# ECNL vs GA



## keeprunning (May 7, 2021)

So this is no surprise. I know a letter is circulating from the GA commissioner/board that GA clubs must have their top teams in or they will be kicked out. Same with ECNL. Basically, you can't do both. 

WCFC went all in GA and I hear Pats has not decided. Lots of players scrabbling and looking to move is my guess. 

Let's discuss... the impact, more players being displaced, clubs losing entire teams?? Good for SoCal league??


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## Speed (May 7, 2021)

the madness never ends.....It appears looking from the outside that the GA was not as affected by the CA restrictions as ECNL? Is this true?  Did GA get to play all games/showcases as expected?


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## crush (May 7, 2021)

Speed said:


> *the madness never ends*.....It appears looking from the outside that the GA was not as affected by the CA restrictions as ECNL? Is this true?  Did GA get to play all games/showcases as expected?


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## Giesbock (May 7, 2021)

Superb song!!  

GA did a fine job.  No madness with that league.  Makes sense to play your top teams in the league you’re invested in.  My best wishes to Legends and Beach in their future ECNL dreams.


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## ginga (May 7, 2021)

Speed said:


> the madness never ends.....It appears looking from the outside that the GA was not as affected by the CA restrictions as ECNL? Is this true?  Did GA get to play all games/showcases as expected?


Yes, field locations were all over the place but ECNL did a pretty good job not only playing in a pandemic but also supporting their high school players.


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## Kicker4Life (May 7, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> Superb song!!
> 
> GA did a fine job.  No madness with that league.  Makes sense to play your top teams in the league you’re invested in.  My best wishes to Legends and Beach in their future ECNL dreams.


We already had our Top teams in ECRL.


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## Speed (May 7, 2021)

Kicker4Life said:


> We already had our Top teams in ECRL.


since not sure what your club is with are they ending up in ECNL?


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## Kicker4Life (May 7, 2021)

Speed said:


> since not sure what your club is with are they ending up in ECNL?


Both Beach and Legends put their Top teams in ECRL and their 2nd Teams in GA.  Both of those teams will be in ECNL this upcoming season.

Both my DD’s play at Beach.


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## timbuck (May 7, 2021)

ECNL is the top league (For now) for girls. GA has some good ideas and may be a challenge in the coming years.  If you have a kid that wants to play D1 college soccer in the next 3 years, get them on the ECNL team (and make sure they are getting playing time).  If you have a younger kid- pay attention to what GA and ECNL do.
If D1 college soccer isn't in the cards for them - play on a local team that has good coaches, has practices close to home and doesn't cost $5k per year.  If D2, D3, NAIA soccer is desired, work with your club to get your kid exposed (tournaments, video, ID camps and contacting coaches).


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## Kicker4Life (May 7, 2021)

timbuck said:


> ECNL is the top league (For now) for girls. GA has some good ideas and may be a challenge in the coming years.  If you have a kid that wants to play D1 college soccer in the next 3 years, get them on the ECNL team (and make sure they are getting playing time).  If you have a younger kid- pay attention to what GA and ECNL do.
> If D1 college soccer isn't in the cards for them - play on a local team that has good coaches, has practices close to home and doesn't cost $5k per year.  If D2, D3, NAIA soccer is desired, work with your club to get your kid exposed (tournaments, video, ID camps and contacting coaches).


D1 Coaches will find talent no matter what league, especially if that talent markets themselves.   More important than the acronym of the league is the right Coach and environment.


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## crush (May 8, 2021)

Kicker4Life said:


> D1 Coaches will find talent no matter what league, especially if that talent markets themselves.   More important than the acronym of the league is the right Coach and environment.


Winning is important to a few of us Kicker and winning against the best teams also matters to true competitors.  If you can win and find the right coach and environment, you win. I have yet to hear anyone get the trifacta in club soccer.  I guess you can't have it all


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## Carlsbad7 (May 8, 2021)

After this season ends we're going to find out if ECNL or GAL is the best. I'm saying this because right now clubs are either on the outside jockeying to get into a league or they're on the inside playing the politics trying to keep certain clubs out. In the Nov 2021 to Feb 2022 timeframe leagues are going to start announcing who's in. This will directly influence the number of kids who attend tryouts.

