Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My prediction is that ECNL is coming for the rest of GA

NEFC, Tophat, Lou Fusz, Cincinnati United

Maybe, this is only negative for GA if they don't replace IMO. Record shows they have replaced more than they have lost. If more GA clubs want to abandon ship, I don't see it as an obvious negative, more like clubs prioritizing how they want to be seen in the marketplace. ECNL is synomous with winning at all costs so that you can be seen by college coaches. GA is synomous with development at all costs so that girls can identify best options after HS, even if it means losing some notable clubs that are feeling pressure in their markets to win now. Don't think there is much to this continuos debate: One is bigger and attracts top playes to top teams, the other has a bigger vision for girls soccer as a whole and has some competitive teams. Pick the one that aligns with your values and goals.

I'm not sure how you don't see losing top clubs and just replacing them is not a bad thing? It's not just a numbers game. If the GA wants to remain a player in, let alone relevant in, college recruiting, they need to put a good product on the field which attracts the college coaches. If not, they will slowly fade into a second tier league and join the ranks of the many others out there.

I think that’s what he is saying… GA at this point doesn’t mind being a second tier league. Their goal is different.

You can say from its inception until now, it was a platform for former DA teams to place their teams. Now, it is more of a development program to bring soccer to girls in all parts of the country.

Anonymous wrote:So what everyone is trying to say is that NWSL Next is coming.

BOYS DA became MLSn
Girls DA became GA (then hit a speedbump with ECNL but is now back on track + well positioned by US Soccer)

Jessica Berman the NWSL commissioner earlier this year said that several clubs were pushing for Acadamies.
https://equalizersoccer.com/2024/01/12/berman-speaks-of-future-of-nwsl-draft-updates-on-local-broadcasts-and-more/

It may come, but I don't believe it will be a quick thing. NWSL is still trying to grow their league and revenue as a whole, it seems to be working and if it continues you may see it in the future.

When the GAL was formed, they took what ECNL was doing but also mixed in what a lot of clubs were doing previously with the DA. And parents that are aware of that, aren't in a box about youth leagues.

So what everyone is trying to say is that NWSL Next is coming.

BOYS DA became MLSn
Girls DA became GA (then hit a speedbump with ECNL but is now back on track + well positioned by US Soccer)

Jessica Berman the NWSL commissioner earlier this year said that several clubs were pushing for Acadamies.
https://equalizersoccer.com/2024/01/12/berman-speaks-of-future-of-nwsl-draft-updates-on-local-broadcasts-and-more/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My prediction is that ECNL is coming for the rest of GA

NEFC, Tophat, Lou Fusz, Cincinnati United

Maybe, this is only negative for GA if they don't replace IMO. Record shows they have replaced more than they have lost. If more GA clubs want to abandon ship, I don't see it as an obvious negative, more like clubs prioritizing how they want to be seen in the marketplace. ECNL is synomous with winning at all costs so that you can be seen by college coaches. GA is synomous with development at all costs so that girls can identify best options after HS, even if it means losing some notable clubs that are feeling pressure in their markets to win now. Don't think there is much to this continuos debate: One is bigger and attracts top playes to top teams, the other has a bigger vision for girls soccer as a whole and has some competitive teams. Pick the one that aligns with your values and goals.

I'm not sure how you don't see losing top clubs and just replacing them is not a bad thing? It's not just a numbers game. If the GA wants to remain a player in, let alone relevant in, college recruiting, they need to put a good product on the field which attracts the college coaches. If not, they will slowly fade into a second tier league and join the ranks of the many others out there.

It's not a bad thing, time will tell if its actually a good thing for GA. Grassroots development is how every other country does it and that appears to the direction they want to distinguish themselves with. In the US its the fight for college value and prestige, that is so moronic to soccer people outside of the US. Perception wise with parents GA is already 2nd tier, good thing parents pereceptions don't impact college coaches or socuts at all. Educated soccer consumers know there is room for several leagues. Coaches and scouts know to look beyond ECNL events for players, and they know they will always have to becasue all leagues are flawed in their own way, and team quality vary from year to year even

Anonymous wrote:It’s mind boggling that they are allowed ECNL boys and not girls. Do you know why that is?

