one year away from ECNL

[Anonymous]

DD has played on the top team for several years at an ECNL club. She is now one year away from ECNL. Do most of the girls on the top teams generally just continue on to ECNL or will it be a huge process through tryouts where nobody is an incumbent? On the top team, the core has been together for a long time only a few have truly been dropped, some have moved away or gone to another club and good players from outside have been added here and there but mostly the girls have just continued on the top team from the prior years. Is that the case also with ECNL if we plan to stay at the same club?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD has played on the top team for several years at an ECNL club. She is now one year away from ECNL. Do most of the girls on the top teams generally just continue on to ECNL or will it be a huge process through tryouts where nobody is an incumbent? On the top team, the core has been together for a long time only a few have truly been dropped, some have moved away or gone to another club and good players from outside have been added here and there but mostly the girls have just continued on the top team from the prior years. Is that the case also with ECNL if we plan to stay at the same club?

There is no "huge process" but more kids than usual will show up during the year and this spring attending practices well ahead of "tryouts".

If your DD is a starter then she is probably fine. Your DD's tryout is now not this spring. Coaches will watch the kids on the current team all year and then just see who shows up during the year.

If your kid is a sub now then the chances depend on the attractiveness of the club based on past team success and overall reputation.

[Anonymous]

OP, other factors that may favor your DD is that not all top players' families will be willing to apply the longer travel/time away onto their DD's schedule. Their DD's may move clubs where it's a better fit for their schedules and commitments, or they may ask their DD's be put onto the next team down within the club.
Our DD is (currently, of course it may change) a top-tier player/starter on pre-ECNL within the club, but DD also has other commitments and interests that won't align well with weekends away. DW is already a firm no if/when ECNL arrives.

[Anonymous]

Just don't expect schedules to be posted any time soon, or ever on time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, other factors that may favor your DD is that not all top players' families will be willing to apply the longer travel/time away onto their DD's schedule. Their DD's may move clubs where it's a better fit for their schedules and commitments, or they may ask their DD's be put onto the next team down within the club.
Our DD is (currently, of course it may change) a top-tier player/starter on pre-ECNL within the club, but DD also has other commitments and interests that won't align well with weekends away. DW is already a firm no if/when ECNL arrives.

Kids not showing up or having any desire to play in ECNL is not exactly a concern and the number that don't wish to at least be considered for a ECNL team are certainly outliers and won't move the needle on those who do come from the outside or B team kids who make the team as well.

[Anonymous]

In general they look for size, speed and physicality. If your DD has two of three and has been starting on the u12 team you should be okay.

Now you have to consider position. If you are on a team that has a lot of fullbacks and your kid plays fullback….or the outside player coming in is a really good fullback…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general they look for size, speed and physicality. If your DD has two of three and has been starting on the u12 team you should be okay.

Now you have to consider position. If you are on a team that has a lot of fullbacks and your kid plays fullback….or the outside player coming in is a really good fullback…

POUNDTAG AmericanSoccer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general they look for size, speed and physicality. If your DD has two of three and has been starting on the u12 team you should be okay.

Now you have to consider position. If you are on a team that has a lot of fullbacks and your kid plays fullback….or the outside player coming in is a really good fullback…

This is wrong. Size, speed, physicality are very important but skills are more important- ball control, passing, dribbling, movement on the field. At u13, coaches know that the size, speed, etc. will develop as they get older.

If DD is a starter, no worries on making the top team. Playing time will depend on a number of factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just don't expect schedules to be posted any time soon, or ever on time

We know our ECNL schedule. Your club must be slacking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general they look for size, speed and physicality. If your DD has two of three and has been starting on the u12 team you should be okay.

Now you have to consider position. If you are on a team that has a lot of fullbacks and your kid plays fullback….or the outside player coming in is a really good fullback…

FCV dad, good to see you’re still active on the forum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In general they look for size, speed and physicality. If your DD has two of three and has been starting on the u12 team you should be okay.

Now you have to consider position. If you are on a team that has a lot of fullbacks and your kid plays fullback….or the outside player coming in is a really good fullback…

POUNDTAG AmericanSoccer

It is what it is. The girls side is pretty physical/thuggish all the way through college. Lots of one on one contact, pushing and shoving. Much easier to find a fast girl with size who will get physical vs highly skilled player on the girls side. Put them on defense and tell them to make contact.

It’s a little different on the boys side because there are so many more boys playing and they watch premier, la liga, etc. and play fifa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just don't expect schedules to be posted any time soon, or ever on time

We know our ECNL schedule. Your club must be slacking.

Just the league. No other league has this problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD has played on the top team for several years at an ECNL club. She is now one year away from ECNL. Do most of the girls on the top teams generally just continue on to ECNL or will it be a huge process through tryouts where nobody is an incumbent? On the top team, the core has been together for a long time only a few have truly been dropped, some have moved away or gone to another club and good players from outside have been added here and there but mostly the girls have just continued on the top team from the prior years. Is that the case also with ECNL if we plan to stay at the same club?

Our DD is now in high school. For her ECNL team, the core group of starters from U12 and younger has largely been replaced. Several still start, but the majority are bench players or are no longer on the team. This did not all happen at U13. A number of new girls joined that year, but I also think there is a fair amount of movement in 8th and 9th grade. Some girls are fine staying with their old clubs at U13 and 14 - and avoid all the travel - before moving at U15 and 16 to be on a team that is perceived to provide a better platform for college recruiting.

It is hard not to stress about this, but you just have to enjoy each season. If it doesn’t work out at your particular team, your DD will find another place to play and will be happy. Just try to enjoy her journey and not stress too much about it. It will be over sooner than you realize, and you will care less about who was on which team and their results, and will care more about her experience, the friendships made, the lessons learned, and all of those car rides together where your DD and you can talk about stuff. If that continues through college, then great. If it ends after high school, that too will be great.

[Anonymous]

It depends on so many factors. It depends on the club. Some clubs tend to keep their own players. Some clubs prefer to displace their existing players with outside players

Is the current team better than other pre ECNL teams in area. Is your club considered a destination club.

Some clubs have huge rosters. Some clubs have small rosters.

It depends on coaching assignments. A new coach may bring in new players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just don't expect schedules to be posted any time soon, or ever on time

We already established your kid doesn’t plAy ECNL