DA, ECNL, LH Solution

turftoe9 wrote: Who drives less than 30 minutes for practice?

I do!!! Takes me all of 10 minutes and for that I am SUPER grateful!!!

I don't see anything changing except who gets the check...lots of tournaments outside play etc to get ready for the fall.....

With the migration of talent to DA and ECNL has LHGCL D1 become the new PPL?

2_cents_worth wrote:With the migration of talent to DA and ECNL has LHGCL D1 become the new PPL?

Nope. DA and ECNL are weeding out all of the crappy players. The college coaches have recognized this and are planning to show up in droves to LHGCL league matches next spring.

College Coach Recruiting Chart
Girls DA - NCAA D1
ECNL - NCAA D2 and D3, NAIA
LHGCL D1 - Hope you can get Academic $$

2_cents_worth wrote:With the migration of talent to DA and ECNL has LHGCL D1 become the new PPL?

LHGCL issued a social media post today "Seven NTX State Cup winners were LHGCL teams." I'm still laughing

Sho'Nuff wrote:

2_cents_worth wrote:With the migration of talent to DA and ECNL has LHGCL D1 become the new PPL?

LHGCL issued a social media post today "Seven NTX State Cup winners were LHGCL teams." I'm still laughing

Fo'Sho!

And that should be the case going forward as well ... State Cup is well on it's way down to joining the Legacy Freedom Cup level on the list of 'must play' tourneys for U12 and up.

All I see are a bunch suckers spending their bling for Zizou dream....

Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level, it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13. Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

It's just a shift in talent. What will become of the ECNL is what everybody taking the bait is wondering. The DA2 people will be the most affected and ECNL folks...

HomeStretch wrote:Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level,  it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13.  Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

the top players on each team, most have made plans to move to a ECNL roster or a DA roster. LHGCL will promote teams from within up to D1. Consolidating top talent is a good thing for NTX soccer. A good thing for some not all!

Zizou wrote:

HomeStretch wrote:Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level,  it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13.  Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

the top players on each team, most have made plans to move to a ECNL roster or a DA roster. LHGCL will promote teams from within up to D1. Consolidating top talent is a good thing for NTX soccer. A good thing for some not all!

Again...talent is most consolidated in NTX prior to u13. After that there is a league for everyone and you get to replace tough NTX comp with STX and OK. If you add more alphabet soup spread out over the same pool of players how does that mean consolidation?

HomeStretch wrote:Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level,  it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13.  Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

Surely you were kidding about U12 LH being competitive. Explain.

KeeperCommander wrote:

HomeStretch wrote:Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level,  it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13.  Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

Surely you were kidding about U12 LH being competitive. Explain.

What age group is your DD? Im saying u12 D1 LH was more competitive top to bottom when my DD was that age than any other league in which she competed. Cant speak for now, but in hindsight, it honestly wasnt really close. The worst team wasnt a -50 goal differential push over. The top 5 were legit toss ups with very strong core groups across all of them. None of the other leagues were very competitive outside the top two or three teams.

HomeStretch wrote:

Zizou wrote:

HomeStretch wrote:Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level,  it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13.  Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

the top players on each team, most have made plans to move to a ECNL roster or a DA roster. LHGCL will promote teams from within up to D1. Consolidating top talent is a good thing for NTX soccer. A good thing for some not all!

Again...talent is most consolidated in NTX prior to u13. After that there is a league for everyone and you get to replace tough NTX comp with STX and OK. If you add more alphabet soup spread out over  the same pool of players how does that mean consolidation?

Top players are now migrating within three clubs. Consolidating talent. LHGCL was a hate fest , hack fest, league that has run its course.

HomeStretch wrote:

Zizou wrote:

HomeStretch wrote:Having seen ECNL, National League, Premier League and plenty of LH at all level,  it looked to me the toughest, most competitive league top to bottom was LH u12 and u13.  Only reason u11 wasnt there was the 20 team D1.

U14 and up exposes NTX to more regular games against STX and OK, and dilutes the NTX talent pool that may have aggregated up through u13. Will be interesting to see how DA stacks up...but my guess is it will take DA a few years to consolidate talent any better than what we have now. Let the kids keep QT and try to win a state cup until u13...they're learning how to be competitors and play for something bigger than the individual.

the top players on each team, most have made plans to move to a ECNL roster or a DA roster. LHGCL will promote teams from within up to D1. Consolidating top talent is a good thing for NTX soccer. A good thing for some not all!

Again...talent is most consolidated in NTX prior to u13. After that there is a league for everyone and you get to replace tough NTX comp with STX and OK. If you add more alphabet soup spread out over  the same pool of players how does that mean consolidation?

