Jump from Flight 2 (2014) to Pre-ECNL (2015)

J

jstbelieve44

BRONZE
My son (2015) is currently playing up with a 2014, Flight 2 team. We like the coach and he gets decent playing time. He recently got an offer for a 2015 Pre-ECNL team at a good club. Is it normal though to get an offer for a Pre-ECNL team after just one try out? I'm not sure how they can evaluate a player after just 1.5 hours, or if they just saw that he's currently playing up with 2014 and coming from a good club. In any case, do you think it's too big of a jump from a Flight 2 2014 team to a Pre-ECNL 2015 team? We are conflicted because we don't want to take him from a team he knows where he gets decent playing time and put him on a team that may be too advanced for him. On the other hand, will playing his age be better for him? Pre-ECNL coach said they will cap roster at 12 players and he'll coach the boys for 2 years. How do we respectfully ask the coach about playing time, or do we just take the gamble?
 
The "pre" teams don't really mean much. What matters is who's on the team at U13. I actually can't stand it when clubs list their teams as "pre-ECNL" or "pre-MLS". Those clubs would drop players faster than you can blink at U13. So take that piece with a grain of salt. That said, playing for a 1st team at U10 (or I guess U11 for next year), under most circumstances would be better than playing on a flight 2 team up a year.

All that said, I feel like a broken record on these types of questions. 99% of the time the answer should be "Well, what does you kid want to do?" Far too often parents are driving these decisions and not the kids. Obviously parents have input (cost, driving, etc), but the kid needs to steer where they want to go otherwise they will lose interest altogether.
 
Thanks for the insight. We're going to let my son decide, but it's conflicted and doesn't know what he wants to do. His response was: "I want to do pre-ECNL. My mind is telling me this is the right choice, but my heart is telling me I want to stay with my current team."
 
jstbelieve44 said:
Thanks for the insight. We're going to let my son decide, but it's conflicted and doesn't know what he wants to do. His response was: "I want to do pre-ECNL. My mind is telling me this is the right choice, but my heart is telling me I want to stay with my current team."
Click to expand...
Also getting to be the age where puberty begins to make a very big difference in not just the game play but socially. Is he an early bloomer? That might also influence your choice. Also remember people are predisposed against change.

On the other hand, do you have to decide after only 1 practice? Not a lot you can tell about a coach from 1 practice. Can you go to some practices before signing?
 
NorCalDad said:
The "pre" teams don't really mean much. What matters is who's on the team at U13. I actually can't stand it when clubs list their teams as "pre-ECNL" or "pre-MLS". Those clubs would drop players faster than you can blink at U13. So take that piece with a grain of salt. That said, playing for a 1st team at U10 (or I guess U11 for next year), under most circumstances would be better than playing on a flight 2 team up a year.

All that said, I feel like a broken record on these types of questions. 99% of the time the answer should be "Well, what does you kid want to do?" Far too often parents are driving these decisions and not the kids. Obviously parents have input (cost, driving, etc), but the kid needs to steer where they want to go otherwise they will lose interest altogether.
Click to expand...
To clarify, Pre-Ecnl is an actual league and gaming circuit in southern California, not just a naming/marketing device.
 
NorCalDad said:
The "pre" teams don't really mean much. What matters is who's on the team at U13. I actually can't stand it when clubs list their teams as "pre-ECNL" or "pre-MLS".
Click to expand...
^^^THIS. Thank you. I've said it before and I'll say it again..is there such a thing as "Pre-pregnant?!" Yet you have these teams with
"Pre-ECNL/MLS/Academy" attached to them. You either are or you aren't. That goes for soccer and being pregnant.
Reggie said:
To clarify, Pre-Ecnl is an actual league and gaming circuit in southern California, not just a naming/marketing device.
Click to expand...
Of course there is. The folks running ECNL aren't stupid. They know parents will throw money to wear that little patch on the jersey with the hopes of eventually wearing the ECNL patch one day. Don't forget...ECNL was the Big Dog in the land for years. Then the GDA came along
(Girls Development Academy) and ECNL suddenly became the red-headed stepchild. GDA was a complete $#!t-show and only lasted 2 years
if I'm not mistaken, then fizzled. ECNL was back on top. ECNL hasn't forgotten. And they'll make sure that won't happen again.

