What's keeping the Blues in DA?
ECNL vs. DA turf war has created a 'toxic environment'
- Thread starter VegasParent
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What's keeping the Blues in DA?
outside!
DA
$$$$
futboldad1
PREMIER
Accurate. Plus GDA aren't making them choose and ECNL can't due to the National titles. As the only dual club in Socal they have a big advantage being able to offer both top leagues to families. Some of their best teams are in ECNL, some in GDA, while their second teams are stronger than most other clubs as they will play in one of these leagues unlike anyone else can offer. That's huge for recruiting.
Just curious, how does the Blues decide which team will be the top tea in an age group? Do they let players pick which league they want to play on and then the top team is organically made or do they assign players to a certain team?
And which teams in DA are their first team vs their second team? Do they top teams start out as DA and then as girls get recruited switch to ECNL?
And which teams in DA are their first team vs their second team? Do they top teams start out as DA and then as girls get recruited switch to ECNL?
U18/19 1st Team is ECNL.
U18/19 first team is ECNL coached by Baker. And the majority of those girls play high school at J Serra Catholic High School, which is also coached by Baker. Completely dominant team for years. So for this team it makes sense to stay ECNL for high school play purposes.
For the rest of their teams- I am not sure how they decide which team is top. Or which players go to which team. I think if a player is good enough, they let her choose.
They (and I'm sure other clubs) manage the rules/loopholes to move some kids back and forth once in a while.
There was a thread the other day on dual carded ECNL and DA players. http://socalsoccer.com/threads/dual-card-da-and-ecnl.17619/
For age groups that have both ecnl and da, the only time the A team is ecnl at Blues is if Baker is the coach. Otherwise, the A team is da. However, there are a few girls that are good enough to make the A team (DA) and have elected instead to play ECNL instead (either at Blues or elsewhere) because they want to play for their high school team.
So next year what happens? This team graduates and then all the top teams are in DA? Or does Baker talk the players that attend or want to attend J Serra into playing ECNL? Or do kiddos jump at the chance to play for Baker and his ECNL team because they like to be yelled at?
I thought this team was ENCL because they were dominating before DA came into the picture, a lot of the players were already recruited and did not feel the need for DA. Not sure whether Blues will continue to have such strong success in ECNL if they allow the players to pick. Most stronger players and parents have been brainwashed into thinking DA is the only means for kiddos to be recruited.
Mystery Train
GOLD
The U18/19 composite team which won the National ECNL title this year was largely made of their old 02 team. The old 01 team (with some 02’s mixed in) played U18 and also won this past weekend. Both coached by Baker. Likely, with so many 02’s between both and some trapped 01’s, and a few of the better 03’s, they will again dominate the U18/19 age group next year with Baker. The only question is if he can field a U18 and a composite team and win national championships in both again. Probably so. Then he’ll repeat what he did with the ‘02’s and 01’s and start again from scratch with teams around U10. As for which league, it’s anybody’s guess what the club does overall. But given that Baker is a HS coach, I’m gonna guess ECNL is it... unless DA drops the no HS rule. But even that might be too little too late.
I thought this team was ENCL because they were dominating before DA came into the picture, a lot of the players were already recruited and did not feel the need for DA. Not sure whether Blues will continue to have such strong success in ECNL if they allow the players to pick. Most stronger players and parents have been brainwashed into thinking DA is the only means for kiddos to be recruited.[/QUOTE]
My dd is going to find out 12 months from now. I don't think kids get brainwashed as much as the parents do. As a parent it's hard to walk away from watching your dd play at the highest levels in SoCal the past 7 years. The coaches and US Soccer are preaching, "don't play HS Soccer or ECNL, it will hurt your dd chances of being recruited. It's funny because it's the same coaches who sold ECNL two years ago. After playing first year of DA when it started and 50/50 ECNL and DA this year, it's going to be ECNL full time for 2019-2020 as a 10th grader. I believe college coaches recruit soccer players, not teams. My dd is the one who made this decision and I'm 100% behind her. She gets to play club with friends from HS and play for her community High School. If she works hard I'm sure the same colleges who would have watched her play in the DA will also see her play in ECNL. The only one's missing are the US National Team Scouts.......lol!
My dd is going to find out 12 months from now. I don't think kids get brainwashed as much as the parents do. As a parent it's hard to walk away from watching your dd play at the highest levels in SoCal the past 7 years. The coaches and US Soccer are preaching, "don't play HS Soccer or ECNL, it will hurt your dd chances of being recruited. It's funny because it's the same coaches who sold ECNL two years ago. After playing first year of DA when it started and 50/50 ECNL and DA this year, it's going to be ECNL full time for 2019-2020 as a 10th grader. I believe college coaches recruit soccer players, not teams. My dd is the one who made this decision and I'm 100% behind her. She gets to play club with friends from HS and play for her community High School. If she works hard I'm sure the same colleges who would have watched her play in the DA will also see her play in ECNL. The only one's missing are the US National Team Scouts.......lol!
The u16 Blues team did well in ECNL this year too and is moving on at a shot for the ECNL National Championship, but it is coached by Abner Rogers. I assume that team will stay together and be a strong ECNL team again next year. Also, Baker is taking the Blues 07 team into ECNL this upcoming season. I suspect they will be very strong and compete for the ECNL championship too. If Baker is able to successfully keep that team together, it should do well in ECNL for years. The younger parents have bought into what he did with the older girls (nearly all of them are moving on to play D1).
futboldad1
PREMIER
The above is correct.
