? about Leagues- Arlington, McLean

[Anonymous]

I have been around soccer a long time, but with the pandemic and the influx of so many different leagues--mlsnext, ENCL-R, ENCL I am having a hard time figuring out what is best for my sons?

For U17 next year--what league is their top team --ECNL-R-- is this the one that drives to the Carolinas?
What league with the next team down play in?

What about U17 McLean boys--are they in regular ECNL - that goes north instead of south?

Is there mlsnext for these age groups?

Christ--my sons started when it was pretty much just CCL and NCSL. I can't keep up.

[Anonymous]

Oh- oldest is a Freshmen currently so will have 3 years left of Club. We are trying to find a place to ride that out. He's grown about a foot in the past 8 months and combined with technical skill is not currently being challenged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been around soccer a long time, but with the pandemic and the influx of so many different leagues--mlsnext, ENCL-R, ENCL I am having a hard time figuring out what is best for my sons?

For U17 next year--what league is their top team --ECNL-R-- is this the one that drives to the Carolinas?
What league with the next team down play in?

What about U17 McLean boys--are they in regular ECNL - that goes north instead of south?

Is there mlsnext for these age groups?

Christ--my sons started when it was pretty much just CCL and NCSL. I can't keep up.

Currently both McLean and Arlington U17 are in regular ECNL. But there is rumor that Arlington might switch to MLS Next.
DCU, Bethesda and Baltimore has U17 team for MLS next at this moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been around soccer a long time, but with the pandemic and the influx of so many different leagues--mlsnext, ENCL-R, ENCL I am having a hard time figuring out what is best for my sons?

For U17 next year--what league is their top team --ECNL-R-- is this the one that drives to the Carolinas?
What league with the next team down play in?

What about U17 McLean boys--are they in regular ECNL - that goes north instead of south?

Is there mlsnext for these age groups?

Christ--my sons started when it was pretty much just CCL and NCSL. I can't keep up.

Both Arlington's and McLean's top teams are in ECNL, not ECNL-R. ECNL is the one that drives to the Carolinas, although that did not happen this year because of covid.

Arlington has announced some sort of commitment to ECNL-R as well, although it is not clear whether this is for its second or third team. It is also not clear which ECNL-R league they will be playing in as they initially announced joining ECNL-R together with Loudoun in a league which inlcuded the Carolina teams. Subsequently a large number of local teams have announced they are forming a VA ECNL-R league and Loudoun has announced they are joining that league, while Arlington has not made any additional statement. Both Arlington and Loudoun are still shown in the Carolina ECNL-R league on ECNL's web-site.

Assuming you are talking about U17 next year (i.e. 2005 birth year) there is MLSNext. There is a rumor that Arlington may switch back to MLSNext next year, but who knows. DCU, Baltimore and Bethesda are definitely in MLSNext. McLean is definitely not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh- oldest is a Freshmen currently so will have 3 years left of Club. We are trying to find a place to ride that out. He's grown about a foot in the past 8 months and combined with technical skill is not currently being challenged.

Of the two Arlington will probably be the harder team to make although it's possible that as many as 5 could get offers from DCU which might open up some spots. Now is the right time to contact the coach and ask to attend practices - there are a few kids doing this at the moment and at least one offer has been made already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been around soccer a long time, but with the pandemic and the influx of so many different leagues--mlsnext, ENCL-R, ENCL I am having a hard time figuring out what is best for my sons?

For U17 next year--what league is their top team --ECNL-R-- is this the one that drives to the Carolinas?
What league with the next team down play in?

What about U17 McLean boys--are they in regular ECNL - that goes north instead of south?

Is there mlsnext for these age groups?

Christ--my sons started when it was pretty much just CCL and NCSL. I can't keep up.

Currently both McLean and Arlington U17 are in regular ECNL. But there is rumor that Arlington might switch to MLS Next.
DCU, Bethesda and Baltimore has U17 team for MLS next at this moment.

I'm not sure Arlington goes MLS next anymore now that the girls have moved to ECNL. I'm sure ECNL leadership obtained some sort of arrangement when they let the girls side in this yeasr. I heard from a pretty good source Arlington was telling ECNL that they planned to move the boys side to MLS if the girls side wasn't added to ECNL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been around soccer a long time, but with the pandemic and the influx of so many different leagues--mlsnext, ENCL-R, ENCL I am having a hard time figuring out what is best for my sons?

For U17 next year--what league is their top team --ECNL-R-- is this the one that drives to the Carolinas?
What league with the next team down play in?

What about U17 McLean boys--are they in regular ECNL - that goes north instead of south?

