Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the ECNL standings. McLean is higher than Loudoun on every age group until you get to the U13s. The Loudoun U13 team is clearly better than McLean. The club flipped the switch with the 06s. That same team beat FCV 06 at WAGS. They were able to retain some (but not all) of their talent. That team by the way does not have a losing record. They are 4-4.

Loudoun was awarded ECNL in March of this year after DA ID sessions were done and some players were out the door. That won't happen again.

Going into next year - Loudoun parents KNOW already that Loudoun has ECNL. They see the improvements with the U13s. This is a program on the rise. A program Loudoun parents know and trust. Friends our DDs already have.

Any parent that thinks this does not completely change the landscape is a fool. I find it interesting that parents can be so stubborn about this. The only reason I can think of for a non-Loudoun parent to be so obsessed about this issue is that this is affecting your DD and whether you stay on your current team. Don't say we didn't warn you.

The 4-4 record with -1 goal difference is nothing to brag about. VDA, which also in its first year in ECNL, has 10-1 record with +28 goal difference in the same age group. VDA also has 8-2 record with +15 goal difference in U14 age group. Loudoun U14s have 1-5 record with -8 goal difference. I am not even going to discuss Loudoun U16 team's performance here.

Yeah don't bother because we don't care.

Anonymous wrote:Look at the ECNL standings. McLean is higher than Loudoun on every age group until you get to the U13s. The Loudoun U13 team is clearly better than McLean. The club flipped the switch with the 06s. That same team beat FCV 06 at WAGS. They were able to retain some (but not all) of their talent. That team by the way does not have a losing record. They are 4-4.

Loudoun was awarded ECNL in March of this year after DA ID sessions were done and some players were out the door. That won't happen again.

Going into next year - Loudoun parents KNOW already that Loudoun has ECNL. They see the improvements with the U13s. This is a program on the rise. A program Loudoun parents know and trust. Friends our DDs already have.

Any parent that thinks this does not completely change the landscape is a fool. I find it interesting that parents can be so stubborn about this. The only reason I can think of for a non-Loudoun parent to be so obsessed about this issue is that this is affecting your DD and whether you stay on your current team. Don't say we didn't warn you.

The 4-4 record with -1 goal difference is nothing to brag about. VDA, which also in its first year in ECNL, has 10-1 record with +28 goal difference in the same age group. VDA also has 8-2 record with +15 goal difference in U14 age group. Loudoun U14s have 1-5 record with -8 goal difference. I am not even going to discuss Loudoun U16 team's performance here.

Look at the ECNL standings. McLean is higher than Loudoun on every age group until you get to the U13s. The Loudoun U13 team is clearly better than McLean. The club flipped the switch with the 06s. That same team beat FCV 06 at WAGS. They were able to retain some (but not all) of their talent. That team by the way does not have a losing record. They are 4-4.

Loudoun was awarded ECNL in March of this year after DA ID sessions were done and some players were out the door. That won't happen again.

Going into next year - Loudoun parents KNOW already that Loudoun has ECNL. They see the improvements with the U13s. This is a program on the rise. A program Loudoun parents know and trust. Friends our DDs already have.

Any parent that thinks this does not completely change the landscape is a fool. I find it interesting that parents can be so stubborn about this. The only reason I can think of for a non-Loudoun parent to be so obsessed about this issue is that this is affecting your DD and whether you stay on your current team. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Is this the often mentioned Loudoun 07 Red that is supposed to cure all Loudoun's development problems? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG43hvLsZ40&list=PLV6TvnXDTQv_6SJLhj2MRyBQ09fR4XwRm&index=3

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And with all this development Loudoun has the worst record in ECNL among Virginia clubs. At some point development must translate into wins. If it does not, development mantra is an excuse for incompetence. Loudoun' performance in ECNL shows that the only thing the club developed is the culture of losing.

"Culture" of losing cannot be defined by one or even two years. That implies a seriously long period of time which has not happened yet. As has been said by others, many of Loudoun's top players after U12 have left for other ECNL clubs in the past. Now that they have ECNL, they only real threat is some leaving for DA. On the development point, it's defined by individual players and teams getting BETTER, not necessarily winning. If skillsets and athleticism on a given team is relatively low compared to others in the same league, a team can develop and never win, but they may make 0-8 results into 0-1 or 2 results by the end of the year. That wouldn't meet your definition of development because the team wouldn't have won a game, but it is. To gauge that kind of effect over time takes several years, not one or two.

One year of losing is not a big deal, but if every single age group in ECNL has a losing record, it encompasses more than one year of development and retentioin issues. The only semi-legitimate excuse that was given is that Loudoun's top players used to leave for DA and ENCL teams from other clubs, because Loudoun played in CCL so it was harder to retain top players and the hope is that Loudoun will improve its retention rate by marketing ECNL status. i

Will you get off the what the older teams are doing, it doesn't matter. The 06 Loudoun ECNL team beat FCV 06 DA team even after FCV picked over the Loudoun roster. Not every strong player in Loudoun left for FCV ECNL either. Many went to McLean over the years. So Loudoun kids have been represented on FCV and McLean ECNL rosters for years. With ECNL being an option for Loudoun going forward Loudoun Red will no longer be losing 10 kids a year to FCV and McLean like they did in the past.

If you can't understand due to talent drain to ECNL clubs over the past 4-6 years has had an effect on those Loudoun team then you are purposely being stubborn or you are not very smart or both. Successful current ECNL and DA rosters are littered with former Loudoun players. Going forward, most of those players will simply stay at Loudoun because unlike years before, Loudoun has a true showcase platform league. Frankly, for 05 and above the Loudoun ECNL teams are basically Loudoun black and when looked at that way Loudoun is doing very well fielding essentially B teams.

