Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy Christ. I'm so happy that my DD is a rising junior and won't have to deal with all of this BS moving forward.

I realize that many get their rocks off with the speculation of what club is leaving next, in the grad scheme of things, does it really matter?

Maybe if you have girls or boys that are in their younger tween years, yeah, it could matter. But, I really think that if you have quality as a player, you will get seen and end up where you belong.

Good luck.

I think the ECNL continues to target a wealthier, college focused demographic and MLSN focuses on the pro pathway. Incentives drive the outcomes. ECNL will push to send kids to college programs and MLS will attempt to develop players that can be sold.

That said, ECNL teams play MLSN teams several times a year in tourneys and friendlies and both academy scouts and college scouts are at both league events. If the kid is good, they will be seen. Find the club that fits your child best and do not worry so much about acronyms.

“MLS will attempt to develop players that can be sold.” This is true of MLS academies. I think many posters on this forum either fail to recognize or maybe they just don’t understand the difference between MLS academies and youth soccer clubs that play in MLS next. Two very different things.

Very few players sign professional contracts out of MLSnext. It’s the same at all academies all over the world. College is a great alternative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy Christ. I'm so happy that my DD is a rising junior and won't have to deal with all of this BS moving forward.

I realize that many get their rocks off with the speculation of what club is leaving next, in the grad scheme of things, does it really matter?

Maybe if you have girls or boys that are in their younger tween years, yeah, it could matter. But, I really think that if you have quality as a player, you will get seen and end up where you belong.

Good luck.

I think the ECNL continues to target a wealthier, college focused demographic and MLSN focuses on the pro pathway. Incentives drive the outcomes. ECNL will push to send kids to college programs and MLS will attempt to develop players that can be sold.

That said, ECNL teams play MLSN teams several times a year in tourneys and friendlies and both academy scouts and college scouts are at both league events. If the kid is good, they will be seen. Find the club that fits your child best and do not worry so much about acronyms.

MLSN isnt just for playing pro.

Players work their butt off to play professionally but sometimes it doesn't work out. In this situation playing in college is the fallback. Just like how D1 coaches love foreign Academy washouts. They also love MLSN Academy players.

So dont think that MLSN is only for playing professionally. Its both pro and college. ECNL on the other hand is college only. See why MLSN is appealing? If you can make it to the top levels multiple doors are open for you. As a college coach who would you choose? A player that played and practiced with MLS pro players. Or one that played at a club level only?

Anonymous wrote:Holy Christ. I'm so happy that my DD is a rising junior and won't have to deal with all of this BS moving forward.

I realize that many get their rocks off with the speculation of what club is leaving next, in the grad scheme of things, does it really matter?

Maybe if you have girls or boys that are in their younger tween years, yeah, it could matter. But, I really think that if you have quality as a player, you will get seen and end up where you belong.

Good luck.

I think the ECNL continues to target a wealthier, college focused demographic and MLSN focuses on the pro pathway. Incentives drive the outcomes. ECNL will push to send kids to college programs and MLS will attempt to develop players that can be sold.

That said, ECNL teams play MLSN teams several times a year in tourneys and friendlies and both academy scouts and college scouts are at both league events. If the kid is good, they will be seen. Find the club that fits your child best and do not worry so much about acronyms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington or VDA could easily sell GA as an opportunity to dominate and win a natty. They will say that the scouting at the highest levels of GA, which they will be, are equal to ECNL. Which is true.

ugggh so did nva. And no they are not the same at the moment. Not sure where you guys are getting all this parity talk from.

GA has put a lot of money into social media, soccer forums and talking heads to try to get this narrative out there. Unfortunately it’s simply not true- the emperor has no clothes. Data is in these he said she said situations and the data is closer. Maybe in 3 years things will be different but right now there is still a big delta between GA. MLS really doesn’t care enough about GA to put their neck on the line . It’s a convenience for them right now…

To me the parity talk is just pro-GA folks responding to the punching down so-called ECNL hats (or maybe people who just want to stir the pot) often do, especially in social media and this forum. Some pro-GA forces puff up GA as the eventual winner just to troll or argue and try to keep the ECNL forces off balance.