It's kinda like SD Surf. Nowadays you can't throw a rock without hitting a neighboring Surf satellite club. IE Surf. LA Surf. Empire Surf. There
are Surf clubs in areas nowhere near the beach, and in states nowhere near the ocean!! Sign up with all the perks the Surf brand has to offer,
including a possibility to play with their top teams. (At least that's how they used to market it.) Yet I remember some old soccer friends that
played for SGV Surf. Crappy elementary school field. Portable lights. Small portable goals. Parents totally enamored they played for "Surf."

We have some old teammates currently playing on a local EA2 team. Crappy school field with no lines. Portable lights that don't cover the entire crappy field. Small portable goals. Their team struggles. But they play EA2 (pay a lot) and that's what matters. (Sarcasm inserted)

Worry less about the league you play in or the jersey you're wearing. Find a good coach that develops your child. Find a good team where
your kid has fun. Find a good team with good parents. Because unless your kid is a unicorn that will make it to the very highest levels of
soccer...it could all end one day at any given age when they decide it's not fun anymore and want to do something else. So enjoy the ride.
Good luck to you!!
 
pewpew said:
^^^THIS. Thank you. I've said it before and I'll say it again..is there such a thing as "Pre-pregnant?!" Yet you have these teams with
"Pre-ECNL/MLS/Academy" attached to them. You either are or you aren't. That goes for soccer and being pregnant.

Of course there is. The folks running ECNL aren't stupid. They know parents will throw money to wear that little patch on the jersey with the hopes of eventually wearing the ECNL patch one day. Don't forget...ECNL was the Big Dog in the land for years. Then the GDA came along
(Girls Development Academy) and ECNL suddenly became the red-headed stepchild. GDA was a complete $#!t-show and only lasted 2 years
if I'm not mistaken, then fizzled. ECNL was back on top. ECNL hasn't forgotten. And they'll make sure that won't happen again.

It's kinda like SD Surf. Nowadays you can't throw a rock without hitting a neighboring Surf satellite club. IE Surf. LA Surf. Empire Surf. There
are Surf clubs in areas nowhere near the beach, and in states nowhere near the ocean!! Sign up with all the perks the Surf brand has to offer,
including a possibility to play with their top teams. (At least that's how they used to market it.) Yet I remember some old soccer friends that
played for SGV Surf. Crappy elementary school field. Portable lights. Small portable goals. Parents totally enamored they played for "Surf."

We have some old teammates currently playing on a local EA2 team. Crappy school field with no lines. Portable lights that don't cover the entire crappy field. Small portable goals. Their team struggles. But they play EA2 (pay a lot) and that's what matters. (Sarcasm inserted)

Worry less about the league you play in or the jersey you're wearing. Find a good coach that develops your child. Find a good team where
your kid has fun. Find a good team with good parents. Because unless your kid is a unicorn that will make it to the very highest levels of
soccer...it could all end one day at any given age when they decide it's not fun anymore and want to do something else. So enjoy the ride.
Good luck to you!!
Click to expand...
Before it was Pre-ECNL, it was FGSL or something like that. Then it went to GDA, then Pre-GDA with DPL and ECRL and it continues.
 
pewpew said:
Worry less about the league you play in or the jersey you're wearing. Find a good coach that develops your child. Find a good team where
your kid has fun. Find a good team with good parents. Because unless your kid is a unicorn that will make it to the very highest levels of
soccer...it could all end one day at any given age when they decide it's not fun anymore and want to do something else. So enjoy the ride.
Good luck to you!!
Click to expand...
Yes, this, particularly the part about being realistic about the long term prospects, and focusing on the stuff which is important in the current state. Way to many parents think their kid is going to be a professional athlete, get a college scholarship, or even play in college. Statistically, most kids will move on by then... even the kids who are "good" when they are younger.

I'm living this experience, fwiw: my kid was a really good player when he was younger, but now going into HS next year, and I'm not sure if he'll even keep playing club soccer beyond this year. We've had a good time with good parents and good development, he's had fun, but the club doesn't think he has enough potential to play at the highest level even within our "second or third tier" local city club, and unless something changes I can't see paying club fees after this year (and we're only really paying this year to help transition into hopefully playing HS soccer). We're also seeing kids drop out of the club now, as they move on to other interests and activities (particularly within the teams which are not at the highest levels now).

This is the reality for virtually all parents, no matter how good your kid is now. So as stated above, I'd recommend finding an environment which is good, and not worrying about the patches on the jersey. If your kid turns out to be that unicorn player, the rest will likely work itself out.
 
