How to Make the Jump from RL to NL

S

socaldad10

BRONZE
Hey everyone, just wanted some honest opinions.
If your kid’s team was undefeated in RL and ranked top 10 in California (based on the usual ranking apps), but your club’s NL team is also undefeated and ranked top 3 in the nation — what would you do? We love our club and don’t really want to leave, but we’re being realistic… there’s probably no open spots on the NL roster next season. Would you stick it out and hope something opens up, or start looking around now in case there’s a better NL opportunity elsewhere? Curious to hear how others have handled this kind of situation. ⚽
 
The club is unlikely to ever get a second NL team. If you want to participate in NL events, you ultimately need to be on a NL team. It is awesome that the RL team is fantastic, better than not only most all RL teams, but many NL teams as well. But no matter how individually talented - the kids on that team are going to be exposed to way fewer opportunities over the next few years compared to their NL counterparts, even if/as they stay within the top 20 in CA. If the club can't offer a NL spot, and a desired NL spot is available elsewhere that works logistically, I'd advise her to seriously consider it - but it's always up to the player. I certainly don't mean she should consider moving to a team that she wouldn't be fully happy with.
 
There are several factors to consider when making this decision. If your kid is happy and getting good playing time, that could change when moving to what is considered a higher level team. Unless they are clearly better then players currently on the team, it may be hard to get good playing time. Also, you could run into cliques on the team that may make your kid feel left out. The social aspect of playing youth soccer is something that doesn't get discussed very much. If your kid wants to play college soccer, what level are they looking to play. If it's high level D1 (P4, Big East, WCC) their best chance is to play ECNL. I'm not saying it can't happen playing ECRL, the exposure at the ECNL showcases is currently the best. If lower level D1, D2, D3 or NAIA is fine, then staying RL may not be a problem especially if it is a very competitive RL team.
 
socalkdg said:
What ever you decide, playing time is the most important thing to consider.
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Is it as simple as that? I ask because I know you've been through it and if it's that simple, your perspective can help OP and others.

Say you're the top player (or one of the top) on a team and getting significant playing time. I would assume that in most cases, moving up to a higher team would still mean some reduction in playing time. What makes the decision hard is how much of a reduction in playing time still makes the move worthwhile? In other words, at what point is the tradeoff of less playing time vs more exposure through a higher level team worth it?

If player would still get significant playing time, albeit a little less, on the new team, it seems like a no brainer...move up. On the other hand, if the player would be riding the bench and hardly playing, I'd imagine the answer is not worth...stay on current team. But what if the player is the first one out starter on the new team? Or first one in bench player on new team? Stay or move?
 
VegasParent made very good points. It hugely depends on what your goals are. I also thought it’s ECNL or bust when my kid was younger, but these are my actual observations for my kid’s graduating class (high level generalization, YMMV):
--Starters on a top 3 Southwest team: P4
--Best player(s) on a middle of the table SW team: P4
--Everyone else ranged from lower-level D1, D2, D3, Juco, to NAIA.

If you kid is in the first two categories, then she should strive to be on a good ECNL team by the spring of her sophomore year. If not, you have more time. For example, top D3’s don’t give out offers until after you have transcript from 11th grade. I’m assuming you’re talking about girls. If not, boys’ timeline is later.

How good of a student is your kid? Does she want to play college soccer no matter what even if it’s at Springfield University (Homer Simpson’s alma mater)? For my kid’s year, more kids on the ECRL/EA teams went to T40 schools (according to USNews ranking) as non-athletes than kids on the ECNL/MLSN teams.

Best of luck.
 
Messi>CR7 said:
VegasParent made very good points. It hugely depends on what your goals are. I also thought it’s ECNL or bust when my kid was younger, but these are my actual observations for my kid’s graduating class (high level generalization, YMMV):
--Starters on a top 3 Southwest team: P4
--Best player(s) on a middle of the table SW team: P4
--Everyone else ranged from lower-level D1, D2, D3, Juco, to NAIA.

If you kid is in the first two categories, then she should strive to be on a good ECNL team by the spring of her sophomore year. If not, you have more time. For example, top D3’s don’t give out offers until after you have transcript from 11th grade. I’m assuming you’re talking about girls. If not, boys’ timeline is later.

How good of a student is your kid? Does she want to play college soccer no matter what even if it’s at Springfield University (Homer Simpson’s alma mater)? For my kid’s year, more kids on the ECRL/EA teams went to T40 schools (according to USNews ranking) as non-athletes than kids on the ECNL/MLSN teams.

Best of luck.
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Thank you! These details are helpful.
 
socaldad10 said:
Hey everyone, just wanted some honest opinions.
If your kid’s team was undefeated in RL and ranked top 10 in California (based on the usual ranking apps), but your club’s NL team is also undefeated and ranked top 3 in the nation — what would you do? We love our club and don’t really want to leave, but we’re being realistic… there’s probably no open spots on the NL roster next season. Would you stick it out and hope something opens up, or start looking around now in case there’s a better NL opportunity elsewhere? Curious to hear how others have handled this kind of situation. ⚽
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Just like any job, when you’re overlooked for a promotion, you have to apply to another company. There is no difference here with club soccer.

