2018-2019 DPL Season

My memory may be faulty but didn't surf teams handle the sharks last year? And last year those surf teams in ECNL were the B team. And up until 2 months ago those surf teams were ECNL until the sudden change to DPL.

Didn’t everyone handle Sharks last year??? They were new to the league. They get a pass.
 
Not sure what the cost factor is here. Club fees are the same for ECNL vs DPL. Only difference is more travel costs and team fees for ECNL. Also doesn’t matter if they came from Scdsl, csl, DA, ECNL or some other league - Still not clear why people, especially those out of the game, want to ridicule whether a kid wears a DA,DPL or ECNL patch.
Why not be happy for all of them and wish every one of them all the best.

None of the responses to your post ridiculed the kids for where they play. My sense is that they are suggesting that (as has been said by others), DPL appears to be an acronym for Dumb Parents League because DPL parents that post seem to be fooled by the marketing telling them that DPL is on the level of ECNL.

Believe what you want. Good luck to your player this season. But don’t hide behind the kids after you wake a sleeping dog and get bit.
 
Hahaha. Hey maybe next year your daughters club will be DPL

According to some others same applies to ECNL. They are both good though candidly I do prefer the national exposure with ECNL. Just have to do ID camps when missing East Coast showcases.


My DD would NEVER play DPL, and I’m pretty sure her club would never do it. I see through that kind of B.S. marketing. At this point it is about the exposure isn’t it? Don’t we want our DDs being seen in the best viable option in addition to the ID Camps? That’s why we do this.

I see why some people are doing it this year, because they were cheated out of what they initially paid for ,and were left with no options.
 
How do you ridicule a league as relentlessly as some of you do without implicating the kids who choose to play in it?

I agree. The DPL was formed by the DA Clubs for a variety of reasons which can be debated until the end of time. DPL teams are traditionally DA Club Second teams (except at the ‘06 Age group as there is no DA) and kids play DPL for a variety of reasons...some don’t want to practice 4 days a week, some see it as a stepping stone to DA, some want to play other sports, some want to play high school soccer, or have other interests outside of soccer...OMG can you imagine a kid with interests outside of soccer????

It’s all good...I don’t understand the hate for an option that works for a bunch of kids. If the kids and parents are happy playing in a league/circuit that works for them why do people give a rip and waste time bashing it? Seems like a waste of time to me.
 
My DD would NEVER play DPL, and I’m pretty sure her club would never do it. I see through that kind of B.S. marketing. At this point it is about the exposure isn’t it? Don’t we want our DDs being seen in the best viable option in addition to the ID Camps? That’s why we do this.

I see why some people are doing it this year, because they were cheated out of what they initially paid for ,and were left with no options.
Be careful about making these definitive types of statements. A year ago I would have carried the banner for you leading the charge that my kid would never play DPL, circumstances change. It is a league, nothing else. I don't think most parents buy into the hype that it is anything more than that. Not every kid is going to get a chance or have the desire to play DA for a variety of reasons (kid is still mad at the local DA club, a club that offered your kid DA is too far to make it work or simply because there is a phenomenal player ahead of your kid at the last remaining DA club in your area). Maybe school is a higher priority than DA. Maybe they have other interests that DA would prevent the kid from participating in. There are many reasons, including not being talented enough, that a kid might not play DA. So if a kid plays DPL and they like and respect the coach. They like their teammates. They play at a high level (relative), who cares.

My kid is on a DPL team. I am proud of her, and her team and teammates. I am proud of how hard she and they work.

Good luck to everyone this upcoming season. No matter what league your kid plays in.
 
None of the responses to your post ridiculed the kids for where they play. My sense is that they are suggesting that (as has been said by others), DPL appears to be an acronym for Dumb Parents League because DPL parents that post seem to be fooled by the marketing telling them that DPL is on the level of ECNL.

Believe what you want. Good luck to your player this season. But don’t hide behind the kids after you wake a sleeping dog and get bit.

There are some good DPL teams, and some bad ECNL teams.

Your dramatic prose is fun though.
 
My kids plays DPL at Legends not because she isn't good enough but because she wants to play high school and doesn't believe 4 days a week is good for anyone, especially when they have 6th period soccer several times a week in high school as well. The sub rules in academy don't work for me either. My kid gets more play time in DPL because she can come in and out more regularly and take water breaks in our 100 degree heat. There are several other players on our DPL team that were asked to play academy and said "no" because of HS. I do agree that the ECNL teams are a tad bit better than our average opponents but I would say our top 4 DPL teams at the 02G level can compete with any of the average ECNL teams.
 
