DPL-Pilot Teams

I'm new to the Forum and trying to learn from everyone. What's confusing to me after looking at the brackets for Surf Cup, if ECNL, DPL and DPL Pilot are the next best after DA teams, why are they distributed throughout different brackets with some ECNL and DPL teams in the bottom? Also, looking at recent tournament results, there are several "regular" Flight 1 teams beating DPL teams. It's all seeming a bit watered down with a few exceptions. It honestly seems like no matter what team your DD is on, the team has to do fairly well or it doesn't seem to matter. For example, girls on a DA or ECNL team that didn't do well last season likely do not have as many verbal commitments to colleges as girls on DA or ECNL teams that did well. Lastly, how many teams are just taking the new label of Pilot or DPL and just putting in on a team without really having the talent to back up the title? Surf Cup results will be very telling..
I agree things are increasingly watered down, but there were ECNL teams (and teams that became DPL teams) in the lower brackets of Surf Cup before DA and DPL. There is no promotion and relegation among leagues. A given league can be of better overall quality and still have weaker teams. Also, note the stronger cluster of ECNL teams are in the top bracket of the SilverLakes Summer Showcase this year.
 
I’d say Surf Cup results won’t be very telling. A game is a game. FC Dallas just beat Legends in the u15 DA final. Are they the best team? Maybe. Maybe not. Surf Cup is the opening tourney of the season for many clubs. And some clubs just finished DA or ECNL seasons in July, whereas other teams have been idling since National Cup. Are teams unprepared, exhausted, still adjusting to new chemistry, or something else? Who knows. This is on all levels, and not just DA or ECNL. These are just games. In the olders ages, it’s now down to college commitments and conversations - which are more difficult for some with the recruiting change.

For DA, Pilot and DPL Surf Cup will be the teams’ 1st tournament/game as new teams. Clubs just finished re-arranging teams for this new year season 2018-2019.
 
The DA is not the top league. ECNL and DA is debatable. But six of the top teams, including LAFC Slammers just left the DA for full time ECNL. That is quite a statement by those DOC's who played both leagues.

Why does everyone give the DPL so much credit? I am just curious. It is just a b team at the club. Kids who do not make the DA. How is that different than an SCDSL team? Serious question. Are people really falling for a new toy with a new name that acts the same as the previous version? Also, why is the pilot team this grand team to many on here? I know an '03 pilot team roster that is nothing more than an average SCDSL team.

Which pilot team in your opinion is an SCDSL team. And, how bad were they in DA, and were they an ecnl team two years ago?
 
The DA is not the top league. ECNL and DA is debatable. But six of the top teams, including LAFC Slammers just left the DA for full time ECNL. That is quite a statement by those DOC's who played both leagues.

Why does everyone give the DPL so much credit? I am just curious. It is just a b team at the club. Kids who do not make the DA. How is that different than an SCDSL team? Serious question. Are people really falling for a new toy with a new name that acts the same as the previous version? Also, why is the pilot team this grand team to many on here? I know an '03 pilot team roster that is nothing more than an average SCDSL team.

Wow share that Pilot Team’s roster. Did a coach shared because I don’t believe those rosters are posted yet!
 
The DA is not the top league. ECNL and DA is debatable. But six of the top teams, including LAFC Slammers just left the DA for full time ECNL. That is quite a statement by those DOC's who played both leagues.

Why does everyone give the DPL so much credit? I am just curious. It is just a b team at the club. Kids who do not make the DA. How is that different than an SCDSL team? Serious question. Are people really falling for a new toy with a new name that acts the same as the previous version? Also, why is the pilot team this grand team to many on here? I know an '03 pilot team roster that is nothing more than an average SCDSL team.
This past year in the SW ECNL there were more than a few B teams.

These clubs had DA and ECNL...Slammers, Blues, Surf, West Coast. And yes I know in a couple of age brackets girls stayed as team vs moving to DA. But in general if you were in the ECNL in the SW Division playing those clubs you were playing their B squads. And still they overall were some of the better teams.

Same thing I think for SOME of the clubs that have DA and DPL teams.

I am not giving DPL credit...just pointing out that B teams were in ECNL SW Division and will be this coming year.
 
This past year in the SW ECNL there were more than a few B teams.

These clubs had DA and ECNL...Slammers, Blues, Surf, West Coast. And yes I know in a couple of age brackets girls stayed as team vs moving to DA. But in general if you were in the ECNL in the SW Division playing those clubs you were playing their B squads. And still they overall were some of the better teams.

Same thing I think for SOME of the clubs that have DA and DPL teams.

I am not giving DPL credit...just pointing out that B teams were in ECNL SW Division and will be this coming year.

That will be good for clubs that are big/strong enough to have quality B/DPL teams, like Legends. For the DA clubs that struggle forming decent DA and DPL teams, probably not so good.
 
I posted this in another topic.

Recently played vs a 05 DPL team and it was the equivalent of a Silver Elite or high flight 2 teams. Thought they would be better. The team we guest played with was better in my opinion. I will say they were doing their best to play possession soccer. Both teams were.

Many girls jump clubs or teams if they didn't make the DA team and instead were being put onto the DPL team. I'm sure I'd consider a 45 minute drive for a DA team, but not sure I'd do that for a DPL team. So many good clubs to choose from makes sense to stay close to home if it isn't the top club.
 
Slammers is not on the ECNL board. He was not re-elected. LV Heat has the SW board member.

Surf, Blues kept some of their top teams in ECNL. Two Blues teams win the ECNL championship again. Surf G02 was in the final. They sent their "B" teams to DA.

How do the DA fans rationalize LA Galaxy LA Premier and Pats, as examples, getting DA when they had no history as successful girls clubs? So many shots at ECNL without the same criteria at DA.

Slammers and many others left DA because players and families did not enjoy it and the restrictive rules. Same frustrations from the club leadership. Those of you who do not see a problem with training four times a week on top of games, are putting academics secondary. How does a kid take AP courses, do well in school, train four times a week, and still have some semblance of a childhood and social life.

The DA may be good for 1% of the players who end up playing on the national team. But the rest of the players are just being used to get those players there.

Also, Christian Pulisic's parents do not support the rigid training environment that DA offers. He trained twice a week. And he was in unstructured environments.
 
"Slammers said the heck with all this and decided to focus on ECNL only for the next season."
In what universe would DA allow Slammers to Come Back to DA after dumping DA and Going ALL in ENCL?
I believe Only Reason Blues hasn't Dumped DA or Gone all in ECNL is because there want to to keep there options open after there o2 and maybe 03 teams graduate out.
 
"Slammers said the heck with all this and decided to focus on ECNL only for the next season."
In what universe would DA allow Slammers to Come Back to DA after dumping DA and Going ALL in ENCL?
I believe Only Reason Blues hasn't Dumped DA or Gone all in ECNL is because there want to to keep there options open after there o2 and maybe 03 teams graduate out.
Maybe not Slammers but LAFC as its own entity might be able to.
 
Hey, if your Mija wants to play 03 DA Pilot then go do it. Nobody wanted to stay with that BH anyway.
There are other good teams out there especially DPL teams.
 
Back
Top