Over the past couple of years we've been bombarded with pro ECNL posts, and more recently with the need for alternative parallel routes to the promised land of D1/2 scholarship money. I recently bent the ears of a couple of coaches at the Jefferson Cup. There was a couple top 100 D1, a top 25 D2, and a few local to Virginia D3 coaches involved in this discussion. They all agreed that ECNL is great because you're gaurenteed to see quality players that are able to play at any level, and has made the recruiting more efficient. They are able to keep tabs on the players a lot easier, and can trust that the players are being exposed to the right training to prepare them for the rigors of a D1/2 year. They also agreed that the coach who is relying on the ECNL only, is going o find themselves in trouble sooner rather than later, and that they have seen a rise in the performances of other non ECNL clubs that operate near/in the same space as the ECNL clubs do. A rising tide raises all boats reaction to the ECNL, has improved the club landscape more than anything else has over the last 20 years. My question is, has the ECNL lost its advantage by forcing other clubs to change in order to compete? If so, would it make sense for the ECNL to expand the number of clubs, and create a tiered system? Will the ECNL still exist as we know it now in 5 years, if they do not recognize they now have clubs doing a better or as good a job developing top talent?
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And off we go...
Bombarded by pro ECNL posts? Sure, OK.
Let's join BTDT in beating the heck out of the ECNL "issue" just a little more....for old times sake, LOL. -
Imagine that. A NEFC parent holding court with a bunch of college coaches around him, not likeing the initial answers, and then asking leading and ste-up questions to distort until he's got the kind of answers he wants to report back on here on TS. Will never end.Comment
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If a player really is "that good" then it won't matter what league they played in.Comment
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This might be vaguely interesting if it was a point anyone disagreed with.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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I disagree that the ECNL isn't going to last.Comment
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I have no clue whether or not ECNL will still be around in 5 years (my guess is yes), but one thing I do know, is that it will probably all look different in 5 years. Just look at the changes to the soccer landscape in the last 5 years. Whatever happens with ECNL down the road, I do not, but I do predict it will look different than it does today.Comment
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As the OP, I wasn't trying to encourage ECNL bashing, and I have no connection to Stars or NEFC or the Breakers, outside of having a few acquaintances that work for each. I don't have a child that plays for, or against any club involved in the discussion, or not involved in the discussion. I was strictly trying to start a discussion in regards to if the ECNL still has a place in the youth soccer landscape under its current structure, and if it's success has created its own demise, by raising the bar for all the non-ECNL clubs. I was also wanted to hear the thoughts and ideas for how the ECNL will/should change to strengthen its position as the best of the best, and specifically do they continue to shut out the clubs who have risen to the level of elite, and are consistently producing elite level talent even though they're not competing in the ECNL. That's all! IF you knew me you would know I really don't care about the BS. I care about the game of soccer and its growth in the US. The situation the ECNL is in is a unique one. They've raised the level of the game, and the standard of which all clubs are judged now, and because of that the competition to keep up has produced more clubs able to be recognized as elite. They've had to do so all while being shut out of the top league in the country. My belief is they need to expand their membership, and create a system that can learn from others inventiveness and develop a model for clubs so that all players will have access to the knowledge and opportunities to maximize their potential, and grow the game even more, and ultimately produce players under an American model. I think we're closer than ever, and was wondering if others felt the same, and why or why not. That is it! I actually wish that Stars,NEFC, GPS, Breakers, and a couple others will get together and work torward this, without putting the money first, and put the game and players development ahead of everything. Sorry if it doesn't fit in to your agenda, but mine is simple. Grow the game the right way, and learn from each other to do so.Comment
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So what? Everything looks different in 5 years. Hopefully you didn't waste 4 years getting a college degree to develop that level of insight.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Expanding the league is not the way to go. Having better quality control is. Unlike DAP ECNL is run by the clubs for the clubs. Yes many of them are top notch and do an excellent job at development. Some are not, yet because they have that nice badge they get to go to all the right tournaments, etc. They may even have a decent win record but are they really developing their players or just aggregating talent? At least with DAP there is some level of supervision and monitoring of clubs, coaches, etc. and protocols for training.
I think the other issue some coaches have been having is with the push to early recruiting. If the bulk of recruiting was done just even a year later girls might have a better idea of what they want to study, there's a longer academic track record, etc. so that there's a better fit with the school itself not just the soccer program.Comment
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A lot will depend on whether or not the recent announcement about a girls DAP actually come to fruition. If it does, it immediately gets slotted in above the ECNL in the hierarchy of things and that will both take players away and its marketing position. In that case the best thing USCS could do is consolidate the ECNL and NPL into one league.Comment
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That's been dissected every which way and the general feeling it probably won't happen (even though it should if you really want the level of play to improve). Unfortunately the clubs have had their fingers in the pie too long already and won't want to relinquish that. And there's no money or interest to support it. The only people who care about women's soccer are the ones who are involved with it.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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There is plenty of interest and the clubs don't really have any say in the matter. Look no further than the Bolts. They are drawing in plenty of players even though they are charging and don't have the pipeline to a pro level team. The elite girls will gobble up a DAP because they are generally doing things the right way from the perspective of an elite level player and there is nothing like it on the girls side.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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The only ones who are dismissing it are the ECNL clubs who are afraid of it. They know that it will blow up their league because they will no longer be able to say they are the top of the pyramid.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Not the OP but there's no pro career on the women's side. Even for the "elite" 99.9% will play through college and that's all. DAP may be selling a pro-career myth but it works, and for many it's free or greatly reduced. Who will pay/subsidize for the women's side?Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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