Anonymous
06/01/2025 12:30
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Certain types of plays are organic to specific leagues?
Anonymous
06/01/2025 12:22
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
We’re a 2012 team in the EDP league. I haven’t seen this.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 12:18
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Anonymous wrote:My kids GA team was playing in an ECNL clubs tournament (beat a very good ECNL team and lost by a goal to an ok ECNL team). It was clearly obvious that ECNL players relied on cheap shots and fighting type tactics over skill. Why do parents put up with this type of behavior? Putting your kid through a gladiator cage when they're young wont make them better. It will make them get hurt earlier in their career which very likely will affect their chances to play in college or professionally.
One teams center defender was so dirty all she was doing was trying to hurt other players. One time after getting burned she dove head first into one of our players knees trying to take her out. I'd never seen such a blatant red card get completely ignored before. Later she did something similar which hurt one our players and she received a yellow. This kind of play needs to be addressed. You dont see it in the pros why is it allowed in youth soccer? If its allowed other clubs will find their own enforcer and over time it becomes 80s hockey with kids.
It just seems stupid to me to let kids get hurt by allowing play that the pros dont even allow.
If you want anecdote against anecdote - my U12 (smaller team in general) pre-ECNL played a U13 GA team and they were doing nothing other than throwing their size around. The amount of fouls called was at least a 5/1 ratio. I think you just ran into a dirty team and a bad ref. Also why the hell are "decent" GA teams playing in 4th flights against teams a year younger!?!
Anonymous
06/01/2025 12:13
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Just wait until ECNL starts letting the GY regrades play in showcases thunderdoming on + taking out players with skill.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 11:18
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How could ECNL stop "allowing" it? Are you saying ECNL refs aren't calling fouls the same way that GA refs do?
I don't think ECNL, as a league, is doing anything to encourage rough play. In my observation, the clubs in ECNL just play more physical, and so others respond, and it's a natural cycle toward aggressive play. Fouls are called normally, cards are given, but they continue if it's their best chance to win. The root cause is just that these players are hyper-competitive, willing to risk their bodies to win. When these teams play outside ECNL, teams from other leagues are shocked. But honestly, it works.
Watching pro soccer, I think you're wrong that the play isn't this physical. It's just that you usually only see the very physical play when stakes are high. A lot of ECNL girls are playing every game like it's the World Cup. That does seem silly for a pro, thinking of injuries, but I think a lot of coaches are riding the players to play that hard all the time. You'd have to convince the players that their spot in the lineup isn't at risk, and their chance at playing in college isn't at risk with every game.
Given similar incentives in GA, how do you think they are preventing teams getting into a feedback loop of rough play?
In this situation everyone expected the "hard play" so it wasn't anything our team wasn't ready for. Being aggressive and playing the body instead of the ball is what caused the top team to lose. The problem with this is theres more goons than there is talented players. So while a more talented team can beat a bunch of goons in a one off game. If the entire league is goons teams that try to play with skill wont be successful long term because skill takes longer to develop and everyone will get hurt.
It’s also a lot harder to develop skill when the refs let the rough stuff go. If the leagues pushed the refs to call tighter games, coaches would coach differently and select different players.
This is exactly my thoughts as well.
Either ECNL is not training refs and setting expections for what to call and refs are just calling what they feel comfortable with. Or ECNL is setting expectations and refs are ignoring them.
My guess is the former. Its probably hard to even find refs so leagues take what they can get.
But, parents really should keep an eye on this type of thing. Scholorships mean nothing if your kid is so hurt they cant play.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 11:08
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How could ECNL stop "allowing" it? Are you saying ECNL refs aren't calling fouls the same way that GA refs do?
I don't think ECNL, as a league, is doing anything to encourage rough play. In my observation, the clubs in ECNL just play more physical, and so others respond, and it's a natural cycle toward aggressive play. Fouls are called normally, cards are given, but they continue if it's their best chance to win. The root cause is just that these players are hyper-competitive, willing to risk their bodies to win. When these teams play outside ECNL, teams from other leagues are shocked. But honestly, it works.
