They seem to be playing games or showcases every weekend . https://system.gotsport.com/org_event/events/16349/schedules?team=818650
I was talking to a fellow soccer Dad and was comparing the different fees for local clubs: Inter ECNL: $3000 Galaxy GA: $3150 Evolution: $4900 Sockers: ? FC United: ? Eclipse: ? Can anyone fill in the blanks?
Oh wow! I didn't realize that was a thing for that age group. I thought most high school age kids only play one season because of high school. I admittedly know very little about youth sports and soccer in general, which is how I ended up on this board to begin with, an effort to learn more. Most of the people who are on this board are obviously light years ahead of my knowledge base . My kid will be a freshman next year, but from what I've observed there is very little opportunity to participate in any club soccer function during the same time as high school is going on. The kids play/ practice 5 days a week and sometimes have non conference games on weekends against other really good competitive teams. I also understand ( again admittedly low knowledge base) that there are rules that only allow for 2 competitive soccer events outside high school. I guess even college id camps can potentially count as one of those, depending how they are structured.
Question - why are clubs hated so much for providing a 10 month program? There are very few that do that and everyone else provides the 7 month program that allows for high school. Even the clubs that provide a 10 month program have teams that only play 7 months. Shouldn’t it be the player’s decision? Yes, there are many reasons to play high school soccer, but there are also plenty of reasons not to. If your child is serious about D1, spring is the big season for coaches to come to events for recruiting. Makes it a little harder if your club team isn’t playing or attending. What if the school’s team is full of players that haven’t played before and playing could be not as fun/rewarding as club and/or a safety issue? There are lots of other ways to get involved in school for that “school” experience - other sports, clubs, the arts, etc. These kids should be afforded the ability to choose what they do. If that includes playing for club for 10 months and NOT playing high school, they should be allowed to do that, no questions! I have learned a lot from this site, but the biggest thing I have learned is there is no “one size fits all” process. Every story is unique and each player should have the ability to write their own chapter for high school, whether it be about playing club 100% of the time or club and high school.
“Every story is unique and each player should have the ability to write their own chapter for high school, whether it be about playing club 100% of the time or club and high school.” I agree with you overall. As a parent of an 8th grader whose 22 person roster has about 18 freshman, I sure wish they were allowed to do both ( try forfeiting a game when your kid is desperate to play ). Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the high school rules won’t allow for it…..even if the club does??
I think competition has forced these clubs’ hand. When Sockers and Eclipse were the only ones with a national platform they could force you to play 10 months until your senior season because they could cut you if you went to play high school and there would be plenty of players to take your spot. The tide in Illinois clearly has changed to girls wanting to play 4 years of high school and the clubs are adapting to remain competitive.
Can't speak specifically for Eclipse, but our ECNL fees up north are 2300. I'm guessing Eclipse is somewhere between us and Inter.
Heard eclipse is $4000 this year. Insane for no home base and likely worse coaches of any big club around.
Absolutely pathetic! https://theathletic.com/4492048/2023/05/05/craig-harrington-michelle-lomnicki-red-stars-nwsl/
Completely tone deaf but also not surprising from their leadership. Two with the reputation of complaining about everything to officials.
Non pay-walled versions of similar articles: https://apnews.com/article/red-stars-lomnicki-harrington-76ed068a823ab5cdb3a63c0898d51afa https://wgntv.com/sports/chicago-red-stars-fire-general-manager-michelle-lomnicki/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...d-coach-works-youth-club-affiliated-them.html
So it seems like the clubs should spring for a subscription to "The Athletic" and check there first, then check with USSF, then with SafeSport, before hiring...
I get that… but that is more of an issue that came out of switching to the birth year. It only lasts one season - the 8th grade spring - and only affects players that are younger in the year. I understand why IHSA has the rules they do. The high school season is very compact with a lot of practices and games in a short amount of time. Injuries are also prevalent. Imagine playing high school and club at the same time. That would be brutal on these girls’ bodies and mental state (always having to let a team down because of scheduling conflicts, pressure from both sides, when do they find time to be a kid and do the important stuff like study, etc). My point is, there are enough talented players out there that teams can be (and are) created out of players with like-minded ambitions/aspirations. For those who are selected for the 10 month program, they have a choice to make. They can choose the 10 month program or a 7 month that fits their needs. I do not think 10 month programs should go away. They are very important and necessary for some. Aren’t there a number of girls from Eclipse who chose to not play high school and play on a combined team for the spring? Good for them - and I think that speaks volumes as a number of they played high school last year, and played very well for their schools.
You bring up two major problems: First, practice two hours a day five days a week - especially under the tutelage of some math or social science is INSANE. And when it comes to the coaches who aren't teachers, it is even more insane because they should know better. Second, it's not just 8th grade. It is also senior year when half of your team is gone. The Birth Year Mandate did a lot of damage. Finally, there are other states that do just fine figuring out how to balance club and high school. It is only the arrogant shortsightedness and turf protection of the cowards who run high school sports that they actually exclude the very best players in the state and place laurels on the heads of fairly average kids who excel over fairly less than average kids.
Since the topic of HS compared to club is up. At the ECNL Super cup games this weekend. Super cup being H.S. aged girls playing club instead of HS. The two games at Chicago Inters complex this weekend had 16 college coaches there. Certainly not a huge number. But, I know that's something that the club kids really like. My kid is still on the fence for next year. But it was a cool little bonus for those kids who do choose club in spring.
I was at the Supercup games with Inter this weekend too. It wasn’t so much the quantity of coaches, but quality. 4 SEC coaches, 4 Big 10, 10 mid D1, 2 D2, 1 D3. A very nice turn out for a few local games. One of the coaches said, it’s amazing what those 4 letters will bring.
ECNL is expanding its ECRL into Chicago: https://www.ecnlboys.com/2023/05/ec...-development-of-national-competition-pyramid/
Strange alignment. Chicago Magic out of Highland Park will not be in the same league as Libertyville and Inter. Wisconsin Germantown is in a different conference as well. These leagues are such an after thought at times.
They talk about it almost as if they contemplate pro-rel ("five clubs eyeing a pathway toward consideration for ECNL Boys in the future"), but protecting the status quo teams (e.g. Magic). It would make more sense to just have them all in the same league, I think, but that damages the current teams I suppose. But maybe have pro-rel down the line?
Would have liked to see Raptors get only ECNL and Force get RL. That would make more sense out that way as it would allow both programs to grow.