ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey guys...they made a decision. We can go home now.

Something more than the recent USSF memo? People here are waiting on the next set of details. Also, the thread has now exceeded more than 400K in views -- which underscores interest in this topic! (Would be fascinating to know actual users, tho).

Bet it's one of the most active places on the public internet for content around the change.

This used to be a daily read and comment for me, but now we are just rehashing the same items. I've posted before about this, really the interesting questions left are when ENCL will move - this year or next - and what the other leagues, especially MLS Next will do in 26/27.

For girls this doesn't seem as interesting, NWSL/pro play is much smaller than the college path where SY aligns better, regardless of the short term trauma of mid-pack Q1/Q2 kids getting pushed to lower teams.

I'm not sure there actual enough Q3/Q4 high-achievers numbers-wise to push that many down, really. Those who are will also be pushing to still play on the older teams (or will switch clubs) -- And sorry, we are falling into rehash!

We will see the date change play out. But from what I have seen, demoted players are likely to quit soccer. So if the fools gold of being older in an age group goes away, a different group of kids will be ending soccer. No need to guess how many.

Yep, or will quit because they played with mostly the same group for years and can no longer. That would be a shame, especially since part of what's driving it is to increase participation. That's why I hope the powers that be ease any transition at first to the younger age groups (while perhaps giving increased flexibility around the trapped seasons).

Why don't the exceptional players who play up at the highest levels quit since they're no longer playing with who they were playing with for years?
This quitting because you're no longer with your cafeteria buddy must be a Rec mindset thing.

Actually, they do, eventually. Maybe it's burnout OR injury OR age. Everyone is humbled at some point. While some look to exploit this change for short-term gain, if not done with thoughtfulness of the players, it comes at a cost to the larger eco-system. Anyone who loves to play soccer and wants to see the game grow and provide more opportunties should care.

You're saying every truly elite young soccer player eventually quits.
Where can we find verification of that?

Do all elite young baseball, hockey, basketball, football players also get humbled and quit?

Yes, not ALL make it. And too many think that won't be them until it happens.

Your animosity and envy towards the top tier young players is obvious

Let's hope they all succeed

I certainly wish everyone reach their full potential. It's amazing to see when people's hard work pays off. What's actually obvious is how you appear to ignore how hope is at the heart of these clubs' business model.

[Anonymous]

Just to give people an update from my comment that is now back in the abyss of this forum, it has now been 3 weeks since my buddy (ECNL director) emailed US club and ECNL about if there are plans for for next year 25/26.

ECNL said they are waiting for US Club to release that info. Did not say yes or no.

US club still has not given a response.

What that means?… We will find out eventually.

[Anonymous]

Guessing next week on the podcast. The age page still says TBD

https://usclubsoccer.org/registration-player-age-groups/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey guys...they made a decision. We can go home now.

Something more than the recent USSF memo? People here are waiting on the next set of details. Also, the thread has now exceeded more than 400K in views -- which underscores interest in this topic! (Would be fascinating to know actual users, tho).

Bet it's one of the most active places on the public internet for content around the change.

This used to be a daily read and comment for me, but now we are just rehashing the same items. I've posted before about this, really the interesting questions left are when ENCL will move - this year or next - and what the other leagues, especially MLS Next will do in 26/27.

For girls this doesn't seem as interesting, NWSL/pro play is much smaller than the college path where SY aligns better, regardless of the short term trauma of mid-pack Q1/Q2 kids getting pushed to lower teams.

I'm not sure there actual enough Q3/Q4 high-achievers numbers-wise to push that many down, really. Those who are will also be pushing to still play on the older teams (or will switch clubs) -- And sorry, we are falling into rehash!

We will see the date change play out. But from what I have seen, demoted players are likely to quit soccer. So if the fools gold of being older in an age group goes away, a different group of kids will be ending soccer. No need to guess how many.

Yep, or will quit because they played with mostly the same group for years and can no longer. That would be a shame, especially since part of what's driving it is to increase participation. That's why I hope the powers that be ease any transition at first to the younger age groups (while perhaps giving increased flexibility around the trapped seasons).

Why don't the exceptional players who play up at the highest levels quit since they're no longer playing with who they were playing with for years?
This quitting because you're no longer with your cafeteria buddy must be a Rec mindset thing.

Actually, they do, eventually. Maybe it's burnout OR injury OR age. Everyone is humbled at some point. While some look to exploit this change for short-term gain, if not done with thoughtfulness of the players, it comes at a cost to the larger eco-system. Anyone who loves to play soccer and wants to see the game grow and provide more opportunties should care.

