ECNL vs. DA turf war has created a 'toxic environment'

timmyh said:
Such things should be called out, as lying about where things are today in an attempt to influence a open discussion about where it is we need to go tommorow isn't helpful.
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I appreciate your goal of providing facts and background to clarify statements that might be misleading. More facts are the foundation for finding common ground.

In that vein, your highlighting the number of players called into YNT from the DA as evidence of superiority of the DA is a bit disingenuous. Clearly you realize the DA has not only told players they need to play in the DA if they want to be part of the YNT programs (their leaders have called the DA the "only" track to YNT on numerous interviews), they have engaged in this practice of only calling in girls from the DA into YNT camps in many regions (Socal being one of them).

The DA was formed with some good intentions, but poorly implemented by arrogant people (US Soccer) who failed to anticipate nor appreciate the unintended consequences of some of their decisions and rules. It will survive because it has the power of the US National team programs behind it, and it fits the needs of many elite players (and the ego of others) in this country.

US Soccer is more concerned about their own power and control than they are with actually growing soccer in this country. They may characterize some of their decisions as necessary in order to "keep up with the rest of the world" or "provide the best envrionment for development", but those of us who were not born last night realize the real goals here. Do not ever, for a moment, think they have your player's best interests in mind.
 
Ellejustus said:
Truth is, I was sold ECNL before their was DA. The club had a sign out front that read, "ECNL Club." The next day the sign read, "DA Club". Same coaches, same everything except we were told no HS Soccer.
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Wasn’t that club both ECNL and DA at that time? Did they just take the team your DD was on to DA thus forcing the decision?

Nevertheless your DD is a stud and will be just fine!
 
Dos Equis said:
I appreciate your goal of providing facts and background to clarify statements that might be misleading. More facts are the foundation for finding common ground.

In that vein, your highlighting the number of players called into YNT from the DA as evidence of superiority of the DA is a bit disingenuous. Clearly you realize the DA has not only told players they need to play in the DA if they want to be part of the YNT programs (their leaders have called the DA the "only" track to YNT on numerous interviews), they have engaged in this practice of only calling in girls from the DA into YNT camps in many regions (Socal being one of them).

The DA was formed with some good intentions, but poorly implemented by arrogant people (US Soccer) who failed to anticipate nor appreciate the unintended consequences of some of their decisions and rules. It will survive because it has the power of the US National team programs behind it, and it fits the needs of many elite players (and the ego of others) in this country.

US Soccer is more concerned about their own power and control than they are with actually growing soccer in this country. They may characterize some of their decisions as necessary in order to "keep up with the rest of the world" or "provide the best envrionment for development", but those of us who were not born last night realize the real goals here. Do not ever, for a moment, think they have your player's best interests in mind.
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1000% agree
 
Dos Equis said:
I appreciate your goal of providing facts and background to clarify statements that might be misleading. More facts are the foundation for finding common ground.

In that vein, your highlighting the number of players called into YNT from the DA as evidence of superiority of the DA is a bit disingenuous. Clearly you realize the DA has not only told players they need to play in the DA if they want to be part of the YNT programs (their leaders have called the DA the "only" track to YNT on numerous interviews), they have engaged in this practice of only calling in girls from the DA into YNT camps in many regions (Socal being one of them).

The DA was formed with some good intentions, but poorly implemented by arrogant people (US Soccer) who failed to anticipate nor appreciate the unintended consequences of some of their decisions and rules. It will survive because it has the power of the US National team programs behind it, and it fits the needs of many elite players (and the ego of others) in this country.

US Soccer is more concerned about their own power and control than they are with actually growing soccer in this country. They may characterize some of their decisions as necessary in order to "keep up with the rest of the world" or "provide the best envrionment for development", but those of us who were not born last night realize the real goals here. Do not ever, for a moment, think they have your player's best interests in mind.
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Well said.
Mea culpa, and I fully agree with you.
 
Kicker4Life said:
Wasn’t that club both ECNL and DA at that time? Did they just take the team your DD was on to DA thus forcing the decision?

