New League: National Academy League

[Anonymous]

I'm sure thats regional - in our area there are two teams at the top of the ENCL-RL table that are head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Those two teams are competitive with ENCL National whereas the bottom 5 teams are probably equal to NPL and below NAL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oops sorry I see that someone has posited they are roughly equal

based on what measurements are they equal or not equal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure thats regional - in our area there are two teams at the top of the ENCL-RL table that are head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Those two teams are competitive with ENCL National whereas the bottom 5 teams are probably equal to NPL and below NAL.

at what age group?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure thats regional - in our area there are two teams at the top of the ENCL-RL table that are head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Those two teams are competitive with ENCL National whereas the bottom 5 teams are probably equal to NPL and below NAL.

at what age group?

2010 boys (u14) in ENCL-RL Carolinas

[Anonymous]

realdmv wrote:

TedLasso wrote:MLS Next isn't going to be replaced. This 'new' league has already been somewhat in practice already with a lot of NE boys teams. Essentially this league will house 2nd teams for clubs that exist in MLS Next.

It's ECRL for MLS next. Closed system that won't help anyone and is just a money maker. In case you're not aware, they tried this in EDP with club v club and it failed.

I COMPLETELY disagree that it's "just a money maker". This is a true high level platform for players just below the MLS NEXT team grouping.
It will allow teams to foster a deeper group of players playing in a high level competition and allow for advancement within the club from team to team. Especially, when players leave for other clubs or prefer to play HS soccer and leave the club world entirely. There was no good option for a feeder system prior. This gives MORE kids the opportunity to challenge themselves weekly against very strong opponents. The cream rises to the top and you can only improve by playing against strong players.
Being buried in the local, regional conferences doesn't foster such an environment.

This is a Great thing for the state of US youth soccer development. The ECNL RL has proven it's benefit with the shear amount of players from that league getting recruited to play college soccer that may never have gotten noticed otherwise, or been challenged enough in lower level leagues to become the quality player colleges are looking for.

[Anonymous]

That’s just spring 2025 schedule. Where do these teams play in the Fall ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

realdmv wrote:

TedLasso wrote:MLS Next isn't going to be replaced. This 'new' league has already been somewhat in practice already with a lot of NE boys teams. Essentially this league will house 2nd teams for clubs that exist in MLS Next.

It's ECRL for MLS next. Closed system that won't help anyone and is just a money maker. In case you're not aware, they tried this in EDP with club v club and it failed.

I COMPLETELY disagree that it's "just a money maker". This is a true high level platform for players just below the MLS NEXT team grouping.
It will allow teams to foster a deeper group of players playing in a high level competition and allow for advancement within the club from team to team. Especially, when players leave for other clubs or prefer to play HS soccer and leave the club world entirely. There was no good option for a feeder system prior. This gives MORE kids the opportunity to challenge themselves weekly against very strong opponents. The cream rises to the top and you can only improve by playing against strong players.
Being buried in the local, regional conferences doesn't foster such an environment.

This is a Great thing for the state of US youth soccer development. The ECNL RL has proven it's benefit with the shear amount of players from that league getting recruited to play college soccer that may never have gotten noticed otherwise, or been challenged enough in lower level leagues to become the quality player colleges are looking for.

This is lipstick on a pig pure propaganda!

All these 2nd and 3rd teams could and would be fine playing local 2nd and 3rd teams without traveling and hotels.

Going to New Jersey does nothing for development

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s just spring 2025 schedule. Where do these teams play in the Fall ?

Most teams are off due to HS soccer. As opposed to MLS NEXT, which in theory doesn’t allow for HS aged players to play HS soccer, NAL doesn’t have that requirement. NAL teams are largely made up of players playing HS aged players (teams might occasionally card an MLS NEXT player there to get them match time off an injury or if the NAL is in dire need of a GK).

So in lieu of playing games with teams who have only practiced once a week the NAL only schedules games after the HS season is over (when I worked in youth soccer we occasionally had a game on Sunday during the fall but that’s only if there was schedule congestion).

[Anonymous]

Does anyone with a child who played last season in the NAL have observations to share?

[Anonymous]

It was ok. Do not expect anything special. There was some movement for kids going up to MLSNext at the end of the season—only a few.

Some kids came down at the beginning and end of the season.

The big issue I see is that intensity is not always there, and kids who come down all have problems and may end up on the bench at that level as well, most likely because coming down can be a confidence hit.

If your kid has never played MLSNext and is playing with kids close to that level, it could be good for them. However, ECNL would be a better choice if you are in that situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was ok. Do not expect anything special. There was some movement for kids going up to MLSNext at the end of the season—only a few.

