DA vs. ECNL Girls Travel question

[Anonymous]

Have a daughter U12. Already thinking about next year and looking a 2 teams one DA and one ECNL. She is currently on a pre-ECNL team but we are considering another ECNL club. My question -

What is the difference in $$$ for travel between an ECNL and DA U13 team? How many travel "episodes" will there be over the course of the U13 year for each. How far do each travel? Is there anyone out there that has recent experience with both? Or has experience with one and knowledge of the other? TIA

[Anonymous]

You can see what the schedule looks like for all U13 DA teams now, which I assume your daughter would be next year.

http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/regevent/index.php?containerId=MTE2MTAwODA%3D&partialGames=1

[Anonymous]

Op here

Beyond the regular season schedule... I know the DA teams travel north for games and ECNL goes south for games. I have heard there are "showcases" that teams do. Do both DA and ECNL go to these? Is this basically just a tournament re-named to sound fancy? I can't imagine at U13 there is recruiting going on of 6th and 7th graders. How many do the teams do a year? I've heard that DA does a "bunch more" but that was from an ECNL loving dad who was trying to convince us ECNL is the best way to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here

Beyond the regular season schedule... I know the DA teams travel north for games and ECNL goes south for games. I have heard there are "showcases" that teams do. Do both DA and ECNL go to these? Is this basically just a tournament re-named to sound fancy? I can't imagine at U13 there is recruiting going on of 6th and 7th graders. How many do the teams do a year? I've heard that DA does a "bunch more" but that was from an ECNL loving dad who was trying to convince us ECNL is the best way to go.

My DD has played DA since it began. As a U14 (earliest age DA had at the time) there were two showcases, one in the spring and one in the summer. The U15 age group did had a fall showcase as well. She is now U17 and there are 3 showcases (plus a winter one which is really more of a weekend of a few games). They all involve flights and significant travel, but they are relevant at peak recruiting times for sure. U13 is new/pilot so there are no formal expectations at that age, so I believe they only attend showcases/tournaments at the club's discretion. You are right that college coaches don't care about 6th-7th graders. They DO start looking as early as 8th grade (particularly when girls are fall birthdays so actually getting seen along with the rest of an age group that is a school year older.)

There is a lot of talk on this board about which is better, DA or ECNL. My DD has many friends who play ECNL and they all also attend showcases and seem to get good attention from college coaches. I believe typically also 2-3/year (more at the older ages.) An ECNL parent can weigh in. I think these two leagues both offer far more of those opportunities than anywhere else one could play. Ultimately I'd recommend picking based on the coach and club that is convenient to you from a practice standpoint and seems to mesh best for your DD -- the travel will be similar and sort itself out....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here

Beyond the regular season schedule... I know the DA teams travel north for games and ECNL goes south for games. I have heard there are "showcases" that teams do. Do both DA and ECNL go to these? Is this basically just a tournament re-named to sound fancy? I can't imagine at U13 there is recruiting going on of 6th and 7th graders. How many do the teams do a year? I've heard that DA does a "bunch more" but that was from an ECNL loving dad who was trying to convince us ECNL is the best way to go.

My DD has played DA since it began. As a U14 (earliest age DA had at the time) there were two showcases, one in the spring and one in the summer. The U15 age group did had a fall showcase as well. She is now U17 and there are 3 showcases (plus a winter one which is really more of a weekend of a few games). They all involve flights and significant travel, but they are relevant at peak recruiting times for sure. U13 is new/pilot so there are no formal expectations at that age, so I believe they only attend showcases/tournaments at the club's discretion. You are right that college coaches don't care about 6th-7th graders. They DO start looking as early as 8th grade (particularly when girls are fall birthdays so actually getting seen along with the rest of an age group that is a school year older.)

There is a lot of talk on this board about which is better, DA or ECNL. My DD has many friends who play ECNL and they all also attend showcases and seem to get good attention from college coaches. I believe typically also 2-3/year (more at the older ages.) An ECNL parent can weigh in. I think these two leagues both offer far more of those opportunities than anywhere else one could play. Ultimately I'd recommend picking based on the coach and club that is convenient to you from a practice standpoint and seems to mesh best for your DD -- the travel will be similar and sort itself out....