Nevertheless your DD is a stud and will be just fine!
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TY. Yes, but before DA it was all in ECNL (one of the reasons we went). Then for one year as my dd was an 8th grader they had a sign that read, "DA/ECNL" but we all knew it was the first team and the 2nd team. The next year the sign read, "DA/DPL." So whats my kid going to do if she wants to play HS Soccer? She's out of not only being on a great team but recruiting can take a hit because you have to look elsewhere. Kinda sucks and that's why we have a "tug a war." My dd wasn't ready for the recruiting back then but it could have hurt her if she was. Everything will work itself out for college and she is really fired up with her new 04' ECNL team.
 
Wasabi said:
The truth is, ECNL gave DA oxygen when they excluded deserving clubs and they are now paying for it.
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Agree, and DA gave ECNL oxygen by banning HS soccer. Both had and perhaps still have a chance for the knockout blow, but which one of these stubborn ego maniacs will be first to blink?
 
HS remains the critical piece and will be hard change for GDA w/o decentralizing scheduling. DA's hold on the golden ticket (YNT invite) is pretty significant, too, but that does not impact a large # (though it is in US Soccer's interest to make it seem like it) - those who are impacted by this, however, are really put in a tough spot (esp with such uneven talent and competition in DA in so many places).

I'm a believer in parental and player choice so I'd like to see US Soccer relent on the HS ban. If a player is so good to be youth national team caliber, taking 3 to 4 months to play HS soccer will not hurt development (if it does, either the player or her coaches are not all that). And it allows the kid to be a kid - to connect with community, to play with friends, to relax a bit. Is it right for everyone? It may not be but that should be a parent/player call, not an organizational one. It lines up perfectly for the 6 states that play high school soccer in the winter. The problem are the other 44.
 
MakeAPlay said:
It should only be 3 or 4. Most kids shouldn't be playing at the highest level if we are being honest. There are about 24-40 elite players in SoCal in each age group. That is it....
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Agreed -- US Soccer should have worked with ECNL on some training and development initiatives, then created perhaps 20 Girls DA progam's nationwide. Arrange for it to be fully funded (except travel, which would still be selectively funded by needs based scholarships). I have previously outlined how these teams could find competition, provided US Soccer is willing to actually think outside the "league", reciprocate and play nice with others.

Thankfully, we have the excellent competition and coaching in college soccer on the women's side to keep our national team talent pipeline flowing.
 
Dos Equis said:
Agreed -- US Soccer should have worked with ECNL on some training and development initiatives, then created perhaps 20 Girls DA progam's nationwide. Arrange for it to be fully funded (except travel, which would still be selectively funded by needs based scholarships). I have previously outlined how these teams could find competition, provided US Soccer is willing to actually think outside the "league", reciprocate and play nice with others.

Thankfully, we have the excellent competition and coaching in college soccer on the women's side to keep our national team talent pipeline flowing.
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MakeAPlay said:
I'm sure glad that my player played ECNL when it was clearly the top league with most of the top players and teams.
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I was so looking forward to ECNL back in the day. Then this new drug came out called DA. I was all over it. I thought (like a guy) this is awesome!!!! However, my dd who has a mind of her own said, "no dad, I want to play HS Soccer with my friends and if the DA says no, then I don't play in the league."
 
dk_b said:
HS remains the critical piece and will be hard change for GDA w/o decentralizing scheduling. DA's hold on the golden ticket (YNT invite) is pretty significant, too, but that does not impact a large # (though it is in US Soccer's interest to make it seem like it) - those who are impacted by this, however, are really put in a tough spot (esp with such uneven talent and competition in DA in so many places).

I'm a believer in parental and player choice so I'd like to see US Soccer relent on the HS ban. If a player is so good to be youth national team caliber, taking 3 to 4 months to play HS soccer will not hurt development (if it does, either the player or her coaches are not all that). And it allows the kid to be a kid - to connect with community, to play with friends, to relax a bit. Is it right for everyone? It may not be but that should be a parent/player call, not an organizational one. It lines up perfectly for the 6 states that play high school soccer in the winter. The problem are the other 44.
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Let DA kids play High School. Have "National Team" camps during HS season. If you are called into camp, you choose to play HS or not.
 
timbuck said:
Let DA kids play High School. Have "National Team" camps during HS season. If you are called into camp, you choose to play HS or not.
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It’s not that easy when only 6 states play high school in winter and about half of the remainder play in fall and the other group in spring. Hey, I’d like that change but unless US soccer wants to give up scheduling to clubs and teams for league games (as ECNL does), I don’t see it happening. If 50 states played in winter, it would be a different story but how does MN or IL or NY count on decent weather to train and play?
 
