USWNT Olympic roster announced

As soon as you get those top level coaches and organizations to stop charging so much money for their services ... I will be right behind you. I am sure they will voluntarily cut their pay and start training kids for free once you explain that to them. The fields and all the other support groups will be right behind them. Actually if you could just get the airlines, hotels and car rental places to not charge so much ECNL/GA/MLS would be affordable. Lets ask them for a special "grassroots" soccer rate and see how that goes.
On the traveling note, it's very unnecessary, especially for socal kids. That's our problem, we've added all these extra cost into soccer development and scouting - airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, eating out.

There's no handouts being asked for here. There's an access issue because scouting is being done mostly through a very expensive league. This can easily be cured if the expensive league would create a pathway for teams to get access to these local scouting events. In fact, they can even make money by throwing a local tournaments and the top two winners get into the champions league regional showcases too. It's a win win but for the fact that rich clubs local clubs.

As for the MLS comments - that's for the pro and we don't have that on the women's side. Even if we did, we're discussing access to college scouts, not pro teams. In relationship to pro teams too, why not create our own pathway that might be better than the Europeans selling children, I mean athletes?
 
On the traveling note, it's very unnecessary, especially for socal kids. That's our problem, we've added all these extra cost into soccer development and scouting - airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, eating out.

There's no handouts being asked for here. There's an access issue because scouting is being done mostly through a very expensive league. This can easily be cured if the expensive league would create a pathway for teams to get access to these local scouting events. In fact, they can even make money by throwing a local tournaments and the top two winners get into the champions league regional showcases too. It's a win win but for the fact that rich clubs local clubs.

As for the MLS comments - that's for the pro and we don't have that on the women's side. Even if we did, we're discussing access to college scouts, not pro teams. In relationship to pro teams too, why not create our own pathway that might be better than the Europeans selling children, I mean athletes?

For most country, “abandon GA/ECNL“ isn‘t much of an option. Often, there are only enough girls for one high level teams in the area. That makes it Hobson’s choice. You can play top level, or not. But there is no third option.
 
For most country, “abandon GA/ECNL“ isn‘t much of an option. Often, there are only enough girls for one high level teams in the area. That makes it Hobson’s choice. You can play top level, or not. But there is no third option.
We all know that pay to play is here to stay. We've decided (or it's been decided for us) that it's the only way to be seen. The idea that clubs/coaches/parents can put together great teams without having to pay is hard to imagine based on the current system - at least that's what the enterprise leagues want you to believe.

Football doesn't have this at all. HS teams (most) aren't putting together exclusive high level teams. They actually have to train, develop, and coach their teams into success. There are obviously a few unicorns sprinkled throughout. There are always exceptions, especially amongst Private Schools. They tend to skirt the system and "recruit". The SEC is able to recruit mostly local to their schools or at least regionally within the SEC states. Not much traveling going on.

This thread has definitely gone on a tangent. I think the point is that we don't need exclusive leagues but we have them and don't have a mechanism to get rid of them. Money talks and parents with money will continue to drive the train.
 
For most country, “abandon GA/ECNL“ isn‘t much of an option. Often, there are only enough girls for one high level teams in the area. That makes it Hobson’s choice. You can play top level, or not. But there is no third option.
When you are saying "most of the country" you are referring to the areas outside of densely populated areas, so you are in fact referring to land, not people. Most of the people live in larger cities, that do have the population density to "abandon GA/ECNL". Southern California could form it's own high level league and the top team of a given age group in that league would be able to compete with any team in it's age group from anywhere else in the country.
 
For most country, “abandon GA/ECNL“ isn‘t much of an option. Often, there are only enough girls for one high level teams in the area. That makes it Hobson’s choice. You can play top level, or not. But there is no third option.
Not abandoning ECNL or GA, but adding a method to allow teams into the Champions league or GA playoffs without having to pay for the big club coaches or traveling during league.

I know we can't convince parents to let these "elite" or "expensive" leagues go because their daughters are benefitting from it but we can easily add access to scouting events.
 
When you are saying "most of the country" you are referring to the areas outside of densely populated areas, so you are in fact referring to land, not people. Most of the people live in larger cities, that do have the population density to "abandon GA/ECNL". Southern California could form it's own high level league and the top team of a given age group in that league would be able to compete with any team in it's age group from anywhere else in the country.
CA/TX/NJ/FL could live without leagues. I'm sure there are other states but these come to mind. Top Teams in remote parts of the country will still have to travel for higher level competition- not any different than what is happening now.

Again, pipe dream. Letter leagues are here for now. The Kool Aid stays in the system for a long time.
 
