DA and ECNL

Other than the starters without liberal substitution rules only 13 players would play 95% of the time. Your question is sort of like asking why anyone would play on a team that they aren’t a starter on. Personally I would rather have my kid come off the bench at Duke than be a starter at South Alabama.

I don't know where you get your figures from. That's not accurate based on 30+ games playing in GDA with the substitution rules. You are ignoring injuries, camps, kids that play other sports (including HS soccer), kids that observe religious days of the week, etc.. You still need about 15/16 kids on your roster, which may be too few. If you need a body in a pinch, call them up from your younger team.

You are right. I'm asking why anyone would play on a youth team that they aren’t a starter or at least right on very the cusp of the starters. You are suppose to be developing, getting better, and having fun. That's not happening for the girls who are 16+ on the roster. There are lots of teams at lots of levels in SoCal. Parents should be more realistic about the level their kids are playing at. It's a huge waste of money. We should stop calling them substitution rules.

Personally, college is about getting the best education you can get. Full stop. If you can use soccer to facilitate that, terrific. So if the choices are Duke or South Alabama, soccer wouldn't matter. It would be Duke regardless of whether she could even make the team.
 
I'm asking why anyone would play on a youth team that they aren’t a starter or at least right on very the cusp of the starters.
Here, you seem disconnected? Maybe a result of your player always being 1-11? Player development includes (among other things) the psychological component of learning to be a supportive, solid / good team mate when you aren't in the top 11.....even if you are #18 on a very competitive roster. Players that develop the ability to remain focused and keep a positive attitude in times when they aren't on the pitch are invaluable ... not to mention being able to come in 'off the bench' and create a spark for a team that needs it. It's not that simple @MarkM, player development is complex.
 
In a college showcase, the goal is to get the girls playing time in front of the colleges they are interested in, whenever that coach decides to show up. Some college coaches give club coaches warning, so a coach can plan ahead. Many do not.

Why would anyone think honoring an arbitrary substitution rule that does not reflect college rules is a good idea in a college showcase? Do these results matter?

I know what the goal of a college showcase is - we've been to more than enough. I don't care whether the substitution rule is a good idea at a college showcase. I wouldn't put my kid in that position to ever have to worry about that. The team roster size doesn't change for showcases vs. other games, so your missing the point. The kid is still on a bloated roster in which they are not playing much.
 
I don't know where you get your figures from. That's not accurate based on 30+ games playing in GDA with the substitution rules. You are ignoring injuries, camps, kids that play other sports (including HS soccer), kids that observe religious days of the week, etc.. You still need about 15/16 kids on your roster, which may be too few. If you need a body in a pinch, call them up from your younger team.

You are right. I'm asking why anyone would play on a youth team that they aren’t a starter or at least right on very the cusp of the starters. You are suppose to be developing, getting better, and having fun. That's not happening for the girls who are 16+ on the roster. There are lots of teams at lots of levels in SoCal. Parents should be more realistic about the level their kids are playing at. It's a huge waste of money. We should stop calling them substitution rules.

Personally, college is about getting the best education you can get. Full stop. If you can use soccer to facilitate that, terrific. So if the choices are Duke or South Alabama, soccer wouldn't matter. It would be Duke regardless of whether she could even make the team.
Almost every club team has kids that should be on a lower level team, at least in my experience.
It is painful to listen to some parents talk about how good their kid is, especially when they don't start and rarely play.
 
I don't know where you get your figures from. That's not accurate based on 30+ games playing in GDA with the substitution rules. You are ignoring injuries, camps, kids that play other sports (including HS soccer), kids that observe religious days of the week, etc.. You still need about 15/16 kids on your roster, which may be too few. If you need a body in a pinch, call them up from your younger team.

You are right. I'm asking why anyone would play on a youth team that they aren’t a starter or at least right on very the cusp of the starters. You are suppose to be developing, getting better, and having fun. That's not happening for the girls who are 16+ on the roster. There are lots of teams at lots of levels in SoCal. Parents should be more realistic about the level their kids are playing at. It's a huge waste of money. We should stop calling them substitution rules.

Personally, college is about getting the best education you can get. Full stop. If you can use soccer to facilitate that, terrific. So if the choices are Duke or South Alabama, soccer wouldn't matter. It would be Duke regardless of whether she could even make the team.


