Strikers ECNL rumors

[lafalafa]

In theory, the waivers are for boys who have soccer-based scholarships to private high schools.

For players @ the private, Catholic, religious schools that cost bank to attend.

The enforcement is NeXt is not like it was with da, leaving up to clubs to implement or not.

There’s a LOT less drama about HS soccer for the boys than girls. Most boys in DA/MLS Next seem pretty comfortable giving up HS Soccer. I only know one kid who received a waiver on my son’s team and he is a lower-end-of-the-bench player so it’s probably a way to get more playing time right now. There are other kids at private/parochial schools and only one other kid even considered it and decided against.

Big enough deal that the mls academies don't allow it. Some players elected to go with ECNL because of that and the perceived game, training, and scheduling.

In our CIF-SS D1 to D3 are populated by primarily starting club players. Higher up in the chain more club players especially at the religious schools.

We normally had almost half the starting lineup on waivers in DA at different times and a good number this season but fewer starters.

 

[lafalafa]

I appreciate your point, and I'm not trying to defend what my club is charging which is not low cost, but relatively speaking less than most of the MLS Next clubs, at least in OC and SD. I'm paying it voluntarily, they didn't put a gun to my head and its way cheaper than my daughter's dance.

I question how realistic it is for the independent clubs (ie non-MLS academies) to provide no cost soccer which on average for a full MLS Next program is going to be around 120 kids give or take. If you assume average fees are about $3,000 for this program thats $360,000 annually. How many sponsors are going to pony up even $50,000 to have their name on a youth soccer teams uniform? The other option is to charge more to the non-MLS teams within the club, but that's a substantial cost to spread. You can make money from tournaments, but that's still a big nut to crack and that takes resources away from the training effort. You could have the kids fundraise, but personally I'd rather just right a check. Our club does all of the above except having the non-MLS teams fund the MLS teams. I can tell you its a big hill to climb, plus it requires expertise to raise money that quite frankly few if any have the time and qualified personnel to do so. Surf is the only independent club that I'm aware of that has that ability, but even they don't fully fund their top teams.

Yeah that's why I pointed that out twice now.

Having normal pay to play clubs trying to compete vs big name well financed ones is a uphill battle and inequities can exist just like they did in DA

NEXT is passively suggesting something different so we don't return to the top clubs domination once again and the inequities existing if we don't learn to do things differently

That's the rub with NEXT some clubs know it's will stretch them too thin so they opted for other options that can please more paying customer. Trying to be a member of multiple (masters) leagues that are highly demanding of $$, competition, fields, coaches, players makes things even tougher.

Better to participate in fewer high level leagues and show well or more leagues where there will be mediocre to poor in some of them. So far it's been the ladder that have attempted that for regular clubs around socal especially the ones that are mostly pay to play.

 

[Dargle]

Big enough deal that the mls academies don't allow it. Some players elected to go with ECNL because of that and the perceived game, training, and scheduling.

In our CIF-SS D1 to D3 are populated by primarily starting club players. Higher up in the chain more club players especially at the religious schools.

We normally had almost half the starting lineup on waivers in DA at different times and a good number this season but fewer starters.

By “not a big deal,” I meant to the players. The organizers of MLS Next obviously still considered it important. For boys, there are boys who care about HS Soccer (usually living in the places or going to the schools where it is a bigger deal) who were fine staying in club and not going to DA even before Boys ECNL and the boys in DA didn’t seem to have much regret or they moved back. They and their parents didn’t view it as particularly controversial or if they did they didn’t view the alternative as bad because there is so much good boys soccer in SoCal. Girls was entirely different, partly because ECNL existed first as the top girls league and they felt something was taken from them and partly because girls seem to value the social aspect of playing with HS friends more.

 

[lafalafa]

By “not a big deal,” I meant to the players. The organizers of MLS Next obviously still considered it important. For boys, there are boys who care about HS Soccer (usually living in the places or going to the schools where it is a bigger deal) who were fine staying in club and not going to DA even before Boys ECNL and the boys in DA didn’t seem to have much regret or they moved back. They and their parents didn’t view it as particularly controversial or if they did they didn’t view the alternative as bad because there is so much good boys soccer in SoCal. Girls was entirely different, partly because ECNL existed first as the top girls league and they felt something was taken from them and partly because girls seem to value the social aspect of playing with HS friends more.