We just want him to continue to enjoy soccer and develop as a player. He wants to play high school soccer, but we're not trying to play in college if that makes a difference.
 
Reggie said:
To clarify, Pre-Ecnl is an actual league and gaming circuit in southern California, not just a naming/marketing device.
Click to expand...

Good point. It looks like they just started that this year in NorCal. That all said, I still think U13 is the year when kids start to migrate -- taking on longer drives, etc.
 
jstbelieve44 said:
How do we respectfully ask the coach about playing time, or do we just take the gamble?
Click to expand...

I always ask. Even if he doesn't answer directly... HOW he answer can say a lot about what he thinks about your kid.
Having said that, he added him after one practice. Safe to say, he'll be one of the main players on the team.

"Hi coach, appreciate the offer for my son. He really enjoyed your training and I think with your guidance, he can develop well here. Having said that, he's playing a critical role on his current team and I just wanted to know where you see him fit in your team in terms of role. I completely understand that it'll be a fluid thing and can change throughout the year but just wanted to know if you see him starting for your team initially and what position you see him contributing at the most? We are trying to find him challenging environments but also make sure he'll continue to develop by playing and contributing as one of the key members of the team."
 
jstbelieve44 said:
In any case, do you think it's too big of a jump from a Flight 2 2014 team to a Pre-ECNL 2015 team?
Click to expand...

I hate the answer "it depends" because that's usually not an answer at all... BUT

I think it depends on how good the 2014 F2 team was vs how good the 2015 Pre-ECNL team was.

Going to the best 2015 Pre-ECNL team from the worst 2014 F2 team would be a big jump...
But going to a bad 2015 Pre-ECNL from the top 2014 F2 might not be a jump at all... or perhaps even a jump down...

Generally though, I don't condone playing up until you can play up at the highest level of the age group you're playing up in...
 
Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
I always ask. Even if he doesn't answer directly... HOW he answer can say a lot about what he thinks about your kid.
Having said that, he added him after one practice. Safe to say, he'll be one of the main players on the team.

"Hi coach, appreciate the offer for my son. He really enjoyed your training and I think with your guidance, he can develop well here. Having said that, he's playing a critical role on his current team and I just wanted to know where you see him fit in your team in terms of role. I completely understand that it'll be a fluid thing and can change throughout the year but just wanted to know if you see him starting for your team initially and what position you see him contributing at the most? We are trying to find him challenging environments but also make sure he'll continue to develop by playing and contributing as one of the key members of the team."
Click to expand...
Every parent asks this question and wants assurance on playing time and position. However, I would rather hear a coach say that a kid needs to earn a certain position/ playing time rather than be given that position. This shows that the coach is fair and honest.
 
A good rule of thumb in choosing a team for your kid - it's not hard to identify if he's currently on the wrong one. If he's the best kid on the team, and he's not playing the highest level available to him, he's on the wrong team. If he's on the lower end of the team, and has a hard time getting reasonable play time, he's on the wrong team. If he's neither - likes his team - has decent coaching - and has kids he can emulate to improve, he's likely in a reasonable place already. Of course coaching/logistics/cost/vibe and any other factor can be considered as well - but the first two I listed are red flags that it's really time to consider moving.
 
Reggie said:
To clarify, Pre-Ecnl is an actual league and gaming circuit in southern California, not just a naming/marketing device.
Click to expand...

It is and it isn't. The whole "Pre ECNL League" circut is relatively new, at least for Southern CA areas. However, many coaches still list their team as "Pre ECNL xxxxxxx" when playing Flight 1 in the fall and spring seasons within the SoCal league system. I think that is when many of us roll our eyes and say that it is a marketing gimmick and can't be taken seriously. I mean, if a team is Pre ECNL, why aren't they playing in the pre ecnl league? Why are they still in the SoCal league? Oh, is it because their club isn't an actual ECNL member yet? /s
 
jstbelieve44 said:
Thanks for the insight. We're going to let my son decide, but it's conflicted and doesn't know what he wants to do. His response was: "I want to do pre-ECNL. My mind is telling me this is the right choice, but my heart is telling me I want to stay with my current team."
Click to expand...
At U13 you can expect every team to have a major shuffle. Even if you stay with the current team, that team may not be even close to the same when U13 rolls around; some teams will be completely absorbed by other teams rosters moving up to 11v11.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top