Another new league

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I have a head ache just reading all of this. Bottom line how can LL be on the board of NEP now that she is running the impact NPL. This has to be a direct conflict of interest.

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I think this new league is about control. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a league like the old Northeast NPL but I’m not sure there are enough teams for that since the ECNL regional is pretty much a rebranding of that. Seems like the spring will be a lot of scrimmages, some id type clinics. I wonder if they will link up a bit with AF former BC Coach for clinics. For this spring that might be fine but where they go from there is key. Is the league going to be able to pull in quality teams while still trying to keep good players on the existing member teams? My D is on one of the teams involved. I was a bit disappointed with the announcement. I think my first thought was there are just too many leagues out there. However Maybe DPL would have proved to be a disappointment especially with Covid in the picture. She moved clubs to play on her particular team as they have been a good team at her age bracket and for logistics. If her team can keep quality players then it might be ok. My D however is a freshman and at this point prioritizing academics in her college thoughts. I still want her challenged in soccer so is she wants to play in college that is still an option.

[Unregistered]

I have a head ache just reading all of this. Bottom line how can LL be on the board of NEP now that she is running the impact NPL. This has to be a direct conflict of interest.

No one in youth soccer knows or cares about conflicts of interest

All they know is separate parents from as much money as possible in as short a time as possible before they figure out they're being looted, which hopefully doesn't happen until their kid is in college.

[Unregistered]

I think this new league is about control. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a league like the old Northeast NPL but I’m not sure there are enough teams for that since the ECNL regional is pretty much a rebranding of that. Seems like the spring will be a lot of scrimmages, some id type clinics. I wonder if they will link up a bit with AF former BC Coach for clinics. For this spring that might be fine but where they go from there is key. Is the league going to be able to pull in quality teams while still trying to keep good players on the existing member teams? My D is on one of the teams involved. I was a bit disappointed with the announcement. I think my first thought was there are just too many leagues out there. However Maybe DPL would have proved to be a disappointment especially with Covid in the picture. She moved clubs to play on her particular team as they have been a good team at her age bracket and for logistics. If her team can keep quality players then it might be ok. My D however is a freshman and at this point prioritizing academics in her college thoughts. I still want her challenged in soccer so is she wants to play in college that is still an option.

If it's a good fit for her and her soccer goals, who cares about the rest? Pick waht's best for your player. There's lots of programs for smart, quality players to play, just don't expect Duke to be knocking on your door.

[Unregistered]

If coaches are not following these teams, why do you need a commitment list?
These clubs are working hard to provide a service.
And why are you complaining about your daughter’s team?

I am not complaining about my kids team. She has fun and that’s what I care about.
My issue is that clubs are continuing to sell customers about how great one particular league is and then move to another year after year. Of course they are trying to provide a service. I don’t think it’s a good product. Do you? We should have tops 2 leagues in this state with a relegation system in place.

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ECNL creates ECNL-R
Pro: Includes NPL level players at ECNL showcases. In concept it unifies pyramid
Con: Excludes non-ECNL clubs. This forces other clubs to form own league, which in reality divides market into multiple pyramids

Exactly... US Club Soccer shot NPL's value with the introduction of ECNL-R and reasonable people expected it to just go away, which it did in the fall here in New England. But because of the extreme geography restrictions of ECNL that leaves almost all the New England teams out of the party and scrambling for alternatives.

Just because ECNL works for the very small number of players who happen to live close enough (and be good enough) to the two clubs that are allowed to compete does not make it a good thing overall.

US Club Soccer is a disaster for youth soccer even if they have built a strong national ECNL brand. Maybe not as much of a disaster as US Soccer has been by creating and then abandoning DA, but still a disaster. I don't know as much about US Youth Soccer except through MYSA.

I just do't see any justification for having 3 national umbrella youth soccer organizations that don't even pretend to work together. It doesn't help the players, it doesn't help the families and doesn't help the sport.

[Unregistered]

I am not complaining about my kids team. She has fun and that’s what I care about.
My issue is that clubs are continuing to sell customers about how great one particular league is and then move to another year after year. Of course they are trying to provide a service. I don’t think it’s a good product. Do you? We should have tops 2 leagues in this state with a relegation system in place.

