They don't kick out necessarily to make room... however, if you aren't showing a level of success commensurate with their requirements they will drop you. That's how it used to work anyway.
GA Showcases
- Thread starter VegasParent
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futboldad1
PREMIER
Very unlikely.... based on performance stats, Arsenal and Sharks would both be at risk in the SW but I think it's highly unlikely ECNL kicks out underperforming clubs like that...... if Beach and Legends get added in 12 months they will likely just split to two conferences like the NW, easy to do as I don't see what the low performing ex-DA clubs would add except dilution.....
Spot on! About as simple an explanation as it gets. I would say the GDA clubs sold the access, the Federation needed access to continue to build a pipeline and wanted a codified way to influence clubs to develop talent that is compatible with philosophy from the ground up - the need is real. Some GDA clubs were compliant with curriculum, many were not. It was destined to fail without full buy in. Some clubs abused the GDA label and used it as a money grab. And of course, parents.
It works in many, many countries, we just don't have futbol patience, we want instant gratification. Takes more than 10 years to build a national youth program. Look at the actual Talent ID staffers on the girls side, mostly former foreign players. Their perspective is different. I surely do not have a recommendation for what the right answer is. Maybe there isn't one. We don't really care about soccer unless it's the olympics or the world cup. MLS does well but will never compare to traditional sports.
The YNT pathway is soooo narrow, at least a great byproduct was college. Every parent thinks their kid should be on the YNT pathway, most will not set foot on the pathway.
If your child is good, your club coach has a relationship with college coaches, and you have access to showcases, then you are in good shape. Pay the dollars for ECNL and now GA to help, or not. It's good to have choices. YNTs are an entirely different commitment for parents and kids and that is clearly laid out and emphasized at every camp/ID center, etc.
The women's side will continue to chug along even though the rest of the world is starting to catch up a bit. The men's side is a disaster, proof is in the record.
I've spent way too much time on here today (LOL), I should at least get some work done.
Golazo
BRONZE
It appears at least one of these former DA clubs will be putting their former DA teams in the GA league and their previous DPL teams in ECRL. Possibly more will follow suit. The question is whether the GA teams (former DA teams) will retain players and if those teams will recruit well enough to be as competitive in the coming season as they once were. The amount of movement from DA to ECNL in SoCal suggests otherwise.
Surf Zombie
GOLD
Which club is going that route?
RJonesUSC
SILVER
I know one that is doing the same thing...most likely.
WC I am guessing by a tryout post I saw for a GA team was a former DA team and coach previous year
They left off quite a few others. Teams in top leagues that had teams in the bottom half frequently had very close games with a difference of one goal determining outcome. Those teams usually dominated teams at the showcases from other leagues. There was a lot of politics going on.
futboldad1
PREMIER
one who struggled in GDA and has realized they have no shot at dominating ECRL and therefore getting ECNL.... so WC or Pats......
OC surf/WC certainly struggled, Pats on the other hand hung tough, always competitive. They played very well building out of the back, just always had trouble finishing. They always stayed true to their style. Coaches love that. Finishing can be worked on. Always interesting to look at individual team goal differential. Records don't always tell the whole story - The Pats are a solid club and would do well in either ECNL or the GA. If their top team played in ECRL, I don't think they would have much of a problem. I would put them towards the top. They held their own across the age groups against the top socal teams in the DA who are now in ECNL. We will see which way they truly lean. I don't have any insider information on any team but I would guess they want to play the best competition available, for the sake of their players that are in the recruiting cycle. What happens after a year to two is anyone's guess.
The idea that the GA is a second rate league filled with also rans is pretty silly. Until a comprehensive/consolidated approach can be figured out for youth soccer, there is room for two leagues who claim to be the best at what they do. We will leave it up to the parents to argue or advocate for their league. Both leagues are happy to take our money and college coaches will continue to recruit (we hope).
It would be nice for the leagues to meet on the pitch every once in a while to add fuel to the fire.
SoccerLocker
SILVER ELITE
Seems as if it was considered an inferior product you would see the USYNT players whose clubs went GA leaving in droves for ECNL. Haven't seen that happen yet.
Pats 04 team is very good. I liked talking with their coaches a few years ago. I always said to my wife and still think they had the right thing going with the GDA. I will only say this Happy, you have to finish to win. Pats have a very solid team and will be a tough opponent in any league.
futboldad1
PREMIER
huh? Many have either left or their clubs now are in the ecnl (or ecrl) so they didn’t need to ..... ask around..... sure several remain and GA will shout that from the rooftops which is understandable when trying to gain traction.... AS is top top
here’s the thing..... ga will be fine and may end up being the second best league in the us which is nothing to be ashamed of.... but to argue there’s “two top leagues” like happy9 goes against common sense..... if you’re happy with ga then be happy with it no need to try justify it..... I’m sure our DDs are just happy to start playing again and then we can go back to cheering them on wherever they are playing
No argument from me, in order to win, ball has to go in the back of the other teams net. With that said, their back lines tend to be very talented, posses the ball exceptionally well, and do a great job of distribution. If you love futbol, that is a pleasure to watch. Good on them and great for their futures. It's fun to win and we should want to win. At the end of the day, college coaches just don't really care about the winning piece. Desire, the ganas, to win is higher up on their list.
Yes, I love Futbol and my dd had the pleasure to battle Pats twice in her career. Defensive back line is one of the best in the age group. Numbers dont lie and GDA goal against is excellent!!
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Such a circular argument and one that we will likely never even resolve. Besides, you misquoted me. I never said two top leagues, I said "there is room for two leagues who claim to be the best at what they do" . I will leave it up to parents and DOCs to blabber about which one is better. Sell, Sell,Sell. Bias always skews perception of common sense. There are plenty of YNT players that stayed in the GA. Some went with their teams to ECNL, a function of what the clubs did.