MacDre
PREMIER
My dd is going to find out 12 months from now. I don't think kids get brainwashed as much as the parents do. As a parent it's hard to walk away from watching your dd play at the highest levels in SoCal the past 7 years. The coaches and US Soccer are preaching, "don't play HS Soccer or ECNL, it will hurt your dd chances of being recruited. It's funny because it's the same coaches who sold ECNL two years ago. After playing first year of DA when it started and 50/50 ECNL and DA this year, it's going to be ECNL full time for 2019-2020 as a 10th grader. I believe college coaches recruit soccer players, not teams. My dd is the one who made this decision and I'm 100% behind her. She gets to play club with friends from HS and play for her community High School. If she works hard I'm sure the same colleges who would have watched her play in the DA will also see her play in ECNL. The only one's missing are the US National Team Scouts.......lol![/QUOTE]
Are there really places in the USA where the “community” cares and attends female high school soccer games? If a young lady is attending an elite private school to play soccer, is that really her “community” and again, does that community legitimately care about female high school soccer? I ask because when I talk about this issue with others, they laugh at me and invariably say “dude no one cares about female high school soccer accept the girls parents.” I know the only girl in my community who’s soccer accomplishments that I’m aware of are my daughters. So, what am I missing?
It depends on the community. I remember back when my daughter was in 8th grade. The suburban town where we live has two middle schools, and the kids from both schools interact and know each other since the community is compact. That year both middle schools’ 8th grade girls teams very good because the local ECNL team for that age was very good and so was the 2nd team from the club, and just about all of the girls from the area played for their school team that year. The league game between the two middle schools was hyped - parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers, friends came in bunches to watch the game. It was an atmosphere you’ll never see at a club game. Those kids still remember that game at continue to play at a very high level in club and high school.
Are there really places in the USA where the “community” cares and attends female high school soccer games? If a young lady is attending an elite private school to play soccer, is that really her “community” and again, does that community legitimately care about female high school soccer? I ask because when I talk about this issue with others, they laugh at me and invariably say “dude no one cares about female high school soccer accept the girls parents.” I know the only girl in my community who’s soccer accomplishments that I’m aware of are my daughters. So, what am I missing?[/QUOTE]
If the high school athletic directors would put in the effort- I think girls high school soccer could become a very popular sport for spectators. (Probably not the level of football, but close).
Many games are played at 4pm in the middle of the week. Move those to Friday under the lights. Or Saturday afternoon. Attendance will increase. Get the school band out there. Maybe the dance/cheerleading team. Throw a few u8 teams on the field at halftime to play a quick game (AYSO or club).
Of the many things that need to change in the US for us to become a better soccer nation- Culture is at the top of the list.
Are there really places in the USA where the “community” cares and attends female high school soccer games? If a young lady is attending an elite private school to play soccer, is that really her “community” and again, does that community legitimately care about female high school soccer? I ask because when I talk about this issue with others, they laugh at me and invariably say “dude no one cares about female high school soccer accept the girls parents.” I know the only girl in my community who’s soccer accomplishments that I’m aware of are my daughters. So, what am I missing?[/QUOTE]
Well, for her local, non private HS school its a good thing. Not saying the city shuts down to go watch the girls play but her school friends come and show up to watch. I saw it first hand and it was fun for her
soccer dude
SILVER ELITE
Many of our HS games are full capacity in the stands at Santiago HS. CIF Div1 is a sold-out crowd which we make every year so that's where the fun comes in. The year we won Regionals (5 years ago), stands were busting from the seams, event with the $15 cover charge so yes, there is some value in HS girls soccer. I would also agree though that if your HS team can't make CIF, it's not worth it. League games are a joke most of the time since most HS teams suck.
Mystery Train
GOLD
From what I've seen, it varies greatly from school to school depending on all the things listed above. Some schools have robust athletic programs and some communities are much more connected to their public HS sports than others. My daughter's HS AD makes every coach in every sport engage their teams in community related projects and service hours. So there is definitely a community aspect. Yeah, most of the spectators are going to be family members, but at my kids' school a lot of the student body (friends and the boys team) will turn out for home games too. As someone else said, the game times are also great. Generally, she enjoyed the HS game atmosphere more than club, even if the soccer was bad and her coach sucked. She gained nothing soccer wise from playing HS and I would argue that it may have been slightly detrimental to her in the short run as far as technical form. She's probably even going to skip next year for that reason. But that being said, she gained a lot socially at her school from playing, and it made a positive impact in the big picture for her as a teenager dealing with teenage life. I highly recommend it as long as there is an atmosphere of support and excitement around the school's sports programs (as not every school enjoys that sort of thing).
My family went to watch fireworks at the high school field last night. My daughter is heading off to college next month (she will be playing soccer), and I was sitting there next to her thinking about watching her score her first goal in the first game there her freshman year in a losing effort, her last goal in her last game there as a senior to secure a league title, and lots of goals there in between, including some huge goals during a CIF championship run. I was thinking about how fun her high school soccer experience was for our family. I wondered aloud she remembers the experience, especially the big games when the stands were full. She gave me a funny look and said “I never looked up at the stands.”
For her, the most important source of support and excitement was her teammates. She absolutely loved playing with her friends, and everything else was a distraction. Whether club or high school, the opportunity to play soccer with friends is probably what matters most for the vast majority of players.
Good luck to your player whatever she chooses!