And, just as a final reminder, Loudoun's 06 ECNL team beat FCV's DA team in WAGs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And with all this development Loudoun has the worst record in ECNL among Virginia clubs. At some point development must translate into wins. If it does not, development mantra is an excuse for incompetence. Loudoun' performance in ECNL shows that the only thing the club developed is the culture of losing.

"Culture" of losing cannot be defined by one or even two years. That implies a seriously long period of time which has not happened yet. As has been said by others, many of Loudoun's top players after U12 have left for other ECNL clubs in the past. Now that they have ECNL, they only real threat is some leaving for DA. On the development point, it's defined by individual players and teams getting BETTER, not necessarily winning. If skillsets and athleticism on a given team is relatively low compared to others in the same league, a team can develop and never win, but they may make 0-8 results into 0-1 or 2 results by the end of the year. That wouldn't meet your definition of development because the team wouldn't have won a game, but it is. To gauge that kind of effect over time takes several years, not one or two.

One year of losing is not a big deal, but if every single age group in ECNL has a losing record, it encompasses more than one year of development and retentioin issues. The only semi-legitimate excuse that was given is that Loudoun's top players used to leave for DA and ENCL teams from other clubs, because Loudoun played in CCL so it was harder to retain top players and the hope is that Loudoun will improve its retention rate by marketing ECNL status. i

If any leave it would likely be players that do not feel they are getting a fair opportunity at Loudoun. I am sure there are some. However - rosters expand next year for 11v11 so there are more seats to go around. The bubble players on Black will make ECNL. Those that do not make it can play on Red on the CCL team. At this point, all indications point to Loudoun keeping the lion's share.

Anonymous wrote:^^^ me adding to my above post: I don't see the DA as a real threat at this point. That point I disagree with. I don't think Loudoun's ECNL will lose to the DA, unless it's second stringers or non-ECNL.

That could be. My thought is that there may be one or two players/parents who have really big (in most cases unattainable, but people are people) aspirations and think that DA would be a better route to fill them. I agree that it's more than likely that the vast majority stick with Loudoun ECNL as long as they can keep making the roster.

^^^ me adding to my above post: I don't see the DA as a real threat at this point. That point I disagree with. I don't think Loudoun's ECNL will lose to the DA, unless it's second stringers or non-ECNL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And with all this development Loudoun has the worst record in ECNL among Virginia clubs. At some point development must translate into wins. If it does not, development mantra is an excuse for incompetence. Loudoun' performance in ECNL shows that the only thing the club developed is the culture of losing.

"Culture" of losing cannot be defined by one or even two years. That implies a seriously long period of time which has not happened yet. As has been said by others, many of Loudoun's top players after U12 have left for other ECNL clubs in the past. Now that they have ECNL, they only real threat is some leaving for DA. On the development point, it's defined by individual players and teams getting BETTER, not necessarily winning. If skillsets and athleticism on a given team is relatively low compared to others in the same league, a team can develop and never win, but they may make 0-8 results into 0-1 or 2 results by the end of the year. That wouldn't meet your definition of development because the team wouldn't have won a game, but it is. To gauge that kind of effect over time takes several years, not one or two.

+1. Besides, the younger teams are doing better, which supports what you are saying. The data says it will improve as time goes on.

Anonymous wrote:And with all this development Loudoun has the worst record in ECNL among Virginia clubs. At some point development must translate into wins. If it does not, development mantra is an excuse for incompetence. Loudoun' performance in ECNL shows that the only thing the club developed is the culture of losing.

"Culture" of losing cannot be defined by one or even two years. That implies a seriously long period of time which has not happened yet. As has been said by others, many of Loudoun's top players after U12 have left for other ECNL clubs in the past. Now that they have ECNL, they only real threat is some leaving for DA. On the development point, it's defined by individual players and teams getting BETTER, not necessarily winning. If skillsets and athleticism on a given team is relatively low compared to others in the same league, a team can develop and never win, but they may make 0-8 results into 0-1 or 2 results by the end of the year. That wouldn't meet your definition of development because the team wouldn't have won a game, but it is. To gauge that kind of effect over time takes several years, not one or two.

^^^ tied McLean. Still, not bad.

Anonymous wrote:At some point development must translate into wins. If it does not, development mantra is an excuse for incompetence. Loudoun' performance in ECNL shows that the only thing the club developed is the culture of losing.

Spirit VA doesn't seem to think so.

Look folks, this is the first year in the ECNL for Loudoun. And historically, it lost its players in the older age groups to FCV, so everyone knew going in that those teams would struggle (though even they have had some wins). The 04s for example have done pretty decent. They aren't the top team, but they are middle of the pact and beat McLean - an excellent powerhouse of a club.

Anonymous wrote:And with all this development Loudoun has the worst record in ECNL among Virginia clubs. At some point development must translate into wins. If it does not, development mantra is an excuse for incompetence. Loudoun' performance in ECNL shows that the only thing the club developed is the culture of losing.

You are being stubborn on this point. The best Loudoun players went to ECNL years ago. The current crop of Loudoun ECNL teams are composed of the back half of old Red rosters and the Black teams.

FCV thought enough if Loudoun’s development that 40-50% of their rosters are composed of former Loudoun players.

Anonymous wrote:

aimeeharms wrote:A lot of former Loudoun's ECNL players are with Washington Spirit DA now.

Aimee - when did they join Spirit DA? This is the first year Loudoun has had ECNL. You probably mean former Loudoun, not former Loudoun ECNL.

Loudoun 07 will be the first year for deciding between staying for ECNL or leaving.

To add to that, some current Loudoun ECNL players in the older age groups had Spirit offers, but left Spirit for Loudoun's ECNL.