Changing Landscapes - Chicagoland

Discussion in 'Youth & HS Soccer' started by VolklP19, Dec 28, 2016.

  1. GotSoccerIsDumb

    Fire
    United States
    May 30, 2019
    Lol lately this is true.
     
  2. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    All true.

    But then again - I am 1-2 in terms of judging clubs. My kids benefited from everywhere we've been but in the end - it's all the same. Coaches who don't have a clue how to run a business.
     
  3. upper left

    upper left Member

    Crystal Palace
    Uruguay
    Jan 27, 2018
    Am I the only one that noticed the odometer of this thread just rolled over a major mile marker?

    100 pages of really well thought out dialogue and respectful banter about youth soccer in and around Chicago.

    Congrats to Volk for starting this thread back on Dec 28, 2016... it got off to a very slow start... his inaugural post didn't even get a response until March of 2017. lol. ...and here we are now with > 200,000 views... and the world is a better place because of it.
     
  4. SpiceBoy

    SpiceBoy Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Aug 2, 2017
    I agree with gotsoccerisdumb- Jaguars 04 team was USYS National Champions before they moved to GDA and came in 4th out of 8 in the Midwest Conference. Nationals and Midwest United 2nd and 3rd teams are in USYS National league and MCL P1 and P2. Before Eclipse and Hawks gave themselves two teams in ECNL many of their 2nd teams were USYS national League. Some individual top USYS teams could beat the bottom ECNL / GDA teams but I think that is about it.
     
  5. SpiceBoy

    SpiceBoy Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Aug 2, 2017
    Agree Kudos to Volk for starting this! People disagree with each other but this is a very civilized and informative thread as far as I am concerned.
     
    TinyClub repped this.
  6. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    It's been an eye opener for sure. Many times I think I would have been happier knowing a lot less about youth soccer.

    I'm not sure I've experienced a club which yet knows how to run a business. We're 0-3 now between 2 kids. Some great coaches along the way - but just no one yet with a clue of how to run what I think should be a fairly simple business model.

    If someone asked me where to put their player. I don't know what I would say which is odd because my kowledge is far deeper now.

    Soccer has been a huge benefit - especially for my youngest. Sockers and CSA helped her to grow and provided her with skill sets to play well ahead of any of her local peers which will likely go a long way in the high school experience. But they also failed in some really silly ways. I think this is often the normal experience amongst clubs.
     
  7. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    For anyone interested in younger girls entering u13 MWC (worth noting if looking into clubs at a reasonable tipping point):

    4 teams made Prem 1/2 for 07G spring Midwest League
    Prem 1 - Fire South, ELA
    Prem 2- Evolution , Galaxy
    First Div- 8 teams, CSA,FCU, Inter, GLSA, Northwind, Gal 08, Wizard, FC Alliance

    Michigan has 5 teams in Prem, including 4 in Prem 1. Total of 3 each for WI and MO between the two groups.
     
  8. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Wonder if Fire will ever make a move for GDA or ECNL. They have massive numbers which in turn means some pretty decent teams.

    ELA used to lose players to Sockers often. The current crop of Sockers at that age has probably led to many of their top players saying no thanks.

    Evolution seems to be growing in the right direction - same with Inter who I think will be at that top with Miceli's team.

    No surprise at all too see multiple Galaxy teams.
     
  9. upper left

    upper left Member

    Crystal Palace
    Uruguay
    Jan 27, 2018
    I've been told Fire applied for GDA badge twice in year 0 and year 1 of GDA and was turned down both times. Maybe third time could be a charm.

    They will never get an ECNL badge for reasons mentioned here over and over.
    It's too bad because they do have a good amount of talent u13 and younger.
     
  10. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Eclipse hold on ECNL is just idiotic. They are dumbing down the region by cornering the market. Total sham.
     
  11. GotSoccerIsDumb

    Fire
    United States
    May 30, 2019
    As much as the Fire affiliates have some decent girls teams at U8-14 they've never really done anything with them. By U19 they're hardly fielding teams. Hard to get accepted into the DA or ECNL when all your good teams are too young to even participate. If Fire Jrs were in the DA or ECNL today they would only be competitive at U13 and U14, which to be fair is better than some...*glances towards the North Shore*...but they still have no history of really producing players. The last real good HS girls teams at Fire Jrs were when the only one was in Naperville and that went belly-up years ago. Folded into Sockers if I'm not mistaken.

