ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hTA0bU4pJe8

Interesting that the former college coach says SY is better for college recruiting and makes things easier? Allows college coaches to be for effective with their time when they are at showcases.

But all the BY parents said college coaches don’t care about that?….

I understand what you're saying, but when US Soccer decided on birth year they were in charge of everything. ECNL was just getting started, and it was still considered a "2nd tier" league because all the best players went to the Developmental Academy (DA) on both the girls and boys sides. US Soccer was youth soccer. That is no longer the case...not even close.

The DA doesn't even exist anymore. It failed miserably because US Soccer, with their iron fist, decided DA players couldn't play high school soccer or they were cut from the DA. What a joke and a showcase of their naivety and arrogance, which was put in place right along the same time as forcing everyone to move to birth year.

After it's collapse, the top boys league is now run by MLS academies, with ECNL being still the 2nd tier for boys. The top girls league is ECNL with ECNL RL being the 2nd strongest. US Soccer just doesn't run anything anymore, so they can't tell anyone what to do anymore. The press release isn't so much US Soccer deciding to go back to the way things were, it's them admitting they are no longer in control and are pulling out to make it easier for the private leagues to make the decisions.

I know it seems that some leagues will do it one way, and other leagues another, but that simply won't happen. EVERYONE will go to grade level, that's how much it was hated, and it's original implementation was a big milestone that signaled the slow end of US Soccer's involvement controlling youth soccer in this country.

There will be a few transition years, however, where leagues will decide to "age out" older teams so they don't get broken up before they graduate. I bet that lasts maybe a year or two...after that it's full on grade level across the board.

[Anonymous]

The above two posts should give proper credit to the original poster on Reddit. They are the most insightful and informative posts out of the thousands I have read on various forums about this subject.

[Anonymous]

Which Reddit discussion did those posts come from?

[Anonymous]

Not big support for mlsnext. Vermont has 16 of 28 players being US born. Marshall has 4 of 28 being US born.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which Reddit discussion did those posts come from?

This one ... https://www.reddit.com/r/ussoccer/comments/1h2prhs/us_soccer_backs_down_from_birth_year_change_for/

[Anonymous]

Our club sent out the wishy washy email last week as well. Can't blame them, there's no clear direction and parents probably mobbing them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hTA0bU4pJe8

Interesting that the former college coach says SY is better for college recruiting and makes things easier? Allows college coaches to be for effective with their time when they are at showcases.

But all the BY parents said college coaches don’t care about that?….

I understand what you're saying, but when US Soccer decided on birth year they were in charge of everything. ECNL was just getting started, and it was still considered a "2nd tier" league because all the best players went to the Developmental Academy (DA) on both the girls and boys sides. US Soccer was youth soccer. That is no longer the case...not even close.

The DA doesn't even exist anymore. It failed miserably because US Soccer, with their iron fist, decided DA players couldn't play high school soccer or they were cut from the DA. What a joke and a showcase of their naivety and arrogance, which was put in place right along the same time as forcing everyone to move to birth year.

After it's collapse, the top boys league is now run by MLS academies, with ECNL being still the 2nd tier for boys. The top girls league is ECNL with ECNL RL being the 2nd strongest. US Soccer just doesn't run anything anymore, so they can't tell anyone what to do anymore. The press release isn't so much US Soccer deciding to go back to the way things were, it's them admitting they are no longer in control and are pulling out to make it easier for the private leagues to make the decisions.

I know it seems that some leagues will do it one way, and other leagues another, but that simply won't happen. EVERYONE will go to grade level, that's how much it was hated, and it's original implementation was a big milestone that signaled the slow end of US Soccer's involvement controlling youth soccer in this country.

There will be a few transition years, however, where leagues will decide to "age out" older teams so they don't get broken up before they graduate. I bet that lasts maybe a year or two...after that it's full on grade level across the board.

That would be a shame if it just fully reverts back to SY. This, right now, is a unique opportunity to actually address RAE for the youth soccer ecosystem, if the system can somehow maintain some pathways using BY, especially for kids who would be youngest under SY. So, maybe this poster was right and US Soccer is just totally inept OR maybe they are crazy like a fox when they didn't mandate SY.

[Anonymous]

MLSN/GA merging?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MLSN/GA merging?

That’s what it says online.

[Anonymous]

This goes hand in hand with what I heard a few months ago that ECNL is trying to get boys clubs to join and will allow the girls in and have full membership.

MLSN obviously needed a partner so it only makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This goes hand in hand with what I heard a few months ago that ECNL is trying to get boys clubs to join and will allow the girls in and have full membership.

MLSN obviously needed a partner so it only makes sense.

ECNL will surely grab some top GA clubs. We will hear it next year. Together with SY, ECNL will dominate the girls' side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This goes hand in hand with what I heard a few months ago that ECNL is trying to get boys clubs to join and will allow the girls in and have full membership.

MLSN obviously needed a partner so it only makes sense.

ECNL will surely grab some top GA clubs. We will hear it next year. Together with SY, ECNL will dominate the girls' side.

I think we will see ECNL add more clubs than ever before between now and Fall 26. Will probably bring in some middle pack GA clubs also if the boys are strong enough.

The great divide is about to begin.

[Anonymous]

What’s the Vegas odds we get a plan of attack on the podcast tomorrow?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the Vegas odds we get a plan of attack on the podcast tomorrow?

Zero? Think they would be willing to wait a week or so for the guidance docs from USSF promised by end of year. But not willing to wait for early March stuff. I put odds on ECNL January announcement of some type.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the Vegas odds we get a plan of attack on the podcast tomorrow?

Zero? Think they would be willing to wait a week or so for the guidance docs from USSF promised by end of year. But not willing to wait for early March stuff. I put odds on ECNL January announcement of some type.

ECNL will definitely make a move. The executives are pretty good based on the past track record. I predict it will take more top GA clubs and align with the SY earlier.