Anonymous wrote:For boys, the way I see it if you want to go pro go with MLS Next. If you want to play in college go ECNL.

As for McLean, they're a good program they just don't have any talent within McLean. And if they do have talent they seek to play for better teams that win. I mean why play with a losing team if you can play elsewhere, continue to improve your game and also be on a winning team than being a perennial losing team.

Its this type of writing that will make Metro go crazy

DA ended on April 15. On April 15 both Richmond and VDA announced they were joining ECNL. Arlington did hold a bit longer before joining ECNL. Richmond and VDA announcement —> https://www.soccerwire.com/news/ecnl-boys-brings-in-host-of-new-clubs-to-mid-atlantic-conference/

Announcements about DA ending included mention of a MLS league, but it was not well organized/stood up when the announcement about the DA ending was released.

It’s interesting the Maryland DA clubs decided to go MLS vs the VA DA clubs going ECNL. Wouldn’t all of the former DA clubs be faced with the same decisions, not sure why the line was drawn with the Potomac River.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ MLS Next was an option for all former DA clubs, like it was for BSC and Baltimore Armor boys. The boys Virginia DA clubs (Arlington, VDA, Richmond) chose ECNL over MLS Next for whatever reason. VDA and Richmond announced the switch to ECNL the same day DA collapsed while Arlington held out longer.

I don't know about that...Arlington made the decision and officially announced to go to ECNL (May 2020) before MLS Next (sept 2020) was formed.

https://www.soccerwire.com/news/arlington-soccer-joins-ecnl-boys-for-2020-2021-season/ - Arlington joins in May 2020

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer - Look at the last sentence in the 2013-Present section - MLS Next was formed in September 2020

I think the VA DA teams felt there were no other options early in 2020 so they went with ECNL. I'm sure they would like to go to MLS Next as the better competition is there and a route to MLS is present...

It was more complicated than that. VDA went immediately - but there is some ownership connection (can't remember exactly what now, but it exists) between VDA and ECNL. Then Richmond jumped ship a couple of weeks later (might even have been quicker than that). Then Arlington waited another few weeks before announcing its own direction.

I'm pretty sure that most of the parents and kids and the DA coaching team would prefer to be in MLS Next. I am not sure exactly what the board thinks (and to what extent they may or may not have bound the boys to ECNL in order to get the girls accepted), nor do know what DCU's position is - where they may well not want full league members so close to them - and are almost certainly in a position to block Arlington if they wanted to.

For boys, the way I see it if you want to go pro go with MLS Next. If you want to play in college go ECNL.

As for McLean, they're a good program they just don't have any talent within McLean. And if they do have talent they seek to play for better teams that win. I mean why play with a losing team if you can play elsewhere, continue to improve your game and also be on a winning team than being a perennial losing team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ MLS Next was an option for all former DA clubs, like it was for BSC and Baltimore Armor boys. The boys Virginia DA clubs (Arlington, VDA, Richmond) chose ECNL over MLS Next for whatever reason. VDA and Richmond announced the switch to ECNL the same day DA collapsed while Arlington held out longer.

I don't know about that...Arlington made the decision and officially announced to go to ECNL (May 2020) before MLS Next (sept 2020) was formed.

https://www.soccerwire.com/news/arlington-soccer-joins-ecnl-boys-for-2020-2021-season/ - Arlington joins in May 2020

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer - Look at the last sentence in the 2013-Present section - MLS Next was formed in September 2020

I think the VA DA teams felt there were no other options early in 2020 so they went with ECNL. I'm sure they would like to go to MLS Next as the better competition is there and a route to MLS is present...

True, there was just too much uncertainty about MLS Next and Arlington didn't want to lose their players, so they took the sure thing. I think they would like to move the Boys Academy teams into MLS Next and keep the ECNL spot for their Red teams, but it looks like they had to guarantee ECNL that the boys Academy teams would remain in ECNL to gain the girls ECNL slot. So it looks like at least one more year for the Academy teams to stay in ECNL.

Anonymous wrote:^^ MLS Next was an option for all former DA clubs, like it was for BSC and Baltimore Armor boys. The boys Virginia DA clubs (Arlington, VDA, Richmond) chose ECNL over MLS Next for whatever reason. VDA and Richmond announced the switch to ECNL the same day DA collapsed while Arlington held out longer.

I don't know about that...Arlington made the decision and officially announced to go to ECNL (May 2020) before MLS Next (sept 2020) was formed.

https://www.soccerwire.com/news/arlington-soccer-joins-ecnl-boys-for-2020-2021-season/ - Arlington joins in May 2020

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer - Look at the last sentence in the 2013-Present section - MLS Next was formed in September 2020

I think the VA DA teams felt there were no other options early in 2020 so they went with ECNL. I'm sure they would like to go to MLS Next as the better competition is there and a route to MLS is present...

We have been down that road before let's not revive it

Anonymous wrote:It’s a shame the Wash Spirit and NCSL do a lot overall for women in sport obviously but their business model does not involve a true academy of their own If you are 16 and no one is willing to pay for your development then it maybe time to hang it up on that track and just enjoy the sport. But everyone wants a D2 offer somewhere or D1 whatever.

I don't think too many girls strive to play for Wash Spirit. It was sad that their academy team was coached by lower level coach back in the day.

Anonymous wrote:It’s a shame the Wash Spirit and NCSL do a lot overall for women in sport obviously but their business model does not involve a true academy of their own If you are 16 and no one is willing to pay for your development then it maybe time to hang it up on that track and just enjoy the sport. But everyone wants a D2 offer somewhere or D1 whatever.

Wash Spirit tried to have an academy program but it imploded. The business model plus the dilution of the player pool (FCV, McLean, BRYC etc etc etc) just was not enough to have a successful team. Wash Spirit isn't as popular as the other Pro Teams for girls.

It’s a shame the Wash Spirit and NCSL do a lot overall for women in sport obviously but their business model does not involve a true academy of their own If you are 16 and no one is willing to pay for your development then it maybe time to hang it up on that track and just enjoy the sport. But everyone wants a D2 offer somewhere or D1 whatever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this about the girls side. I don't think the boy's side was ever at the elite level which is why it lost the DA. The girls side could stumble with Arlington receiving the DA. Clearly, McLean has the best track-record at placing girls at the next level but Arlington is building a strong track record of its own.

Would a merger with GFR reestablish McLean as a top club?

No and it won't happen. Nothing wrong with Mclean, just more competition since ECNL seems to think they need to be at every NOVA club.

It might not be a full merger but I think McLean will enter into some sort of alliances with one or more clubs and create a team like Valor or something.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this about the girls side. I don't think the boy's side was ever at the elite level which is why it lost the DA. The girls side could stumble with Arlington receiving the DA. Clearly, McLean has the best track-record at placing girls at the next level but Arlington is building a strong track record of its own.

Would a merger with GFR reestablish McLean as a top club?

No and it won't happen. NOthing wrong with Mclean, just more competition since ECNL seems to think they need to be at every NOVA club.

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this about the girls side. I don't think the boy's side was ever at the elite level which is why it lost the DA. The girls side could stumble with Arlington receiving the DA. Clearly, McLean has the best track-record at placing girls at the next level but Arlington is building a strong track record of its own.

Would a merger with GFR reestablish McLean as a top club?