Ah yeah some schools are big on sports, football Friday nights are huge, soccer league not a big fan draw but packs the house for payoffs and takes in some needed $$.

Both our girl & 2 boys love(d) HS sports so was happy for our youngest to play this spring + the 2 other sports he did in 4 years. Having records and banners hanging representing your hometown in pretty special, mentions is media, newspaper, tv footage, being called a all American is fun for the kids.

 

[NewUser27]

does anyone really know of a boy that turned down DA because he couldn't play in HS? I dont and I know alot of soccer kids...HS sports is where its at just for the community aspect, the play is not anywhere near club soccer (top flight ) of course. Girls HS is horrendous , period.

 

[SoccerFan4Life]

does anyone really know of a boy that turned down DA because he couldn't play in HS? I dont and I know alot of soccer kids...HS sports is where its at just for the community aspect, the play is not anywhere near club soccer (top flight ) of course. Girls HS is horrendous , period.

Some High school kids want to play with their friends. My nieces played at the highest level at ECNL and us youth national teams but they loved playing high School soccer with their classmates.

 

[espola]

does anyone really know of a boy that turned down DA because he couldn't play in HS? I dont and I know alot of soccer kids...HS sports is where its at just for the community aspect, the play is not anywhere near club soccer (top flight ) of course. Girls HS is horrendous , period.

I know of a few that quit DA to play their Senior year in HS.

 

[Raggamufin]

does anyone really know of a boy that turned down DA because he couldn't play in HS? I dont and I know alot of soccer kids...HS sports is where its at just for the community aspect, the play is not anywhere near club soccer (top flight ) of course. Girls HS is horrendous , period.

Yes, I know more than a few .

 

[crush]

does anyone really know of a boy that turned down DA because he couldn't play in HS? I dont and I know alot of soccer kids...HS sports is where its at just for the community aspect, the play is not anywhere near club soccer (top flight ) of course. Girls HS is horrendous , period.

I know a girl that wanted to do both but was told under no circumstances can you play HHS and the GDA back in 2018-2019. The little 14 year old girl so wanted to do both but the rich dads and the power players said, "no, that HSS was awful, horrible and dangerous even." So she chose to play HSS ((followed the stupid GDA rules)) and was banned from GDA because she chose to play HSS at a public school, where the stars are targeted.... Well, a few months later and low and behold, waivers were created for the rich dads and their kids that attended private schools and his pals kids so they can do both GDA and HSS. Lastly New User 27, I must say your horrendous for being so ignorant to put down HSS like you just did, period!!!

 

[NewUser27]

 

[timbuck]

I know a girl that wanted to do both but was told under no circumstances can you play HHS and the GDA back in 2018-2019. The little 14 year old girl so wanted to do both but the rich dads and the power players said, "no, that HSS was awful, horrible and dangerous even." So she chose to play HSS ((followed the stupid GDA rules)) and was banned from GDA because she chose to play HSS at a public school, where the stars are targeted.... Well, a few months later and low and behold, waivers were created for the rich dads and their kids that attended private schools and his pals kids so they can do both GDA and HSS. Lastly New User 27, I must say your horrendous for being so ignorant to put down HSS like you just did, period!!!

Private school players got waivers for a few possible reasons:
1. They were recruited to the private school to play soccer. Possibly even given some sort of scholarship. Limiting their ability to play HS soccer would knock out their scholarship.
2. The private schools are small and would struggle to field a soccer team if some players aren't able to play a HS sport.
3. Money talks.

 

[espola]

Private school players got waivers for a few possible reasons:
1. They were recruited to the private school to play soccer. Possibly even given some sort of scholarship. Limiting their ability to play HS soccer would knock out their scholarship.
2. The private schools are small and would struggle to field a soccer team if some players aren't able to play a HS sport.
3. Money talks.

Recruiting is illegal also.

But money talks.

 

[crush]

Private school players got waivers for a few possible reasons:
1. They were recruited to the private school to play soccer. Possibly even given some sort of scholarship. Limiting their ability to play HS soccer would knock out their scholarship.
2. The private schools are small and would struggle to field a soccer team if some players aren't able to play a HS sport.
3. Money talks.

