The only result that matters is the college destination. Going to a top tier college that happens to be local is not a mediocre result. |
Club consolidation doesn’t need to happen. One club just needs to rise above the rest in terms of coaching, philosophy and organization. Unless fields are an issue stunting growth, this is how talent, player and coaching. will consolidate. |
Yes! Competition is a good thing. The last thing we want is just a couple of huge clubs that can do whatever they want because there is nowhere else to go |
Thanks for stating this better than I could earlier. That's essentially what happened with Penn Fusion girls over the years. Fields were also an issue, but they acquired a bunch of fields/facilities. |
This is exactly the case now. Clubs will get money whether or not they win. There is no incentive to recruit better coaches and develop better overall training because they fill rosters no matter what. |
Not true. We regularly see clubs, coaches, and players come and go. Just in this last year the changes have been significant. A club that gets complacent risks losing all their players (FCV), with other clubs just waiting to pick them up (SYC/VR) and try to do it better. It’s healthy competition |
Laughing in GA |
So then more competition is actually better, not less. Agreed that clubs like Arlington have no incentive to improve as they have a captive audience and excess demand. |
100% correct there's 1000s of youth soccer teams in Socal if you add up all the different leagues, rec teams, and age groups. Some clubs consistently win and some clubs consistently lose. The ones that win have players, parents, coaches, docs, club leadership, fields, etc all functioning at the highest levels. Proven consistency over time will bring in even better players which in turn means even more wins. The formula can work anywhere. But it starts with clubs recognizing what it takes to play at a high level and creating programs that foster this type of training from a young age + not engage in playing and teaching shortcuts. (Kickball, Biggest Kid) |
Players are moving around yes, but the clubs aren't dominating anything. SYC isn't a great example for a place where talent gathers and coaches are superior on the girls side. |
Not entirely true. Arlington pours resources onto that 2011 team but no one else. |
| Didn't Arlington have 7 teams in that age group? I wouldn't be surprised if all the excess money from having that many teams in 2011 was for extra funding to them. |
You are missing the whole point of ECNL. It is college. Soccer is just like American football for boys or Field Hockey or Hockey. It is a sport. The goal is college. For a few they could consider pro but only for a few. Would a player rather win a national championship or be be recruited and commit to the school they want. It is the school. Sure they would be happy to win. But not the primary goal. Life is not football. Football is a game. |
No they don't. Not more than any other Arlington ECNL team. The clubs do have a goal to get better. Not to be Braved or Unioned. Demand comes and goes at the top level. The better the product the better demand. So yes they do have an incentive. |
No club from this area will dominate anything except this region. California and Texas dominate girls soccer. We cannot compete because of the weather. And we are not a destination for players. Also in this area, many of the best girl's athletes do other sports like LAX. While LAX is in Cali and Texas it is not like here. If there was just one elite club in the DMV that somehow got the best girls and had the best coaches --- they would not dominate anything. |