So your U17 DD is taking 4 flights each season to play soccer showcases? Fall, winter, spring and summer? And there are 2 travel weekends each season for regular games? So I'm gathering for a DA team we should plan for 8 weekends a year away from home. 4 that you will fly for and 4 that you will travel by bus?

Anyone know if ECNL also does this much traveling?

[Anonymous]

U13s don’t have any Showcases in DA, but probably 2 overnight trips per season.
U14s have 2 showcases. Last year, they were in Denver and San Diego.
At U15, there are 3- FL, Colorado, and California.

[Anonymous]

ECNL does just as many

[Anonymous]

Are the showcases for the entire team or select players?

[Anonymous]

What clubs are you looking at?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the showcases for the entire team or select players?

Entire team

[Anonymous]

At U13, our DA clubs still plays in the normal Tourney's as there are no showcases as one poster mentions.

Travel north/south is chaperoned and the teams go on buses for the trip. A few mom's ride along on the bus and stay in the hotel, etc.

My DD has played in both. The costs are very similar. Look for a good coach and good group of players around her that will challenge her day to day.

[Anonymous]

I can tell you anything specific about what's going on with U13s now, but having a DD that's done both ECNL and DA, it's not a big difference in terms of travel and cost. The one thing I'd suggest you look at is how the different clubs travel and how that fits into your plans. Some clubs travel as a team, which means that the club (or the team manager) takes care of of transportation and lodging , other clubs make the parents take care of that, and some it's just the club for far away showcases. And how clubs handle it does not appear to be a clear DA or ECNL split. In terms of cost, you'll be writing a bigger check to the club for the first option but you can end up paying less overall since costs are shared (eg, the hotel room is split between 3 or 4 players instead of each family getting a room). not to mention the time it frees up for you. Of course, if you're traveling anyway to see your kid play, then it costs more.

As much as I like watching my DD, the club travel option appeals to me more because it gives our family the flexibility to decide which trips we're going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the showcases for the entire team or select players?

entire team usually. that’s the commitment and since it’s a showcase it’s meant to showcase all players, not just starters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here

Beyond the regular season schedule... I know the DA teams travel north for games and ECNL goes south for games. I have heard there are "showcases" that teams do. Do both DA and ECNL go to these? Is this basically just a tournament re-named to sound fancy? I can't imagine at U13 there is recruiting going on of 6th and 7th graders. How many do the teams do a year? I've heard that DA does a "bunch more" but that was from an ECNL loving dad who was trying to convince us ECNL is the best way to go.

My DD has played DA since it began. As a U14 (earliest age DA had at the time) there were two showcases, one in the spring and one in the summer. The U15 age group did had a fall showcase as well. She is now U17 and there are 3 showcases (plus a winter one which is really more of a weekend of a few games). They all involve flights and significant travel, but they are relevant at peak recruiting times for sure. U13 is new/pilot so there are no formal expectations at that age, so I believe they only attend showcases/tournaments at the club's discretion. You are right that college coaches don't care about 6th-7th graders. They DO start looking as early as 8th grade (particularly when girls are fall birthdays so actually getting seen along with the rest of an age group that is a school year older.)

There is a lot of talk on this board about which is better, DA or ECNL. My DD has many friends who play ECNL and they all also attend showcases and seem to get good attention from college coaches. I believe typically also 2-3/year (more at the older ages.) An ECNL parent can weigh in. I think these two leagues both offer far more of those opportunities than anywhere else one could play. Ultimately I'd recommend picking based on the coach and club that is convenient to you from a practice standpoint and seems to mesh best for your DD -- the travel will be similar and sort itself out....

So your U17 DD is taking 4 flights each season to play soccer showcases? Fall, winter, spring and summer? And there are 2 travel weekends each season for regular games? So I'm gathering for a DA team we should plan for 8 weekends a year away from home. 4 that you will fly for and 4 that you will travel by bus?

Anyone know if ECNL also does this much traveling?

No. 3 DA showcases max.

Other small showcases are within a days drive.

[Anonymous]

you will spend 10K on travel for either DA or ECNL.