The ECNL "All In Thread"

Despite what Real Colorado leadership says, they were playing their "B" teams in ECNL. They also weren't really competitive in that league (no teams made the playoffs for two straight years). So, I'm not sure if they told ECNL to "pound sand" or if ECNL said, "if you're going to play B teams, you need to be competitive or you're dropped."

 

Real Colorado announced they are going ECNL on the girl's side next year with two teams at each age group. They want to provide national exposure to more girls, and DPL didn't do that. This means four ECNL teams in Colorado and one DA within 1.5 hours of each other. I'm not sure the "elite" player pool is large enough to sustain this amount of teams.

https://realcolorado.net/real-color...JF7XTdOcKe9N3ZoltrEa6hhjVjPM21ZxxJuktDw03lrOc

 

Arguably a top ten girls club. Big win for ECNL... and GDA gets played again.

Flip back one page on this thread to see what Real's DOC was saying less than a year ago when facing a decision to pick one league over the other. You have to figure this was his plan all along, a plan previously executed by several clubs who had seats on ECNL's board.

So, GDA has won SoCal and Texas, but their dog doesn't seem to hunt anywhere else. TopHat has seen the playbook, are they next?

-------
SA: So what do you think will happen next season (2019-20)?

LORNE DONALDSON: I don’t know yet for sure if we’re going to be in both. Three or four days ago, I told them if we come to the ECNL, we want two teams [in each age group]. They have to go and discuss it.

SA: Because if you leave the Girls DA, about half the Real Colorado players who now play in the Girls DA and ECNL will no longer be playing in one of the nation’s elite girls leagues?

LORNE DONALDSON: Yes. If we're only going to play ECNL, we can’t just take one team. It doesn’t make any sense. We would like to see both teams in if we’re going to do it. We have the environment to do it. But that’s a discussion with the ECNL.

SA: And if it comes down to making a choice between the two?

LORNE DONALDSON: Then most likely we would stay in the DA. We will lose our ECNL group.

SA: As it is now, for the last two seasons, how is it decided which Real Colorado girls play in the DA and which play in the ECNL?

LORNE DONALDSON: I’m not going to try to sugarcoat. Most of the better players wanted to play in the DA. But there are some very good players, and a few top players, who decided they wanted to play ECNL because they wanted to also play for their high school.

And there are DA players who still want to play high school. They still talk about it and they want to play.

[Editor’s note: U.S. Soccer does not allow DA players to play high school soccer.]
-------
So what drove this?
A. USSF rigid rules rubbed the club the wrong way
B. Enough players wanted to play high school that ECNL made more sense
C. ECNL structure makes it easier for club to increase profits
D. All of the above

 

Not following you...?

 

Gotcha. LAFC Slammers (ECNL) for sure a top club, but SoCal GDA is quite good and on the whole higher quality than ECNL. Texas too. Both areas seem kind of locked into DA with tie-in to their DPL leagues. That can't really be said for any other part of the country.

This only turns into a tsunami if Solar(TX) and/or TopHat(GA) follow suit getting two teams in ECNL.

 

Would be great if someone with knowledge could answer the question:

So what drove this?
A. USSF rigid rules rubbed the club the wrong way
B. Enough players wanted to play high school that ECNL made more sense
C. ECNL structure makes it easier for club to increase profits
D. All of the above

 

Realistically it has to be C. Without being from Colorado I have never heard of any friction between Real Colorado and USSF. There is always some truth behind of the players wanting to play high school, but they are fielding Top Quality teams regardless of that.

What it boils down to is they are getting Two ECNL "A' teams per age out of this. I believe this is the first Non- Board of Directors club that is being allowed two teams. Two teams = Double the rosters at the top level. Additionally they will have the option to drop training down to less than 4 days a week as there are no ECNL training regulations.

 

Here to provide a different perspective. Being from a small insignificant state really close to Texas and having a child play for a DA Frontier Conf team, this ecnl and da war is awful. We have to go the way of NTX or our travel is insane.
This is what has happened here:
1. ECNL club in our state has used ECNL to recruit while denying any other club in our great state entrance. This led to daily travel to (about 3 hours per day) or travel to a ntx team.
2. When DA came we had an option. ENCL club got upset and then expanded in out state to a level just above rec. We went from 1 team at each age to two clubs two teams each. ECNL was the second tier in this region if not third.
3. Girls in DA started to show signs of improving but Solar, FCD Texans, Lonestar and Real Co make it hard to make an immediate impact. But girls bought in and the state came together;
4. Now, NTX pulls a power play and our DA conference next year will be riddled with plane travel. Or you can move back to ENCL and play 100 tourneys in an attempt to reach solar or fcd da level of play.
The result of this in our little state is this:
1. Clubs hold grudges against those who are not very special players. Our older girls da are comprised of girls who have played ECNL, SRPL and DA (some played for all at the same time in ntx and OK) and are now having to ask themselves what now. ENCL again?
What is very apparent is that most of these kids stay the same only the colors and coaches change. But is has taken a toll of the kids and parents.
For the most part in girls soccer, athletic ability and speed separates these kids at younger ages. Unless you are SoCal or NTX, there is a limit to the truly elite players. Sure parents argue that their pumpkin is great but GDA in this region made it easy. Player for player, if your kid could keep up they were physically talented enough to play at a high level.
Now clubs politics punish some kids, parents are not willing to travel to 2 hours each way for practice and the kids, well they are still the best athletes around and many girls are debating whether all of this is worth it. Most have college options already, some have quit GDA and are killing it in track, cross country, basketball etc... and seem to be gaining attention in other sports from colleges.
However, without a pathway for the younger kids to play quality soccer consistently, I fear that most of the talented players here will see our state and youth soccer for what it is and use their ability in another sport. Afterall, GDA made a mistake prohibiting other spots and HS soccer and what we all know is that the high level soccer players are high level athletes and can play any sport at a high level.
These kids are smart and they don't care if dad believes their league if elite. They know who they play and who they don't.
Just another question that many parents don't ask so I thought I will:
Has anyone pondered what happens when a bunch of GDA players who lost a league return to USYS soccer? Alot of parents that trashed DA for ruining suzie's team by taking the two players are going to understand that suzie and the rest of her team is now cut or playing rec?
All players and athletes are not equal and to pretend otherwise is foolish.