CA/TX/NJ/FL could live without leagues. I'm sure there are other states but these come to mind. Top Teams in remote parts of the country will still have to travel for higher level competition- not any different than what is happening now.

Again, pipe dream. Letter leagues are here for now. The Kool Aid stays in the system for a long time.
Top girl teams can play boys locally if they don't have sufficient competition on the girls side to develop. This is what Europe is doing with their top girls teams because they don't have enough girls teams but they do have lots of boys teams.
 
Top girl teams can play boys locally if they don't have sufficient competition on the girls side to develop. This is what Europe is doing with their top girls teams because they don't have enough girls teams but they do have lots of boys teams.
Have seen it done. It can be effective if done thoughtfully. Have always seen it where the girls are playing younger boys. If not done thoughtfully, injuries will happen.
 
Let's correct that: ECNL showcases are very convenient for college scouts to see the best rich kids play.

We're screwing the overall girls soccer program in America in order to please the wealthy rich parents. We will fall behind the soccer world if we continue to only pick amongst the best rich kids and not develop players locally at the grassroots level.

ECNL can be part of the solution by being more inclusive of teams rather than just limiting it to rich soccer clubs that charge a lot. ECNL should allow a team that is developed by a volunteer dad at the local park to enter ECNL if they're good enough.
your perspective is a bit limited in understanding the ECNL structure and what is realistic. It isn't meant for individual independent teams to come and go. It is meant for the whole club to be in or out. It would be a bit chaotic to have individual independent teams coming and going from the ECNL. How would they decide which teams are in the ECNL and which are out on an annual basis? Most ECNL clubs that I have been involved with all offer scholarships to players that are good but don't have the funds to pay for it. Even the top clubs offer support to those top players that come from lower income families that can't afford the costs. Also, rather than change the whole system and try to make a ridiculous power grab like creating the DA it would have been better to work with the existing systems, support what was there to improve the quality and for US Soccer to offer financial assistance to players that apply for scholarships so they can afford the existing system. That would have been a more effective and less disruptive approach.
 
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your perspective is a bit limited in understanding the ECNL structure and what is realistic. It isn't meant for individual independent teams to come and go. It is meant for the whole club to be in or out. It would be a bit chaotic to have individual independent teams coming and going from the ECNL. How would they decide which teams are in the ECNL and which are out on an annual basis? Most ECNL clubs that I have been involved with all offer scholarships to players that are good but don't have the funds to pay for it. Even the top clubs offer support to those top players that come from lower income families that can't afford the costs. Also, rather than change the whole system and try to make a ridiculous power grab like creating the DA it would have been better to work with the existing systems, support what was there to improve the quality and for US Soccer to offer financial assistance to players that apply for scholarships so they can afford the existing system. That would have been a more effective and less disruptive approach.
We're in the ECNL system and understand how it works with the club structure. What I'm saying is not to dismantle it or make major changes to it, but rather allow non ecnl teams into their major scouting arenas like the regional showcases and champions leagues based on annual local tournaments ECNL can hold and profit from. The two finalist or 4 semifinalist teams earn a spot to compete in the regional showcases against ecnl teams. Hold a tournament where the 2 finalist get into champions league finals or some version of this that makes the most sense. Yes, there are players that do get scholarships but it's a very small amount and that would also require the player to raise travel costs and travel almost daily to these clubs for practice. In San Diego, you can either take the ride through traffic up north or down south. During practice times, the traffic is at least between 45 minutes to 1 hour if you live in between Rebels and Surf, North San Diego County, or East County. I see a lot of great teams with working parents that can't take 2 hours a day to drive their kids.
 
your perspective is a bit limited in understanding the ECNL structure and what is realistic. It isn't meant for individual independent teams to come and go. It is meant for the whole club to be in or out. It would be a bit chaotic to have individual independent teams coming and going from the ECNL. How would they decide which teams are in the ECNL and which are out on an annual basis? Most ECNL clubs that I have been involved with all offer scholarships to players that are good but don't have the funds to pay for it. Even the top clubs offer support to those top players that come from lower income families that can't afford the costs. Also, rather than change the whole system and try to make a ridiculous power grab like creating the DA it would have been better to work with the existing systems, support what was there to improve the quality and for US Soccer to offer financial assistance to players that apply for scholarships so they can afford the existing system. That would have been a more effective and less disruptive approach.
So, your defense of ECNL is to accuse others of not working within the system?

Interesting angle on it. Certainly looks to me like ECNL was created, in part, to avoid the indignity that came with the previous existing system- back when you needed to win state cup games before you declare yourself to be elite.
 