I am not ignoring extenuating circumstances I just am not RELYING on them. My assumption is that the games matter and you get 3 subs (non-friendly FIFA rules). Other than the girls senior year of high school they are going to show up for games or they won’t be on the team. Any less than 18 players for a standard US women’s soccer game is playing with fire. My daughter’s senior year several times they only had 12-14 players and it was tough. Heck my player missed more games her senior year then all the other years combined!

The bottom line is that 99.99% of the female players have college as their goal and for 90%+ they won’t even play in college and 97%+ won’t play Division 1. Why play by FIFA rules when not every club will even produce an international or pro player? Personally I think that GDA should be an elite program like ODP used to be if they are really trying to develop world class players then why intermingle the elite with the good?

We are in agreement when it comes to college, however, if a kid cares about actually playing in college that should be a consideration. Not to mention they have to want to go there. Offers from Stanford, Notre Dame and Harvard are meaningless if your kid wants to go to school locally. Good luck to you and your player.
 
I know what the goal of a college showcase is - we've been to more than enough. I don't care whether the substitution rule is a good idea at a college showcase. I wouldn't put my kid in that position to ever have to worry about that. The team roster size doesn't change for showcases vs. other games, so your missing the point. The kid is still on a bloated roster in which they are not playing much.
No, you are defending a position that would imply that no kid join a roster with over 15 players. Development happens in practice more than games, even the GDA recognizes that. So I want my kid challenged every day they play, even if that challenge is earning playing time come game days. And I have never seen a top level coach or team in any league above U12 feel substitution rules required they play a kid who has not earned playing time.

But a college showcase is different. If you have been to many, you know that kids may only get a few minutes to impress a coach or grab their attention. So a system/league that suppports the players true development, into a college athlete, would facilitate that with liberal substitution rules when appropriate.
 
No, you are defending a position that would imply that no kid join a roster with over 15 players. Development happens in practice more than games, even the GDA recognizes that. So I want my kid challenged every day they play, even if that challenge is earning playing time come game days. And I have never seen a top level coach or team in any league above U12 feel substitution rules required they play a kid who has not earned playing time.

But a college showcase is different. If you have been to many, you know that kids may only get a few minutes to impress a coach or grab their attention. So a system/league that suppports the players true development, into a college athlete, would facilitate that with liberal substitution rules when appropriate.

Don't really disagree, except "earned playing timing."

Tactically, many "top" coaches and teams bring these bench players in to press hard for 20 minutes. That's an effective strategy. I'm not sure if that is earning playing timing. It's certainly terrible soccer that develops no one. I'm guessing you have seen the Blues play, so you know what I'm talking about.
 
Here, you seem disconnected? Maybe a result of your player always being 1-11? Player development includes (among other things) the psychological component of learning to be a supportive, solid / good team mate when you aren't in the top 11.....even if you are #18 on a very competitive roster. Players that develop the ability to remain focused and keep a positive attitude in times when they aren't on the pitch are invaluable ... not to mention being able to come in 'off the bench' and create a spark for a team that needs it. It's not that simple @MarkM, player development is complex.
At this stage the focus should be developing your player as a player not a watcher. There is no substitution for playing time when it comes to development. The things you mentioned above shouldnt be the primary focus at this stage in their development (or really ever for that matter). Unless you’re focus is developing your player to be the best bench player she can be. Find a team where she can play and is still be challenged. That is the balance you want.
 
Silverlakes DA va ECNL competition. What everyone has been wanting.
A season removed now, I would think rosters have changed up on the old ECNL turned GDA teams enough to make it a legit 'GDA v ECNL' couple of games? There may even be some appetite for making a bracket specifically for this type of competition on an annual basis at Silverlakes? (Keep the GDA only bracket at Surf and carve out a niche for an expanded bracket) New season brings roster changes so may be a little less shiny versus taking the top NC trophy winners in each age bracket and placing them against one another immediately following the season for a 'true(r)' national champion.....but that's probably too much to ask.........??
 
I am noticing around the country ECNL clubs are aligning themselves with USL teams and calling themselves affiliates. What does ECNL have up their sleeves next?
 