Some kids came down at the beginning and end of the season.

The big issue I see is that intensity is not always there, and kids who come down all have problems and may end up on the bench at that level as well, most likely because coming down can be a confidence hit.

If your kid has never played MLSNext and is playing with kids close to that level, it could be good for them. However, ECNL would be a better choice if you are in that situation.

Explain in detail why ECNL a 2nd tier league is better to be in than NAL a 2nd tier league that has a direct path to MLS Next the top tier league?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was ok. Do not expect anything special. There was some movement for kids going up to MLSNext at the end of the season—only a few.

Some kids came down at the beginning and end of the season.

The big issue I see is that intensity is not always there, and kids who come down all have problems and may end up on the bench at that level as well, most likely because coming down can be a confidence hit.

If your kid has never played MLSNext and is playing with kids close to that level, it could be good for them. However, ECNL would be a better choice if you are in that situation.

Explain in detail why ECNL a 2nd tier league is better to be in than NAL a 2nd tier league that has a direct path to MLS Next the top tier league?

NAL is closer to a third tier league

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was ok. Do not expect anything special. There was some movement for kids going up to MLSNext at the end of the season—only a few.

Some kids came down at the beginning and end of the season.

The big issue I see is that intensity is not always there, and kids who come down all have problems and may end up on the bench at that level as well, most likely because coming down can be a confidence hit.

If your kid has never played MLSNext and is playing with kids close to that level, it could be good for them. However, ECNL would be a better choice if you are in that situation.

Explain in detail why ECNL a 2nd tier league is better to be in than NAL a 2nd tier league that has a direct path to MLS Next the top tier league?

Compare apples to apples. ECNL-Regional is a 2nd tier league for ECNL-National. MLSNext teams are basically on par with ECNL-National teams.

In fact, the argument could be made that MLSNext is a second tier league to MLS Academy teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was ok. Do not expect anything special. There was some movement for kids going up to MLSNext at the end of the season—only a few.

Some kids came down at the beginning and end of the season.

The big issue I see is that intensity is not always there, and kids who come down all have problems and may end up on the bench at that level as well, most likely because coming down can be a confidence hit.

If your kid has never played MLSNext and is playing with kids close to that level, it could be good for them. However, ECNL would be a better choice if you are in that situation.

Explain in detail why ECNL a 2nd tier league is better to be in than NAL a 2nd tier league that has a direct path to MLS Next the top tier league?

Compare apples to apples. ECNL-Regional is a 2nd tier league for ECNL-National. MLSNext teams are basically on par with ECNL-National teams.

In fact, the argument could be made that MLSNext is a second tier league to MLS Academy teams.

How many ECNL players represent the USA Youth teams?
How man ECNL players represent other National youth teams?
In top NCAA programs, how does ECNL represent in the Men's rosters compared to MLS Academies & MLS Next?

ECNL takes a break for HS soccer and is trying to change age cutoffs to gain college recruiting advantages.

MLS Academies and MLS Clubs play in the same league. Not two separate leagues.
However yes, the Academies do have certain competitions against other academies and international academies where the MLS Next clubs aren't there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was ok. Do not expect anything special. There was some movement for kids going up to MLSNext at the end of the season—only a few.

Some kids came down at the beginning and end of the season.

The big issue I see is that intensity is not always there, and kids who come down all have problems and may end up on the bench at that level as well, most likely because coming down can be a confidence hit.

If your kid has never played MLSNext and is playing with kids close to that level, it could be good for them. However, ECNL would be a better choice if you are in that situation.

Explain in detail why ECNL a 2nd tier league is better to be in than NAL a 2nd tier league that has a direct path to MLS Next the top tier league?

Compare apples to apples. ECNL-Regional is a 2nd tier league for ECNL-National. MLSNext teams are basically on par with ECNL-National teams.

In fact, the argument could be made that MLSNext is a second tier league to MLS Academy teams.

How many ECNL players represent the USA Youth teams?
How man ECNL players represent other National youth teams?
In top NCAA programs, how does ECNL represent in the Men's rosters compared to MLS Academies & MLS Next?

ECNL takes a break for HS soccer and is trying to change age cutoffs to gain college recruiting advantages.

MLS Academies and MLS Clubs play in the same league. Not two separate leagues.
However yes, the Academies do have certain competitions against other academies and international academies where the MLS Next clubs aren't there.

Academies are free and some are residential. Just because they play MLS Next teams doesn't mean they are the same. You're right, ECNL for boys is not represented on the national team of college, but NAL is going to be non-existent