ECNL SW Division 2021-22

For the couple clubs this may apply to they also have teams in other leagues like the NPL's, socal disco, etc so which is there first teams? In EA or those other leagues.

LAFC doesn't have 2nd teams yet, so it's either for ages that don't play in MLS-NEXT or just the affiliated Socal Youth players.

Galaxy don't know yet but they normally don't have 2nd teams either so what will they actually enter in a EA league? U11, 12 or something?
I'm pretty sure that LAFC and LA Galaxy only participate in EAL for their age groups that are before the start of MLS Next at U13. So, it's just U11 and/or U12 assuming they continue to have those ages. That's why at those age groups, you'll be getting Galaxy and LAFC's top teams in EAL, which may be an attraction for some.

And, as far as I know, LAFC So Cal Youth (f/k/a as Real SoCal) is just a normal monetary/jersey affiliation with the standard claim of coaching clinics/training opportunities etc. The Socal Youth players are part of a separate club that does Boys ECNL/ECRL. LAFC could recruit a player from Socal Youth to join their pre-MLS Next league EAL team, but they didn't need the affiliation to do that.
 
What makes EAL a little different than Boys ECRL is that some of the EAL clubs are the top team at their club because they have no MLS Next team at their club. I didn't follow the league too closely in the Spring, but my recollection is that the non-affiliated EAL teams were some of the strongest teams in the league. In U15 (2006) last year, for example, I think Liverpool and Laguna United, neither of which has Boys ECNL or MLS Next, finished first and second (and Santa Monica Surf finished third and that's also the top team in the age group at the club, although I guess they theoretically have an affiliation with both ECNL and MLS Next clubs through Surf). EAL picked up Riverside City FC (now Albion Riverside) as a new club for this year, whose 2006 team was a strong Premier team last year in CSL (finished 3rd out of 11), and I expect Riverside's main recruiting area is too far to be considered a feeder for Albion's MLS Next team even if the affiliation is more than in name only. As far as I know, in the SW there are no stand-alone Boys ECRL teams without ECNL teams at the same club (no Beach or Legends situation like in Girls ECNL last year).
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I should have added that at the younger, pre-MLS Next, age groups, EAL also has the LA Galaxy and LAFC teams, which is obviously a different kind of draw than ECNL/ECRL/Socal/CSL can provide
ECNL is slowly dying down that’s all I’m saying. The college recognition will be high on EAL this year and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
 
ECNL is slowly dying down that’s all I’m saying. The college recognition will be high on EAL this year and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
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How so? At the Boys ECNL National Playoffs in July, there was a lot of college coaches scouting. I gave out team flyers to at least 60 of them. Big, middle and small schools. I read similar numbers at Girls ECNL National Playoffs as well.

Also, the other caveat with MLS Next / EAL ... at least from what I told by members of my sons former club that is in MLS Next and EAL... the teams are separate (meaning they have a dedicated MLS Next group and dedicated EAL group). But they also have a group of players that, per what they say and I rarely believe my son's former teams DOC, are transition players. Meaning one week they could suit of up for MLS Next squad and others for EAL squad. Like a minor leagues to pull up from for various reasons that weren't really noted. I stand firm and believe that is a bunch of hooey spit by that DOC to "attract" players... cause the previous year we were in ECNL and ECRL with the same caveat. You know how many times ECRL players got pulled up to ECNL... yeah, zero times.

also, MLS Next players are forbidden to play high school soccer if thats what your son wants, kind of a deal breaker. Especially considering if your son plays at a high level HS team like Loyola, Cathedral, Birmingham, et al.
 
ECNL is slowly dying down that’s all I’m saying. The college recognition will be high on EAL this year and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.


How so? At the Boys ECNL National Playoffs in July, there was a lot of college coaches scouting. I gave out team flyers to at least 60 of them. Big, middle and small schools. I read similar numbers at Girls ECNL National Playoffs as well.

Also, the other caveat with MLS Next / EAL ... at least from what I told by members of my sons former club that is in MLS Next and EAL... the teams are separate (meaning they have a dedicated MLS Next group and dedicated EAL group). But they also have a group of players that, per what they say and I rarely believe my son's former teams DOC, are transition players. Meaning one week they could suit of up for MLS Next squad and others for EAL squad. Like a minor leagues to pull up from for various reasons that weren't really noted. I stand firm and believe that is a bunch of hooey spit by that DOC to "attract" players... cause the previous year we were in ECNL and ECRL with the same caveat. You know how many times ECRL players got pulled up to ECNL... yeah, zero times.

also, MLS Next players are forbidden to play high school soccer if thats what your son wants, kind of a deal breaker. Especially considering if your son plays at a high level HS team like Loyola, Cathedral, Birmingham, et al.

Get your drift but there are caveats.

Yes you can play MLS-NEXT and HS at least this past it was workable. You can get a NEXT wavier and we know several players that did that. Of course the HS and club coaches either have to tolerate it or accommodate, some will and some will tell you straight out nope.

