Additional ECNL Expansion in SoCal?
- Thread starter ChipShot
- Start date
17SquirrelsDad
BRONZE
The Mighty Regulators still have a shot! 
Dos Equis
GOLD
I heard that ECNL terminated the membership of Real So Cal and Eagles based on the performance criteria they laid out for DA clubs to also participate in ECNL, but either way, the net result would be the same.
LadiesMan217
GOLD
I don't think anyone on this site can confirm anything
. I did hear they are moving from ECNL to DAII for their second tier team. Lot's of discussion on DAII status over in the DA thread...
Dos Equis
GOLD
I don't think anyone on this site can confirm anything
Perhaps not, but my information comes from multiple anonymous sources, so it must be correct.
Actually it is based on a summary report from the ECNL general meeting held in February and what a current RSC parent of an ECNL player claims their coach told them. Both could change or be wrong.
Since tryouts are ongoing for '03 and below, one would hope clubs could outline the leagues they plan to participate in. Instead, Hope seems increasingly to be the strategy, except in goal for the USWNT.
LadiesMan217
GOLD
I heard from multiple sources that RSC are out of ECNL also.
This shouldn't change much. They are always in for a rude awakening when they play Deanza and their brand of soccer. Blows us away stylistically
Yes but the gap will be wider and parents that see their little Mia get blown out after being told how great her team is will not be happy.
I think @MakeAPlay started it - all this picking on little Mia. We need to leave Mia alone and move onto Chloe or Autumn (insert SOCAL name)
glen_dandy
SILVER
I attended the RSC meeting so I can confirm. RSC applied to have their second team be ECNL (like Blues, Surf, West Coast, and Slammers), but they were denied. There was certain criteria (numbers of national championships; average number of playoff teams each season) that they did not meet. They made a point of saying they had not committed to DAII because it was not clear how that would benefit their second team players. Doing SCDSL Flight 1 for the second team was very much on the table.
bababooey
GOLD
McKenna (or MacKenna, or Makena, etc.) seems to be very popular with the South County parents these days.
Yes, be nice to little Mia. She tries hard and has a great attitude
Dos Equis
GOLD
So just getting this straight. Many claim all the good Socal players will be in the DA, while others are pointing out that most of the good Norcal (and NV and AZ for that matter) players will be in ECNL. So the net result is ECNL will be too competitive for Socal clubs, is that the point being made?
There are not insignificant number of clubs/markets (Sereno, Matchfit, etc) that dropped DA to stay ECNL when faced with the reality of the restrictive structure and the possible impact on their player pools, B teams, etc. The ECNL showcases, which the Socal clubs participate in, and which college coaches attend, are national events, so the best of ECNL will be there, which will include a lot of the best players in the country from these ECNL stalwarts.
College coaches could care less about the score of the games they watch, they want to see how the players they are recruiting hold their own against top competition.
So I am confused, are you trying to argue for ECNL, or against it? If the later, you might want to alter your strategy.
There are not insignificant number of clubs/markets (Sereno, Matchfit, etc) that dropped DA to stay ECNL when faced with the reality of the restrictive structure and the possible impact on their player pools, B teams, etc. The ECNL showcases, which the Socal clubs participate in, and which college coaches attend, are national events, so the best of ECNL will be there, which will include a lot of the best players in the country from these ECNL stalwarts.
College coaches could care less about the score of the games they watch, they want to see how the players they are recruiting hold their own against top competition.
So I am confused, are you trying to argue for ECNL, or against it? If the later, you might want to alter your strategy.
I am not so sold that ECNL in SoCal will be all "B" teams. I know of several very talented, top tier players who are multi-sport atheletes thar are going ECNL over DA because of the restrictions.
I think that we can agree that the purpose of ECNL is for exposure. Most of the parents of the players that are moving to DA know this because they have been in the system for some time. However, a new group of kids and parents will now be exposed to ECNL as room has been made with ECNL players going to DA. If this new group understands the purpose of ECNL, no issue. But I do not believe that they will unless clubs take the time to educate parents. This should make for interesting side lines conversations.
Dos Equis
GOLD
I think everyone moving to ECNL or staying with it understands its purpose, since every ECNL coach I have heard pitch makes that their primary selling point, even more so now that DA is coming. That is why families commit to the $ and the travel. The real interesting converstions will be on the sidelines of the DA, when 4-5 girls do not dress every game, another 2-4 who are on the roster do not play, and parents finally understand that exposure is not the purpose of the DA.
Very True. And if DA gets all the "soccer players only" and ECNL gets all the "soccer players who are multi-sport athletes who want to play high school"-- colleges will no doubt be looking at both anyways.
That said, with no DA2 and RSC out (!), where is the ECNL club in Los Angles area?? Right now, all this is probably just good for SCDSL, and the usual OC clubs- who seem to be getting their recruiting carrot back and some- just for a different group of girls.
It won't matter later
SILVER
Wow, if true, that just made ECNL for OC and San Diego clubs even better. Two less long drives. To me, ECNL in So Cal is going to continue to do just fine getting girls to college.
ChipShot
BRONZE
Just so I understand, who denied RSC's application for their second team-- ECNL?