I hear ya coach tim buck. I wish the girls in public school got the waiver option as well. Oh well, life is not fair and time to get living and stop being a big baby who only complains about this and that.

 

[NewUser27]

BIG BABY!!

 

[Kante]

I know of a few that quit DA to play their Senior year in HS.

Yup, know a number that, once they heard from colleges, quit da to play their senior on the high school team

 

[SoccerFan4Life]

Yup, know a number that, once they heard from colleges, quit da to play their senior on the high school team

The Irony about soccer in this country as we try to grow the sport.
The best youth athletes for most sports play in their high school teams. Somehow soccer elitist believe that high school soccer is trash and kids should play Academy rather than high school. If you are that good of a soccer player you will be discovered before high school and should be playing overseas in youth academies. For all others just let them play high school soccer.

 

[StrikerOC]

Yeah or remind them to review what they should be following when they applied

MLS NEXT - Resources

MLS NEXT: Updates

www.mlssoccer.com

• Ability to reduce or eliminate costs to the player

Call me crazy but "Ability to reduce or eliminate cost to the player" isn't legal language that requires a club to provide discounted/lowered or free services to a "team". It is speaking specifically about a case by case (player by player) scenario. The word "Ability" does not mean "mandatory".

 

[lafalafa]

Call me crazy but "Ability to reduce or eliminate cost to the player" isn't legal language that requires a club to provide discounted/lowered or free services to a "team". It is speaking specifically about a case by case (player by player) scenario. The word "Ability" does not mean "mandatory".

They are recommending clubs provide low cost and no cost options for all players on teams.

You can read into what you want but if it's just normal pay to play that's not what NEXT wants otherwise it won't be mentioned or a criteria for acceptance.

We allready discussioned previously why some are sponsored, low, no cost vs straight pay to play and why NEXT recommends what they do.

If you want to pay to play there are plenty of leagues like ECNL where they don't care if you or your clubs does that.

 

[StrikerOC]

They are recommending clubs provide low cost and no cost options for all players on teams.

You can read into what you want but if it's just normal pay to play that's not what NEXT wants otherwise it won't be mentioned or a criteria for acceptance.

We allready discussioned previously why some are sponsored, low, no cost vs straight pay to play and why NEXT recommends what they do.

If you want to pay to play there are plenty of leagues like ECNL where they don't care if you or your clubs does that.

I don't know where you are seeing a "recommendation" on the link you provided. Unless you have another link or information that wasn't posted, it seems you you are interjecting your own desires (lower club fees) with which I agree with... with T&C's that aren't here.

 

[lafalafa]

I don't know where you are seeing a "recommendation" on the link you provided. Unless you have another link or information that wasn't posted, it seems you you are interjecting your own desires (lower club fees) with which I agree with... with T&C's that aren't here.

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If you followed the thread it was already referenced

"Prospective clubs must also demonstrate an ability to provide low or no-cost options for players to participate on MLS NEXT teams, creating opportunities for a more inclusive player pool"

We don't have club fees and neither do most of the other NEXT clubs in our area or at least they are reduced. I'm not injectioning anything and if you ask NExt personnel about this they will tell you the same thing, recommend low cost or no cost.

I asked that question previously and Strikers already went pay to play in DA and it really didn't turn out well, no championship, missed postseason many times, regulated to tier 2. Etc. If they repeat that in NEXT well I guess they didn't really learn too much.

 

[BIGD]

If you followed the thread it was already referenced

"Prospective clubs must also demonstrate an ability to provide low or no-cost options for players to participate on MLS NEXT teams, creating opportunities for a more inclusive player pool"

We don't have club fees and neither do most of the other NEXT clubs in our area or at least they are reduced. I'm not injectioning anything and if you ask NExt personnel about this they will tell you the same thing, recommend low cost or no cost.

I asked that question previously and Strikers already went pay to play in DA and it really didn't turn out well, no championship, missed postseason many times, regulated to tier 2. Etc. If they repeat that in NEXT well I guess they didn't really learn too much.

What about travel costs? How does your club handle that? Is most of the team able to afford the cost to travel to an out of state game or tournament? Curious because as I mentioned, there are players on teams that don't pay fees but they aren't able to travel with the team for anything that requires hotels or flights.