Reply to So if you’re not a DA/ECNL player......

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thoughts on the original question.

It will be harder to make a da/ECNL team the older a kid gets. Unfortunately, the tipping point is around 8th grade. However, it is not impossible and it depends on your kid and the coach, so don’t give up on it, but realize it will take more to get noticed. Your kid can’t just play like the rest of the current team at tryouts or guest practices. They need to stand out. The coach has to be convinced enough to cut one of their existing players to make room. That’s not only a soccer decision, but also a personal one as the coach already knows the kid and parents and has a relationship with them. If the team has open slots, it will be easier to make.

As far as does a kid have to play da/ECNL to get noticed by colleges?  No, but it increases their probability of getting noticed. That is the risk / return trade off. You pay more and spend more time and travel further, but increase opportunity of getting noticed and of course expose your kid to a higher level of competition, which usually results in a better player. [/quote]

Thanks for getting back on topic.

You mentioned 8th grade as the tipping point. What is the optimal age/grade to join ECNL?  I’m sure everyone will say ASAP but is there an optimal time?
[/quote]

It depends on your family to some extent. ECNL starts at U13, however most ECNL clubs have pre-ECNL programs which identifies most players the previous year. So from the player perspective, they will have the most opportunity if they are with an ECNL club starting at U12. Later entries become more difficult because to get in because your player generally has to displace a current player and must clearly demonstrate more aptitude/potential.  Definitely not impossible, it happens all the time, but you need to be aware of this and have a realistic assessment of your player's abilities to avoid disappointment.
From the family perspective, ECNL is a real commitment that goes beyond the player. If the club is not local, there is the commute to consider, and there is extensive travel for league games and showcases. It can get quite expensive in time and money, particularly at the older ages where you are looking at $8-10k per year all up. If the time/financial stress gets transmitted to your player, that can create problems. Some families postpone the transition to ECNL to U14 or U15 to be sure their player is talented and committed enough. [/quote]

Thank you for the advise. [/quote]

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