Watching pro soccer, I think you're wrong that the play isn't this physical. It's just that you usually only see the very physical play when stakes are high. A lot of ECNL girls are playing every game like it's the World Cup. That does seem silly for a pro, thinking of injuries, but I think a lot of coaches are riding the players to play that hard all the time. You'd have to convince the players that their spot in the lineup isn't at risk, and their chance at playing in college isn't at risk with every game.
Given similar incentives in GA, how do you think they are preventing teams getting into a feedback loop of rough play?
In this situation everyone expected the "hard play" so it wasn't anything our team wasn't ready for. Being aggressive and playing the body instead of the ball is what caused the top team to lose. The problem with this is theres more goons than there is talented players. So while a more talented team can beat a bunch of goons in a one off game. If the entire league is goons teams that try to play with skill wont be successful long term because skill takes longer to develop and everyone will get hurt.
It’s also a lot harder to develop skill when the refs let the rough stuff go. If the leagues pushed the refs to call tighter games, coaches would coach differently and select different players.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:59
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Anonymous wrote:How could ECNL stop "allowing" it? Are you saying ECNL refs aren't calling fouls the same way that GA refs do?
I don't think ECNL, as a league, is doing anything to encourage rough play. In my observation, the clubs in ECNL just play more physical, and so others respond, and it's a natural cycle toward aggressive play. Fouls are called normally, cards are given, but they continue if it's their best chance to win. The root cause is just that these players are hyper-competitive, willing to risk their bodies to win. When these teams play outside ECNL, teams from other leagues are shocked. But honestly, it works.
Watching pro soccer, I think you're wrong that the play isn't this physical. It's just that you usually only see the very physical play when stakes are high. A lot of ECNL girls are playing every game like it's the World Cup. That does seem silly for a pro, thinking of injuries, but I think a lot of coaches are riding the players to play that hard all the time. You'd have to convince the players that their spot in the lineup isn't at risk, and their chance at playing in college isn't at risk with every game.
Given similar incentives in GA, how do you think they are preventing teams getting into a feedback loop of rough play?
In this situation everyone expected the "hard play" so it wasn't anything our team wasn't ready for. Being aggressive and playing the body instead of the ball is what caused the top team to lose. The problem with this is theres more goons than there is talented players. So while a more talented team can beat a bunch of goons in a one off game. If the entire league is goons teams that try to play with skill wont be successful long term because skill takes longer to develop and everyone will get hurt.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:57
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
I can’t comment on the ECNL vs GA comparison, but I definitely agree that some of what was allowed in Pre-ECNL (North Atlantic) shocked me last season. My daughter and her team as a whole adjusted and generally were able to compete with the physicality, and I became desensitized, to the point where in the last league game of the season the parents on the other team were complaining about my DD’s team in a game that was relatively tame compared to others. It’s a counterproductive cycle that is bad for everyone.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:46
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
How could ECNL stop "allowing" it? Are you saying ECNL refs aren't calling fouls the same way that GA refs do?
I don't think ECNL, as a league, is doing anything to encourage rough play. In my observation, the clubs in ECNL just play more physical, and so others respond, and it's a natural cycle toward aggressive play. Fouls are called normally, cards are given, but they continue if it's their best chance to win. The root cause is just that these players are hyper-competitive, willing to risk their bodies to win. When these teams play outside ECNL, teams from other leagues are shocked. But honestly, it works.
Watching pro soccer, I think you're wrong that the play isn't this physical. It's just that you usually only see the very physical play when stakes are high. A lot of ECNL girls are playing every game like it's the World Cup. That does seem silly for a pro, thinking of injuries, but I think a lot of coaches are riding the players to play that hard all the time. You'd have to convince the players that their spot in the lineup isn't at risk, and their chance at playing in college isn't at risk with every game.
