Bay Area Surf is losing ECNL Girls Director Carlos Minjivar to Los Gatos United, just a year after he arrived from MVLA. Under his tenure, every team except 12G qualified for Nationals, with the 2010s even reaching the semis.
Rumors surrounding his recruiting tactics may have stirred tension, but they don’t square right. When a club consistently delivers results and lowers pay-to-play rosters, top talent follows naturally. Mustang’s geographic distance limits its appeal (and they have been losing their touch lately), and De Anza, beyond its standout 2008s, has struggled with lingering complacency in the recent years.
If Los Gatos transitions from RL into ECNL, it could further dilute the talent pool. With more clubs vying for fragmented top-tier players, NorCal teams face an uphill battle to field true Nationals contenders. NorCal clubs need to represent at ECNL against top-tier teams from Michigan, Texas, and especially SoCal. This is definitely TBD with all these developments...