My local men’s high school team would beat any of those teams 10-0.

Not even close to correct.

FC Dallas U15s may have beat the women's team in a scrimmage, but they were probably the best U15 team in the country. Multiple youth national team players and future pros. That FCD team would have beat your local high school team 30-0.

The US women would destroy most any random boy's high school team.
A really good high school team could probably beat the USWNT and, obviously so would an elite U15 (and up) boys team.

Saying the level of play of the Uswnt is equivalent to a typical U15 boys team is very wrong. That FCD team was not a typical U15 team.
 
USWNT beat New Zealand 6-1

Morgan was benched for Carli Loyd and Press was benched for Rapinoe at the start.

Both Morgan and Press scored when brought off the bench later in the game.
 
Nice to see the ladies bounce back with some goals!

Lessons From the Parents Who Raised the World’s Top Soccer Sisters

"Like many of the roughly 7 million American girls playing soccer at the time, the Mewises dreamed of playing for the U.S. team. Each had a 0.00031% chance of making the Tokyo Olympics roster."

Invest and Sacrifice
The high price of playing on competitive squads is the chief criticism of youth soccer in the U.S., with costs including club and tournament fees and increasingly distant travel. The Mewises spent between $10,000-$12,000 a year on the girls’ soccer starting in their mid-teens.




 
Not even close to correct.

FC Dallas U15s may have beat the women's team in a scrimmage, but they were probably the best U15 team in the country. Multiple youth national team players and future pros. That FCD team would have beat your local high school team 30-0.

The US women would destroy most any random boy's high school team.
A really good high school team could probably beat the USWNT and, obviously so would an elite U15 (and up) boys team.

Saying the level of play of the Uswnt is equivalent to a typical U15 boys team is very wrong. That FCD team was not a typical U15 team.
This is where you are dreaming. I'm not talking about a bunch of 14 year old boys. I'm talking about men. 17 year olds. I've seen a varsity game and the pace and power on the field doesn't even compare to the USWNT. I watched the U15 game. Those were boys not men. The USWNT would never play men as they would end up in the hospital. 30-0? You are crazy and delusional. On my sons soccer team there were 3-4 D1 commits and other GDA players who would score at will. You are hilarious.
 
Nice to see the ladies bounce back with some goals!

Lessons From the Parents Who Raised the World’s Top Soccer Sisters

"Like many of the roughly 7 million American girls playing soccer at the time, the Mewises dreamed of playing for the U.S. team. Each had a 0.00031% chance of making the Tokyo Olympics roster."

Invest and Sacrifice
The high price of playing on competitive squads is the chief criticism of youth soccer in the U.S., with costs including club and tournament fees and increasingly distant travel. The Mewises spent between $10,000-$12,000 a year on the girls’ soccer starting in their mid-teens.
Surf cup should really be “The Best of the Best…That Can Afford It.”
 
Surf cup should really be “The Best of the Best…That Can Afford It.”
Do you really think there are State league teams that could go to Surf Cup and win against the teams that made it in? There are these "hidden gems" no one has ever heard of that would shock everyone? I don't really think so. You may want to cancel your Disney + cuz you seeing too many fairy tales.
 
Do you really think there are State league teams that could go to Surf Cup and win against the teams that made it in? There are these "hidden gems" no one has ever heard of that would shock everyone? I don't really think so. You may want to cancel your Disney + cuz you seeing too many fairy tales.
No I don’t think that, that’s exactly the point I was making. That’s the problem with pay to play.
 
Do you really think there are State league teams that could go to Surf Cup and win against the teams that made it in? There are these "hidden gems" no one has ever heard of that would shock everyone? I don't really think so. You may want to cancel your Disney + cuz you seeing too many fairy tales.
DD's non-ECNL team (graduated HS in 2018) beat Surf's ECNL team twice (for some reason they didn't play each other very often), including at Surf Cup when Surf was ECNL national champs. There are good teams out there that are not in ECNL. ECNL is a monopoly and has all the problems of a monopoly.
 
No I don’t think that, that’s exactly the point I was making.
Well I will tell you this.. there are many many teams that can afford it and were denied.
DD's non-ECNL team (graduated HS in 2018) beat Surf's ECNL team twice (for some reason they didn't play each other very often), including at Surf Cup when Surf was ECNL national champs. There are good teams out there that are not in ECNL. ECNL is a monopoly and has all the problems of a monopoly.
So your Daughter's team was DA? Not sure that is the point here. We are talking about non letter leagues pay to play leagues and teams.
 
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