I would agree and would prefer ECNL over DAII (coaching quality being equal).
DPL (aka DA2) is SoCal division. ECNL is a national league. Choosing in which "entity" to play really comes down to location, opportunities, etc. If in SoCal, DPL has huge advantages with less travel, access to superior coaching, US Soccer scouts, etc all within a stones throw. If you live in a market like Nevada where options are extremely limited (although I recently read that San Diego's Albion SC is making a move into the Vegas market? Albion SC is a DA member) with only ECNL options, then ECNL us the way to go.@Desert Hound Our demographics are similar in Vegas. After attending the showcase this past weekend, my vote EASILY would be ECNL. What is the end goal in all of this? College? NT?
It's no longer about wins or loses; it's about exposure. I know Nevada teams typically struggle against SoCal, but our population of players is small in comparison. Our girls are headed to USC, Vanderbilt, Pepperdine, ASU, UW, Yale, Colorado just to name a few. Yes, they have losing records in league play. However, after playing Socal all year, when the girls get to the showcase they are prepared and do well.
@Desert Hound Our demographics are similar in Vegas. After attending the showcase this past weekend, my vote EASILY would be ECNL. What is the end goal in all of this? College? NT?
It's no longer about wins or loses; it's about exposure. I know Nevada teams typically struggle against SoCal, but our population of players is small in comparison. Our girls are headed to USC, Vanderbilt, Pepperdine, ASU, UW, Yale, Colorado just to name a few. Yes, they have losing records in league play. However, after playing Socal all year, when the girls get to the showcase they are prepared and do well.
DPL (aka DA2) is SoCal division. ECNL is a national league. Choosing in which "entity" to play really comes down to location, opportunities, etc. If in SoCal, DPL has huge advantages with less travel, access to superior coaching, US Soccer scouts, etc all within a stones throw. If you live in a market like Nevada where options are extremely limited (although I recently read that San Diego's Albion SC is making a move into the Vegas market? Albion SC is a DA member) with only ECNL options, then ECNL us the way to go.
Arizona has a DA and ECNL option. Soon, maybe Nevada will as well. Player development is important and so if you find a good coach that provides a positive experience, grab onto that opportunity and ride it out.
At the end of the day, like it or not, DA will impact the market immediately by inviting the better players into their fold. The ECNL (and all other non-DA opportunities) will get what's left.
I think it's a simple but good point in that if you have no option other than ECNL, NL, etc., then those markets best players will play in those leagues until better opportunities present. I do think the better players will gravitate rapidly (starting with the 2017-2018 season) towards DA in general and certainly in DA markets allowing for DPL opportunities. Four elite SoCal clubs Blues, Slammers, Surf and West Coast have opted to remain in the ECNL league seemingly to allow for options as well. If you look at the decisions of those four clubs alone and the decisions of RSC and Eagles and del Sol you see a diminished (utterly wrecked?) southwest ECNL conference. Knowing that the best players in non-DA markets are playing against B and C level talent in DA markets that still have ECNL, I would put my DD in the DPL/DA2.I would agree and would prefer ECNL over DAII (coaching quality being equal).
I'd say that applies in the 2004 and even the 2003 age groups. However the olders I would think still look at ECNL in favor of DPL.I think it's a simple but good point in that if you have no option other than ECNL, NL, etc., then those markets best players will play in those leagues until better opportunities present. I do think the better players will gravitate rapidly (starting with the 2017-2018 season) towards DA in general and certainly in DA markets allowing for DPL opportunities. Four elite SoCal clubs Blues, Slammers, Surf and West Coast have opted to remain in the ECNL league seemingly to allow for options as well. If you look at the decisions of those four clubs alone and the decisions of RSC and Eagles and del Sol you see a diminished (utterly wrecked?) southwest ECNL conference. Knowing that the best players in non-DA markets are playing against B and C level talent in DA markets that still have ECNL, I would put my DD in the DPL/DA2.
Gotta go with what you know so I see your point for those aging out. I do think there might be some yet unrealized benefits for the olders in the DA. We will have to wait and see and compare notes this time next year. Youngers will definitely get unforeseen benefits as the DA develops over the years.I'd say that applies in the 2004 and even the 2003 age groups. However the olders I would think still look at ECNL in favor of DPL.
Gotta go with what you know so I see your point for those aging out. I do think there might be some yet unrealized benefits for the olders in the DA. We will have to wait and see and compare notes this time next year. Youngers will definitely get unforeseen benefits as the DA develops over the years.
Good point. Sorry for the confusion in my post.This thread is DP vs ECNL.
Don't confuse the Development Players gaming circuit (B teams) with Girls DA when comparing it with ECNL. College coaches will be saying to themselves WTF is a Development Players League where as they fully understand what ECNL offers as a college recruiting platform.
I should clarify. For me, it would depend on the coach, not whether it was ECNL or DA2. Even the DA would depend on the coach.Neither...
This thread is DP vs ECNL.
Don't confuse the Development Players gaming circuit (B teams) with Girls DA when comparing it with ECNL. College coaches will be saying to themselves WTF is a Development Players League where as they fully understand what ECNL offers as a college recruiting platform.
I forgot about Albion! Thats six DA, six ECNL, and two DA2 in SouthOC/San Diego areas! WOW!!! That's a lot of Elite soccer.I wonder if DPL would exist if ECNL had been more inclusive and offered their league to all the DA clubs in SoCal, or at least spread them out geographically. If that had happened, I'm not sure we would be having this conversation. Instead, six out of the seven SoCal ECNL teams are located in South OC/North SD. That's about a 75 mile stretch with five DAs and six ECNLS!!! (Plus one DA2/DPL ) Looks like the soccer players in that region are well-served. Time will tell if there are enough of them to go around.
Doesn't make very much sense to me, North OC doesn't have any option but to drive for 45 to 60 minutes for ECNL or DA.I forgot about Albion! Thats six DA, six ECNL, and two DA2 in SouthOC/San Diego areas! WOW!!!
Well if you are in North OC, you could go to Pateadores I suppose-- which I also did not include in my count-- but raises the overall OC/SD total to SEVEN DAs and adds a third DA2 alsoDoesn't make very much sense to me, North OC doesn't have any option but to drive for 45 to 60 minutes for ECNL or DA.
Where are they from?Well if you are in North OC, you could go to Pateadores I suppose-- which I also did not include in my count-- but raises the overall OC/SD total to SEVEN DAs and adds a third DA2 also
Doesn't make very much sense to me, North OC doesn't have any option but to drive for 45 to 60 minutes for ECNL or DA.
I wonder if DPL would exist if ECNL had been more inclusive and offered their league to all the DA clubs in SoCal, or at least spread them out geographically. If that had happened, I'm not sure we would be having this conversation. Instead, six out of the seven SoCal ECNL teams are located in South OC/North SD. That's about a 75 mile stretch with five DAs and six ECNLS!!! (Plus one DA2/DPL ) Looks like the soccer players in that region are well-served. Time will tell if there are enough of them to go around.
Ok, other than money and finding those 120-160 kids why would US soccer do this?The problem with all of this is that there are maybe 30 elite girls per birth year in all of SoCal. So if we were all being honest with ourselves there should be 2-3 DA teams per age group (3-4 for the overlapping ages) in all of SoCal. We aren't being honest though.