Which OC club for a 2015 flight 1/2 boy?

N

noodlegirl

Hey all,

Not super happy with our current club right now, coach is lackluster and our experience this year is heavily degraded from last year. My kid is pretty committed and quite decent and we want a club with higher quality coaching and better parent commitment (getting tired of canceling tournaments because don’t have enough players that can show up.)

For those who know the scene, what’s the club you’d like for developing your young ones? Quality coaches, lots of playtime, good pathway, committed parents. We are in Irvine.

Thanks!
 
noodlegirl said:
Hey all,

Not super happy with our current club right now, coach is lackluster and our experience this year is heavily degraded from last year. My kid is pretty committed and quite decent and we want a club with higher quality coaching and better parent commitment (getting tired of canceling tournaments because don’t have enough players that can show up.)

For those who know the scene, what’s the club you’d like for developing your young ones? Quality coaches, lots of playtime, good pathway, committed parents. We are in Irvine.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Don't know where you are currently, but we have had friends have good experiences at Strikers, Pateadores and West Coast FC. If you're anywhere near Murrieta, they're the best club we've actually played for.
 
noodlegirl said:
Hey all,

Not super happy with our current club right now, coach is lackluster and our experience this year is heavily degraded from last year. My kid is pretty committed and quite decent and we want a club with higher quality coaching and better parent commitment (getting tired of canceling tournaments because don’t have enough players that can show up.)

For those who know the scene, what’s the club you’d like for developing your young ones? Quality coaches, lots of playtime, good pathway, committed parents. We are in Irvine.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

For Irvine, I think it's Pats, Liverpool, or Strikers as the old school established clubs, especially on the boys side.
Pats if you don't mind the ECNL route. Liverpool or Strikers if you want the MLS Next route.
A little bit away from Irvine but West Coast FC is also an ECNL club so that might work for you.

I guess you might already be on one of those teams... but generally you'll get committed parents at any of the 4...
I will say that though if you want club's and parents' commitments, be on the top team for an age group at a particular club.
On the 2nd or 3rd teams, you'll get a mix of kids/parents doing soccer as their 2nd or 3rd thing and there's nothing wrong with that but doesn't fit well with kids/families who prioritize soccer as their main thing...

The coaching is very coach by coach basis so it's hard to say coaching is good or bad overall for a particular club...

For developing young kids, Neil Anaya at Strikers and Graeme Jennings at Pats both have great reputations. (of course, YMMV and I'm sure some will disagree with that assessment). Someone told me recently that West Coast's Stringer(?) is pretty good developer too...
 
Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
For Irvine, I think it's Pats, Liverpool, or Strikers as the old school established clubs, especially on the boys side.
Pats if you don't mind the ECNL route. Liverpool or Strikers if you want the MLS Next route.
A little bit away from Irvine but West Coast FC is also an ECNL club so that might work for you.

I guess you might already be on one of those teams... but generally you'll get committed parents at any of the 4...
I will say that though if you want club's and parents' commitments, be on the top team for an age group at a particular club.
The coaching is very coach by coach basis so it's hard to say coaching is good or bad overall for a particular club...

For developing young kids, Neil Anaya at Strikers and Graeme Jennings at Pats both have great reputations. (of course, YMMV and I'm sure some will disagree with that assessment). Someone told me recently that West Coast's Stringer(?) is pretty good developer too...
Click to expand...
Can you give me a super quick explanation of the difference between ECNL and MLS Next?

You’re right that we are already on one of those teams :)
 
noodlegirl said:
Can you give me a super quick explanation of the difference between ECNL and MLS Next?
Click to expand...

Haha you can spend hours reading online about the differences it'll probably tell you they're equal but in short:

MLS Next is de facto highest league for the boys side 12+ years old (league starts at U13). The main reason is because MLS youth teams play in it. If you take out all the MLS academies, I think ECNL = MLS Next. There's the allure of playing on an MLS Next team and playing vs LAFC or LA Galaxy and then killing it in that game and then being recruited to be on the MLS youth teams :)
You can decide for yourself if that's a stupid reason or not...

ECNL is very competitive as well and very hard to get into just like MLS Next. Also starts at the U13 level.

At the U11 and U12 ages, ECNL feeder league is Pre-ECNL and MLS Next's feeder league is EA (Elite Academy). You can go from a SoCal team/club to try out for ECNL or MLS Next but it'll just be harder. I do believe there's an incumbent advantage if you're already on a club that has ECNL and MLS Next and you're trying to get on their U13 ECNL and MLS Next teams.

Both leagues get high visibility for college if that's your goal. If you're goal is to play at the highest levels you want, both would fit the bill.

Another main difference:
ECNL allows for its players to play high school soccer. MLS Next does not (there are some exceptions).
May or may not be important to you or the player.

Little difference in cost.
Little difference in travel (both demand national showcases).

All this to say, at 2015 though... you're still some years away. Still good to think about it if soccer is your kid's main thing and want to play at the highest level as he gets older...
 
Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
Do you see the same in other aged teams? Do you feel it's a club wide thing? It could just be your coach...
Click to expand...
I do think it’s mostly our team/coach and not club-wide, but I don’t know if we should just stick it out and hope for a better coach next season or search for greener pastures. Just kinda wanted to get the pulse of what the good clubs are, because the ones I’m most aware of are the ones listed here (Socal Reds, Strikers, Pats).

