JV6 said:
"
Who was selling ECNL? Because
I was a manager at SCA, and was
still manager when we became LA Surf, and then finally with the LA Premier merger. And I can tell you 1st hand from our manager meetings, no one in there was trying to sell ECNL. What
we were told in those meetings pre LAPFC was that LA Surf was going to apply to both ECNL and DA, and they would
likely go with whoever said yes 1st. Coach Chav wanted ECNL, but then with the LAPFC merger, they got instant DA/DPL. But I've never heard anyone at our San Marino Chapter of Surf try to sell DPL as a ECNL"substitute."
Firstly, let me say to all the Team Managers (TMs) who work hard for the kids and volunteer their time helping with the soccer teams, thank you
My wife is one this year for HS Soccer (4 months only, yay!!!) so I see how much it can be a full time job for free. My wife has a great attitude and never complains. She could never do club soccer. She would be eaten alive.
Secondly, if your with the Team Manager Police (TMPs) then I don't have much empathy for you. Just keeping it real. My dd and I have had to deal with those types and they're a part of the problem. They report directory to the coach and Doc. One of her old coaches told me that's where he got the scoop on what the parents were saying and doing and what kids were doing outside of soccer.
Thirdly, Surf sold me ECNL for 2018-2019 season. This was because my dd wanted to play in the 2018-2019 high school soccer season. New Doc called me and offered ECNL 100%. He just joined the club so it's possible he had no clue. I was in on the inside with the previous Doc & coach and they told me they went "All In DA" which we all know what that means now. They both said it was a big mistake and they no more at the club. New Doc said she could play with the 02 ECNL team to make it more challenging for her. I thought about it for 1 second and said, "no thank you." Nice guy he was and a pleasure to talk with. Seems like a great Doc and wish him and his family nothing but the best. He came to clean up the past Doc's mess I think too......
I don't know how long later it was but right before the cut off for the next year's season, BAMB!!!!!! No ECNL, new league called DPL. Now let's think about this. How long in the making was the DPL league? Who wanted DPL? Legends? Maybe Beach? Blues wanted it for their 3rd team but they told them to go pound sand, you already have DA and ECNL and we surly are not going to allow you to have the Trifecta in today's competitive soccer biz.
Fast forward to this year: I have a dear friend who shared his story with me and I aksed a few others and it's holding up well. He's a dad with a wife and few kiddos. Hard working family from LA. Anyway, they were told or sold or made to believe that ECNL was on the Horizon at SoCal and Coach wanted it badly. He does coach at a great HS btw. LA Surf said they were in meetings to make ECNL happen so they could also be like the Blues and offer both. Only way to have both is to win and win is what the Blues have been doing since club soccer was created by those guys in the 80s.
To finish, they were not sold ECNL but DPL instead. This guy is a smart dude and he also thought hard and long for 1 second and said, "hell no." He had I think a week or two to make calls to ECNL. He found a spot. I hear this year all the TMs at ECNL clubs are now FT dispartchers fielding questions for next years squad. Lot't of choices for all of us to make and I've learned as has my dd that you can't always have cake and ice cream.