You're saying every truly elite young soccer player eventually quits.
Where can we find verification of that?

Do all elite young baseball, hockey, basketball, football players also get humbled and quit?

Yes, not ALL make it. And too many think that won't be them until it happens.

Your animosity and envy towards the top tier young players is obvious

Let's hope they all succeed

I certainly wish everyone reach their full potential. It's amazing to see when people's hard work pays off. What's actually obvious is how you appear to ignore how hope is at the heart of these clubs' business model.

Lots of college grads with high debt, high stress and low paying jobs had hope

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

Not as ugly as the ECNL flat bill hat. You look like big goof representing a league lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to give people an update from my comment that is now back in the abyss of this forum, it has now been 3 weeks since my buddy (ECNL director) emailed US club and ECNL about if there are plans for for next year 25/26.

ECNL said they are waiting for US Club to release that info. Did not say yes or no.

US club still has not given a response.

What that means?… We will find out eventually.

This means nothing...ECNL HQ didn't give a direct answer to one ECNL Director about the most inflammatory topic on the docket...lets unpack that!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

I get the knock on the ECNL hat, but I'm betting a lot of parents making the joke do essentially the same thing (without the hat) even if they are at a good club. To borrow a common joke about Harvard grads:

How do you know someone's kid is on the ECNL/GA team at their club? Just wait a minute, they'll tell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

No, the way you really set them off is by asking...

"Does your kid play for the ECNLs? Because I haven't heard of that team before."

They'll likely respond with something like...

"No they play in ECNL, it's a soccer league."

Which is when you respond with...

"Why would you wear a hat representing a league and not one with the team your kid is playing on?"

You get the idea. Keep asking circular logic questions until they figure out that you're making fun of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

I get the knock on the ECNL hat, but I'm betting a lot of parents making the joke do essentially the same thing (without the hat) even if they are at a good club. To borrow a common joke about Harvard grads:

How do you know someone's kid is on the ECNL/GA team at their club? Just wait a minute, they'll tell you.

Now youth soccer has a rankings app so everyone knows which clubs are good or bad regardless of the league they play in. I remember before the rankings app and websites or publications would randomly list rankings based on whatever criteria they wanted. (Or none at all)

You can't hide behind a brand or league or whatever anymore. Even though obviously many still try to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

I get the knock on the ECNL hat, but I'm betting a lot of parents making the joke do essentially the same thing (without the hat) even if they are at a good club. To borrow a common joke about Harvard grads:

How do you know someone's kid is on the ECNL/GA team at their club? Just wait a minute, they'll tell you.

Now youth soccer has a rankings app so everyone knows which clubs are good or bad regardless of the league they play in. I remember before the rankings app and websites or publications would randomly list rankings based on whatever criteria they wanted. (Or none at all)

You can't hide behind a brand or league or whatever anymore. Even though obviously many still try to.

Rankings apps are nonsense
Easily manipulated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

I get the knock on the ECNL hat, but I'm betting a lot of parents making the joke do essentially the same thing (without the hat) even if they are at a good club. To borrow a common joke about Harvard grads:

How do you know someone's kid is on the ECNL/GA team at their club? Just wait a minute, they'll tell you.

Now youth soccer has a rankings app so everyone knows which clubs are good or bad regardless of the league they play in. I remember before the rankings app and websites or publications would randomly list rankings based on whatever criteria they wanted. (Or none at all)

You can't hide behind a brand or league or whatever anymore. Even though obviously many still try to.

Rankings apps are nonsense
Easily manipulated

Not with youth soccer. The Rankings App is pretty accurate.

The only real "manipulation" occurs when GA, ECNL or whatever league kicks in and the top teams from different leagues stop playing each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

Not as ugly as the ECNL flat bill hat. You look like big goof representing a league lol

Haters gonna hate….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread should give everyone full confidence that the poor youth soccer culture in this country won't be improving anytime soon.

Neurotic parents focused on the wrong things and don't care enough to learn the right things.
Just want to have a say and be heard

You're not even close but I guess that's an easy anecdote. The reality is you need to hate the game, not the players (or their parents). I didn't create this insane web of alphabet soup clubs nor the competitive structure we play in. I didn't create the best path to college recruiting, it was laid long before I got here. My daughter has a dream of playing college soccer. She's a very good 2013, playing up on NPL and Im figuring out what to do for next year. She trapped and its silly she doesn't have the option to play with her classmates but again, this is the game I was given. I'm not asking for change (somebody has to be impacted by RAE and my kid is good enough to overcome it) but if change is coming it's ideally this year. I'd hate for her to go ECNL and fall in love with a team for one season, only to switch everything around. My concern isn't making a team, its being on a top 10 national team and seeing it fall apart when we reshuffle.

