New NEP and Old Maple = Same league???

[Unregistered]

What's the difference between the old Maple and the new NEP? Looking at the results of the new clubs in NEP, these clubs seem to be very competitive. In fact, some of them are exceeding expectations.

Take away the mom and pop clubs with 1 or 2 teams, NEP looks like the old Maple. When NEP changed the requirements to enter the league they became the old maple.

This is not a knock on the NEP. Bottom line, NEP found a way to make more money. Maple is a good league for smaller clubs with 5 or 6 teams. Everyone needs a place to play.

How long before the top 5 clubs leave the NEP? At some point in time NEFC, Stars, CFC, FC Boston and GPS will leave the NEP to become elite again.

[Unregistered]

What's the difference between the old Maple and the new NEP?

You're not surprised by the fact that NEP has experienced the same dilution in quality as it's grown, are you? MAPLE saw the same thing, why wouldn't NEP? It was predicted and inevitable. Just because it costs Little Mia's mommy a lot more than rotten travel, doesn't mean it's anything other than recreational soccer.

[Unregistered]

What's the difference between the old Maple and the new NEP? Looking at the results of the new clubs in NEP, these clubs seem to be very competitive. In fact, some of them are exceeding expectations.

Take away the mom and pop clubs with 1 or 2 teams, NEP looks like the old Maple. When NEP changed the requirements to enter the league they became the old maple.

This is not a knock on the NEP. Bottom line, NEP found a way to make more money. Maple is a good league for smaller clubs with 5 or 6 teams. Everyone needs a place to play.

How long before the top 5 clubs leave the NEP? At some point in time NEFC, Stars, CFC, FC Boston and GPS will leave the NEP to become elite again.

I think you mean NEC=Old Maple. Except for a few teams that went from Maple to NEP, you'd be correct. NEC combined the old NEP B teams and the new teams that came in from Maple that weren't selected for NEP. I guess at some point the mega clubs could leave NEP and form a new elite league. But why would they? The mega clubs have everything they want right now. Competitive leagues for every team imaginable.
NEC, NEP, NPL, to ECNL.

[Unregistered]

You're not surprised by the fact that NEP has experienced the same dilution in quality as it's grown, are you? MAPLE saw the same thing, why wouldn't NEP? It was predicted and inevitable. Just because it costs Little Mia's mommy a lot more than rotten travel, doesn't mean it's anything other than recreational soccer.

More league snobs that have no idea what they're talking about. Here's a hint: All soccer being played from U18 and under is recreational soccer. That includes ECNL, NPL, DAP, NEP, MAPLE, ODP, Town Travel, Town Rec, etc.

Your little Mia or Landon isn't being payed to play the game, so it's all recreation. Your chances of playing professional soccer are about 1.4 in 100 if you play soccer in college. Most won't even play in college, so the odds are even worse.

Def. Recreational sports are competitive physical games that are played for fun as opposed to professionally.

[Unregistered]

More league snobs that have no idea what they're talking about. Here's a hint: All soccer being played from U18 and under is recreational soccer. That includes ECNL, NPL, DAP, NEP, MAPLE, ODP, Town Travel, Town Rec, etc.

Your little Mia or Landon isn't being payed to play the game, so it's all recreation. Your chances of playing professional soccer are about 1.4 in 100 if you play soccer in college. Most won't even play in college, so the odds are even worse.

Def. Recreational sports are competitive physical games that are played for fun as opposed to professionally.

And all this time I thought my U-12 son was a pro. Thanks for the heads up, now I can stop looking for the paychecks in the mail every day.

[Unregistered]

More league snobs that have no idea what they're talking about. Here's a hint: All soccer being played from U18 and under is recreational soccer. That includes ECNL, NPL, DAP, NEP, MAPLE, ODP, Town Travel, Town Rec, etc.

Your little Mia or Landon isn't being payed to play the game, so it's all recreation. Your chances of playing professional soccer are about 1.4 in 100 if you play soccer in college. Most won't even play in college, so the odds are even worse.

Def. Recreational sports are competitive physical games that are played for fun as opposed to professionally.

Interesting, but true. And don't tell the Div. 3 players that though.

[Unregistered]

I always laugh at the posters who make it their mission to ensure the rest of us know that all our kids are "recreational" soccer players because they do not draw or will most likely never draw a paycheck. Based on their definition, ALL college football, basketball, track & field athletes are recreational. Heck, all amateur Olympians who are not drawing a paying check to "go pro" are "recreational" athletes. We get it. You have a very black & white definition of recreational sports: if you are not a professionally paid athlete, you are a recreational player.

For the rest of us, can we just get past the silly semantics and get back to reality? For the purpose of YOUTH SOCCER discussions, moving forward can we all just agree on the following fairly simple designations, that anyone with a brain knows has widely varying levels of competition.