Latest that was noted on X was that ECNL has basically stepped in and is no longer allowing clubs to gatekeep teams from joining ECNL. This seems to be due to ECNL on the boys side dying

Why do you say ecnl boys is dying? This is stupid! You obviously don't have a boy. MLS next only lets in a few clubs, much less than ECNL girls are let in. And there are enough boys teams that can be good enough for ECNL to compete. So you think it's MLS next or what EDP, NCSL? This seems like a "DI or bust" mentality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My prediction is that ECNL is coming for the rest of GA

NEFC, Tophat, Lou Fusz, Cincinnati United

Maybe, this is only negative for GA if they don't replace IMO. Record shows they have replaced more than they have lost. If more GA clubs want to abandon ship, I don't see it as an obvious negative, more like clubs prioritizing how they want to be seen in the marketplace. ECNL is synomous with winning at all costs so that you can be seen by college coaches. GA is synomous with development at all costs so that girls can identify best options after HS, even if it means losing some notable clubs that are feeling pressure in their markets to win now. Don't think there is much to this continuos debate: One is bigger and attracts top playes to top teams, the other has a bigger vision for girls soccer as a whole and has some competitive teams. Pick the one that aligns with your values and goals.

I'm not sure how you don't see losing top clubs and just replacing them is not a bad thing? It's not just a numbers game. If the GA wants to remain a player in, let alone relevant in, college recruiting, they need to put a good product on the field which attracts the college coaches. If not, they will slowly fade into a second tier league and join the ranks of the many others out there.

I don't think collegiate play is the ONLY thing the GAL platform is built upon. I don't want to give my opinions of why because there's really no reason to turn this thread into a pissing match of ECNL vs GAL. Both leagues have talented players, both serve a purpose and have customers that find that purpose valuable to them.

Yes.

And if that happens, what does a company like ECNL do? Their entire platform is based on showcasing players to play at the collegiate level. Not designed to prepare players to play the global game.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s mind boggling that they are allowed ECNL boys and not girls. Do you know why that is?

Latest that was noted on X was that ECNL has basically stepped in and is no longer allowing clubs to gatekeep teams from joining ECNL. This seems to be due to ECNL on the boys side dying

That's happened as well, but some clubs are also kept out because of the leadership decisions at the ECNL. You also have to believe they're not ignorant to what's happening at the NCAA and what that may mean for the future of collegiate sports.

Yes, sadly this isn’t about the kids or soccer or development. Thiese decisions are ego driven moves.

May I ask what you mean about what’s happening at the collegiate level?

What I’m seeing is:

College is heavy recruiting from ECNL girls but ECNL boys are having a hard time with recruitment compared to MLS NEXT.

Colleges are beginning to shut down.

NILs are starting to negatively impact recruiting and college player retainment

Probably too soon to say this will happen but speculation is abound that the NCAA may succumb for several reasons related to NIL. Not sure what that means for collegiate athletics, do they go away? Is it purely amateur athletic clubs as it was intended? If something drastic like NCAA athletics dies, then you best believe organizations like ECNL who exclusively promote one outcome will be in big trouble. But again, just pure speculation

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My prediction is that ECNL is coming for the rest of GA

NEFC, Tophat, Lou Fusz, Cincinnati United

Maybe, this is only negative for GA if they don't replace IMO. Record shows they have replaced more than they have lost. If more GA clubs want to abandon ship, I don't see it as an obvious negative, more like clubs prioritizing how they want to be seen in the marketplace. ECNL is synomous with winning at all costs so that you can be seen by college coaches. GA is synomous with development at all costs so that girls can identify best options after HS, even if it means losing some notable clubs that are feeling pressure in their markets to win now. Don't think there is much to this continuos debate: One is bigger and attracts top playes to top teams, the other has a bigger vision for girls soccer as a whole and has some competitive teams. Pick the one that aligns with your values and goals.

I'm not sure how you don't see losing top clubs and just replacing them is not a bad thing? It's not just a numbers game. If the GA wants to remain a player in, let alone relevant in, college recruiting, they need to put a good product on the field which attracts the college coaches. If not, they will slowly fade into a second tier league and join the ranks of the many others out there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s mind boggling that they are allowed ECNL boys and not girls. Do you know why that is?

Latest that was noted on X was that ECNL has basically stepped in and is no longer allowing clubs to gatekeep teams from joining ECNL. This seems to be due to ECNL on the boys side dying

That's happened as well, but some clubs are also kept out because of the leadership decisions at the ECNL. You also have to believe they're not ignorant to what's happening at the NCAA and what that may mean for the future of collegiate sports.

Yes, sadly this isn’t about the kids or soccer or development. Thiese decisions are ego driven moves.

May I ask what you mean about what’s happening at the collegiate level?

