So what you are saying is that there is ONLY 14x18 players in ALL of Southern California that deserve a spot on an ECNL team to be recruited and showcased by all the D1 programs all over the USA! That amounts to 252 so called high level players from the San Diego border to Santa Barabara all the way east to the New Mexico/ Wyoming (The SW current ECNL region) I say BS. I say at best there are 50-80 TOP players in each age group that are truly the best of the best. Theses are the players that go onto National Team pools, these are the players that make All American and All Region in Top Leagues like PAC 12 and SEC. Then there is the next level of player and they can be found all over the SW, and the number of players for that next level of talent has always been up for debate since club soccer started. If you have convinced yourself that a low level D1 WAC player is a more talented than a high level D3 UAA player you need to watch streaming games from these leagues. There are many many more deserving players than 252 girls from the SW that deserve a chance to be exposed. All DA did was open up opportunity here for that next level of talented players to be showcased and find a home to play in College. All DA did was to prove the best of this next level was exposed and had a chance to be seen. All DA did was to knock ECNL off it’s high horse and create a less political environment here in the SW, do I believe that every DA 02/01 kid was recruited? No I do not. Do you believe Every 02/01 ECNL player was recruited to play in college? I doubt it. I’ve been on the club soccer scene here in Southern California for over 15 years. I will tell you long before DA the National League circuit worked quite well for clubs like Beach, Legends, City SC and much to your disappointment Albion. Beach and Legends and top National League trams were able to place players in top D1 programs all over the country. Do I think that ECNL is missing the mark in NOT picking up the better DA clubs right now to avoid a competitive league in the future, absolutely they are missing the mark. Yes some players will leave some of the non ECNL clubs this fall, but some will stay. Some will believe that the style of play and the Coaching at some of next years NON ECNL clubs will get them where they want to be. If ECNL continues to play politics and games, I assure you there will be another Competitive League in the Southwest. It might not be next year, but it will happen. It will continue to dilute the talent pool. But it will also give this region the exposure it truly deserves. There are a hell of a lot more talented players in all of The SW than 252 players that deserve a shot at exposure, to ultimately find a home to finish their 4 year soccer careers in a 4 year program where they will succeed.
Say bye-bye-bye to Girls and Boys DA
- Thread starter dreamz
- Start date
That's not true whatsoever. Just about every single ECNL team plays in Norcal Premier as a supplement to ECNL, and many play up one year against older competition. The top local league in NorCal is the Champions League, and ECNL teams are tops in almost every age group. Check the results from last fall for yourself.
Event Information
Define elite player. Is that one of 50 players in the USWNT pool? The 198 players rostered on NWSL rosters plus other players playing professionally abroad? The 9,500 D1 players (36 of which get drafted into the NWSL every year)? If it's only 40 in all of SoCal, then ECNL having 8-10 teams in SoCal is no more of an elite league than any other league. The ECNL clubs are playing the same game as any other league, taking $3000-$3500 per player from a bunch of parents and selling them "elite-ness." It's also not solving the local vs. travel issue any more than GDA did. Adding the 6 top GDA clubs in SoCal and cutting the bottom 6 from ECNL is a better solution than present any way you look at it.
VegasParent
SILVER ELITE
Damn, he's 6'3" now? I remember when he used to run around and play with the kids on your u8 girls team and he was not much taller than them and he was a couple of years older. Is he close to making a decision on where he wants to commit?
MacDre
PREMIER
Who cares? You make arbitrary points that have little to no significance. Again, these athletes didn’t “peak” in HS or college but they aren’t late bloomers.
I believe all kids should have an opportunity to play the sports they love at an appropriate level. I just find it sad that many parents are given false hope under the late bloomer theory.
As a kid, I would wanted to be a professional football player. ALL of my friends were successful because they had the genes to play football. I failed because I was too skinny.
That’s fair. I always think of NPL as the thing clubs do to give some playing time to the bottom half of the roster, but I’m wrong and you are right. They do play and it certainly does offer good competition for everyone. (and they bring the top half whenever it matters.)That's not true whatsoever. Just about every single ECNL team plays in Norcal Premier as a supplement to ECNL, and many play up one year against older competition. The top local league in NorCal is the Champions League, and ECNL teams are tops in almost every age group. Check the results from last fall for yourself.
Event Information
events.gotsport.com
MacDre
PREMIER
The Olympic Development Center trains in all olympic sports. I think the funding comes from the international relations/diplomacy bucket as well as initiatives to prevent childhood obesity.
Your sounding like the stereotypical ethnocentric American!
Sorry, I was bored. No more I promise.
VegasParent
SILVER ELITE
This is the same situation with my kids team. We added 2 players this past season after we got DA and the team will stay together with the coaches. As for the rest of the club, a few may look to leave but we don't have the options available in Vegas like SoCal.
U.S. Soccer CEO Will Wilson confirms significant cost-cutting measures at federation
In a letter to U.S. Soccer members on Thursday, new CEO Will Wilson confirmed reports of significant layoffs and furloughs as part of cost-cutting measures as well as the scaling back of the national youth team program.
"Like most businesses across the country, U.S. Soccer has not been immune to the unanticipated and harsh economic impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic," Wilson wrote. "Upon officially joining the organization just over two weeks ago, it became quickly apparent that the status quo was not sustainable for the economic viability of the federation. After extensive discussion, we concluded that we needed to act quickly and decisively in order to not put the federation in financial peril in the coming years."
The first public announcement of cuts came Wednesday evening with the decision to close the Development Academy, first launched as a national boys program in 2007.
