Advice on going to EA league

Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
So if it's EA the team is moving to, I think it can work out if the team gels and is able to hang with the above average flight 1 teams currently but if not, it could be a long season to get beat up while driving very far distances for games...
Presumably, the best flight 1 2013 teams will be moving onto the EA next year.

You certainly don't want to take the team up to EA and experience a -50 GD season like some of the teams are experiencing now... (https://system.gotsport.com/org_event/events/16720/schedules?group=114479).
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This is exactly what I am concern with. It appears that the club wants to maintain at least 80% of the current team. Even a -20 GD would be a surprise for the kids, especially after having a +20 GD. 10 year olds do not have good understanding of the level yet, even after we explain EA, MLSnext, NPL, Discovery,....
I will wait until at least March before signing a new contract to consider all options, I know the club will threaten to give out the place to other people in February. They want to secure players as much as they can before the official tryout in February.
 
aong cangkol said:
Doing it every year is a lot of stress for both parents and child. No matter how careful you are during the tryout/practice, you can never know for sure. I have experienced that the team you practice with during the tryout is not the same one you end up with later. Some kids in the process of leaving and some kids are new recruits. Even the coach can be different. Basically you gamble every year. Once you sign the contract, 1 year can be a lost year. The child can even lose interest in playing.
Most parents I know just keep it simple, they just move to the highest league/level they can get. I don't think it is wise, you can be in an ECNL team playing 10 min/game, wasting money and time.
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Trying out at different clubs isnt always about making that specific team. ;-)

1. When you try out at different clubs you get to experience how other clubs function.
2. It gets your kid on the radar of other clubs
3. Coaches talk + they find out who's trying out at different clubs. If your kid is currently on the top team but they were thinking about bumping them down to a B team. If they know you're trying out at other clubs they'll pick another player. This is because with clubs being competitive is important but not losing players is importanter.
 
aong cangkol said:
This is exactly what I am concern with. It appears that the club wants to maintain at least 80% of the current team. Even a -20 GD would be a surprise for the kids, especially after having a +20 GD. 10 year olds do not have good understanding of the level yet, even after we explain EA, MLSnext, NPL, Discovery,....
I will wait until at least March before signing a new contract to consider all options, I know the club will threaten to give out the place to other people in February. They want to secure players as much as they can before the official tryout in February.
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Further to what Carlsbad wrote, getting you to sign now is all about retention. Read the agreement carefully...there's probably a clause in there that either allows them to move your kid around to another team or that doesn't prohibit it. If they are having open tryouts in February and are pressuring you now, and telling you at this point they are retaining about 80%, the true number is probably closer to 50%. The hope maybe doing announcements about EA all over the soccer announcement boards might give them enough to do 2 teams...if they get someone better that comes along, they will make room for them...the clubs are masters at easing out people even if there isn't a 2nd team to take up the slack...the only question is how many people come out.
 
Grace T. said:
However, AYSO United is not the only one locked out (it's just the biggest and most obvious example). Another one is SoCal Elite which has had enormous success. Their B2008 team, for example, I believe won the national cup and is on par with most mid level MLS Next teams for that age group. They are being made to jump hoops and to start in EA2.
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When it was announced, I figured SoCal Elite would jump right into EA and bypass EA2. For the B08, they'd be right there with Strikers, Force, Santa Monica Surf, and Riverside Albion in the u15 Southwest. At the break in u15 EA2, they are at 49 GF with 4 GA. They should not be slugging it out with the 3rd team for LAUFA and Force. Who's that helping keeping them at EA2?
 
Do you know what typically happen to those EA clubs with no MLS next association after 13 years of age? Do they lose their best players to MLS next clubs?
 
Just to recap on my original question about why my DS flight 2 team is going straight to EA but not flight 1. Finally there is a clarification from the club that only about half of the team is going to the "new" EA team. BTW, there is no EA2 for U11 and U12.
The "weaker" half will remain in flight 2 with the coach plus new recruits coming in next month.
Interestingly, the "stronger" half will be go to EA with a new coach and other new "stronger" players.

I am probably the only parents refuse to go to the EA team. Most parents/kids being left out will leave the club so my DS will have a brand new team in Flight 2 (but same coach). This flight 2 team cannot go to flight 1 because it will be weaker now.
Really not looking forward to shop around for a new team but unsure what to do now.

Overall, I can see what the club is doing. They are trying to quickly gather enough players to be ready for MLSNext in a year by picking best players from any team (internal/external does not matter).
 
aong cangkol said:
Just to recap on my original question about why my DS flight 2 team is going straight to EA but not flight 1. Finally there is a clarification from the club that only about half of the team is going to the "new" EA team. BTW, there is no EA2 for U11 and U12.
The "weaker" half will remain in flight 2 with the coach plus new recruits coming in next month.
Interestingly, the "stronger" half will be go to EA with a new coach and other new "stronger" players.

I am probably the only parents refuse to go to the EA team. Most parents/kids being left out will leave the club so my DS will have a brand new team in Flight 2 (but same coach). This flight 2 team cannot go to flight 1 because it will be weaker now.
Really not looking forward to shop around for a new team but unsure what to do now.

Overall, I can see what the club is doing. They are trying to quickly gather enough players to be ready for MLSNext in a year by picking best players from any team (internal/external does not matter).
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Sorry to hear it. Unsurprising though. It's the soccer world. You'll get used to it (they told me the same thing).

But damn, people I'm good!!! I nailed that one.
 
Jamisfoes said:
Do you know what typically happen to those EA clubs with no MLS next association after 13 years of age? Do they lose their best players to MLS next clubs?
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In San Diego, it happens but I would say that its rare. Most movement is within and between MLS Next and ECNL clubs, and not non-affiliated teams.
 
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