I have hard feelings too. We were supposed to play them in the Far West Regioanl finals but they all quit I heard. Thanks for helping me see the Nocal picture better. That was my dream championship game. We had to beat De Anza and Desa to have bragging rights ((I honestly had no idea about MLVA and others. It was built up big time from my dd coach. Two heavyweights)) as the country's #1 04' team. Why a coach walks away before Far West Regionals is one of my big mysteries.
Nor Cal GDA Teams - What's Next
- Thread starter Free Kick
- Start date
I have no inside knowledge but my best guess is if both Thorns and Earthquakes were rejected by ECNL, it was for two different reasons. Thorns is the easy one to reject due to the reasons listed on this thread. Earthquakes is a bit more complicated because Deza didn't directly do anything to ECNL and I'm not here to defend him. His departure was from Force to the Earthquakes as a Coach. The Earthquakes should have no issues with ECNL and instead are probably looking to drop/move the girls program all together. Has any MLS club joined ECNL boys or girls?
dk_b
GOLD
From a Northern California outsider's view, this looks pretty accurate. I will add to bullet #5 that at least 1 of those ECNL clubs was on the initial GDA list and even promoted it w/in the club, leaving players and families wondering what was going to happen. But for the HS prohibition, I think the result would have been really different for that club. And if that one area could have been resolved - I have always contended it would have required less centralized scheduling (the ECNL model) b/c only a small # of states (like 4 to 6; I have not counted in a while) play HS in Winter while the rest are pretty evenly split b/t Fall and Spring - I wonder if the broad-base of support throughout the national soccer consumer constituency would have been different. Obviously, the issues that led to the cessation of DA are more varied than HS but, on the girls' side, just how different would those issues have been had GDA uniformly been recognized as THE premier platform for the vast majority of elite players? ECNL would have fizzled, I think (b/c al the colleges would not have split their recruiting trips).
He was the ECNL director for DeAnza Force. Left mid-season, leaving the ECNL teams without a coach (and players.) 3 months later, they’re all at Earthquakes like a big happy family. So yes, he is responsible for what happened.
I think the issue based on what I remember, what club can handle ECNL in that space? Very few even good clubs between MV and Marin. I think simple solution is one in San Jose but like everyone has said, so much drama through the years it's not a easy YES.
SF elite, maybe?
Fair point. SF to Mountain View is such a huge territory with an abundance of players, which brings lots of micro clubs (my knowledge is only on the girls side). These smaller clubs are fantastic at what they do and top out at one of the various NPL levels. I always felt the peninsula was a prime location for an elite club as it sits in the middle of the North and South Bay. These clubs on the peninsula for one reason or another, never combined or sought to expand and grow, which underscores your example.
I agree. Location wise the peninsula would be perfect. There is enough talent on the Peninsula but it's so spread out. Facilities is another big one. Not many clubs have enough fields. Too many apartments and condos being built for field space! A few clubs have tried to combine on the Peninsula awhile back but too many egos ended up ruining those chances fairly quick. Shocker, I know.
Egos, certainly but I believe the major stumbling block were the City's themselves. Several of the Cities on the Peninsula allocate field priority based upon the percentage of residents who would use the field. So, if clubs combined and now you have a larger number of non-residents using the fields, you would have a lower percentage of resident usage and thus could/would get bumped down the priority list for other sports.
They seem to be doing solid work on the girls side in the middle age groups per NPL standings. Pretty close to Marin so not sure ECNL would add another club only about 15-20 miles apart. I think those other clubs with more history mentioned would get in before them. Having no drama with ECNL though could help any club it seems. Location wise, Peninsula I'm guessing would make more sense but not everything makes sense in youth soccer!
Yes, very good point. Peninsula and SF getting enough fields is a nightmare often times. naturally when you have ECNL, you're going to get a lot of interest from outside the home base.
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
Interesting. What are the priority areas where they will add teams?
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
Keep in mind there were two other DA teams in this area (Thorns and Quakes) along with MVLA that were competing with Burlingame for the top girls. So, yeah, not enough girls to support 4 "premier" clubs in the area. Both Quakes and Thorns are among the better clubs nationwide in terms of performance. Those girls will still be in the area.
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
This is a good point that isn't nearly as "entertaining" as the egos, but very significant.
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
Agree with you that there is more than enough talent for a 2nd ECNL team in the South Bay or Peninsula, and there SHOULD be another one added there, as it makes perfect sense for MVLA to have a travel partner(once traveling is safe again) and allows for better local competition. My only point is that there really isn't a club on the pensinsula that checks all the boxes(reputation, coaching staff, facilities, etc.) and would be a good candidate.
The ideal candidates, if not for the unfortunate history, are the Quakes or Thorns in the South Bay, but not sure if they can unburn that bridge.
Here's what I think happens, although it might sound a little crazy.... Thorns doesn't get in since they are associated with DeAnza, and DeAnza was the club that burned ECNL. If Quakes disbands their girls program, as rumored, Deza goes to an existing club(my guess would be Barcelona Bay Area since Quakes has an existing relationship with them, they are in an ideal location - South San jose - and they have decent numbers of players), and that club gets ECNL because of Deza.
youthsportsugh
SILVER ELITE
I would say that isn't a bad assessment of what could happen with Deza and the former DA Quakes program. I think it was a combination for the DeAnza ECNL failure - 1 was Deza leaving for the Quakes Girls Academy Director position (I think that was it) and leaving his ECNL position at DeAnza 2. DeAnza had a boys Academy team already and had someone come in on the girls side that wanted a Girls DA program in the area and had a relationship with DeAnza. Thorns Heirarchy on the girls side wasn't in the DeAnza family when it all went down.
Wish things would get hammered out for all DA clubs in NorCal.
Baicher, currently listed on the Thorns website as their DOC, was running DeAnza at the time they were kicked out of ECNL, and still is in charge at DeAnza. He was the guy who made all the ultimate decisions for that club leading up to DeAnza getting the boot from ECNL. Thorns/Baicher, in my opinion, are less likely to get back in than Deza.
youthsportsugh
SILVER ELITE
could be possible that is the case but near the top of Thorns is Paul Bravo and Brandi Chastain is major player in their system. Website hasn't been updated in a while it seems. I dont' know all of the levels or interactions.
Yes, lot's of blame to go around but ECNL has beef with Force/Thorns. Deza has beef with Force/Thorns not ECNL. As I've said before, right now I think Deza has a bigger problem with the Earthquakes keeping a girls side than he does with getting ECNL.