DA QUICK QUESTION

[MarkM]

If it wasn't posted already, here is the final conference break down for next season. 71 clubs are included, after 79 were announced over the last few months. http://www.ussoccerda.com/girls-academy-club-directory

A few observations about player movement - these may be obvious:

(1) Top girls are leaving ECNL only clubs to move to either DA/ECNL or DA clubs. Girls are not leaving DA clubs for ECNL only clubs. I'm sure that some top girls will stay, but the teams will definitely be much, much weaker. High school soccer doesn't seem like it a major sticking point, but that may change once the girls enter high school next year.

(2) Because of the geographic spread of the DA clubs, girls may leave their current DA/ECNL to move back to a closer DA only club. So, if you started at Beach because it was your local club, but felt compelled to move to an ECNL club for the competition, why not move back to Beach? The geographic spread might be the best part of DA.

(3) The second tier DA league looks like an attempt by US Soccer to put a death nail in ECNL. Who knows if it will work, but it does make sense. If the point is truly to develop players, expanding the player base through a second league will help.

(4) Good clubs will exist outside of DA. We need them to be good to keep the DA system honest.

 

[younothat]

If it wasn't posted already, here is the final conference break down for next season. 71 clubs are included, after 79 were announced over the last few months. http://www.ussoccerda.com/girls-academy-club-directory

A few observations about player movement - these may be obvious:

(1) Top girls are leaving ECNL only clubs to move to either DA/ECNL or DA clubs. Girls are not leaving DA clubs for ECNL only clubs. I'm sure that some top girls will stay, but the teams will definitely be much, much weaker. High school soccer doesn't seem like it a major sticking point, but that may change once the girls enter high school next year.

(2) Because of the geographic spread of the DA clubs, girls may leave their current DA/ECNL to move back to a closer DA only club. So, if you started at Beach because it was your local club, but felt compelled to move to an ECNL club for the competition, why not move back to Beach? The geographic spread might be the best part of DA.

(3) The second tier DA league looks like an attempt by US Soccer to put a death nail in ECNL. Who knows if it will work, but it does make sense. If the point is truly to develop players, expanding the player base through a second league will help.

(4) Good clubs will exist outside of DA. We need them to be good to keep the DA system honest.

Always nice to have more local play so the geographic spread helps, the travel for DA is lighter vs ECNL so that's a another positive.

Still very early and the movement really hasn't happen much yet, after st/nt cups, tryouts, after May will know more.

HS play is important for a certain group of players and some of those will likely stay with ECNL because they want to finish out their junior/senior years.

DA took 10 years to get where it is for the boys, ECNL is going great after 7 years and they will be a good option for those looking for college opportunities going forward IMO.

The proposed "reserve league" is with usclub soccer not ussda so what's the difference between any of the other leagues; CSl, SCDSL, Etc and this one? If players movement between the leagues is the same as it now? what's the point? 8-12 teams playing against each other only? Do we really need a another league or is this just a "Sell" job to make the "reserve" teams feel better about paying to play?

I'm in favor of reserve teams but if you can't club pass players and they are in different leagues, only having DP restricted slots (current in DA) doesn't really work all the well without some more changes.

Long way to go since DA registration happens mid-to-late august, spring tournments, into the summer, players will be coming and going to the last minute in most cases.