What do DA teams in cold weather states do in the winter?

And not a DA issue but more of a high school issue - Why isnt high school soccer the same season everywhere ?
Football is a fall sport Basketball is a winter sport Baseball is a spring sport Pretty sure that’s the way it is across the entire country
 
There is little programming in the winter from what I can see - a showcase I think. And prob some off the pitch training (I’m speculating because my kids don’t play DA).

Football - decent fall weather everywhere. Little snow.

Basketball - indoors in the winter.

Baseball - decent spring weather everywhere. Little snow though some states have exceptionally short seasons.

Soccer in the winter everywhere? Do most high schools have access to full-sized indoor fields?
 
dk_b said:
It’s not that easy when only 6 states play high school in winter and about half of the remainder play in fall and the other group in spring. Hey, I’d like that change but unless US soccer wants to give up scheduling to clubs and teams for league games (as ECNL does), I don’t see it happening. If 50 states played in winter, it would be a different story but how does MN or IL or NY count on decent weather to train and play?
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Point well taken, but I actually believe it’s super easy. Who cares when HS season is! When it rolls around you take the 24-30 super talented kids and put them in a camp with YNT coaches and you can play boys teams, travel to play other countries (in SoCal you’d have thanksgiving, Christmas, MLK, & presidents vacation days). The point is to identify YNT team players right? So it would give these coaches a chance to see kids from all parts of the country at different times. They do not have to play against each other in a league. AND of course, let all the rest play HS.
 
But it is always high school season in this country. You can’t make it be X season of the year because it is more convenient for YNT camps. For example, how many SoCal high schools can accommodate fall high school with football also using the fields? Or spring with track or (in NorCal) lacrosse? (When I was a kid, soccer was fall but they used the crap fields not the HS stadium)
 
We are really talking about 3-4 kids per state, per age group- at the most.
And really if we are taking about pulling in 40 kids for national team consideration it probably breaks down like this:
5 from CA (south and north)
5 from TX
5 from FL
4 from IL
4 from NY
17 from the “rest of the country”. (Michigan, Carolinas, Georgia, Pac NW, AZ/NM/NV/UT will each have at least 1)
 
timbuck said:
We are really talking about 3-4 kids per state, per age group- at the most.
And really if we are taking about pulling in 40 kids for national team consideration it probably breaks down like this:
5 from CA (south and north)
5 from TX
5 from FL
4 from IL
4 from NY
17 from the “rest of the country”. (Michigan, Carolinas, Georgia, Pac NW, AZ/NM/NV/UT will each have at least 1)
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And because the "goal" for US Soccer is to find those 40, the only concern about "the rest" is whether they help to adequately allow the 40 or so to be identified. The high-end elite athletes make plenty of sacrifices that it is a bummer (to me, anyway) that literally thousands have to shut off playing for their schools in service to the 40 (don't jump on me if your player eschews HS soccer - I respect that choice and support it IF it is being made by the player and parent)
 
Ellejustus said:
I was so looking forward to ECNL back in the day. Then this new drug came out called DA. I was all over it. I thought (like a guy) this is awesome!!!! However, my dd who has a mind of her own said, "no dad, I want to play HS Soccer with my friends and if the DA says no, then I don't play in the league."
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They tend to do that. Just wait for when she is in college and you are funding her life and you have to ask HER to give you all of her grades and you have to walk HER through all the "adulting" that they have to do since as 18 year olds they are legally adults....

I will tell you that for my player, playing for her high school team for 4 years has been just as important for her success in college as playing ECNL/ODP/YNT was for her. Your player will be playing with and against players that are up to 5 years older than them. That matters.....
 
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