Earlier on Wednesday, Soccer America reported that U.S. Soccer fired key executives Brian Remedi and Tonya Wallach, according to sources. In his letter, Wilson referred to a process of cuts that "also includes a few organizational changes I have made upon coming into my role" without referring specifically to these firings.
ESPN reported that the final number of layoffs and furloughs was "at around 45." Soccer America was told that the layoffs and furloughs -- the latter for those who would return when the programming they worked on resumed -- consisted of both full-time employees -- at least one with 20-plus years at the federation -- and those in the federation's "associates" program -- full-time, paid jobs that last 5-6 months and are started in alignment with programming cycles.
In a letter to U.S. Soccer members on Thursday, new CEO Will Wilson confirmed reports of significant layoffs and furloughs as part of cost-cutting measures as well as the scaling back of the national youth team program.
"Like most businesses across the country, U.S. Soccer has not been immune to the unanticipated and harsh economic impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic," Wilson wrote. "Upon officially joining the organization just over two weeks ago, it became quickly apparent that the status quo was not sustainable for the economic viability of the federation. After extensive discussion, we concluded that we needed to act quickly and decisively in order to not put the federation in financial peril in the coming years."
The first public announcement of cuts came Wednesday evening with the decision to close the Development Academy, first launched as a national boys program in 2007.
Earlier on Wednesday, Soccer America reported that U.S. Soccer fired key executives Brian Remedi and Tonya Wallach, according to sources. In his letter, Wilson referred to a process of cuts that "also includes a few organizational changes I have made upon coming into my role" without referring specifically to these firings.
ESPN reported that the final number of layoffs and furloughs was "at around 45." Soccer America was told that the layoffs and furloughs -- the latter for those who would return when the programming they worked on resumed -- consisted of both full-time employees -- at least one with 20-plus years at the federation -- and those in the federation's "associates" program -- full-time, paid jobs that last 5-6 months and are started in alignment with programming cycles.
MacDre
PREMIER
I don’t coach anything currently. I’m just a wealthy dad that grew up dirt poor that’s hell bent on ensuring All kids from my background have someone to advocate for them.
sdklutz
SILVER ELITE
Top 6 and bottom 6 makes senses but take geography and loyalty into the equation as well. In SD seems like City would have a strong reason to replace Sharks but is that fair? Hopefully ECNL Regional will be an open league or at least have a play in option. Then implement relegation and this is all solved.
One of the best ways you can do that is to sponsor / build a place for pickup soccer in your neighborhood.
All the older teams at most clubs have good coaches. No reason to leave. We will all be playing together soon. I think ECNL needs to be more forgiving and I bet they will. No winners in all this horror film and the big losers in all this are the girls again. Regarding Unicorns, Maps is right. Not that many. Again, you need to also add 4.2 and higher GPA to be a Unicorn. Not a lot of girls like that in Socal. Maps kid was 4.7 and saw some camps I believe. All CIF OC when everyone was playing. I have a friend whose dd is like Maps school wise, 4.6 GPA and I think over 1500 on SAT and a good soccer player. However, not world class YNT stud or ODP or a sniff at a camp. Full ride to great power five conference school. Bottom feeder in the conference but has potential and they love a few Socal girls on their roster. Full ride, amazingly awesome for my friend and his dd. First one in the family to go to college. 50% school, 25% financial aid ((no loans)) 25% soccer. There you go. My dd at that school would probably get 25%- 50% for soccer but zero for her 3.6. However, financial aid will be there and a few other things we have access too. I have never been looking for a league. Always about the coach. Always!!!! Sometimes the coach is the read deal and sometimes their not. One can;t find that out until they join a team. That's when you find out the truth
Surf Zombie
GOLD
I’m semi-surprised the ECNL hasn’t announced any new additions on the girls side since Surf & RSC on Wednesday. We know there are more coming, but the slow roll I was not expecting.
futboldad1
PREMIER
Who is “we”.......Wanna place a bet on there being “more coming....”
You call advertising “recruiting”, but it is just advertising. Effective too.
The only people who whine about soccer “recruiting” are the parents whose kids weren’t good enough and the clubs that weren’t good enough. It is a blessing that kids with potential can go where it can best be realized.
outside!
DA
If that is true, how does a country like Iceland with a population of 364,134 build a team that is competitive at the World Cup? Are you saying most of them are just role players? Southern California has a population that dwarfs many countries that produce many more players per capita than we do that are capable of playing on the world stage. The reason we don't is culture. Soccer is just not popular enough. I could care less about who wins a national championship at the youth level and who gets into college beyond the fact that those are filters that show the best of the players that are currently available. The fact that most of those players come from families that can afford the current pay to play system are symptoms of the problem. It comes down to statistics. We have plenty of people, resources and great weather, but the current system leaves many players out and does not do enough to make soccer more popular.
Like it or not, US Soccer is the governing body for youth soccer in the US. The US Soccer Federation Mission Statement is:
"As the governing body of soccer in all its forms in the United States, U.S. Soccer has played an integral part in charting the course for the sport in the USA for more than 100 years. In that time, the Federation’s mission statement has been clear and simple: to make soccer, in all its forms, the preeminent sport in the United States and to continue the development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels."
I argue that setting up an expensive, closed "Elite" league runs counter to that mission statement and the lack of growth of youth soccer over the past few years seems to support that. Now if ECNL were to set up a system that would allow teams from clubs not in the closed league to compete, it might help fix that. I still believe that the old system of tiered leagues before ECNL and DA was a superior system for the long term growth of soccer in the United States.
I am not arguing that current players in the system are at any way at fault. We all have to navigate the world as it is as our children grow up. ECNL won the battle with DA only because they were only a little smarter than the dumb asses running US Soccer. Remember they almost lost that battle when GDA was formed.