Some NorCal teams with similarities to EPL Clubs...

[Thatonedad]

Once SF Elite and LGU secure ECNL on the girls’ side, their first two years will define the club’s identity. If they get greedy and stack rosters with 22+ with mostly pay‑to‑play players, it’s a short‑sighted move that will hurt them in the long run. And everyone involved would be frustrated and unhappy including the coaches.

LGU may have more leverage with better training locations and a stronger local talent pool that stretches from Monterey to Santa Cruz. It’s a delicate process and it may take time, but if handled well, they have real advantages to build on.

The strategy is straight-forward: (1) Once ECNL is confirmed, aggressively promote the new platform to build awareness and attract top GA players, especially those already considering a switch to NL in 2026-2027. (2) Target the best RL players and overlooked bubble NL players. Each age group has 4–5 strong prospects with good quality, but the clubs need to show that they are serious about building competitive NL teams. As always, it really comes down to the players and how strong the roster is.

In the end, this strengthens ECNL league as a whole. Everyone benefits from higher‑quality competition and fewer subpar NL teams (you know who) in NorCal.

Will they go the MVLA route and just get the best 18 players they can or the surf/force route that’s add all the players you can until players and parents figure it out. LG has strong leadership with ST back and I would assume they will do everything they can to be competitive right away.

 

[RandomSoccerFan]

Weirdness in various tournament tiebreaks has caused some unexpected matchups, and it will have one of our teams playing that same fantastic Folsom Lake 2011B RL team in the morning. I hope it's at least entertaining.

I can't imagine Los Gatos or SF Elite are going to do anything that any of us wouldn't expect. Many of the top kids on the existing RL teams will have a chance to show up on the new NL team. Many other disgruntled players on other clubs, feeling that they aren't getting what they deserve already will make up the bulk of the rest. And hopefully, they each can find 1-2 game changers per age group that can take the team out from the bottom of the table to midpack or even better. But it's still likely to take 2-3 years before things settle, and the new teams will have a challenge.

 

[shirivelli]

Will they go the MVLA route and just get the best 18 players they can or the surf/force route that’s add all the players you can until players and parents figure it out. LG has strong leadership with ST back and I would assume they will do everything they can to be competitive right away.

Good point! A major challenge for SF Elite and LGU will also be how they handle legacy players who aren’t at ECNL level while trying to form the best possible roster. Established ECNL clubs can afford a bit of roster slack because their base is already set, but a new ECNL team can't. Otherwise, they’re headed straight into a season of frustration and misery for everyone involved.

Do they move those players down and replace them with stronger players, or allow like a 20% “legacy buffer” as a loyalty concession while building ECNL rosters from scratch? This is exactly where pay‑to‑play pressure and internal politics can undermine the club.

The clean, merit‑based approach is always the path to real success, but it’s also incredibly hard to execute when politics enter the mix. Definitely not easy!

 

[LouSag]

Isn't that the group that used to play for Deza?

Where did that maestro wind up?

Deza…at San Diego Surf girls ECNL. He won 3 National ECNL titles in 2024 with SD Surf.

 

[LouSag]

Didn't a few of the BA Surf 07 players go down to San Diego Surf and play for Andres' Championship Surf 06 team and got committed while there? Then they went back north.

Only one of Deza’s BA Surf 07 came down to join the San Diego Surf 06 National Champions. As you said, she got exposure with that team (how can you not get exposure with that side) and committed while with SD surf. Then moved back north. FYI, another girl from Texas did the samething.

 

[LouSag]

You're rt...but those players arrived a season earlier, didn't they?

Yes, the players from Bay Area Surf and Texas arrived a year before the u19’s won the national title. They both played for Deza that year, got committed and left before JH coached the team to a national title.

 

[Thatonedad]

Good point! A major challenge for SF Elite and LGU will also be how they handle legacy players who aren’t at ECNL level while trying to form the best possible roster. Established ECNL clubs can afford a bit of roster slack because their base is already set, but a new ECNL team can't. Otherwise, they’re headed straight into a season of frustration and misery for everyone involved.

Do they move those players down and replace them with stronger players, or allow like a 20% “legacy buffer” as a loyalty concession while building ECNL rosters from scratch? This is exactly where pay‑to‑play pressure and internal politics can undermine the club.

The clean, merit‑based approach is always the path to real success, but it’s also incredibly hard to execute when politics enter the mix. Definitely not easy!

They will need to form an RL team as well so need legacy players. From what I understand the new ECNL clubs will have 2 -3 years to be at a certain level within the league rankings or could be relegated back to RL as well as the new ECNL/NPL league they created for the RL teams going down.

The pressure will be on the club to preform so I would assume they will try to put the best team on the field while at the same time keep any legacy players with talent that is equal or slightly less than players trying out.