The reality is GA has a strong league -- a better platform for girls than USYS, one where kids can get seen. ECNL is currently stronger for girls. So, as a parent, I'm glad both are around because it provides more choices than say 10 years ago where in my area there was just 1 or 2 clubs that gave you strong exposure if your kid has college/pro dreams. Now, there's 4 or 5.

Anonymous wrote:I think whats important to note isnt that MLSN/GA and ECNL are both pressuring clubs to go all in one way or the other.

With pressure from both sides eventually clubs are going to be forced to make a decision.

What proof of pressure do we have? I thought it’s all speculation of pressure?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard from a very reliable source that Arlington is a done deal for next year.

Will they get 2 GA spots like NVA/Loudoun?

Doubtful with all the GA teams in NOVA now, they might have if they switched this cycle.

My question is how many local teams need to leave ECNL for the remaining ones to be competitive nationally, consolidating top talent? Comparing to CA and TX.

If this happens, GA is still the 2nd tier and ECNL becomes more prestigious and sought after.

Anonymous wrote:Holy Christ. I'm so happy that my DD is a rising junior and won't have to deal with all of this BS moving forward.

I realize that many get their rocks off with the speculation of what club is leaving next, in the grad scheme of things, does it really matter?

Maybe if you have girls or boys that are in their younger tween years, yeah, it could matter. But, I really think that if you have quality as a player, you will get seen and end up where you belong.

Good luck.

+100

Anonymous wrote:Holy Christ. I'm so happy that my DD is a rising junior and won't have to deal with all of this BS moving forward.

I realize that many get their rocks off with the speculation of what club is leaving next, in the grad scheme of things, does it really matter?

Maybe if you have girls or boys that are in their younger tween years, yeah, it could matter. But, I really think that if you have quality as a player, you will get seen and end up where you belong.

Good luck.

Hope the Lord forgives you for using his name in vain on a soccer forum. Try and be better please.

Holy Christ. I'm so happy that my DD is a rising junior and won't have to deal with all of this BS moving forward.

I realize that many get their rocks off with the speculation of what club is leaving next, in the grad scheme of things, does it really matter?

Maybe if you have girls or boys that are in their younger tween years, yeah, it could matter. But, I really think that if you have quality as a player, you will get seen and end up where you belong.

Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:If ECNL/mlsn is going towards full membership

As a club owner do you go ECNL or mlsn/ga?

In my area lots of clubs are MLSN/ECNL Or ECNL boys and GA girls.

DMV market clubs are 99% nonprofits with boards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington or VDA could easily sell GA as an opportunity to dominate and win a natty. They will say that the scouting at the highest levels of GA, which they will be, are equal to ECNL. Which is true.

Clubs have stronger connections/associations with college coaches and recruiters than leagues.

This is true of some clubs. Not at all true at other clubs. Arlington has almost no college connections on the girls side. Girls do really well in recruiting based on their work and ECNL badge without much coach help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington or VDA could easily sell GA as an opportunity to dominate and win a natty. They will say that the scouting at the highest levels of GA, which they will be, are equal to ECNL. Which is true.

ugggh so did nva. And no they are not the same at the moment. Not sure where you guys are getting all this parity talk from.

GA has put a lot of money into social media, soccer forums and talking heads to try to get this narrative out there. Unfortunately it’s simply not true- the emperor has no clothes. Data is in these he said she said situations and the data is closer. Maybe in 3 years things will be different but right now there is still a big delta between GA. MLS really doesn’t care enough about GA to put their neck on the line . It’s a convenience for them right now…

But don't GA have to do this now to bridge the gap in 2-3 years?

If ECNL/mlsn is going towards full membership

As a club owner do you go ECNL or mlsn/ga?

In my area lots of clubs are MLSN/ECNL Or ECNL boys and GA girls.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington or VDA could easily sell GA as an opportunity to dominate and win a natty. They will say that the scouting at the highest levels of GA, which they will be, are equal to ECNL. Which is true.

ugggh so did nva. And no they are not the same at the moment. Not sure where you guys are getting all this parity talk from.

GA has put a lot of money into social media, soccer forums and talking heads to try to get this narrative out there. Unfortunately it’s simply not true- the emperor has no clothes. Data is in these he said she said situations and the data is closer. Maybe in 3 years things will be different but right now there is still a big delta between GA. MLS really doesn’t care enough about GA to put their neck on the line . It’s a convenience for them right now…