Is there mlsnext for these age groups?

Christ--my sons started when it was pretty much just CCL and NCSL. I can't keep up.

Currently both McLean and Arlington U17 are in regular ECNL. But there is rumor that Arlington might switch to MLS Next.
DCU, Bethesda and Baltimore has U17 team for MLS next at this moment.

I'm not sure Arlington goes MLS next anymore now that the girls have moved to ECNL. I'm sure ECNL leadership obtained some sort of arrangement when they let the girls side in this yeasr. I heard from a pretty good source Arlington was telling ECNL that they planned to move the boys side to MLS if the girls side wasn't added to ECNL.

I agree that that is very plausible - but it's still speculation. We will only know for sure when an announcement is made, or the first game is played if no announcement is ever made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh- oldest is a Freshmen currently so will have 3 years left of Club. We are trying to find a place to ride that out. He's grown about a foot in the past 8 months and combined with technical skill is not currently being challenged.

Of the two Arlington will probably be the harder team to make although it's possible that as many as 5 could get offers from DCU which might open up some spots. Now is the right time to contact the coach and ask to attend practices - there are a few kids doing this at the moment and at least one offer has been made already.

Thanks! The Arlington website says you need to submit a video, register through the website and be personally invited. Are they allowing players to come to practices outside of ID sessions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh- oldest is a Freshmen currently so will have 3 years left of Club. We are trying to find a place to ride that out. He's grown about a foot in the past 8 months and combined with technical skill is not currently being challenged.

Of the two Arlington will probably be the harder team to make although it's possible that as many as 5 could get offers from DCU which might open up some spots. Now is the right time to contact the coach and ask to attend practices - there are a few kids doing this at the moment and at least one offer has been made already.

Thanks! The Arlington website says you need to submit a video, register through the website and be personally invited. Are they allowing players to come to practices outside of ID sessions?

At this time of year there are always some players trying out at practices. I assume they have been through the process you described although I don't know. I imagine you can proceed without a video if you don't have one - and just supply info in writing. A coach's recommendation would probably help too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh- oldest is a Freshmen currently so will have 3 years left of Club. We are trying to find a place to ride that out. He's grown about a foot in the past 8 months and combined with technical skill is not currently being challenged.

Of the two Arlington will probably be the harder team to make although it's possible that as many as 5 could get offers from DCU which might open up some spots. Now is the right time to contact the coach and ask to attend practices - there are a few kids doing this at the moment and at least one offer has been made already.

Thanks! The Arlington website says you need to submit a video, register through the website and be personally invited. Are they allowing players to come to practices outside of ID sessions?

At this time of year there are always some players trying out at practices. I assume they have been through the process you described although I don't know. I imagine you can proceed without a video if you don't have one - and just supply info in writing. A coach's recommendation would probably help too.

I think like when you are leaving a job, you don't want to let the current boss/coach know

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh- oldest is a Freshmen currently so will have 3 years left of Club. We are trying to find a place to ride that out. He's grown about a foot in the past 8 months and combined with technical skill is not currently being challenged.

Of the two Arlington will probably be the harder team to make although it's possible that as many as 5 could get offers from DCU which might open up some spots. Now is the right time to contact the coach and ask to attend practices - there are a few kids doing this at the moment and at least one offer has been made already.

Thanks! The Arlington website says you need to submit a video, register through the website and be personally invited. Are they allowing players to come to practices outside of ID sessions?

At this time of year there are always some players trying out at practices. I assume they have been through the process you described although I don't know. I imagine you can proceed without a video if you don't have one - and just supply info in writing. A coach's recommendation would probably help too.

I think like when you are leaving a job, you don't want to let the current boss/coach know

Depends on the coach. The good ones would be supportive - there are plenty of coaches who try to help kids find spots on more competitive teams when they know it would be good for the kid. Equally there are ones who would not - sounds like you may have one of the second type .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Arlington has announced some sort of commitment to ECNL-R as well, although it is not clear whether this is for its second or third team.

They better hope it's for their second team. I don't see their 3rd team being too competitive in that league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Arlington has announced some sort of commitment to ECNL-R as well, although it is not clear whether this is for its second or third team.

They better hope it's for their second team. I don't see their 3rd team being too competitive in that league.

2nd team would probably be in the top 2-3 spots in most age groups. 3rd team would be closer to the bottom. But I don't think the third team would be out of place. Most teams in the new league will fall somewhere in between the two.

[Anonymous]

They 2nd team is competitive with other top teams. But their third team would be more lower end or/not very competitive.