Be careful about making these definitive types of statements. A year ago I would have carried the banner for you leading the charge that my kid would never play DPL, circumstances change. It is a league, nothing else. I don't think most parents buy into the hype that it is anything more than that. Not every kid is going to get a chance or have the desire to play DA for a variety of reasons (kid is still mad at the local DA club, a club that offered your kid DA is too far to make it work or simply because there is a phenomenal player ahead of your kid at the last remaining DA club in your area). Maybe school is a higher priority than DA. Maybe they have other interests that DA would prevent the kid from participating in. There are many reasons, including not being talented enough, that a kid might not play DA. So if a kid plays DPL and they like and respect the coach. They like their teammates. They play at a high level (relative), who cares.

My kid is on a DPL team. I am proud of her, and her team and teammates. I am proud of how hard she and they work.

Good luck to everyone this upcoming season. No matter what league your kid plays in.

Thanks for your perspective. Let me clarify, I believe everyone should do what’s best for the DD regardless of patch. It’s about the team. Some parents don’t have a choice this season I get that. With that said, aren’t the rules for DPL mirroring GDA?
 
I agree. The DPL was formed by the DA Clubs for a variety of reasons which can be debated until the end of time. DPL teams are traditionally DA Club Second teams (except at the ‘06 Age group as there is no DA) and kids play DPL for a variety of reasons...some don’t want to practice 4 days a week, some see it as a stepping stone to DA, some want to play other sports, some want to play high school soccer, or have other interests outside of soccer...OMG can you imagine a kid with interests outside of soccer????

It’s all good...I don’t understand the hate for an option that works for a bunch of kids. If the kids and parents are happy playing in a league/circuit that works for them why do people give a rip and waste time bashing it? Seems like a waste of time to me.

The issue is trying to equate DPL with the other leagues GDA/ECNL. The reasons you have listed are truly valid. But for the majority of us, stop trying to make it an equal partner. It’s not. The showcases alone for GDA And ECNL make it different. It’s as you stated a possible stepping stone , and for those who have outside interests.
 
Thanks for your perspective. Let me clarify, I believe everyone should do what’s best for the DD regardless of patch. It’s about the team. Some parents don’t have a choice this season I get that. With that said, aren’t the rules for DPL mirroring GDA?
I believe the rules will mirror DA (a new wrinkle added this year), which is not a selling point. The change from a 10 game season (2017-2018) to a much longer DA style season this year (2018-2019) is an enhancement. You win some, you lose some. We will make the most of it.
 
The issue is trying to equate DPL with the other leagues GDA/ECNL. The reasons you have listed are truly valid. But for the majority of us, stop trying to make it an equal partner. It’s not. The showcases alone for GDA And ECNL make it different. It’s as you stated a possible stepping stone , and for those who have outside interests.
ECNL was the king. GDA came in and knocked them off. Every other league is trying to stay relevant (DPL included). Who knows what the league rankings will be when the dust settles. The good news is also the bad news in SoCal, lots of options for your kid. Diluted talent and uneven competition, in all leagues. By the time they get it all sorted out, my kid will have aged out (that would be our luck). Make the most of whatever opportunity your kid has.
 
The issue is trying to equate DPL with the other leagues GDA/ECNL. The reasons you have listed are truly valid. But for the majority of us, stop trying to make it an equal partner. It’s not. The showcases alone for GDA And ECNL make it different. It’s as you stated a possible stepping stone , and for those who have outside interests.

I have been known (or accused) of being a DPL champion in the past and I agree 100% with this post. There is no way DPL is equivalent with ECNL. I do believe by the end of this season DPL will be established as equivalent to Premier and Flight 1 Discovery league. I think the move from 9 league games last year to 24 games this year is a big plus since these teams will end up playing a lot less tournaments (2/3 games per day is bad for kids at these ages). DPL goes on break from Thanksgiving till the start of March so it looks like this can accomodate HS. But there is a huge difference in the amount of college exposure that DA/ECNL players get versus DPL players. I guess that only matters if you kid wants to play college soccer.
 
Don't know if this question has been asked. But can a DPL player guest with a regular team? Say this player is an 04 player but still in middle school, the rest of her teammates are in high school playing for their schools. Said player is off not playing soccer for those 3-4 months.
 
Don't know if this question has been asked. But can a DPL player guest with a regular team? Say this player is an 04 player but still in middle school, the rest of her teammates are in high school playing for their schools. Said player is off not playing soccer for those 3-4 months.
No. DPL players can not play in Any other league but DA and DPL.
 
So what are those DA/DPL players doing for that break? Are the DA players on the same break? And, why would they be on break if they can't play high school?
Excellent questions! Would like to know the answers why DPL can’t play High school.
 
So what are those DA/DPL players doing for that break? Are the DA players on the same break? And, why would they be on break if they can't play high school?


The DA doesn’t break. League games, Thanksgiving events (Surf and Silverlakes) and the Florida showcase.
 
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