A season removed now, I would think rosters have changed up on the old ECNL turned GDA teams enough to make it a legit 'GDA v ECNL' couple of games? There may even be some appetite for making a bracket specifically for this type of competition on an annual basis at Silverlakes? (Keep the GDA only bracket at Surf and carve out a niche for an expanded bracket) New season brings roster changes so may be a little less shiny versus taking the top NC trophy winners in each age bracket and placing them against one another immediately following the season for a 'true(r)' national champion.....but that's probably too much to ask.........??[/Q
Silverlakes DA va ECNL competition. What everyone has been wanting.
Definitely not "there"!
 
I am noticing around the country ECNL clubs are aligning themselves with USL teams and calling themselves affiliates. What does ECNL have up their sleeves next?
Anybody notice that a non USSDA team is playing in the u19 bracket at Surf - SoCal Academy G2000 Chavez. They have been CSL premier champions for 3 years straight and were NC runner up to Legends South this past spring. So far they have beaten both So Cal Blues and Real So Cal! It does show you that a really good coach and a team that sticks together can be competitive. Sure DA teams will get the exposure and over the long run attract and develop the best players but if the coach of a smaller club team is strong at developing players, well respected and connected to colleges it can still be an alternative to the ultra commitment (and expense) of DA and not mean college soccer is out of reach. I know that this team just graduated 3 girls who are going to college and 8 of the current roster are committed at D1 through D3 level. This could have easily been Legends South with Coach Lawler or CDA Slammers Elite. Both at Frisco this week representing CalSouth in the national finals.
 
Anybody notice that a non USSDA team is playing in the u19 bracket at Surf - SoCal Academy G2000 Chavez. They have been CSL premier champions for 3 years straight and were NC runner up to Legends South this past spring. So far they have beaten both So Cal Blues and Real So Cal! It does show you that a really good coach and a team that sticks together can be competitive. Sure DA teams will get the exposure and over the long run attract and develop the best players but if the coach of a smaller club team is strong at developing players, well respected and connected to colleges it can still be an alternative to the ultra commitment (and expense) of DA and not mean college soccer is out of reach. I know that this team just graduated 3 girls who are going to college and 8 of the current roster are committed at D1 through D3 level. This could have easily been Legends South with Coach Lawler or CDA Slammers Elite. Both at Frisco this week representing CalSouth in the national finals.

That team has been a winning team since U14. Not sure I would say 'really' good coach - reminds me way too much of a Baker and teaches the same tactics. It does work for U.S. girls club soccer though so hats off to them.
 
That team has been a winning team since U14. Not sure I would say 'really' good coach - reminds me way too much of a Baker and teaches the same tactics. It does work for U.S. girls club soccer though so hats off to them.

Utter garbage. The So Cal Chavez G2000s play very good soccer. In the 2018 National Cup final they played, Legends just slammed it forward the entire game and used long throws, very little possession. Maybe you're mixing them up with what Baker does.

I don't have horse in this race, but time and time again I see various teams talked about and it's almost all negative. Trolling they call it. Rather than argue, I'll simply post an unedited link to the game I saw them recently play where they lost in OT. Everyone can watch for themselves and see if This So Cal G2000s use the same tactics, it's very obvious they do not...

 
That team has been a winning team since U14. Not sure I would say 'really' good coach - reminds me way too much of a Baker and teaches the same tactics. It does work for U.S. girls club soccer though so hats off to them.
There are lots of different style of coaching - Pep, Klopp and Mourinho all have different styles that they prefer, each would be called a great coach. I am sure a lot of people on this board would jump at a chance to play on the Baker Blues team with their success and college recruiting record. I was not really saying anything about the SoCal team specifically more about the fact that there are some very competitive non-DA teams out there.

And finally isn’t success at girls club soccer what this is all about and a chance to play in college for those who are good enough. For the 0.01% who are on national track then DA is the option. Not all our DD’s are on that track so a good, healthy and competitive environment for their level is the key.
 
If it's true that ECNL pulled the rug out from under them, and that's what they are saying to parents, then I can sympathize with the club. But if ECNL yanked away their membership and then Surf is trying to sell DPL as a better product, then I would be taking my kids' talents to "south beach" ... along with a full refund!
If ECNL pulled the rug out from under Surf, then one of their former coaches is a mind reader. Come on Surf homers spill this weeks events.
 
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