Another change that DPL clubs are keeping quiet is that DP's are gone. No more DPL players that were told they could DP on the DA teams. You should have heard some of the DOC's on the call squirming over that announcement. They are now referred to as Part-time players. Here's the kicker. To be a part-time player, you can't play high school even though you aren't on a DA team. DA teams have to have 14 FT players before they can add any PT players. PT players have to train with the DA team 1-2 x per week and can play in other leagues (like DPL) but the no high-school rule now applies to PT players so all those DPL players that wanted to play high-school and DP for the DA teams now are not only NOT on DA teams but to be a PT player they have to give up high school too (which was one of the big selling points for DPL). I'm not sure who wants to be on a B team and give up high school too but that will have to be a player by player decision but there are some SoCal DA/DPL clubs pitching a fit over this new revelation since they've sold one thing and DA just told them that isn't going to fly.
DPL-Pilot Teams
- Thread starter SimpleSoccer
- Start date
Can they play high school until they are “called up” then drop high school?
Seems that DA is drawing a hard line in the sand with high school. And ECNL is on the other side of that line.
If DA would just say- “ok. You can play high school soccer” - it is likely that ECNL would be on life support right now.
Seems that DA is drawing a hard line in the sand with high school. And ECNL is on the other side of that line.
If DA would just say- “ok. You can play high school soccer” - it is likely that ECNL would be on life support right now.
Last edited:
Cream puff
BRONZE
The HS is there hard line... on the boys side it started this
US soccer isn’t going to say yes to HS... EVER.. clearly it’s a hard NO!!
But u could be right on after Hs... as rosters closed after spring showcase..( that’s how last season went).
I guess more info on that question.
Hired Gun
SILVER ELITE
Many are speculating this is Blues last year in DA anyway...For a smaller club (no boys) the cost of DA is tough. Their best teams are in ECNL already anyway... Not sure why they didn't merge with one of the powerhouse clubs earlier...
meatsweats
SILVER ELITE
Those powerhouse ECNL teams are about to age out. Then what?
The more all of this goes on the worse it looks for US Soccer. They come across as disorganized and impulsive with poorly thought out decisions with regards to all of this. They either have really no plan about any of this or they have no concern for the best interest of the youth players.
How do you see Blues handling Tad’s team vs Abner’s in this scenario? Greg holds down the 02 spot at ecnl. That’s a talented 03 team that would disappear in this scenario.
Simisoccerfan
PREMIER
I would want to see this in the rule book to see how it is being implemented. Last year a DP only got six games and just has to play within the club on another team. What would keep the part time player playing all 6 either before or after HS? How could US soccer control that? Now if the DPL is implementing no HS that would be something totally different.
Simisoccerfan
PREMIER
Okay scratch that post. I see they now call DP’s PT’s on their website and they now get 12 games not 6. The new rule book still has the waiver process for private high schools but for the PT portion it says that will be published by 9/1.
This has been asked before (even by me, I think). Based on this new rule, it seems to be a more relevant question.
But why do we need a closed DPL league? Why not just put these teams back into Flight 1/Premier/Discovery?
If clubs like the DA philosophy of 4 practices per week, not playing tournaments with 2 games per day, playing more meaningful games, etc- Then just implement that on your own.
4 practices= easy to do
Tournaments= DA club’s should host their own tournaments for non-DA teams but using the DA format rules.
Meaningful game= play the Fall season. Create your own Spring league that has tiers like Fall. Offer some flexibility in scheduling.
Simisoccerfan
PREMIER
Not sure what your trying to accomplish by asking a question that has been asked over and over and over again. The same questions could be asked of SCDSL and Discovery but I don’t see you asking that. The bottom line is that things change we all just have to roll with it.
Can we stop beating a dead horse?
Desert Hound
DA
Out of curiosity how much more expensive is it to run a DA team vs an ECNL team. Both are travel heavy. Both go to showcases, etc. Does that one extra day of practice suddenly make it that much more expensive? Not trolling here...just asking.
It is slightly more expensive. Here are some of the actual costs:
All are not specific to each club.
1. Filming of Games. Hudl cost if you pay for assist credits.
2. Field Costs - extra night of training, half field per team etc.
3. Coaches typically coach two teams or just one. Salary increase per team.
4. Registration for player card $50 per player versus $25.
5. Fitness program costs.
6. More home games. Field cost.
7. Some ECNL clubs do not have trainers at games, but I think that is not the case anymore.
Again the above do not apply to all clubs.
Registration per team is $5k in DA $1k in ECNL. But DA covers Ref fees and no separate fee for showcases like in ECNL. So I bet this is a wash. But some ECNL clubs make parents pay Ref fees as team fee.
MA0812
SILVER
I agree with you on the DPL. Watch DPL teams time and time again get beat fairly convincingly at tournaments and in CRL by Flight 1 teams. I would have expected to see a better product on the field being DPL. Obviously that statement doesn't hold true across the board but there's are more clubs with DPL teams that aren't beating lower level (in theory) competition.
Simisoccerfan
PREMIER
I would add that ECNL might not be paying coaches training fees during the HS season.
RIP to the Horse.
Can’t give up those uni’s brotha.