ECxx is much more accommodating to HS play with a built in break during most of the HS season. It's pretty easy to use players between ECRL & ECNL if they are dual rostered but limited application due to number of roster spots and different coaches among teams sometime. With that said we know some that moved between the two and a couple that opted to say ECRL after due to playing HS concurrent and the travel or practice demands that ECNL can present.

MLS-NEXT and EA are two separate leagues that don't share registration, governing bodies, cards or anything so it's more costly & complex to move players around although dual registration is a possibility.
 
What's the deal with all the Slammers versions? Will there be only 1 Slammers team? When you go to their page, it looks like there's a Slammers FC ECNL, a CDA Slammers ECNL, and a "HB Coge Slammers" ECNL teams.
 
What's the deal with all the Slammers versions? Will there be only 1 Slammers team? When you go to their page, it looks like there's a Slammers FC ECNL, a CDA Slammers ECNL, and a "HB Coge Slammers" ECNL teams.
On the boys side its only Slammers ECNL for now. The girls side has the Slammers HB Koge ECNL and Slammers ECNL teams.
 
When are we getting the ECNL schedules.... I wish they would release at least some of it...first few weeks would be nice. Those should be ready... sigh
 
When are we getting the ECNL schedules.... I wish they would release at least some of it...first few weeks would be nice. Those should be ready... sigh
I agree .. I know it’s harder to line everything up when you aren’t going to Norco every weekend… it should have been published by now…
 
Check with your team manager for the tentative schedules.

Games start 9/11, the league has north & south divisions this season.

The north division is like a regional league now with just the LV heat being out of area.

South with Phoenix, Arizona Arsenal, Tuscon is going to have more travel.

Don't have a player in this league but normally keep up due to services that a company Im associated with provides.
 
Check with your team manager for the tentative schedules.

Games start 9/11, the league has north & south divisions this season.

The north division is like a regional league now with just the LV heat being out of area.

South with Phoenix, Arizona Arsenal, Tuscon is going to have more travel.

Don't have a player in this league but normally keep up due to services that a company Im associated with provides.

Yep, saw the North and South divisions on the mobile device app. I believe the schedule will be 2 versus same division and probably 1 crossover game. I do know our first match is against Slammers (crossover as we are in North).

and we do have one Arizona trip.... to play 2 of 3 Az squads with other coming to CA I would imagine.
 
...

Also, the other caveat with MLS Next / EAL ... at least from what I told by members of my sons former club that is in MLS Next and EAL... the teams are separate (meaning they have a dedicated MLS Next group and dedicated EAL group). But they also have a group of players that, per what they say and I rarely believe my son's former teams DOC, are transition players. Meaning one week they could suit of up for MLS Next squad and others for EAL squad. Like a minor leagues to pull up from for various reasons that weren't really noted. I stand firm and believe that is a bunch of hooey spit by that DOC to "attract" players... cause the previous year we were in ECNL and ECRL with the same caveat. You know how many times ECRL players got pulled up to ECNL... yeah, zero times.

Each club decides how to handle it, but my kid is one of those "transition" players. He trains with both teams each week, but is mostly EA. No, he usually isn't called up, but he once scored a game winner for Next and definitely holds his own in training. And he has half of his team's goals in EA, which checks out. He gets to play HS, which exposes him to three distinct levels of play, ensuring he learns how to contribute in a lead or supporting role. I was skeptical, but in our case he is thriving because he gets tons of game minutes and is challenged both upstream and down. But it's probably not always that way, I concur. Good luck.
 
Any news if ECNL is expanding and/or losing teams this year to MLSNEXT?

I think Conferences were published around this time last year
 
Any news if ECNL is expanding and/or losing teams this year to MLSNEXT?

I think Conferences were published around this time last year
Last I heard SD SURF, LEGENDS, and PATS are joining MLS NEXT. Just a rumor I heard... FC GOLDEN STATE TOOOO
 
Last I heard SD SURF, LEGENDS, and PATS are joining MLS NEXT. Just a rumor I heard... FC GOLDEN STATE TOOOO
I heard the same thing here. It only makes sense that the 4 teams that originally were part of the DA would want to compete again with the MLS teams. For what I have seen in the U15 and U17 it looks that only the SD Surf can challenge LAFC for first place in the conference. The other 3 might end up in the top 10 along with Galaxy, Strikers, Chula Vista and ???
 
I heard the same thing here. It only makes sense that the 4 teams that originally were part of the DA would want to compete again with the MLS teams. For what I have seen in the U15 and U17 it looks that only the SD Surf can challenge LAFC for first place in the conference. The other 3 might end up in the top 10 along with Galaxy, Strikers, Chula Vista and ???

One of the two FC Golden State are going to MLS next..I think the East part of the club. Have heard the Surf, Pats rumor. Have not heard Legends but have heard LAFC Socal youth as possible. The issue is what happens with the girls sides of the club if they defect?
 
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