I think “showcase” just means a tournament-like event with one game per day and no standings.
Parents of 12 year olds do not expect to see college coaches at these things. It’s just a mini-tournament. No one is fooled.
Terrible ECNL Teams/Clubs
- Thread starter Highlander
- Start date
Parents of 12 year olds do not expect to see college coaches at these things. It’s just a mini-tournament. No one is fooled.
Oh boy do I remember that toxic mess of a shit show in Socal we all have participated in last 5 years. Like I said a million times before, I knew we were in a big bait & switch liars clubs when my dd was 7th grade and going to 8th grade. I was sold U14 National Team and Pro ((They said college soccer was horrible and the GDA was here to pave a new way. Trust me, this was sold first to me)). However, what was really being offered all along was college. My kid was scolded for not having her homework in 7th grade and was told to get her emails sent to practice for future calls by big time D1 coaches)). Plus OM signed in 6th grade and we were told to email now before the new rules kick in. I said no way, were here for the real prize. This is whack!!!
what-happened
GOLD
I need to look (if it's even still up) but I'm pretty sure the GDA's initially had 3 age groups (U14/15, U16/17, and U18/19). The boys side started at U12.
I'm sure that eventually we would have seen an expansion that mirrored the boys side. Of course we'll never know.
GDA came out like you said originally. However, the top 04s were getting recruited hard to play up with the 03s GDA and started leaving a few of the clubs that daddy controlled and they added 04 last minute, so daddy's could be on top. Trust me, we were sold ECNL first as 04s and then the next year we would play GDA. I have it all documented and all the text and emails. Time line so to speak
Desert Hound
DA
I paid for it as well. It is easier to get on and stay on a team when you start off at that age group. It is harder to break in at a later age. Granted I see kids coming in, but it is harder for them vs getting in at the start.ECNL at U13/14 is a big money grab that is more closely aligned with the old school-year age groupings, and also the old NCAA recruiting rules. If 8th graders were being made offers, then sure U14 serves a purpose. With the new rules U14 and U13 are practically pointle$$. But guess what, I paid $$$ for that dumb crap just like some of you reading this
VegasParent
SILVER ELITE
Maybe that's true for the 03/04 and 05 teams but the 06 - 09 teams are average or worse.
Code
GOLD
I can't see how a league (ECNL), can claim to be about bringing the best of the best together without promotion and relegation of individual teams. Don't get me wrong, the top 20% of the ECNL teams are no doubt the best there are, but the remainder of the ECNL teams are arguably no better than the top teams in local leagues. What I see in ECNL is the Best and Everyone else, just like the OP pointed out. This is because the teams that are not up to standards are not relegated each season, and at the same time, great teams are not allowed into the league because of Club requirements, or there are already multiple teams in the region, or the club already has a team in the league. Promotion and Relegation in the current ECNL structure is impossible because of the Club requirements to field teams across all age groups. The ECNL system is flawed and can not claim to have the "Best" if it handicaps the competition through regional distribution limitations within divisions or other metrics that are not based on actual team performance. The best means you play teams that are the best, regardless of where they are or are not located, or how a Club's other teams performed in a separate age group, or .... If most of the best teams are in the same areas, then so be it. The match results speak for themself; it is not a balanced league of comparable talent.
futboldad1
PREMIER
The reality is that the bottom 80% of ECNL teams would still easily beat the top teams in local leagues despite what those teams coaches and parents like to think and say.....everyone gets carried away winning SCDSL discovery games 5-0 every week and thinks it offers any insight as to how that team would do versus a middle standings ECNL team which would give them a rude awakening....
SoccerFan4Life
PREMIER
MLS next took the life out of the ECNL boys program.
It’s now just a matter of time for clubs to start aligning themselves with the women’s soccer league to give a path for young girls looking to go pro (not worth the salary). This will water down the ECNL womens program. All that will be left are those players looking to go for a scholarships for D1/D2.
It’s now just a matter of time for clubs to start aligning themselves with the women’s soccer league to give a path for young girls looking to go pro (not worth the salary). This will water down the ECNL womens program. All that will be left are those players looking to go for a scholarships for D1/D2.
Desert Hound
DA
Probably some time before that happens. NWSL needs to be able to really stand on their own feet before they can realistically start something like MLS Next.
You are correct. However, the benefit of pro/rel is more than offset by the enormous advantage that the simple effectiveness of ECNL gameday provides. All the top teams from one club playing all the top teams from another. If you go pro/rel, then scheduling is a mess and each weekend is a one-off game and coaches that manage multiple teams may have one team in Vegas, and one in San Diego, etc.
Pro/Rel only works at the youth level if all teams are basically in the same area and can pretty much all play at the same fields every weekend. Pro/Rel would only work for a regional league like ECNL (where road trips are the norm) if entire clubs are promoted and relegated, not individual teams. The other problem with pro/rel of entire clubs, is the best ECRL club isn't really a whole lot better than the worst ECNL club, and the player defections from a relegated club would be devastating. As would the influx of new players to a promoted club that will just knock off the girls who helped earn the promotion.
Basically, our current system isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
soccerfan123
SILVER
with the GDA collapsing there was lot of talent migration all to the Ecnl. This also meant lot of POd parents whos kids found the demands too high once the talent got consolidated to one league or got cut. oldest dd is 2004 prev da and she loves the challenge each weekend. she plays for an oc club but look at a club like rebels, they have really filled out in the older ages with Albion kids and give everyone a game now. even dmvc are making moves all be it slowly. discovery teams families should ask their coach to line up some scrimmages in spring with Ecnl teams and see how it goes. it'll be a good experience for your dd and an eye opener for you parents who like to throw shade at kids testing themselves in Ecnl to prepare for college ball
Desert Hound
DA
This may explain the lack of any discussion on these forums about GA. There hasn't been any chatter in that forum outside of some guy thinking his kids DPL team could roll through the ECNL.
I agree it isn’t changing, but I don’t see scheduling as the main barrier. Designing it from the ground up, you wouldn’t have 100 travel teams per age group. You’d have about 20-30 travel teams. The rest of the teams aren’t good enough to bother travelling.
Which is the core of the problem. Most of these teams are not worth the trip.