Maple.
But before your time, my young friend.
Plus, those are at the mercy of whatever league is forming or disbanding.
And I do think it’s a good product-just too many kids in it.
The destruction of the town leagues was inexcuseable

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Maple.
But before your time, my young friend.
Plus, those are at the mercy of whatever league is forming or disbanding.
And I do think it’s a good product-just too many kids in it.
The destruction of the town leagues was inexcuseable

Edit: those clubs

[Unregistered]

Exactly... US Club Soccer shot NPL's value with the introduction of ECNL-R and reasonable people expected it to just go away, which it did in the fall here in New England. But because of the extreme geography restrictions of ECNL that leaves almost all the New England teams out of the party and scrambling for alternatives.

Just because ECNL works for the very small number of players who happen to live close enough (and be good enough) to the two clubs that are allowed to compete does not make it a good thing overall.

US Club Soccer is a disaster for youth soccer even if they have built a strong national ECNL brand. Maybe not as much of a disaster as US Soccer has been by creating and then abandoning DA, but still a disaster. I don't know as much about US Youth Soccer except through MYSA.

I just do't see any justification for having 3 national umbrella youth soccer organizations that don't even pretend to work together. It doesn't help the players, it doesn't help the families and doesn't help the sport.

There' no one governing body and too many people making $ of the system. Even USSF tried to get in on the action. It's not going to change unless huge number of consumers stop paying for it.

It's all out of our hands so just pick the best place for your kid, even if that means you may have to change teams/clubs from time to time depending on landscape shifts. improving the national youth soccer landscape isn't my problem.

[Unregistered]

There' no one governing body and too many people making $ of the system. Even USSF tried to get in on the action. It's not going to change unless huge number of consumers stop paying for it.

It's all out of our hands so just pick the best place for your kid, even if that means you may have to change teams/clubs from time to time depending on landscape shifts. improving the national youth soccer landscape isn't my problem.

oh I agree. mostly was intending on trying to layout what I see is the underlying problem. there are plenty of problems built on top of that. definitely don't think that anything on this website is going to change the 3 national org problem.

[Unregistered]

Maple.
But before your time, my young friend.
Plus, those are at the mercy of whatever league is forming or disbanding.
And I do think it’s a good product-just too many kids in it.
The destruction of the town leagues was inexcuseable

I had two kids play in Maple. My D has another year left. When I say a good product, I am not necessarily talking about the level of play. It's the number of leagues I have a problem with. Completely unnecessary. This new league is going to be playing on Saturdays. By doing so they have eliminated a big pool of kids that can no longer play town soccer. They say they are in this for what's best for the kids. How is this a good thing?

[Unregistered]

I had two kids play in Maple. My D has another year left. When I say a good product, I am not necessarily talking about the level of play. It's the number of leagues I have a problem with. Completely unnecessary. This new league is going to be playing on Saturdays. By doing so they have eliminated a big pool of kids that can no longer play town soccer. They say they are in this for what's best for the kids. How is this a good thing?

I love town soccer but admit that it isn't the answer - not in the US where soccer is the 5th or 6th sport in a 4 sport race. Club soccer brought professional qualified coaching and many flocked to it for that reason. Town soccer is a crap shoot from a coaching perspective and that's the killer. I don't see that changing - there just isn't money or interest in town soccer.

[Unregistered]

I love town soccer but admit that it isn't the answer - not in the US where soccer is the 5th or 6th sport in a 4 sport race. Club soccer brought professional qualified coaching and many flocked to it for that reason. Town soccer is a crap shoot from a coaching perspective and that's the killer. I don't see that changing - there just isn't money or interest in town soccer.

That is significantly overstating the level of coaching in club soccer. Acquiring a coaching license doesn't mean you are a professional. I have seen a wide range of coaching abilities in the club soccer world. There are too many club soccer teams and not enough good club soccer coaches.

[Unregistered]

Tell me that there was ONE person in that group of clubs that said " let's do something good for the local soccer landscape. NO. Liz has convinced them all that they are in great peril and by doing this we'll protect ourselves from the "greedy ones".

[Unregistered]

I love town soccer but admit that it isn't the answer - not in the US where soccer is the 5th or 6th sport in a 4 sport race. Club soccer brought professional qualified coaching and many flocked to it for that reason. Town soccer is a crap shoot from a coaching perspective and that's the killer. I don't see that changing - there just isn't money or interest in town soccer.

Depends on what your question is regarding town soccer. If it’s about being inclusive, affordable, and kids having fun then it’s where the majority of our kids should play. Many kids will be out of soccer by the age of 16 anyways. Soccer has been the most played youth sport in America for quite some time. We have had bad coaching for years and still do. Kids aren’t playing the sport because of quality coaching... parents are what drives club soccer. Not the kids .