If your kids team is undefeated then they should be going to ECNL showcases as an RL team, which is really all that matters in terms of recruitment. If you make the jump to ECNL, then you also have to determine if the risk is worth sitting on the bench.

If you’re going to a low end club like Sporting CA, then you’re better off staying at your current RL club as you have better odds getting D1 from that RL team then a low end RL club / team. If its early enough in the game, then you can go to a lower end team to get your patch and like any other job, you have the title now, and now make the move to another NL team as coaches are more inclined taking another teams NL bench player over an RL starter full time player.
 
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What about the option of moving to a bottom of the table NL team? A team can drastically improve their ranking and start to win games if they add 1-2 players who play in the middle of the field (striker, midfielder, CB and goalie). It doesn’t take much to turn around a team.
 
Jamisfoes said:
What about the option of moving to a bottom of the table NL team? A team can drastically improve their ranking and start to win games if they add 1-2 players who play in the middle of the field (striker, midfielder, CB and goalie). It doesn’t take much to turn around a team.
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Low table NL teams/clubs will get you D2 and D3 if that’s what your goal is. Haven’t seen a D1 come from Sporting or AZ Arsenal in the last 3 recruiting classes.

I have seen several D1s come from Koge RL and Legends RL though. It’s not just the league, but the connections clubs have too and the leg work the parents do and if you’re getting help through a college advisor / personal college recruiting service.
 
Jamisfoes said:
What about the option of moving to a bottom of the table NL team? A team can drastically improve their ranking and start to win games if they add 1-2 players who play in the middle of the field (striker, midfielder, CB and goalie). It doesn’t take much to turn around a team.
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Adding 1-2 RL players to a bottom NL team is not going to take that team to new heights.

I want to caution parents that making an ECNL team is not necessarily all that great. Playing ECNL does not guarantee you will get recruited for college. Team dynamics can be more toxic on ECNL teams. And going from RL to ECNL requires time to adjust to the pace of play and is much harder to succeed in ECNL than RL.

But If it's the player's dream/goal (not the parent's) to play college soccer then, yes, you should move from RL to ECNL as it is very, very hard to get recruited from ECRL.
 
rainbow_unicorn said:
Adding 1-2 RL players to a bottom NL team is not going to take that team to new heights.

I want to caution parents that making an ECNL team is not necessarily all that great. Playing ECNL does not guarantee you will get recruited for college. Team dynamics can be more toxic on ECNL teams. And going from RL to ECNL requires time to adjust to the pace of play and is much harder to succeed in ECNL than RL.

But If it's the player's dream/goal (not the parent's) to play college soccer then, yes, you should move from RL to ECNL as it is very, very hard to get recruited from ECRL.
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Just clarifying the recruited part is specifically D1. You’ll get recruited to D2 and D3. Top RL team maybe a low table D1 school.
 
TeamDadJokes said:
Just clarifying the recruited part is specifically D1. You’ll get recruited to D2 and D3. Top RL team maybe a low table D1 school.
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ImYouthSoccer on X posted some stats for the 2026 recruiting class. Of the 1900 D1 commits, only about 5% is from RL. It wasn't clear in the post, but I think they suggests most of these are non-Power 4 schools (I may be wrong). So the numbers align with what you're saying.
 
j2five said:
ImYouthSoccer on X posted some stats for the 2026 recruiting class. Of the 1900 D1 commits, only about 5% is from RL. It wasn't clear in the post, but I think they suggests most of these are non-Power 4 schools (I may be wrong). So the numbers align with what you're saying.
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Ya that’s what I’m trying to separately D2 and D3 for RL. D1 for NL with low end D1 for RL. There are some RL players who are going to CBU, UCR and a few other D1s from top RL clubs. But you’re still more likely going to go D1 sitting on the bench of a top D1 program like koge, slammers and legends then you would on a top RL team.

But for D2, D3, RL is just as good.
 
Personally I would enjoy more going to a bottom NL team and help make it respectable. Parents and kids all know each other. One player goes and another one follows and soon the team is giving Koge a hard time. It’s more fun that way.
 
Except that's not how it works, or has ever really worked. A bottom-feeder team doesn't start "soon giving Koge a hard time" after it gets a new kid or 5 from RL. In the very rare chance that the player *is* good enough to make that type of difference, they'd already be recruited to one of the top teams once she (and they) realized.
 
I agree that an average RL player won’t make a difference. But they OP’s daughter is the best player on an undefeated RL team. What if she goes then another player from that loaded NL bench also goes. It’s a small circle. All of sudden, those Koge bench warmer realize they could be playing against Koge instead of riding the bench. It could happen.
 
I suggest a $500 christmas present + a request for private sessions in preparation for playing on XYZ coaches team.

For some reason I think it will work.
 
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