If you want your child to be on a YNT pathway, seek out a coach/club with the YNT relationship and that plays a style adhere to principles that the YNT cadre teach on the pitch. If that coach/club is in ECNL, go there, if they are in the GA, go there, if they are in another league, go there. Look beyond the white noise of preferential treatment and really look at what type of player they are looking for, what particular skill sets they look for, etc. It's a real thing. Being a YNT child is hard, hard on the child and the parents.
futboldad1
PREMIER
With respect, I'd sorta check yourself there, you've shilled GAL since arriving on this forum.... that's fine, but call it like it is.....
Most of your post I agree with, I am not sure if my DD will get any kind of proper YNT call other than training centers... I just want her to develop to the best of her ability while having fun, and playing the hardest opponents every week is the best way to do that.....
You can call it what you perceive. I'm sure you know what a shill is. I certainly don't have anything hitched to the GA, or ECNL. I'm likely just like you, ,a little more time on my hands now that I'm working more from my home office. Like a stated previously, bias skews perception. If I were to be accused of being a shill for anyone, it would be US soccer and the YNT program (within the context of the definition of a shill). I believe in it and hope the YNTs come back sooner rather than later, in spite of the BS associated with the federation. I want the GA to succeed, who wouldn't? There are DDs all over the country who just want to get back on the pitch. Adults will find a way to make that harder rather than easier.
Let's have a heated and fun discussion about soccer, leave the personal stuff out. Everyone knows that parents and clubs think their league is the best league. Nothing wrong with being proud of your league. Have at it, and if you move teams/leagues, it's ok to think the new, shinier one is better.
I'm starting to like you. Please share what you mean with what I put in bold. I used to think it was all one big happy family and we cared about little 13 year old's with happy dreams of one day making the u14 national team. Please enlighten me with the facts and not my perceptions I've had for the last three years. Please tell me more about how the federation put those lists together. I know now the Docs were the decision makers and that is not good at all imo. I hope the coaches can pick. Plus, I like what @Giesbock had to say about not naming names and clubs. Just numbers. Too much inside tracks with those track suit coaches. My dd and I got a bad taste of that sh*t but were still hanging on by a thread because SHE loves to play with her friends and try to win. She plays to win, not for the list or a college deal. That should be praised and encouraged imo.....I will wait to hear your takes and perceptions.
Full disclosure, my DD is a YNT pool kid. I'm not going to mention club/state/DOC, etc. No need to unjustly scrutinize relationships, scenarios, unproven biases, etc.
The process is always under scrutiny and has likely been abused by clubs. In my experience, the scouts and the staff coaches have seemed objective, and they do their research. You are correct that the coaches/DOCs are the decision makers in the context of who they recommend from their own teams. It doesn't mean that's who actually attends an ID center. Scouts will observe everyone on the pitch, not just the recommended kid. Do some DOCs have more pull than others? sure, especially if they have a track record of grooming YNT kids. Kinda of like Calipari at University of Kentucky. If he calls an NBA team to come out and scout, they come. He has a proven track record of identifying talent and having them succeed at the next level. Same thing goes for the YNT staff/scouts and relationships with clubs/DOCs.
The savy scouts know where to look and they don't just rely on clubs/coaches. Their end state is higher stakes than a college scout/coach. College coaches can get fat and lazy, show up to a ________(fill in the blank for the letter league) showcase, and recruit a year group. The pipeline for the USWNT is higher stakes, and they tend to take it more seriously.
For now, the YNT staff has done a great job of keeping in touch with the kids and keeping a finger on their pulse. The clubs are not involved, there is a direct line to the kids and that's the way the staff likes to operate. I sat in on one this week (in the background, in another room where I was banished to by my DD). I can't overemphasize enough how much they emphasize that this is a process, it's hard, and it's not for everyone, even if you think it's for you. What I really like about what they do is the complete removal of the parents from the process. I didn't receive an email telling me about this meeting. I didn't even know about it until the day before. The regional camp (@Chula Vista) is run like this as well. Parents are generally not allowed to attend any sessions. The only sessions that are open to the public is the last session, and that's from a distance. Zero interaction with your child as they step off of the field. If your daughter flies in, they pick her up at the airport and transport her. You put them on the plane on your end. If you drive, it's drop off at the front, a kiss and a wave.
YNT is not for everyone, for the very few in fact. Will my DD make it through the pipeline? who knows. She may change her mind when the YNT thing really begins to intrude on her social life, because it will. Will she ever get called up to a team? Who knows. YNT staff is brutally honest in their feedback, especially after camps. NO feedback is offered after ID centers, only camps. You have to be in for the long haul and have to do well with rejection and feedback that describes your weaknesses. Negative feedback can be a challenge for high level athletes, some do well, some don't. It is a long term grind. Next step for my DD is to be called to a national camp (if selected), she's made the regional camp. Long term, the next big step is being age eligible for the U17 world cup in 2022. That is a lot to consider for someone so young.
If she decides it's not for her, fine. If she's not good enough to be called to a team, fine. She loves to play futbol but she's a damn good b-ball player and mountain biker. I'd honestly be most happiest if she quit everything and raced mountain bikes for her HS team. It would allow me to justify all the hours I spend on my bike to my wife. But that's just me being selfish.
Lastly, and this if for anyone that read this, if you think your kid has what it takes, send the YNT staff an email. They'll read it and likely reply. They are always on the lookout for talent. Be prepared to have an honest conversation about your kid, style of play, futbol IQ, and their current environment.
Now back to work - this was my early lunch break!!