Changing Landscapes - Chicagoland

Easy. Players leave or tryout and do not commit. It shouldn’t take them long to find a replacement. Just wait until Eclipse names a backup goalie at that age and I sure the problem will be solved. Obvisouly not a great situation but they only have up 1 goal to Nationals so some of the field players must be decent in net.

 

Apparently they don't have one in the club that they feel is the right level.

The rumors out of the Sockers camp are they've dumped resources into their GK department that they felt wasn't up to standard following Big Cat's move out west, and they're finally formalizing a player ID department in response to Fire snatching a number of their top players. If these are true then I'm sure they'll find one soon.

Looking at the early rounds of DA scores, looks like Sockers 17s and 19s girls DA are pretty solid. Unbeaten and picked up wins against Nationals sides that consisted of runners-up at last years DA championships. FCU looks to have the better younger teams, but with such a massive player pool at those middle school ages this is no surprise.

 

Nats are fine. Buddy has girl on team Kept best players home on 19s (incl top GK and 2 girls at GNT camp). Travelled with 11 and lost kid to injury during game. That being said, they underestimated Sockers.

 

It looks like in addition to GDA, they have a team in P1 at every girls age group and 2 teams in P1 for U17 and U18. Their 4th (or 5th?) U17 team lost 3-2 to Campton in MRL over the weekend and Campton was Illinois State cup runner up last year at that age group. Nationals appear very strong to me.

Anybody from Michigan read this (even though this is a Chicago thread)? I wonder what they think of Hawks vs Nationals? Nationals arguably performed better in GDA last year vs Hawks, but I am sure Hawks had some split talent with both GDA and ECNL teams.

 

Definitely not typical but eventually a keeper will find their way there

 

Been told that the NPL games are to be used as a developmental tool for the players across both ages who aren't playing as much in the DA games. That kids will play in specific positions or in a manner that could supplement their development...so basically a training tool. Not a bad idea. How better to replicate game scenarios than to use actual games against live opponents, and gives minutes to players in that 14-18 range in the depth chart. Saw DR himself coaching a girls NPL game a few weeks ago, so I doubt its just a f*ck off...

Not to mention it's two teams: one group of 04/05s playing at 2003, one group of 02/03 playing at 00/01. Can't be about results, as all their games are 0-3 forfeits, so no National Final. Since this conversation was about "loading teams", I'm not sure it actually applies.

 

Why are they forfeits?

 

The DA now allows their members to schedule external games as long as they're not in any formal competition or for a championship/title (i.e. State Cup, leagues or tournaments). Although they play in the NISL, in order to stay within the DA rules none of their games can count for points so essentially they're all friendlies. Opponent gets a free 3 points.

To be fair, both teams are blended ages playing up and consist mostly of non-starters in the DA, so it's not like their intent is to thrash everyone even tho its a friendly just to prove how good they are...

 

When I said it'd never happen it was in regards to the statement about loading teams on the local level to thrash everyone. If you look closely at the way they're using that NPL I don't think that's their intent...

I agree and disagree with the statement of girls soccer being of a lower level in Illinois. I think on the local level it definitely seems lower than ever because you have 2 DA's and 2 ECNL's (although its the same club). This means more players from 2006 and older aren't playing locally. The same could explain why the regional platforms seem lower as well.

I think there's a general lack of strong leadership in the girls clubs in Chicago. Too many people that want to isolate their club in different platforms, fall into routines and comfort zones, and stop evolving or innovating. On the flip side there's been some pop-ups who seem innovative and progressive but haven't really done anything noteworthy. Sadly there's still the snakes in the grass too...the ones that feed on misinformation. But from the usual top clubs who's really changed anything about their clubs methodology, philosophy, or operations? For the most part I see the same people running the same organizations the same way they did 10 years ago, meanwhile the rest of the Midwest (and country) are rapidly evolving. It's no wonder why other clubs in the region are passing us by...

 

Had a chat with a local coach, a guy I respect(ed). He talked about how his team got so much better and beat last years USYS National Champion Michigan Jaguars in MRL 4-0 or something. The fact is they played Michigan Jags second team since the first is now in DA. Now either he didn't realize this, or he assumed I didn't know any better and wanted to talk up his team/club.

Accomplishments aside, it brought me to some sad realizations:

1) There are still coaches out there that justify themselves or their team by who they beat. One game doesn't make a season, or put a kid into college or YNT. Show consistency in developing great players/teams and that will speak for itself. Create a program with a proven track record.

2) A coach, who has a fairly high regard, either didn't know the landscape or tried to use misinformation and oversell. I find it hard to believe that a coach at that level didn't know the competition. You can lie all you want to a parent but eventually the truth comes out and can permanently damage your reputation or that of your program.

When will girls soccer evolve??

 

Looks about right, although I'd switch DA with ECNL. Really outside of 4-5 clubs the ECNL doesn't have the overall quality. In the Midwest, they can take Eclipse Solar, Hawks Black, EGA, FCW, and SLSG IL and make a division of bang average teams. In the DA at least it's only Shattuck and CSA that aren't to the level.

 

Rumor has it that Eclipse tried to fold its ECNL u17B team, and place those girls into under-rostered u17B, and both u19 teams, and ECNL said 'no'. It does not look like that team has played any games this year, so not sure how Eclipse fixes that. Feel bad for those girls.

 

Said it in the beginning: Eclipse just made a player grab and prevented any competition in the ECNL by carrying second teams. Never in their history have they ever given a damn about their second teams.

 

Apparently people don't mind being "fillers", because FCU have a ton of teams outside their first teams...I think its just about creating an environment that people value so they don't feel like "fillers". FCU must be doing something right because they're lower teams are still doing ok in MRL, State Cup and whatnot.