Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The mentality demonstrates in this discussions should bother everyone. First, why do people feel the need to throw salt in the wounds of FCV players/parents. Second, the arrogance demonstrated by poopooing EDP is mind-boggling. I can understand players/parents desire to play ECNL but they have to think out of the box. The reality is that this area does not need seven elite teams. We also don’t need two national leagues. What is best is for the best FCV players to move to other clubs and others to find a team that fits their abilities. We don’t need DA v2. EDP might be the best place for some players and to be honest, there are competitive EDP teams. Maybe the non-stars can excel on an EDP team. Most top teams do play in the top showcases, which will become more relevant to college coaches.

Wow you are all over the map. You seem to be saying ECNL is better than whatever FCV teams will be doing and so the good players from FCV should leave but some should stay and be happy with their team/league? Very uplifting.

If ECNL is not adding any DA clubs then why wouldn’t those clubs stick together and form a rival league? And if the clubs involved were good enough for FCV players before then what has really changed other than the league name?

To think ECNL will not admit more DA clubs is laughable. They will and in so doing will put an end to rival leagues once and for all. The only thing that is taking time now is redrawing the map.

ECNL is not going to admit a bunch more GDA clubs. They have already picked off some of the top DA teams in the country over the last couple years. They also added ECNL teams in close proximity to rival DA teams over the last couple years. Yeah, ECNL may admit another couple ex-DA teams, but the majority of those ex-DA teams are going to have their top talent leave for their nearby ECNL teams. It is already happening. And all of the ECNL teams are about to get much better with the influx of talent from these ex-GDA clubs.

You also have to remember that another reason ECNL will not be able to add all of the ex-GDA teams is because of the showcases. If all of the ex-DAs teams joined ECNL for next season, ECNL would not be able to squeeze all the older age groups onto the same soccer complex, which is the primary benefit of the showcases for colleges and the players. As a result, there is a real cap on the number of ECNL teams that can be admitted right now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe FCV just closes up shop. The Saint James is probably not in great financial shape right now and may not want the costs and headaches to make the club work. Seems like this is an opportune time to make that decision.

This could happen.

Still no word from any FCV parents to anyone. That speaks volumes.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe FCV just closes up shop. The Saint James is probably not in great financial shape right now and may not want the costs and headaches to make the club work. Seems like this is an opportune time to make that decision.

This could happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The mentality demonstrates in this discussions should bother everyone. First, why do people feel the need to throw salt in the wounds of FCV players/parents. Second, the arrogance demonstrated by poopooing EDP is mind-boggling. I can understand players/parents desire to play ECNL but they have to think out of the box. The reality is that this area does not need seven elite teams. We also don’t need two national leagues. What is best is for the best FCV players to move to other clubs and others to find a team that fits their abilities. We don’t need DA v2. EDP might be the best place for some players and to be honest, there are competitive EDP teams. Maybe the non-stars can excel on an EDP team. Most top teams do play in the top showcases, which will become more relevant to college coaches.

Wow you are all over the map. You seem to be saying ECNL is better than whatever FCV teams will be doing and so the good players from FCV should leave but some should stay and be happy with their team/league? Very uplifting.

If ECNL is not adding any DA clubs then why wouldn’t those clubs stick together and form a rival league? And if the clubs involved were good enough for FCV players before then what has really changed other than the league name?

To think ECNL will not admit more DA clubs is laughable. They will and in so doing will put an end to rival leagues once and for all. The only thing that is taking time now is redrawing the map.

Maybe FCV just closes up shop. The Saint James is probably not in great financial shape right now and may not want the costs and headaches to make the club work. Seems like this is an opportune time to make that decision.

Hello. I don't really have a horse in this race, at least not yet as she's only 7. However, many excellent and thought provoking points here. Just want to add that maybe it's neither of these leagues being discussed.

"MLS is also evaluating expanding participation to include clubs beyond the former U.S. Soccer Development Academy, in addition to future potential competition opportunities for girls."

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/04/15/major-league-soccer-launches-new-elite-competition-youth-academies

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/04/16/mls-technical-director-youth-development-fred-lipka-joins-extratime-discuss-future

PP here. If I were a parent, I would focus on keeping club together and moving to ECNL. If that option was not available and my kid were good, I would take that kid to an area ECNL club. If my kid were not at that level, I would head to a strong non-ECNL team. EDP is not ECNL but there are too EDP clubs that will wipe the field with most area ECNL clubs. These clubs are the clubs that consistently play in the top bracket of JefCup and Bethesda and place ahead of mid- and lower-tiered ECNL teams.

My point is that you have to come at this with an open mind. Thinking that a league is unworthy is not the way to go.

Anonymous wrote:The mentality demonstrates in this discussions should bother everyone. First, why do people feel the need to throw salt in the wounds of FCV players/parents. Second, the arrogance demonstrated by poopooing EDP is mind-boggling. I can understand players/parents desire to play ECNL but they have to think out of the box. The reality is that this area does not need seven elite teams. We also don’t need two national leagues. What is best is for the best FCV players to move to other clubs and others to find a team that fits their abilities. We don’t need DA v2. EDP might be the best place for some players and to be honest, there are competitive EDP teams. Maybe the non-stars can excel on an EDP team. Most top teams do play in the top showcases, which will become more relevant to college coaches.

Trust me when I say that soccer parents and players affected by this are having their own discussions at the dinner table. And a lot of those discussions are based around opportunity and exposure and value for the money these clubs are charging (FCV being on the higher end cost wise) then it's simple, ECNL > EDP - all day long.

