The 10s are a perfect example of how the 11s will turn out. I might be wrong and only taking a wild guess but something tells me next years Blues 2011 team will be different. Slammers Koge will soak some of those top players from Blues. A handful of the current Koge girls will be dropped to Slammers NL and some will voluntarily leave to other clubs. Word is some players are already in communication with different coaches for next season. Hold on tight because some unexpected changes might come soon! We saw it with Surf NL and Beach.
This is possible and then more recruiting and disruptions could take place for 12 year old girls. This whole circus makes me laugh at times. We're playing with the emotions of 12 year old girls. Maybe some girls are wired differently and/or maybe some parents are able to manipulate their kids better than I? As the pressure and expectations build for ecnl, parents would be best suited to find the best culture and chemistry for their daughters to play. I would even throw in parent chemistry is super important. I don't want toxic parents on my team, but of course, I have to understand that you don't make ecnl without having a drive, so if you're lucky enough to find that balance, stay where you're at.
It makes me laugh, because I see people moving their girls from one club to another dirsupting cultures and chemistry and for what? Some are just displaced, because some coaches are more likely to recruit and disrtupt than build. I mean some parents have gone from one club to the other and then back to the original. It is what it is I guess, but if your daughter is as talented and athletic as you think she is, she should be able to help build a solid team on just about any ecnl team. The important years will be in high school and if they are already mentally and physically fatigued from youth soccer, they may lose interest in high school were they have to decide between having a life and/or running 20 miles a week.
The bottom line is the rewards are not great for these girls yet. It is getting better and marketing is getting better, but every girl is going to eventually have to consider those rewards of Starbucks Wages for pro women's players and/or half a scholarship that they might be able to get for academics as well. Not to mention, community college is free now and they would probably pay the same for 2 years at a great university as 4 with half a scholarship. My problem is I"m good at math and I am working on putting it on my daughter not me. I love watching her and would love to travel to all of her college games if she is lucky enough to still have the desire and blessed with the skills, but the team she is on next year will not dictate either of those things she needs. I would prefer she doesn't play pro and instead, maybe be the team doctor or marketing rep., etc. if I'm being honest.
Back to the 2011s though, there will be a lot of movement as coaches look for size and athleticism that they can groom over small field skills imo as well. Everyone wants to win and make playoffs, but it's not worth playing games and moving around with the risk that your daughter may not like the game as much imo. This is ecnl, but I don't want to be on the fast track to burning out. I almost wonder if chasing the wins ends up fast forwarding the burn out as it gets harder and harder to keep winning!? I think the best way to manage all this as a parent is to let the toxic parents and kids burn themselves out and just try to enjoy the journey.