    I honestly don't think there needs to be any more DA/ECNL clubs in Chicagoland. The more you add the more watered down it gets. IMO the perfect number would be two of each for boys and girls. Let the rest play in NPL/USYS which would actually make those better too in theory.

    Now the real debate should be which clubs really belong in those platforms. I think the DA got it right and ECNL got it wrong for both boys and girls. Rockford Raptors in the boys ECNL? Steady now.
     
  12. Myxlplk

    Myxlplk Member

    Apr 10, 2019
    Now the real debate should be which clubs really belong in those platforms. I think the DA got it right and ECNL got it wrong for both boys and girls. Rockford Raptors in the boys ECNL? Steady now.[/QUOTE]

    Why do you think the ECNL got it wrong for the boys and girls?
     
  13. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Because Eclipse will not allow any club near them to have a ECNL status. If Inter, Galaxy and TC could do something together they would destroy Eclipse, Sockers and FCU. But that will never happen.
     
    Regista repped this.
  14. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IMO that club is run by some of the most dishonest people in this area.
     
  15. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    Something bad happened in the past with TC's relationship with Eclipse. Not sure what but a feeder scenario didn't play out.

    There are so many girls we know that will not play at Eclipse due to location and negative coaches. TC will do what they have to do with the older groups and offers a good alternative if PN is your cup of team.

    If not, relying on these top younger 07 teams to stay together and support a club like Evo or Galaxy's reputation with colleges will really depend on what the club offers the player. Not the other way around.
     
  16. GotSoccerIsDumb

    Fire
    United States
    May 30, 2019
    Why do you think the ECNL got it wrong for the boys and girls?[/QUOTE]

    On the girls side they would've been better off giving the second ECNL spot to someone like TC, who at least currently have a full slate of decent teams from U13-U19, instead of a second team for Eclipse. Eclipse OB I have no argument with. For boys they added Rockford Raptors. I don't think I need to elaborate on why that wasn't the right choice. +10 other clubs in Chicagoland would've been a better fit in terms of level of play.

    A second team for the girls and a boys club that's not only relatively weak but far enough away to not be a threat. Clearly the decisions aren't being made in the interest of the actual competition...
     
  17. GotSoccerIsDumb

    Fire
    United States
    May 30, 2019
    Agreed. All smoke and mirrors.
     
  18. Toe Poke

    Toe Poke Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Dec 11, 2018
    I agree with the above comments. Eclipse will do what it takes in the ECNL to eliminate competition on the girls side. The boys ECNL can’t touch the boys DA so I think Eclipse tries to maximize revenue and field enough teams.

    If Sockers continues their focus and recruits on the girls side then with the DA badge I think they will be the club to go to for many top tier girls. And I predict that if this forum continues and we do a page turn at 200 (although there is a lot of dialogue now so it may not take another 3 years) then we won’t be discussing Eclipse as being a top club for girls anymore.
     
  19. Toe Poke

    Toe Poke Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Dec 11, 2018
  20. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Would be nice but unlikely. Eclipse name is too big of a draw along with the platform they have monopolized. Also the Oak Brook location is going to always draw players from Hinsdale, LaGrange, Downers Grove, Elmhurst at a minimum. Without a top level option in the far west it also means some kids from Naperville likely will end up there instead of with Sockers.
     
  21. Ryan7852

    Ryan7852 Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Mar 24, 2019
    Agreed but maybe Eclipse already isn’t a top club for girls anymore- as in right now? The Lynch girl was at Eclipse and I believe the two Galaxy girls were as well?

    Eclipse had the best/national team (youth) caliber players in the State and they left? How does that happen. Maybe I’m missing something.

    Maybe we don’t need to wait til post 200. Maybe this is proof right here and now?
     
  22. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    They were back at eclipse this fall
     
  23. Ryan7852

    Ryan7852 Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Mar 24, 2019
    Well that answers that then. But why go to eclipse/galaxy/eclipse. Oh well, doesn’t matter.
     
  24. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    They have not been at the galaxy in a few years. Last spring they were listed on the sockers da but never played. They mainly train with the red stars.
     
  25. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I agree - stability and decent coaches will win the day for Sockers at the DA level. below that they are not much better then a Huntley Heat club. So it will all come down to recruiting.

    Eclipse will survive because of the name. But they will continue to go thin at many ages - especially in OB. Like I said before, they may get the 1-2 best players from Inter/TC/Galaxy but that's it. I think these clubs will retain more top players as a result of Eclipse's bad reputation.
     

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