The player pool in the DMV has not changed. Just because there is a new league name does not mean the overall talent is any better. It’s the same players! Whether you call it RL, Aspire, or anything else these are still the 2nd teams at big clubs. The talent levels in all of these second team leagues will drop because there are now more teams at the first level and the best second team players have been taken to fill in the first team rosters.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many RL teams are better than area GA teams. They would crush Aspire teams.

How many GA teams were added this year? MYS, NVA, Loudoun, and Alexandria? Existing area GA teams, other than SYC, were already struggling heavily.

I am fascinated by where people think all of these amazing GA players came from? GA is going to have a hard enough time filling GA1 teams with RL players. GA2 will be mostly former NCSL players.

Better today or better next year? Right now there are only 3 GA clubs. In 2012 and 2011 SYC and VRSC are better than all RL teams. In 2010 only Vienna and Arlington are above them. In 2009, GFR is the only RL team ahead of SYC but still behind VRSC. Even TSJ is above several RL teams (DCSC, LMVSC, BRYC, PWSI).
For next year the best RL girls who were interested in a more competitive environment went from RL to GA. RL teams are then filled with NCSL players.

I'm not sure about that. Maybe SYC, but I would pump the brakes on VRSC

Anonymous wrote:Many RL teams are better than area GA teams. They would crush Aspire teams.

How many GA teams were added this year? MYS, NVA, Loudoun, and Alexandria? Existing area GA teams, other than SYC, were already struggling heavily.

I am fascinated by where people think all of these amazing GA players came from? GA is going to have a hard enough time filling GA1 teams with RL players. GA2 will be mostly former NCSL players.

Better today or better next year? Right now there are only 3 GA clubs. In 2012 and 2011 SYC and VRSC are better than all RL teams. In 2010 only Vienna and Arlington are above them. In 2009, GFR is the only RL team ahead of SYC but still behind VRSC. Even TSJ is above several RL teams (DCSC, LMVSC, BRYC, PWSI).
For next year the best RL girls who were interested in a more competitive environment went from RL to GA. RL teams are then filled with NCSL players.

Many RL teams are better than area GA teams. They would crush Aspire teams.

How many GA teams were added this year? MYS, NVA, Loudoun, and Alexandria? Existing area GA teams, other than SYC, were already struggling heavily.

I am fascinated by where people think all of these amazing GA players came from? GA is going to have a hard enough time filling GA1 teams with RL players. GA2 will be mostly former NCSL players.

Anonymous wrote:Now that tryout season is wrapping up, how are GA Aspire rosters looking? Will these teams compare to ECNL-RL or will they be closer to top EDP or NCSL? Better or worse if clubs have full GA or only Aspire?

Absolutely NCSL 2.0.

Anonymous wrote:I’m curious if GA teams will show any preference towards their GA2 players next year if they need new players. Or will it be more like ECNL where they take the best player, regardless of previous club, rather than promote from their RL team.
I know GA teams have a “future” designation they can use for players on GA2. My understanding is that means those players practice with the GA team once a week. I don’t think ECNL has anything as formal. ECNL teams can certainly have RL players practice but I’m unaware of any that do.
This could really impact girls currently in RL making a GA team.

Nope. GA, like ECNL will take the best kids no matter their background. There is zero preference for a GA team to take a GA2 player. If your kid is GA2 or ECNL RL now, then they most likely have a label and will not move up within their own club. Both GA and ECNL have a charter to carry a big rosters (it is written into the league guidelines) as to never be in a position where the team needs to reach down to have GA2 or ECNL-RL players guest play with them.

I have seen it too many times, the clubs do not care about club loyalty, they pick up the best kids from any league they can get. If you want to make a top GA or ECNL team and you are on ECNL RL or GA2 now, you are better off trying to do that with a different club.

I’m curious if GA teams will show any preference towards their GA2 players next year if they need new players. Or will it be more like ECNL where they take the best player, regardless of previous club, rather than promote from their RL team.
I know GA teams have a “future” designation they can use for players on GA2. My understanding is that means those players practice with the GA team once a week. I don’t think ECNL has anything as formal. ECNL teams can certainly have RL players practice but I’m unaware of any that do.
This could really impact girls currently in RL making a GA team.

My guess is that the data next year will show that teams with GA1 and Aspire will have a rise in ranking by their second team as kids try for a pathway to GA1. I think you will not see that same kind of positive change for teams that are GA Aspire only. This would explain the PPA comment.

I also think that gap between ECRL and Aspire (if they are second teams at GA1 clubs) will narrow, even if ECRL top teams outperform those GA Aspire teams, which they may not.

This is all just a prediction that is as good or bad as any other until the data plays out over the next season.

It's going to be fun to watch the rankings app over the next year. We already have the ECNL vs GA debate every week here. Now, we'll add in ECRL vs Aspire debates.

Our DD’s PPA team did not see an influx of talented players drawn to tryouts by the prospect of playing in the GA Aspire league.

It’s the same kids as before.

Anonymous wrote:Now that tryout season is wrapping up, how are GA Aspire rosters looking? Will these teams compare to ECNL-RL or will they be closer to top EDP or NCSL? Better or worse if clubs have full GA or only Aspire?

Both are stepping stones to GA.

Impossible to generalize because it varies a lot by club and by age group at each club. Just a few players can make a big difference at that level. Don’t worry about the other clubs or even the other age groups at your own club.

Depends on the Club. Younger SYC GA2 teams are solid and have been doing extremely well against ECNL-RL teams. I think it's the age old argument some GA2 teams can beat some ECNL-RL teams and some ECNL-RL teams can beat some GA2 teams.

Now that tryout season is wrapping up, how are GA Aspire rosters looking? Will these teams compare to ECNL-RL or will they be closer to top EDP or NCSL? Better or worse if clubs have full GA or only Aspire?