So if FCV opts for the EDP by choice or by virtue of not receiving an invite to join ECNL, then will they plan on lowering their fees now that they don't have the distinction of membership in the DA? Highly doubtful. So, will parents keep paying DA type fees for their kids to play in the EDP? If all ex-DA clubs had been absorbed by the EDP, then that would be a stronger vote for them. But seeing that a lot of the former DA clubs are lining up to join the ECNL, well then, that speaks for itself.

Anonymous wrote:The mentality demonstrates in this discussions should bother everyone. First, why do people feel the need to throw salt in the wounds of FCV players/parents. Second, the arrogance demonstrated by poopooing EDP is mind-boggling. I can understand players/parents desire to play ECNL but they have to think out of the box. The reality is that this area does not need seven elite teams. We also don’t need two national leagues. What is best is for the best FCV players to move to other clubs and others to find a team that fits their abilities. We don’t need DA v2. EDP might be the best place for some players and to be honest, there are competitive EDP teams. Maybe the non-stars can excel on an EDP team. Most top teams do play in the top showcases, which will become more relevant to college coaches.

Wow you are all over the map. You seem to be saying ECNL is better than whatever FCV teams will be doing and so the good players from FCV should leave but some should stay and be happy with their team/league? Very uplifting.

The mentality demonstrates in this discussions should bother everyone. First, why do people feel the need to throw salt in the wounds of FCV players/parents. Second, the arrogance demonstrated by poopooing EDP is mind-boggling. I can understand players/parents desire to play ECNL but they have to think out of the box. The reality is that this area does not need seven elite teams. We also don’t need two national leagues. What is best is for the best FCV players to move to other clubs and others to find a team that fits their abilities. We don’t need DA v2. EDP might be the best place for some players and to be honest, there are competitive EDP teams. Maybe the non-stars can excel on an EDP team. Most top teams do play in the top showcases, which will become more relevant to college coaches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some big clubs out there that are in the same position right now as the local DA clubs here. Tophat appears to be in the same boat - no indication that ECNL will offer - based on what I've heard.

ECNL will start letting clubs in they just need to look at the division structures to determine who.

Nope. Everything I am hearing and reading is no more than 3-4 other DA teams throughout the country. FCV, Arlington and MU are not on that list.

Some DA teams have accepted ECNL2 spots, with the idea being that they might move up to ECNL. I doubt that would be acceptable to top girls at FCV, Arlington and MU, who will just go to one of the ECNL teams instead.

I don't know why any DA team would accept an ECNL2 spot. They will have no competition at that point. We can all argue the DA vs ECNL talent -- similar, one stronger in one area than another, etc. But I can't see ANY former DA team not being significantly better than the 2nd team at an ECNL club. So they lose the very value the DA provided, which was fast speed of play and high level competition, week in and week out. Players won't stay for that.

In Southern California, this GDA club announced that their girls in ECRL, which is what they call ECNL2 out west. More the same headed this way, as well. https://www.pateadores.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2699880&showpageeditor=1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some big clubs out there that are in the same position right now as the local DA clubs here. Tophat appears to be in the same boat - no indication that ECNL will offer - based on what I've heard.

ECNL will start letting clubs in they just need to look at the division structures to determine who.

Nope. Everything I am hearing and reading is no more than 3-4 other DA teams throughout the country. FCV, Arlington and MU are not on that list.

Some DA teams have accepted ECNL2 spots, with the idea being that they might move up to ECNL. I doubt that would be acceptable to top girls at FCV, Arlington and MU, who will just go to one of the ECNL teams instead.

I don't know why any DA team would accept an ECNL2 spot. They will have no competition at that point. We can all argue the DA vs ECNL talent -- similar, one stronger in one area than another, etc. But I can't see ANY former DA team not being significantly better than the 2nd team at an ECNL club. So they lose the very value the DA provided, which was fast speed of play and high level competition, week in and week out. Players won't stay for that.

+1. Every DA player will be at ECNL tryouts this summer. There will be a big shakeup in rosters, it's inevitable. Top 5-6 starters at ECNL clubs are probably safe, the bottom 12-16 are in trouble.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some big clubs out there that are in the same position right now as the local DA clubs here. Tophat appears to be in the same boat - no indication that ECNL will offer - based on what I've heard.

ECNL will start letting clubs in they just need to look at the division structures to determine who.

Nope. Everything I am hearing and reading is no more than 3-4 other DA teams throughout the country. FCV, Arlington and MU are not on that list.

Some DA teams have accepted ECNL2 spots, with the idea being that they might move up to ECNL. I doubt that would be acceptable to top girls at FCV, Arlington and MU, who will just go to one of the ECNL teams instead.

I don't know why any DA team would accept an ECNL2 spot. They will have no competition at that point. We can all argue the DA vs ECNL talent -- similar, one stronger in one area than another, etc. But I can't see ANY former DA team not being significantly better than the 2nd team at an ECNL club. So they lose the very value the DA provided, which was fast speed of play and high level competition, week in and week out. Players won't stay for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some big clubs out there that are in the same position right now as the local DA clubs here. Tophat appears to be in the same boat - no indication that ECNL will offer - based on what I've heard.

ECNL will start letting clubs in they just need to look at the division structures to determine who.

Nope. Everything I am hearing and reading is no more than 3-4 other DA teams throughout the country. FCV, Arlington and MU are not on that list.

Some DA teams have accepted ECNL2 spots, with the idea being that they might move up to ECNL. I doubt that would be acceptable to top girls at FCV, Arlington and MU, who will just go to one of the ECNL teams instead.

Anonymous wrote:There are some big clubs out there that are in the same position right now as the local DA clubs here. Tophat appears to be in the same boat - no indication that ECNL will offer - based on what I've heard.

ECNL will start letting clubs in they just need to look at the division structures to determine who.