I appreciate everyone’s responses!
 
Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
Haha you can spend hours reading online about the differences it'll probably tell you they're equal but in short:

MLS Next is de facto highest league for the boys side 12+ years old (league starts at U13). The main reason is because MLS youth teams play in it. If you take out all the MLS academies, I think ECNL = MLS Next. There's the allure of playing on an MLS Next team and playing vs LAFC or LA Galaxy and then killing it in that game and then being recruited to be on the MLS youth teams :)
You can decide for yourself if that's a stupid reason or not...

ECNL is very competitive as well and very hard to get into just like MLS Next. Also starts at the U13 level.

At the U11 and U12 ages, ECNL feeder league is Pre-ECNL and MLS Next's feeder league is EA (Elite Academy). You can go from a SoCal team/club to try out for ECNL or MLS Next but it'll just be harder. I do believe there's an incumbent advantage if you're already on a club that has ECNL and MLS Next and you're trying to get on their U13 ECNL and MLS Next teams.

Both leagues get high visibility for college if that's your goal. If you're goal is to play at the highest levels you want, both would fit the bill.

Another main difference:
ECNL allows for its players to play high school soccer. MLS Next does not (there are some exceptions).
May or may not be important to you or the player.

Little difference in cost.
Little difference in travel (both demand national showcases).

All this to say, at 2015 though... you're still some years away. Still good to think about it if soccer is your kid's main thing and want to play at the highest level as he gets older...
Click to expand...
Thank you, this is incredibly helpful! :)
 
noodlegirl said:
Can you give me a super quick explanation of the difference between ECNL and MLS Next?
Click to expand...
Sure. One is the best and the other sucks and which is which depends on which one your kid plays in... ;)

Seriously, though, @Socal-Soccer-Dad has it about right with the addition that MLS Next is not allowed to play high school when they get to that age. I'll also add that playing MLS Next isn't only about playing LAFC and Galaxy. In the showcases / playoffs, you get to play other academies across the country. My son had a particularly good game against Atlanta United that was broadcast on Apple TV that opened some doors.
 
Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
Little difference in cost.
Little difference in travel (both demand national showcases).
Click to expand...
Fantastic post, not much to quibble with. All I'd add is that if one is able to get on the MLS N team of a club affiliated with an actual MLS team, the costs are mainly borne by the parent club. There are no tuition, training, travel, or even many gear fees for the kid. That said, there are still the travel costs for anyone that wants to go watch them, and all of the schooling costs that may be incurred by running their lives around the MLS N schedule.
 
RandomSoccerFan said:
All I'd add is that if one is able to get on the MLS N team of a club affiliated with an actual MLS team, the costs are mainly borne by the parent club.
Click to expand...

True. MLS pro youth teams are fully funded. I just don't even consider them in our decision making as if my kid belongs on that team, they'll "call us" instead of us reaching out to them haha

For the mere mortals (my kids) who will probably not get on those teams (I'm not being pessimistic, I'm just realistic! :p) , I just like to categorize MLS pro youth teams as a totally separate category...

MLS pro youth teams
MLS Next / ECNL
EA / ECRL
...
...
...
 
Socal-Soccer-Dad said:
For Irvine, I think it's Pats, Liverpool, or Strikers as the old school established clubs, especially on the boys side.
Pats if you don't mind the ECNL route. Liverpool or Strikers if you want the MLS Next route.
A little bit away from Irvine but West Coast FC is also an ECNL club so that might work for you.

I guess you might already be on one of those teams... but generally you'll get committed parents at any of the 4...
I will say that though if you want club's and parents' commitments, be on the top team for an age group at a particular club.
On the 2nd or 3rd teams, you'll get a mix of kids/parents doing soccer as their 2nd or 3rd thing and there's nothing wrong with that but doesn't fit well with kids/families who prioritize soccer as their main thing...

The coaching is very coach by coach basis so it's hard to say coaching is good or bad overall for a particular club...

For developing young kids, Neil Anaya at Strikers and Graeme Jennings at Pats both have great reputations. (of course, YMMV and I'm sure some will disagree with that assessment). Someone told me recently that West Coast's Stringer(?) is pretty good developer too...
Click to expand...
Concur on Anaya and (especially) Jennings. I'd encourage you to hit up Strikers. Your son is young and can grow in its system. Top notch club. Results may vary, of course.

Hard pass on Stringer.
 
noodlegirl said:
Hey all,

Not super happy with our current club right now, coach is lackluster and our experience this year is heavily degraded from last year. My kid is pretty committed and quite decent and we want a club with higher quality coaching and better parent commitment (getting tired of canceling tournaments because don’t have enough players that can show up.)

For those who know the scene, what’s the club you’d like for developing your young ones? Quality coaches, lots of playtime, good pathway, committed parents. We are in Irvine.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Get on the first team at these clubs if you want to be among like-minded parents. Many parents on these teams (especially at your kid' age) don't care much about R&R or burnout, and have their kids play 6 or 7 days a week.

Be careful what you wish for. :)
 
Messi>CR7 said:
Get on the first team at these clubs if you want to be among like-minded parents. Many parents on these teams (especially at your kid' age) don't care much about R&R or burnout, and have their kids play 6 or 7 days a week.

Be careful what you wish for. :)
Click to expand...
"Be careful what you wish for." This is the best response to 90% of any of the posts on this site.
 
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