My money is on ECNL for girls and Next for boys for top leagues. Second place will be GAL for girls and I dont know what for the boys.

Something to keep in mind is that leagues are playing nice right now. Neither ECNL or GAL have an officially defined regulation standard. Also neither have started doing things like not allowing member clubs to play non member clubs in tournaments. We're starting to hear that clubs wont be allowed to have teams in both leagues. If things get really bad different leagues might start maintaining blackball lists of players/coaches that jump ship.

The interesting thing about soccer leagues is that because theres so many with new ones popping up all the time. They tend to keep each other from gaining too much power. If the league starts getting heavy handed clubs just move to something else.


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## crush (May 8, 2021)

I think @VegasParent should start a new thread,  "ECNL vs GAL turf war has created a TOXIC environment."  I feel bad for all the 8th graders.  What league is the best?  Some on here have had it great with the same coach and club but some have not and it's 100% no fault of their own.  I know one of the top Docs in the country and he's club hopped 3 times in the last four years.  No fault of his either and no one is calling him Mr. Club Doc Hopper.
Crushes prediction.  ECNL by a long shot.  Sorry GAL.  I'll give two reasons why it won;t work in Socal, meaning "top league crown."

1.  Legends FC
2.  Beach FC

Next, it will be Next for the boys.

2021/2022 03/04 is going to be insane competition in Socal.  "Why Crush," someone just asked.  Because for the first time in a long time we have a back log of non committed players for 2022, 2023 and 2024.  Sprinkle that with the highest number of players in the college transfer portal, college coaches have lot's to choose from.  Oh ya, plus with Covid 19, Seniors get to come back.  Time to slow down and take those 3 visits and do the meet and greet.  This is super awesome btw.  The cool thing for non-committed 2021,22 and 23s is their is something to play for now in showcase for olders, besides trying to be crown ECNL National Champion   The top, top players committed in 8th grade three years ago so they have to dig deep as a baller or just quit to avoid injury and take some time off to get ready for Top D1 Soccer.  My suggestion is to make sure player doesn;t take too much time off.  Trying to make a roster at any college will be hard, let alone find some playing time.  This makes next season all about soccer and getting ready to show all the coaches what your about.  The Jr or Sr player is now almost fully developed and the college coach now can see the truth.

Crushes advice to both ECNL and GAL League higher ups:  Take the Champions of each league and have those two play for a true National Championship.  Then, I would do a super cool tournament with the Quarter final teams from each league.  4 teams in each group and top two teams advance to Quarter Finals.  Why do all this you ask?  Because it's fair and it keeps the peace.


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## Messi>CR7 (May 8, 2021)

keeprunning said:


> So this is no surprise. I know a letter is circulating from the GA commissioner/board that GA clubs must have their top teams in or they will be kicked out. Same with ECNL. Basically, you can't do both.
> 
> WCFC went all in GA and I hear Pats has not decided. Lots of players scrabbling and looking to move is my guess.
> 
> Let's discuss... the impact, more players being displaced, clubs losing entire teams?? Good for SoCal league??


Route #1 (The Utah Royals route) - Put your best teams in GA and dominate.  When and if ECNL decides that GA has too much momentum and wants to fxxx with them again, they will look to recruit the strongest GA clubs.

Route #2 (The Beach, Legend route) - Put your best teams in ECRL and earn promotion by merits.  Even though they both got promoted before the ECRL season started, the subsequent results would have justified it anyway.

Route #1 would be my choice.  As @Giesbock said, play in the league you invested in and control your own destiny.


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## dad4 (May 8, 2021)

crush said:


> I think @VegasParent should start a new thread,  "ECNL vs GAL turf war has created a TOXIC environment."  I feel bad for all the 8th graders.  What league is the best?  Some on here have had it great with the same coach and club but some have not and it's 100% no fault of their own.  I know one of the top Docs in the country and he's club hopped 3 times in the last four years.  No fault of his either and no one is calling him Mr. Club Doc Hopper.
> Crushes prediction.  ECNL by a long shot.  Sorry GAL.  I'll give two reasons why it won;t work in Socal, meaning "top league crown."
> 
> 1.  Legends FC
> ...