-Club/Premier Soccer - Independent O&O soccer clubs that play competitive soccer in designated USCS or USYS premier soccer leagues.

-Travel Soccer - Town run travel programs that play competitive soccer in USYS state run travel leagues

-Recreational Soccer - Independent in-town house or pick-up leagues with no scores/standings kept

[Unregistered]

I always laugh at the posters who make it their mission to ensure the rest of us know that all our kids are "recreational" soccer players because they do not draw or will most likely never draw a paycheck. Based on their definition, ALL college football, basketball, track & field athletes are recreational. Heck, all amateur Olympians who are not drawing a paying check to "go pro" are "recreational" athletes. We get it. You have a very black & white definition of recreational sports: if you are not a professionally paid athlete, you are a recreational player.

For the rest of us, can we just get past the silly semantics and get back to reality? For the purpose of YOUTH SOCCER discussions, moving forward can we all just agree on the following fairly simple designations, that anyone with a brain knows has widely varying levels of competition.

-Club/Premier Soccer - Independent O&O soccer clubs that play competitive soccer in designated USCS or USYS premier soccer leagues.

-Travel Soccer - Town run travel programs that play competitive soccer in USYS state run travel leagues

-Recreational Soccer - Independent in-town house or pick-up leagues with no scores/standings kept

And I love all the posts that love to talk down about this league or that. Let's get real, DAP<-ECNL<-NPL<-NEP-<NEC-<MAPLE<-Town Travel<-Town Rec is really a bunch of crap. Every kid on every team wants to win their game, whether it's DAP or Town Rec or anything in between. Some players have more skill, athleticism, and dedication to the game than others. Some teams are more talented, knowledgeable, or just have a faster speed of play. It's all still just "kicking a ball and pretending to be hurt" and the league bashing really should stop.

I know an NEP player who regularly craps on ECNL players 2 years older than her in pick-up games and indoor or 3v3 tournaments. Her parents can't afford ECNL/NPL travel costs. A number of MAPLE clubs have teams crapping all over NEP/NEC teams now that they have joined the league. Just because you can afford to play club soccer and travel all over the country, doesn't mean you're little Mia is the only one who can play the game at a high level.

Get over yourself and your insecurities. The rest of us don't care what league your kid plays or how "good" you think your kid is. She isn't making the NT or being recruited to play for PSG and there is plenty of good soccer being played in any number of leagues from travel to NEP or MAPLE and beyond.

[Unregistered]

It's all still just "kicking a ball and pretending to be hurt"

Ummm....wow.

[Unregistered]

Ummm....wow.

Guess your not a Teen Titan fan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqLdsozF4MU

[Unregistered]

Ummm....wow.

Re-read...

"It's all still just 'kicking a ball and pretending to be hurt' and the league bashing really should stop."

Poster was saying all those excuses and bashing should stop, NOT that they felt that way.

[Unregistered]

The addition of the new clubs, Valeo and Coastal in particular, just proves that there really wasn't any inferior about them, simply because they weren't in the NEP. The only ones that really believed that were the brain washed parents being fed nonsense. The question will be whether players will start to gravitate to these new clubs, now they are proving to be as good, and often better than the pre-existing clubs.

[Unregistered]

The addition of the new clubs, Valeo and Coastal in particular, just proves that there really wasn't any inferior about them, simply because they weren't in the NEP. The only ones that really believed that were the brain washed parents being fed nonsense. The question will be whether players will start to gravitate to these new clubs, now they are proving to be as good, and often better than the pre-existing clubs.

The later probably won't happen because the big clubs still have the parents brainwashed into believing that they offer a better pathway or exposure to the "next level" whatever that may be.

[Unregistered]

The later probably won't happen because the big clubs still have the parents brainwashed into believing that they offer a better pathway or exposure to the "next level" whatever that may be.

Is the "next level" still recreational soccer? I'm confused.:)

[Unregistered]

More league snobs that have no idea what they're talking about. Here's a hint: All soccer being played from U18 and under is recreational soccer. That includes ECNL, NPL, DAP, NEP, MAPLE, ODP, Town Travel, Town Rec, etc.

Your little Mia or Landon isn't being payed to play the game, so it's all recreation. Your chances of playing professional soccer are about 1.4 in 100 if you play soccer in college. Most won't even play in college, so the odds are even worse.

Def. Recreational sports are competitive physical games that are played for fun as opposed to professionally.

The irony here is pretty funny to me. You're making my point, except seem to be ignoring the generally true problem that the deluded parents dropping tens of thousands of dollars really don't so casually see it or treat it as anything near the recreational activity that it really is.