That'll never happen and especially at the younger ages. The only time it did is when the Bethesda players left and joined Mclean at the U18/U19 age group. Champion one year and finalist another. This was after all of the players already had their college offers. This was the only team in the DMV in the last 10 years to make it to a final. The 06s have a chance, but I would say it's slim at best. I don't think the Loudoun 07s even have a chance to win it's group at ECNL playoffs. There is currently no other teams that are even close. I don't consider Richmond part of the DMV. |
I don’t know what you are talking about with Bethesda players joining? One player joined when the rest of her good team graduated. McLean has been at this level with multiple age groups. National champions (multiple), finalist (multiple) and semifinalist plus last year and this years team that can play with those top clubs. Bethesda’s 00/01 group was good enough to compete with anyone. Teams in this area can compete without consolidation. |
You wanted facts right? McLean 06 and 05 beat Bethesda the last time they played. McLean 04 and 03 destroyed (like almost double digits) Bethesda this year. Bethesda has always had strong players. There is 65 pages discussing what the problem is at Bethesda. |
Ok, fine. I thought it was few players so I am going to assume you are correct. Also, I was referring to the past 10 years. Can you tell me another girls team other than the U18/U19 team that placed in the finals and also won the ECNL Championship? The answer is none. Let me help you. https://www.soccertoday.com/who-are-ecnl-champions/ So yes, best answer is to consolidate talent otherwise the DMV will never have a chance. FCV may win GA Championship but that is kind of a joke at this point and comes with the title "Best National Team Not In The ECNL" |
It sounds like you need to do the leg work if you want consolidation. And for now it is a buyers market. If your club coach has a reputation for being a jerk good luck convincing people to drive by 3 clubs for the off chance to be on a ECNL National Championship team. Keep in mind, ECNL Championships is just not the priority for most parents. They want their kid showcased and recruited and ECNL offers that platform. Most parents are content to play on the nearest and most convenient ECNL team and not really think twice about it. And this is what I have constantly warned ECNL Dad about for a very long time. If all you are doing is promoting the patch that is all people will care about. Most ECNL parents have made it all about the league and not any particular team or club. You all have championed and marketed the hell out the league and it worked but now your problem is people don't really care about the team anymore because "they are in the league". You shot yourself in the foot. You can keep dreaming about making your team better but in order to do so you will have to step and say what the team is and why anyone would care to join. In a buyers market YOU have to sell your team/club. |
Ok FCV GA Dad...Sure you are correct about driving by 3 clubs just to get to another. It doesn't take away the fact ECNL is still the best competition regardless. And that is a fact. |
Nothing in my post implied that ECNL wasn't the top league. The problem is, people like you have made it only about the league and people really are not being very discerning about the club they are choosing, only that their kid is in ECNL. The problem is that it has never been easier to play in ECNL. You wouldn't be here crying for players if that wasn't the fact. The problem is you are not promoting your particular team. You recognize the dilution and you recognize that your team as well as others in the region cannot compete against other markets where there is more consolidation. You may convince some top players to come over but as others have pointed out, depth of players is the real problem. You will never be able to convince your talented subs to stay when there are options to start somewhere else. You need wins to attract players and in order to win you need to play starters longer because the subs are weak. You lose talented subs who start elsewhere. Those subs are replaced by worse players and the player pool continues to get more and more shallow. Treat your subs better and you might have a fighting chance. |
Wow, you are a special kind of stupid. Please keep driving by Bethesda on your way to Mclean. Not saying Mclean is a bad club, in fact I think they are a great club but I also think Bethesda is a great Club. Facts: 1. You are using a result from August 2019 for your 05 team??? You do realize the 2006 team was playing a year up. There is no record of your 06s playing Bethesda 06s. Give me a link to prove me wrong. Scrimmages don't count. 2. You are using a result from October 2019 for your 05 team??? Scrimmages don't count. Last time I see they played, Bethesda won 4-2 in October of 2019. 3. When did this 04 Game happen? Or let me guess, it was another scrimmage. Provide proof please. Last time I see they played it was a 0-0 tie in May of 2019. 4. Almost double digits on 03/02s?????????????????????????? You won the game at Jeff Cup 3-1????????????????????????????? So IMO, games from almost 2 years ago don't say much. Scrimmages certainly mean absolutely nothing because coaches are observing/playing bench players, trying formations among other things. |
It was the same age group but different teams meaning it wasn’t just one talented team. Many teams in this area can compete nationally. VDA made a finals too. The best teams in this area can compete even with PDA. |
I agree, local clubs can compete with PDA, PDA South. |
You are misinformed, sorry. My apologies as well for assuming...more clubs is not the issue. Ok, well maybe in NOVA it is. I mean, Loudoun, BRYC, McLean, VDA and now Arlington??? Completely agree this dilutes the talent as well as the Mid-Atlantic ECNL Division. If anything, it will help Richmond United. But look, take a club like PDA who is hands down the most respected in NYC and North Jersey. This is one Club that draws from one of the most densely populated areas in the US. It is the destination Club of the South Side of NYC and Northern Jersey. They don't have 5 other ECNL clubs to compete with. Dallas is the exception. Not sure what they are feeding the girls down there. Multiple ECNL Clubs, most very very good. Out west the clubs either have some magical development or its a result of excellent weather year round. Not sure which. One thing I do know, is our area has not created a ton of Championship contenders over the past 10 years. Players however, is a completely different story. |
| Yes, VDA made the finals and lost 5-0 to PDA... |
Lol. You are like the people that say the showcase results don’t matter because it is just a showcase. I’m getting so confused as to what games matter. So the games with refs where KL was going crazy didn’t matter huh? Was he playing players out of position? |
7 different teams is not bad. 5 from one club. |
Psssst, none of the games really matter. They are kids an outside of this forum and your house nobody really cares. Put in perspective, the Women's game generates a pittance the revenue the men's side is worth. Nobody cares about the women's game at the highest levels and you think they care about your little Bethesda team? Put your kid in a good spot, have fun and hopefully she gets recruited but otherwise nobody outside of ECNL gives a crap about who won the ECNL Championship. And even then the only ones that care were about 4 teams. This obsession with a "National" caliber team is laughable. |