How’s the 2024-2025 season going?

Surf plays a very good possession game.
I think there players are going to be ahead of there peers at the next level. Not the biggest, most athletic but I'm sure a lot of teams wouldn't mind changing personal with them. And let's give Hawks a lot of credit. They put a lot of pressure on Surf defense and we're able to keep it up all game. Not many teams have been able to accomplish that. And Surf breeze threw group play. Surf could have been caught looking ahead! Either way congrats to Hawks !
 
Game of Throw-ins said:
Agree with all this. I was arguing that it was pretty easy for Hawks to win convincingly. These weren't cheap goals bouncing off knee caps on corner kicks. Not all wins and losses are the same. This Surf team is underachieving and does not have the size and athleticism to undeperform like they did in a round of 16 single elimination game. I think their brand of soccer is top notch but this team is off, and with all the indvidual and sd surf resources at disposal it warrants being called out, that is all.
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Hawks were the victor in knockout round. They did well. Their press was exceptional. They made opportunities and capitalized. We are all in agreement.

What am having trouble understanding is the level of vitriol being sent towards the surf squad. These are 8th and 9th grade girls. They seem to be nice kids. They work hard. They are friends with players on other teams….. what are some of you really mad at?

Soccer is just a game. These are kids. It’s a one time passage in the carpet of life.
 
Off the soapbox....

On to the NOW. And the NOW is the 8 teams going to compete in Richmond. Solar v Fairfax, Hawks v HBK, Legends v MVLA and Stars v Bay Area Surf. I read here that the finals are the semis, ie HBK v Solar. Yeah, I get that viewpoint. For me the first game I want to see is Legends v MVLA. Recently renewed Legends v perpetually excellent MVLA. Gonna be a barn burner.

Excited to watch all these 224+ players strive to bring their best. And hear their parents support from the sidelines (aka - GO NUTS!)

Looking forward to some great moments
 
Game of Throw-ins said:
Agree with all this. I was arguing that it was pretty easy for Hawks to win convincingly. These weren't cheap goals bouncing off knee caps on corner kicks. Not all wins and losses are the same. This Surf team is underachieving and does not have the size and athleticism to undeperform like they did in a round of 16 single elimination game. I think their brand of soccer is top notch but this team is off, and with all the indvidual and sd surf resources at disposal it warrants being called out, that is all.
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Agree. When a team usually plays once a week, like on Saturdays during season, it generally benefits very technically skilled roster, much like how SD Surf operates.

However, tournaments such as the ECNL Nationals introduce a different challenge, requiring teams to compete like 4–5 matches over a condensed timeframe. This is insane! In that environment, where every opponent is elite, technical ability alone isn’t enough. Teams must also be exceptionally fit, physically resilient, and supported by a deep bench to sustain high-level performance game after game to win it all.

In this way, having a bigger and more physically dominant squad can be a difference.
 
Luis Andres said:
After watching the top 15 year-old girls in the country compete at the highest level in ECNL, one thing is crystal clear: at this age athleticism starts to play a massive role in the outcome of games, much more than most want to admit. Teams that come in with pure technical skill might look sharp early on, but as the game wears on, the more athletic, better-conditioned teams often take over. Speed, strength, and stamina allow them to press harder, recover faster, and create more chances simply by outworking their opponents.

But here’s the catch. Pure athleticism alone won’t win the biggest games either. Teams that rely only on physicality often hit a wall when they face an opponent that can match their speed and also has the technical ability to control the ball and dictate the tempo. So what’s the real winning formula? It’s simple. A team that’s fit and fast but also composed and confident on the ball. A team that can play possession-based soccer when needed, then flip the switch and go direct when the moment calls for it.


It’s all about adaptability. The best teams don’t just show up with one game plan. They adjust to the flow of the game, the opponent, and even the conditions. And when you combine that adaptability with a strong, organized defense that minimizes mistakes, that’s the team with the highest odds of winning it all in Virginia.

The final eight in Virginia are no joke. Every team is talented, hungry, and competitive. The margins are razor-thin. So the real question becomes: who has the depth, the complete roster, and the ability to read and adjust to any challenge thrown at them? The team that can be athletic, technical, adaptable, and defensively disciplined is the team most likely to lift the trophy.
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Good luck to the Elite 8 and a special shout out to our SoCal clubs. Is there a team to beat or is this anyone's natty to win Luis?
 
Luis Andres said:
After watching the top 15 year-old girls in the country compete at the highest level in ECNL, one thing is crystal clear: at this age athleticism starts to play a massive role in the outcome of games, much more than most want to admit. Teams that come in with pure technical skill might look sharp early on, but as the game wears on, the more athletic, better-conditioned teams often take over. Speed, strength, and stamina allow them to press harder, recover faster, and create more chances simply by outworking their opponents.

But here’s the catch. Pure athleticism alone won’t win the biggest games either. Teams that rely only on physicality often hit a wall when they face an opponent that can match their speed and also has the technical ability to control the ball and dictate the tempo. So what’s the real winning formula? It’s simple. A team that’s fit and fast but also composed and confident on the ball. A team that can play possession-based soccer when needed, then flip the switch and go direct when the moment calls for it.


It’s all about adaptability. The best teams don’t just show up with one game plan. They adjust to the flow of the game, the opponent, and even the conditions. And when you combine that adaptability with a strong, organized defense that minimizes mistakes, that’s the team with the highest odds of winning it all in Virginia.