 

Real and Texans both pulled out of the Frontier division to go ECNL. There are rumors on Solar by both sides, and it sounds likely that Omaha will leave DA. Their 17s just quit in the middle of the season. The DA announced clubs for next year, and they are not adding any new GDA clubs.

 

...which coincides with the start of the high school season in NE.

Amen brother. Thanks for taking the time to post.

Although the hs angle wasn't the thrust of your detailed post (which provides a valuable perspective from your part of the country!), it does re-enforce that the pull of high school sports for girls in the U.S. is strong. GDA ignoring that and thinking their offering, especially with its restrictions against high school play, would just make ECNL (even with its own failings) go away was foolish, and has ended up being extremely destructive to so many kids who just want to play at a high level and find a path to play in college.

The travel that you had to endure when ECNL was the only option, just gets worse with the introduction of another "elite" nation-wide league. We have to re-think this insane travel these leagues require. It's just not necessary for 98% of the kids and families involved in these 'elite' leagues. Let the unicorns move to Bradenton, FL and have at it if that's your dream. Don't force the other 98% to fly all over the place to play meaningless games.

 

FYI Solar is attempting to have both and after some players left FCD they arguably have three of the finest players in the country on one team. USSSF needs to rethink NT call ups being DA only or Solar is going to test those waters and move those players to the ECNL side. As we all know, they will pick the best player if she comes from a rec or Y team. Lonestar and Dash are moving boys DA to MLS Academy which is going to cause a problem with USSSF. The main issue I hear of is that FCD pays for all travel via the MLS team (even GDA) and uses MLS facilities Solar and Texans resent FCD for that and asked USSSF for help. No help and know Dash and Lonestar are going to the same model for boys. I get it. MLS wants to have its own academy. But why wreck GDA. Of course I speak as a guy whose daughter has no option but DA but Solar, Real CO FCD and Legends had top notch talent that I cant believe will be on the same field if ECNL has 6 teams in Co or OK.
Omaha needs to leave but honestly there are no other candidates in our area for ECNL or DA.
If Solar and Texans start putting out 2 teams as top tier, we need to change scoring in soccer to dance competition scoring. Instead of 1-0 in a DA game, we can have a diamond division match where FCD scores a double ruby and OK Energy scores a gold high point. That way everyone feels special and is the best. But All I wan to know if what the score of the game was and the ages of the kids. I guess Im old fashioned

 

Regarding athletes, I think in OK and NTX the main reason for GDA causing problems with the HS prohibition is that not one girl in DA was choosen for skill or soccer IQ. They have been selected bc of physical superiority and speed. So they seek athletes. Then tell the same kids they praised for athletic ability that they cannot play other sports because they will fall behind. We have three girls that took medical leave from DA to play other sports. All three incredible athletes at any sport. They will be the best when they return which and the kids see through the nonsense.
Of course, the girls being called up to YNT tryouts from our club also have been offered D1 basketball, track etc... and while I believe that coaching and environment is important, sometimes a really good soccer player is good at ping pong, swimming or anything else they choose. Any sometimes, ping pong and is more fun because adults are not trying to readjust their eyeballs and define rules to alter to what is and is not good.

 

NC Courage and UFA announced they are leaving DA for ECNL. My DD is a sophomore playing DA. I can only hope there is a strong GDA to get her through the next two years. She has no interest in 4A high school soccer.
https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/nc-courage-and-ufa-join-ecnl_aid47854

 

She has no interest or you have no interest?

 

Wow. Lavers must smell blood in the water. NC Courage is a legit club, and UFA leaving puts Tophat in Atlanta looking very lonely with just a handful of crap clubs very far away in Florida to play.

GDA will be in full death spiral phase if TH or Solar jump. Nationals (GDA midwest) must be looking at their contract with ussf and wondering if they should jump.

More and more GDA clubs are looking at deteriorating competition and worsening travel schedules at a very bad time.

Time running out for USSF to write GDA's obituary in any way other than abject failure. Look for them to use the current crisis as a way to bow out.

 

She doesn't like the coach at her school for starters. High school soccer isn't as strong in our state as it is in many others, and the competition just isn't very strong. Also, we moved to the area last year so she doesn't have the deep-seated school rivalry thing that many kids that grew up an area may have.

 

I have seen overwhelmingly more parental pressure to not play DA/GDA and play high school than parents pressuring to play DA/GDA and not play high school. Parents want their child's name in the local papers from high school soccer.

 

There is definitely some truth in what you say, but I've also seen examples of parents steering their kids into GDA programs (or ECNL for that matter) so at the next cocktail party they can explain to their friends and colleagues just how elite their kid is. Not a lot of broken down cars in either parking lot.

 

This is only the third season of GDA. Since most kids commit early, it is likely too soon to get an accurate count.