What I’m seeing is:

College is heavy recruiting from ECNL girls but ECNL boys are having a hard time with recruitment compared to MLS NEXT.

Colleges are beginning to shut down.

NILs are starting to negatively impact recruiting and college player retainment

Exactly what you're describing currently and going on behind the scenes that will have some effect on collegiate sports as a whole. I don't expect them to be given an anti trust exemption. And how they handle the situation on the football and basketball side will have some sort of trickle down effect to the rest of the sports. As it stands, there isn't a lot of money being put towards soccer scholarships. Some players get lucky but most will find that there's more money for their academics than what they get from soccer. And if the system for football changes in a way where NCAA uses a loophole and begins identifying student athletes as employees, they're definitely going to shift their money towards sports that actually give them a return which would be more resources towards Football and Basketball.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s mind boggling that they are allowed ECNL boys and not girls. Do you know why that is?

Latest that was noted on X was that ECNL has basically stepped in and is no longer allowing clubs to gatekeep teams from joining ECNL. This seems to be due to ECNL on the boys side dying

That's happened as well, but some clubs are also kept out because of the leadership decisions at the ECNL. You also have to believe they're not ignorant to what's happening at the NCAA and what that may mean for the future of collegiate sports.

Yes, sadly this isn’t about the kids or soccer or development. Thiese decisions are ego driven moves.

May I ask what you mean about what’s happening at the collegiate level?

What I’m seeing is:

College is heavy recruiting from ECNL girls but ECNL boys are having a hard time with recruitment compared to MLS NEXT.

Colleges are beginning to shut down.

NILs are starting to negatively impact recruiting and college player retainment

Anonymous wrote:It’s mind boggling that they are allowed ECNL boys and not girls. Do you know why that is?

Latest that was noted on X was that ECNL has basically stepped in and is no longer allowing clubs to gatekeep teams from joining ECNL. This seems to be due to ECNL on the boys side dying

That's happened as well, but some clubs are also kept out because of the leadership decisions at the ECNL. You also have to believe they're not ignorant to what's happening at the NCAA and what that may mean for the future of collegiate sports.

It’s mind boggling that they are allowed ECNL boys and not girls. Do you know why that is?

Latest that was noted on X was that ECNL has basically stepped in and is no longer allowing clubs to gatekeep teams from joining ECNL. This seems to be due to ECNL on the boys side dying

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My prediction is that ECNL is coming for the rest of GA

NEFC, Tophat, Lou Fusz, Cincinnati United

Maybe, this is only negative for GA if they don't replace IMO. Record shows they have replaced more than they have lost. If more GA clubs want to abandon ship, I don't see it as an obvious negative, more like clubs prioritizing how they want to be seen in the marketplace. ECNL is synomous with winning at all costs so that you can be seen by college coaches. GA is synomous with development at all costs so that girls can identify best options after HS, even if it means losing some notable clubs that are feeling pressure in their markets to win now. Don't think there is much to this continuos debate: One is bigger and attracts top playes to top teams, the other has a bigger vision for girls soccer as a whole and has some competitive teams. Pick the one that aligns with your values and goals.

Good summary of the differences.

Out of those mentioned, Tophat would be the only one that MIGHT get a shot. They already have ECNL on the boys side which the other clubs that transitioned were not a part of MLS next on the boys side. NEFC, Lou Fousz, and CUP all field MLS Next teams for boys. Tophat also has politics going against them, same reason why FCV wasn't going to get a shot at ECNL and perhaps VRSC will never get a shot as well, ECNL holds grudges against clubs/staff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My prediction is that ECNL is coming for the rest of GA

NEFC, Tophat, Lou Fusz, Cincinnati United

Maybe, this is only negative for GA if they don't replace IMO. Record shows they have replaced more than they have lost. If more GA clubs want to abandon ship, I don't see it as an obvious negative, more like clubs prioritizing how they want to be seen in the marketplace. ECNL is synomous with winning at all costs so that you can be seen by college coaches. GA is synomous with development at all costs so that girls can identify best options after HS, even if it means losing some notable clubs that are feeling pressure in their markets to win now. Don't think there is much to this continuos debate: One is bigger and attracts top playes to top teams, the other has a bigger vision for girls soccer as a whole and has some competitive teams. Pick the one that aligns with your values and goals.

Yes, I think another poster in another forum said something similar. I think GA is taking a different route in developing soccer players in underdeveloped areas of the US. That is the model in which they were accepted into US Soccer.

They are for the girls and for the future of the sport.