I don't think ECNL is going to throw GA a lifeline by having an ECNL vs GA championship.  Even playing the game makes GA look stronger.

I do hope ECNL keeps adding top teams from GA.  It was petty to leave Beach and Legends out.  If we are lucky, they'll fix some of the other omissions soon.


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## Giesbock (May 8, 2021)

Question- we travelled to AZ early in the pandemic to play Utah Royals AZ affiliate. They had been training and playing for two months. We trained for two weeks and it was our first game.  We lost 4-1.  Not a terrible lopsided blow out but better game fitness and cohesion were evident. 

A few weeks ago, they were scheduled to come play us but for unknown reasons, couldn’t make the trip.

Should that count as a forfeit on the standings?


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## Kicker4Life (May 8, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> Question- we travelled to AZ early in the pandemic to play Utah Royals AZ affiliate. They had been training and playing for two months. We trained for two weeks and it was our first game.  We lost 4-1.  Not a terrible lopsided blow out but better game fitness and cohesion were evident.
> 
> A few weeks ago, they were scheduled to come play us but for unknown reasons, couldn’t make the trip.
> 
> Should that count as a forfeit on the standings?


For who?  The team in the State that is preventing out of state teams from coming in to play or the team that isn’t allowed to travel into CA?


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## crush (May 8, 2021)

dad4 said:


> *I don't think ECNL is going to throw GA a lifeline* by having an ECNL vs GA championship.  Even playing the game makes GA look stronger.
> 
> I do hope ECNL keeps adding top teams from GA.  It was petty to leave Beach and Legends out.  If we are lucky, they'll fix some of the other omissions soon.


If I were to bet, I would agree with you.  It's called a suggestion from one of the most competitive people you will ever meet dad.  I only asked for fairness, honesty and transparency and the little cheaters cheated.  Losers!!!


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## Giesbock (May 8, 2021)

Kicker4Life said:


> For who?  The team in the State that is preventing out of state teams from coming in to play or the team that isn’t allowed to travel into CA?


Are the still any state to state travel restrictions in place?
I was questioning whether the Royals team that made a choice not to travel should forfeit?
But if prevented due to travel restrictions, that’s different..


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## MamaBear5 (May 8, 2021)

If I had to guess Utah Royals didn't want to travel to CA the weekend after they got back from Florida.


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## Speed (May 8, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> Question- we travelled to AZ early in the pandemic to play Utah Royals AZ affiliate. They had been training and playing for two months. We trained for two weeks and it was our first game.  We lost 4-1.  Not a terrible lopsided blow out but better game fitness and cohesion were evident.
> 
> A few weeks ago, they were scheduled to come play us but for unknown reasons, couldn’t make the trip.
> 
> Should that count as a forfeit on the standings?


Nope. Heard of MLS next teams that traveled from AZ for league games got here and couldn't play due to state of CA guidelines. No fault of the teams is my guess


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## Speed (May 8, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> Are the still any state to state travel restrictions in place?
> I was questioning whether the Royals team that made a choice not to travel should forfeit?
> But if prevented due to travel restrictions, that’s different..


travel restrictions still in place


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## MyDaughtersAKeeper (May 8, 2021)

Kicker4Life said:


> Both Beach and Legends put their Top teams in ECRL and their 2nd Teams in GA.  Both of those teams will be in ECNL this upcoming season.
> 
> Both my DD’s play at Beach.


I had been hearing conflicting information on this, thank you for clarifying.  My daughter's ECRL team played Beach and the Beach team handed them a loss.  DD's team scored on their 1st possession.  Beach came back and scored on the very next possession.  From there it was a dogfight with Beach prevailing.  The Beach team is a very good team with a lot of talent.  I am sure they will do well next year in ECNL.  Best of luck to the team and ECNL will better with Beach a part of the program.


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## Giesbock (May 8, 2021)

Speed said:


> travel restrictions still in place


They’re so arbitrary- or at least club by club interpretations are different..


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## Speed (May 8, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> They’re so arbitrary- or at least club by club interpretations are different..


yes very much so 2 kids 2 different clubs and rules interpreted/ignored differently


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