Q4 kid has nothing to do with dropping soccer. kids drop the sport because they come to realize they don't have or want a future in the sport. They get other interests, especially in high school. If some kids don't make varsity by sophomore year that turns a lot kids off the sport too. You can't consider your kid a high level player if they can't make a high school varsity team by their sophomore year.

The BY crowd will only realize the error of their thinking when the shoe is on the other foot. I guess the majority of high level players are Jan through June because...ummmm...the weather was warmer when they were born?? I don't even have a theory you could possibly be holding onto. In five years when Q3 kids are dominating the sport I look forward to coming back here and reminding you that the June kids aren't good anymore because they aren't trying hard enough. They are dropping out of soccer at alarming rates because they all suddenly realized they liked other sports. The avoidance of the obvious is incredible and what infuriates the Q4 crowd. Just admit you've had an advantage that is going away and move on.

🙄🙄🙄 PP was not making a BY/SY post. Is there anything that you don’t agree with that you don’t dub “BY opinion?” It’s getting old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

You’ve got serious issues. 😂

I’m glad you’re proud of your kiddo. It just seems like you’re thinking this change does something for you personally. And you absolutely seem to be reveling in your child not having to “play up” (in the BY cutoff system). Pretty damning for what seems like a hyper competitive personality.

lol. Yep, I'm the only competitive parent on this thread. I'm the only competitive parent on the sidelines and Im a bad guy because I'm looking for advantages for my kid to excel in this wild pay for play world which resembles the hunger games every tryout season. Gimme a break...wake up man.

Hunger games? So your kid is the one that is hacking on everyone at ID sessions / Try outs trying to cut down the roster one concussion and ACL at a time?

I cannot say I enjoy watching those sessions. But I can honestly say I’ve never seen them as hunger games. The YNT camps are pretty awful in that regard too. That said, my DD has always been with the top group, typically top 1 or 2 kids on the field - and the top group does not have the hackers in them. And when kids bump up to their group, if they can’t hang, they’re out in 5m for another kid to tryout. Hackers never make it that to their group. Sometimes they get rostered, but they never make the top crew.