Biggest adjustment for you parents entering ecnl for your first time is substitutions. You can’t re-enter after being subbed out for the half. So if someone gets hurt or is too tired to go on and gets subbed off the field and you’ve used all your subs that half you’re playing down a player.
Teams are playing to win and some coaches get very particular. They might not play your DD for a variety of reasons, they don’t like the weight of their passes, or if they don’t bend their knees on defense or whatever minute detail and use that to not play your kid. There’s back end deals being made all the time about how much play time or what position a kid is going to play too with some coaches and it won’t make sense sometimes as to why x player is on the field over y player. Playtime isn’t sometimes earned and coaches will still run with their aces even if they miss a month of practices. So it’s an adjustment so get ready. You always feel bad for the kid who flew to Az to not touch the field.
You’re at the age of acl tears. 14 girls in the 2010 age group by my count have torn their ACL’s since starting ECNL.
Your team might have a 20 win season but 1/2 your team including starters are going to be replaced by outside players coming in. Not to mention done girls are hitting maturity earlier than others which will play a role where your DD sits on the totem pole as there’s some girls who are little women out there playing against girls who are still little kids.
And as mentioned above, if you’re not in direct contact with coaches and practicing with these core groups who are going to make the foundation of the ecnl team then you’re already too late at this point of the game. Politics are huge and just remember, you can always pay your way out of an ECNL contract and get a release.
Take a deep breath and just be grateful for whatever opportunities come your way and pray for your DDs continued health and hopefully continued enjoyment of the ecnl rat race going forward.
Teams are playing to win and some coaches get very particular. They might not play your DD for a variety of reasons, they don’t like the weight of their passes, or if they don’t bend their knees on defense or whatever minute detail and use that to not play your kid. There’s back end deals being made all the time about how much play time or what position a kid is going to play too with some coaches and it won’t make sense sometimes as to why x player is on the field over y player. Playtime isn’t sometimes earned and coaches will still run with their aces even if they miss a month of practices. So it’s an adjustment so get ready. You always feel bad for the kid who flew to Az to not touch the field.
You’re at the age of acl tears. 14 girls in the 2010 age group by my count have torn their ACL’s since starting ECNL.
Your team might have a 20 win season but 1/2 your team including starters are going to be replaced by outside players coming in. Not to mention done girls are hitting maturity earlier than others which will play a role where your DD sits on the totem pole as there’s some girls who are little women out there playing against girls who are still little kids.
And as mentioned above, if you’re not in direct contact with coaches and practicing with these core groups who are going to make the foundation of the ecnl team then you’re already too late at this point of the game. Politics are huge and just remember, you can always pay your way out of an ECNL contract and get a release.
Take a deep breath and just be grateful for whatever opportunities come your way and pray for your DDs continued health and hopefully continued enjoyment of the ecnl rat race going forward.
