Welcome, Sheriff

I'm sure the new sheriff got a big welcome today from the team he's planning on using for spare parts.  The merger is easily the biggest shakeup on the local 98 scene since ECNL.

I'll leave it to someone with a dog in the fight to provide details. I just wish I had the cigarette concessions for parents waiting to see if their daughter got the guillotine.

You're right about the "concessions" part as there appear to have been more parents watching the "open tryouts" than perhaps have been at some matches.   

I suppose as the club should do, they are trying to make the most competitive ECNL team they are able to make with the players they have in (or out of) the club.

I would suspect that there will be current ECNL players on the roster that are beat out by players from the Pulp team, if the Pulp players choose to go that route. I would also suspect there are some on the current Pulp roster that are able to beat out ECNL players on the current roster and will choose not to as they've had the ECNL option for a few years and for a variety of reasons, have chosen not to go that route, and some that will want to and are not as good as players on the current ECNL roster. What will the players from the latter two groups do? Pulp's team roster has been relatively consistent over the years, with many players having been there since academy days, and this could be a BIG upheaval - will they stay or look other directions?

What will those ECNL players that are beat out do? Try out for other ECNL teams? Move to the LHGCL D1 team? Other?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out and if the ECNL team is more competitive going forward as there have been many, including myself, that have contended that Pulp's team is as good as ECNL teams in the area, just wasn't with an ECNL club until the move was made this year. However, as proven many times before in team sports, just mixing a bunch of "better" players together doesn't always make a better team - there are other factors: team chemistry, style of play etc., but I would suspect that coming out of this, the ECNL team will be more competitive going forward.

This also has to give a new outlook (more hope) to the LHGCL D1 teams as Pulp's teams have had a stranglehold for a few years now. In looking back at some of the LHGCL stats, the last loss Pulp's 98 team had in LHGCL D1 was in 2011 to Dallas Texans 98G, prior to ECNL.

Just curious, have there been any other teams throughout the years that anyone is aware of that have gone this long without a league loss (perhaps some of the ties they've had have felt like losses), or has been Grand Champions as many times as this team has been? Obviously ECNL has had an impact, but it's still relatively impressive to not have had any hiccups along the way that have led to a loss (IMO).

Very nice narrative there, Ilik2wach.

I have zero insight into this "new" merger, but I am somehow curious into your reference above as in ".....going forward...".  What exactly do you mean by that?

To my little understanding, this group of U16 players most of them will be Juniors in 2014/2015 and Seniors by 2015/2016 which essentially gives only one meaningful year of Club Soccer:  Junior Year.

Majority will be probably be commited by Junior Year hence they will be playing for 'fun' in Senior Year, with HS soccer being more in their mind than Club Soccer.   NTX soccer history have proven that.

So, exactly what 'going forward' entails here for the U16s?

Agreed, for the U16 age group, the 'going forward' window is almost closed and was not meant to refer to anything more than the next soccer year.

As you stated, for most in this age group, next year is the last truly meaningful year of Club/Select, as "Senioritis" is real, although for the juniors (this year), next year is all that is remaining. For some juniors (this year) going on to play in college, that might be an advantage as they will continue to play at a high level throughout the year without the 6+ month "break" that many seniors experience (maybe something to think about for those in the younger age groups that are looking at playing up).

Even in a player's senior year, there are always opportunities that open up that might not have been expected - players change their verbal commitment, players at a college program quit playing and spots open up, coaching changes etc. - so there can be some minimal last minute movement.

I also meant that the Solar ECNL team has been at or near the bottom in the ECNL standings and the possible influx of some quality players from the Pulp team has the potential to make the team more competitive next year.

Well...........Ultimate HOPE is sometimes a strategy too.

With this "merger" or reshuffle... will Elite still be able to hold on to premier and national league byes - or will there still be a elite team?

I believe there will be an Solar Chelsea Elite team next year. Remember the team begins with the coaches. GREAT Coaches produce GREAT Teams. However, I may be wrong, but I believe that National League status must be earned every year. You must finish first or second in Regionals (2 teams from each of the four regions for a total of 8 teams), or the top four teams in the Red or Blue division of the National League (for the other 8 teams) from the prior year. I believe that is how the 16 National League teams are chosen for the older age groups. I know of only three girls on Pulps 98 team who have been with him for 8 years and one for 7 years so teams change over time.

Welcome to the sandbox....The NEW & IMPROVED Solar Chelsea ECNL under the New Sherrif CP.

So, I hear the cast is now set for CP after several try-outs and screening of over 45 players currently rostered in Solar ECNL, Solar Pulp and Solar Smith plus a few free agents.

Word going around is that this will be a "SUPER ECNL TEAM" at the level never seen before in DFW.  Goal is National ECNL ChampionshipS with domination of Conference.

FB4......any insight?

I am laughing at all of this. I can go back over the years and say everyone has tried to figure out this team and said what is going to happen and what is not going to happen. I do not think it has ever been right and word going around is not from Solar. Just want to play in the sand with our long lost friends again.    

Catch5 wrote:I am laughing at all of this. I can go back over the years and say everyone has tried to figure out this team and said what is going to happen and what is not going to happen. I do not think it has ever been right and word going around is not from Solar. Just want to play in the sand with our long lost friends again.    

Catch5, welcome back......and surely, looking forward to see y'all in the sand box.

I am not following you above in the highlighted portion.  I thought this "TEAM" is just forming but yet you allude to going back over the years.  Are you implying that Solar Elite-CP is now actually Solar ECNL with a sprinkle of a few ex-Solar ECNL players and not the other way around or even the mixture of both?

I gather that CP is the New Chief, and with it probably comes the expectation to maintain his unbeaten streak and high level playing across the board.  Just trying to understand the intrinsics of the ever-evolving Solar Elite/ECNL.

no just having fun with you. Your comment about word going around and SUPER ECNL TEAM. Now that comes from the outside and not from internally. We just want to play in the sand with our old friends.
And if anyone ever understands any of the teams in NTX ECNL or not they are way ahead and better than me.
Good to see you on the circuit again my friend.

Bob Marley, (Someone in Blue) Shot The Sheriff  
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XiYUYcpsT4