Call me neurotic if its easier for you. Im doing what I can to learn this system and help my kid in every way possible for her future. I'd love a simpler, more easy going system but apprentely thats not an option in my area.

No need to worry if your child is on a top 10 national team. Any reshuffle (especially a slight age change by a few months only) will not change anything for teams at that level so he or she should definitely not be concerned about that.

I'm not worried at all. My daughter will end up where she should. But the dirty secret here is that putting her on a team with 2014's is gift. She'll then be playing with a top 10 national club AND she'll be one of the best in that age bracket, which comes with exposure opportunities and invites she wouldn't have otherwise. Again, didn't request the gift but not going to turn it down either.

Lots of discussion on here about 'don't worry, your kid will make the team if they are good enough'. Trapped players at high level aren't concerned with making the team. They are worried about being first team regionals vs second team. They are worried about power 5 schools coming by their showcase vs lower level D1. When you get to that level and know how things work its a different experience to be on the team vs best in a competitive region.

You are 100% corr3ct unfortunately there's a bunch of B team parents who think SY is their ticket to the A team. It's not, and once they figure it out they'll move onto the next excuse.

I'm curious why most ppl care? Is it simply ego? If you aren't pushing to make the national team or play college ball for one of the top universities in the country then none of this matters. Keep little Suzy or Tommy out there kicking the ball and having fun with great teammates and coaches that double as mentors. If you're kid is in 8th grade and not already being chased by college coaches then at best you're looking at D2 schools and maybe low level D1's. All of which are on the table for a few more years so chill out. If your kid was one of the best in the country you'd know it by now I promise you. Outside the best of the best there are 20,000 other opportunities to play college soccer.

You’re not in the DMV, right? Because parents of ECNL players (and legitimate future ECNL players) in this area don’t realize our best teams and players, with rare exceptions, are not nearly as good as we think they are relative to other parts of the country. With rare exceptions, our coaches are terrible, relative to other parts of the country. We have way too many ECNL teams for the depth of the talent pool in this area, before even factoring in the GA teams. So when comparing our Suzy or Tommy to the local talent, we actually think they’re good, and they are, but only relative to the local talent, which isn’t so good. And that’s before you get to the other 90% of players in the area who can’t touch even our ECNL / GA teams.

I’m speaking only of the girls side, although I suspect it’s not dissimilar for boys.

Not in the DMV but that sounds terrible. As ECNL expands I wonder how much that problem will get worse. Tons of teams wearing the patch and making the assumption they in the top percentage of players nationwide. What is really scary to me is GA. My younger daughter is deciding between GA (which is nearby) or ECNL (which is 1 hour away). I SOOO wish the GA team was good. I could care less about the letters at her age, if she's good enough she'll figure it out later but wow, the team is terrible. They are highly ranked team in GA but what they do hardly looks like soccer to me compared the ECNL teams. I'm nervous if she plays there for 2 years she'll never catch up with her ECNL counterparts.

That's a lot of smoke you're blowing.

Which GA + ECNL clubs are you referring to?

If you decide to drive 2 hours a day for youth soccer make sure you pick up an ECNL hat.

If only it was that easy…

GA hats ugly as hell though. That’s why people don’t wear them.

Not a bad second option though.

If you went to a Commies Aka Ommanders game would you wear a Commanders hat or would you wear a hat that says NFL?

This is the joke that you obviously don't get.

Also parents from sucky ECNL teams want to look like they belong even when everyone would laugh at them if they wore a hat from the club their kid plays on.

Hence the ECNL Hat, several levels of pathetic all wrapped into one physical garment.

When he gets asked what team his kid plays for he says ECNL.

No, the way you really set them off is by asking...

"Does your kid play for the ECNLs? Because I haven't heard of that team before."

They'll likely respond with something like...

"No they play in ECNL, it's a soccer league."

Which is when you respond with...

"Why would you wear a hat representing a league and not one with the team your kid is playing on?"

You get the idea. Keep asking circular logic questions until they figure out that you're making fun of them.

How else would we let you know are kids are better than yours.