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ECNL moving to school year not calendar
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Anonymous
I think you are missing the perspective of the ultra competitive club on this. For some, especially the ones with the strict HS rules, they want to win more than anything else. They see that success as their key to recruiting the best players possible. That means being top of the table and winning the national competitions, so that, not so much player development, IS their priority. Not to say that player development isn't present, just that it's secondary. Its in this atmosphere you find D1-level talented players who lost spots for wanting to play HS. |
Anonymous
I think it was the RAE-critical person who disappeared after declining to explain what it actually is. |
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Anonymous
That person thinking D1 is unimpressive has no clue ENCL is a pipeline to D1.Where else are they going to get women to play in the ACC? Just HS players? That person has never watched an ECNL National Selection game. |
Anonymous
There are other pipelines. ECNL just has done the best lately for girls. |
Anonymous
I’m pretty sure the PP who what tell us “what is staring us in the face” is a SY fan. The RAE lady is right, there is a lot of uninformed spouting of RAE in this thread as if it causes all ills or solves all woe. |
Anonymous
Yes genius…ECNL is a pipeline to D1, hence most ECNL girls are D1 talent. Read the thread. That said, D1 soccer players solid soccer players, and I know that is so many girls (and their parents) dream…to play D1. And it’s also true that D1 soccer is unimpressive….if you disagree, totally cool. And totally cool why, because for you and your family THAT is the pinnacle of the soccer career. I get it, I just think the skill level in D1 is pretty mid compared to the next levels. |
Anonymous
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Has any seen this:
Source https://x.com/ProspectsUsmnt/status/1883353332179497154 and https://cuatower.com/2025/02/monumental-changes-rumored-to-come-to-college-soccer/ UPDATE: I hear that this process has been moving along this month, per numerous sources I've talked to on this matter. It is believed that, at a recent coaching convention and via a recent conference call, during the month of January that further progress has been made. Most sources I've spoken to believe that 2026-27 is when these changes would be put into place, although I don't yet know for a fact that 2025-26 has been ruled out. The belief I've heard is that there was a recent vote on a conference call that included All ACC and Big 10 men's soccer programs to move forward with leaving the NCAA and joining the professional ranks. Numerous sources have mentioned that many top programs are already starting to plan in a way that recognizes this coming shift. This move would be with the backing of US Soccer Federation and this is a move to professionalize college soccer. The season would be 9-10 months long. Speculation is that USL League One offered these programs the chance to join their league structure as professional teams, while MLS has been pushing back on this idea to USSF because they believe this move could hurt the place of their development league, MLS Next Pro, within in the professional pyramid. Where exactly these college programs would fit in the pro pyramid is not yet clear after the discussions I've had on this matter. Questions are swirling about exactly which programs will be involved. The answer varies, depending on who you talk to. As best as I can ascertain, no one really doubts that the ACC and Big 10 programs are on board. Beyond that, my belief is that there are other programs, but it is not all of D1 Mens College Soccer at this point. Some will tell you traditional power 4 conference sports schools, others say top 40-50 college soccer programs, others believe it's not split as much on prestige lines and is more a case by case basis outside of those two conferences. Sources have mentioned that the process is chaotic and fluid, and a lot of the exact details, such as which programs are on board, is ever-changing. There's also the likelihood of realignment of conferences in Division 1 Mens College Soccer if the professional ranks takes a segment of the programs and others end up staying. The big picture is that there continues to be optimism that at least a sizable segment of the top men's college soccer programs are going to break away from the NCAA and professionalize in the next year or two. |
Anonymous
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Also this:
Source https://opsmnetwork.com/the-potential-professionalization-of-ncaa-college-soccer/ According to multiple sources, a massive shift is on the way. The plan is to extend the college soccer season to match the pro calendar, upwards of nine to ten months. This means no more short, condensed seasons. Instead, college soccer could adopt a full-time model, with players training and competing year-round. But the change goes beyond just the length of the season. There’s also talk of turning college soccer into a “semi-professional” league, with players having the opportunity to play for professional teams in the offseason. That could mean more exposure to top-level competition and more chances to earn contracts. |
Anonymous
What "next level" are you referring to? The pros? Of course that's a higher level than D1. |
Anonymous
USYNT Goalie from IL won a state championship as a freshman in the fall. |
Anonymous
Great! Then you agree, D1 soccer is unimpressive! |
Anonymous
Glad they got the flexibility (assuming they play club someplace). Not everyone does. |
Anonymous
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We are working quickly with our members to develop communications and best practices that will support this decision, with the goal of centralizing resources on a U.S. Soccer webpage by our Annual General Meeting on February 27, 2025. You can expect the following resources to be available around that time.
The word “by” tells me that the us soccer webpage will be posted before the AGM on Feb 27. |
Anonymous
I agree with that too! Though that sounds like... they are just going to clubs what to do if the leagues go to some other school year plan, but it's unclear which leagues will and won't go? Last I heard from a coach at our club (an ECNL club for boys and girls) is they are still waiting ECNL to say what they are going to, because that will help them plan rosters for next year and beyond. |
Anonymous
You may be insinuating too much. They said their goal is to centralize the resources by the AGM and to expect the resources to be available around that time. Here's what USYS has on their website. Over the past several months, U.S. Soccer’s member organizations, leagues, and clubs have collaborated to determine the best approach regarding roster formation for participants across various levels and regions of the country. We support U.S. Soccer’s approach to providing choice to allow member organizations and their leagues to make decisions in the best interest of their participants. While the ultimate authority for any potential changes lies with the Organizational Members (i.e. National Associations, National Affiliate, State Associations), we aim to do so with feedback collected during this process. We want to reiterate our intention to work together to ensure clarity and mitigate issues regarding the implementation of any potential changes for the 2026-27 soccer calendar. We anticipate a formal release of a comprehensive plan following the U.S. Soccer AGM (February 27-March 1). |