Given similar incentives in GA, how do you think they are preventing teams getting into a feedback loop of rough play?
I don't think ECNL, as a league, is doing anything to encourage rough play. In my observation, the clubs in ECNL just play more physical, and so others respond, and it's a natural cycle toward aggressive play. Fouls are called normally, cards are given, but they continue if it's their best chance to win. The root cause is just that these players are hyper-competitive, willing to risk their bodies to win. When these teams play outside ECNL, teams from other leagues are shocked. But honestly, it works.
Watching pro soccer, I think you're wrong that the play isn't this physical. It's just that you usually only see the very physical play when stakes are high. A lot of ECNL girls are playing every game like it's the World Cup. That does seem silly for a pro, thinking of injuries, but I think a lot of coaches are riding the players to play that hard all the time. You'd have to convince the players that their spot in the lineup isn't at risk, and their chance at playing in college isn't at risk with every game.
Given similar incentives in GA, how do you think they are preventing teams getting into a feedback loop of rough play?
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:34
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
The reason you dont see players out trying to hurt each other in the top pro leagues is because big money is involved.
Clubs won't participate in leagues where talent they've been developing for years just gets beat on. Its easy to find goons its hard to find players that can score consistently.
This is a very interesting subject reguarding ECNL vs GA.
Clubs won't participate in leagues where talent they've been developing for years just gets beat on. Its easy to find goons its hard to find players that can score consistently.
This is a very interesting subject reguarding ECNL vs GA.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:21
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Anonymous wrote:That’s the style of play in ECNL and frankly most D1 programs also encourage that type of play. The most high level don’t, but many do.
If this statement is true your best option as a player is to stay away from ECNL while young. Let all the bruises beat on each other until they can't play anymore. Then jump in and battle without all the injuries. Clubs are always going to be looking for players if leagues condone overly aggressive play that ends in injuries.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:13
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
Anonymous wrote:What tournament is this that you speak of where ecnl players dare to cross pollinate fields with GA players.
Lanks or it didn’t happen
Happens all the time.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:12
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
That’s the style of play in ECNL and frankly most D1 programs also encourage that type of play. The most high level don’t, but many do.
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:12
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
What tournament is this that you speak of where ecnl players dare to cross pollinate fields with GA players.
Lanks or it didn’t happen
Lanks or it didn’t happen
Anonymous
06/01/2025 10:06
Subject: Why does ECNL allow cheap overly aggressive play
My kids GA team was playing in an ECNL clubs tournament (beat a very good ECNL team and lost by a goal to an ok ECNL team). It was clearly obvious that ECNL players relied on cheap shots and fighting type tactics over skill. Why do parents put up with this type of behavior? Putting your kid through a gladiator cage when they're young wont make them better. It will make them get hurt earlier in their career which very likely will affect their chances to play in college or professionally.
One teams center defender was so dirty all she was doing was trying to hurt other players. One time after getting burned she dove head first into one of our players knees trying to take her out. I'd never seen such a blatant red card get completely ignored before. Later she did something similar which hurt one our players and she received a yellow. This kind of play needs to be addressed. You dont see it in the pros why is it allowed in youth soccer? If its allowed other clubs will find their own enforcer and over time it becomes 80s hockey with kids.
It just seems stupid to me to let kids get hurt by allowing play that the pros dont even allow.
One teams center defender was so dirty all she was doing was trying to hurt other players. One time after getting burned she dove head first into one of our players knees trying to take her out. I'd never seen such a blatant red card get completely ignored before. Later she did something similar which hurt one our players and she received a yellow. This kind of play needs to be addressed. You dont see it in the pros why is it allowed in youth soccer? If its allowed other clubs will find their own enforcer and over time it becomes 80s hockey with kids.
It just seems stupid to me to let kids get hurt by allowing play that the pros dont even allow.