The final eight in Virginia are no joke. Every team is talented, hungry, and competitive. The margins are razor-thin. So the real question becomes: who has the depth, the complete roster, and the ability to read and adjust to any challenge thrown at them? The team that can be athletic, technical, adaptable, and defensively disciplined is the team most likely to lift the trophy.
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Well said! I will also add a big component that a National Team Coach of a different sport told me. The goal in reality is to compete at the highest level. There are too many uncontrollable variables to think you can rely on winning it all. Injuries, illness of any sorts, bad refs, etc etc are all out of a coaches/teams control. If you are competitive, then you may just be in it and win it. Will the best team win? Maybe, maybe not. The teams that get to Richmond all deserve to be there. If a team has a special player (the X factor I call it) that has a great game or series of games, thats the team my money is on. Frankly, until someone beats Koge . . . . . .
 
Luis Andres said:
After watching the top 15 year-old girls in the country compete at the highest level in ECNL, one thing is crystal clear: at this age athleticism starts to play a massive role in the outcome of games, much more than most want to admit. Teams that come in with pure technical skill might look sharp early on, but as the game wears on, the more athletic, better-conditioned teams often take over. Speed, strength, and stamina allow them to press harder, recover faster, and create more chances simply by outworking their opponents.

But here’s the catch. Pure athleticism alone won’t win the biggest games either. Teams that rely only on physicality often hit a wall when they face an opponent that can match their speed and also has the technical ability to control the ball and dictate the tempo. So what’s the real winning formula? It’s simple. A team that’s fit and fast but also composed and confident on the ball. A team that can play possession-based soccer when needed, then flip the switch and go direct when the moment calls for it.


It’s all about adaptability. The best teams don’t just show up with one game plan. They adjust to the flow of the game, the opponent, and even the conditions. And when you combine that adaptability with a strong, organized defense that minimizes mistakes, that’s the team with the highest odds of winning it all in Virginia.

The final eight in Virginia are no joke. Every team is talented, hungry, and competitive. The margins are razor-thin. So the real question becomes: who has the depth, the complete roster, and the ability to read and adjust to any challenge thrown at them? The team that can be athletic, technical, adaptable, and defensively disciplined is the team most likely to lift the trophy.
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The next step in development around U15 is decision making. One bad decision can translate to a mistake that a team capitalizes on. Players with good decision making (or bad) start to stand out.
 
rainbow_unicorn said:
The next step in development around U15 is decision making. One bad decision can translate to a mistake that a team capitalizes on. Players with good decision making (or bad) start to stand out.
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Good coaches should of been looking at this years ago not waiting until U15 to do so. You're right though as it is helping players that have always played like this get noticed now.
 
Luis Andres said:
After girls hit 15 the game changes for sure/ The game is way more physical. Hawks look like the team to beat.
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Spoke to a pal on the ground and he agrees 100% with you Luis regarding Michigan and the Hawks. Is this Bay Area Surf No Cal team the old Earthquakes Club? Texas coming in strong like they always do. What happen to the greatest team ever with Koge? 100% a big shout out to Legends FC.
 
I have a dear pal who was at the game between Hawks and Koge. Ganas was the difference and that can happen in soccer. The other big difference was the Hawks size and strength matched the size and strength of Koge. At this age all the girls start to even out and then ganas takes over. Koge also brought some ganas but Hawks ganas was more and with very few mistakes. Hawks took down San Diego Surf. Good luck Socal.
 
My pal also said do not sleep on Texas and that Solar team. They might be #2 right now. I'm waiting to get the news from the MLVA vs Legends FC. Down 0-1 at the half and then turn on the jets and win 3-1 is very impressive. Good luck to all the teams, I mean that but I 100% want Legends FC to bring home the hardware. Winning a natty is not easy. However, chasing a natty is priceless and worth all the time and money in the world, I mean that 100%. It still one my greatest live sports moments ever in my life and I will cherish forever.
 
My pal told me he heard that the MLVA goal in first half was caused by "own goal" and that Legends looked VERY good and should have been a shutout. Basically, peaking at the right time to make a run for that natty, just like Hawks and Solar. I was also told ganas was at play in this game as well and Legends just wanted it more. This was from my pal who heard this from a friend at the game so please take this with a grain of salt and your favorite shot.
 
Legends is looking very good according to my source who was at the game. Game should have been a total blowout and easily could have been 5-0 Legends. Lots of crossbars hit and we all know how that feels. Basically, the truth be told it was all about GANAS. I think it's safe to say that the team with the most ganas will win the natty. Good luck to all the teams. Go Legends.

P.S. My pal told me based on what his eyes has seen, Hawks looks like the clear #1 team. He said Solar and Legends can also be in contention but will need to bring top notch ganas and play mistake free soccer. He didn't see Bay Area play the Stars.
 
Game of Throw-ins said:
Only Legends left what happened to Cali exceptionalism in 2010 age group.... SoCal national team talk may have been a little premature, no?
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Cali has 50% of the teams in the final. Sounds pretty dominant considering there are 50 states in the US and 2 of the top 4 teams and, 4 of the top 8 are from California. I’d suspect if they had 1 California team against 1 non-California team in the semi-finals that we’d likely have 3 of the 4 teams in the semifinals. Regardless, there will be a California team in the finals when this is all said and done.

2012 - Winner of Koge vs Beach in the final and SD Surf in the opposite bracket (blues knocked out by beach)
2011 - Winner of Blues vs SD Surf in the final
2010 - Winner of Bay Area Surf and Legends in the final
2009 - Surf and MVLA both in the semifinals - potential final if they both advance
2008 - Koge in the semifinals
2007 - Koge national champion

For a SoCal national team, I mean, it sounds pretty crazy, but then you forget, we have 13 ECNL clubs in SoCal that talent is spread around. And even with that, we still manage to dominate the playoffs including going to the finals in pretty much every age group, not just the 10s. Most states have 1-2 top clubs where as with SoCal there are 5 top clubs. I could imagine the best XI from that giving most national teams including a second USYNT a run for their money.
 
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