Yes, within your region., but also add a national base that each year consist of 8-9 showcase games.

Everyone is forgetting the impact Age Pure had on the league. Teams that stayed back have somewhat dominated their divisions. At 12, 13, 14, 9 or 10 months in age still makes a big difference.

LH probably has run its course...but not because it was any more physical than any other league which basically use the same refs. I guess we will know soon about the whole consolidating to 3 clubs thing....I need to see it to believe it.

HomeStretch wrote:LH probably has run its course...but not because it was any more physical than any other league which basically use the same refs. I guess we will know soon about the whole consolidating to 3 clubs thing....I need to see it to believe it.

Everyone will flock to the some of the big clubs with dreams of rainbow unicorns in their eyes for a year or two. Then they'll realize there's no such thing as a player moving up. That the clubs and coaches will always recruit for DA and ECNL and that little Suzy in other leagues are getting marginal coaching for a premium price. Go visit the cattle call in Frisco and tell me that the current LH girls ever really get a fair shot. From what I saw the coaches asked if you were currently an ECNL player from that club and put you in group 1. ECNL player from another club, group 2. Everyone else, group 3 and by the time the 3's got on the field the coaches attention was gone. IMO the smaller clubs will take over the development role in NTX and the parents will simply bring their girls to the auction every May and June.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin'
Rawhide!

ElClassico wrote: Go visit the cattle call in Frisco and tell me that the current LH girls ever really get a fair shot.

You don't even have to show up. If you're on the "right" team, you'll get an offer.

Willy Wonka golden ticket.

ElClassico wrote:

HomeStretch wrote:LH probably has run its course...but not because it was any more physical than any other league which basically use the same refs. I guess we will know soon about the whole consolidating to 3 clubs thing....I need to see it to believe it.

Everyone will flock to the some of the big clubs with dreams of rainbow unicorns in their eyes for a year or two. Then they'll realize there's no such thing as a player moving up. That the clubs and coaches will always recruit for DA and ECNL and that little Suzy in other leagues are getting marginal coaching for a premium price. Go visit the cattle call in Frisco and tell me that the current LH girls ever really get a fair shot. From what I saw the coaches asked if you were currently an ECNL player from that club and put you in group 1. ECNL player from another club, group 2. Everyone else, group 3 and by the time the 3's got on the field the coaches attention was gone. IMO the smaller clubs will take over the development role in NTX and the parents will simply bring their girls to the auction every May and June.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin'
Rawhide!

TRUTH!!!

My favorite is still the Lone Ranger w Tonto....they always catch the villain. I think paremts are starting to figure out that the kool.aid isn't worth it...the kids just want to play the game.

So true. Finaly someone speaks the truth

ElClassico wrote:

HomeStretch wrote:LH probably has run its course...but not because it was any more physical than any other league which basically use the same refs. I guess we will know soon about the whole consolidating to 3 clubs thing....I need to see it to believe it.

Everyone will flock to the some of the big clubs with dreams of rainbow unicorns in their eyes for a year or two. Then they'll realize there's no such thing as a player moving up. That the clubs and coaches will always recruit for DA and ECNL and that little Suzy in other leagues are getting marginal coaching for a premium price. Go visit the cattle call in Frisco and tell me that the current LH girls ever really get a fair shot. From what I saw the coaches asked if you were currently an ECNL player from that club and put you in group 1. ECNL player from another club, group 2. Everyone else, group 3 and by the time the 3's got on the field the coaches attention was gone. IMO the smaller clubs will take over the development role in NTX and the parents will simply bring their girls to the auction every May and June.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin'
Rawhide!

ElClassico --

Gotta say I'm impressed with the creativity here -- well done!  Couple questions though if you're so inclined to kindly answer for us...

What does this "there's no such thing as a player moving up" mean to you?  Having been a coach and seen how it works at the upper levels of competitive youth soccer in NTX ... I see kids moving up from on level or age group to the next quite often.  Maybe I'm missing the jest of what you were trying to get across here?

Guessing by your take on how groups were split at FCD DA tryouts the last couple of weeks that you were watching the 03s or older?  Regardless of where they came from, the girls were given 8 days of opportunity to show the coaches what they can do ... Most frequently, all it takes is a single 'wow' moment to stand out and get on offer.  For those kids that have that ability and wanted it bad enough, it did indeed happen. I saw many examples just last week at both FCD and Solar.  And as for those kids that came in from current ECNL rosters -- they have already gotten this done so have earned being initially placed in the top groups.  

And having trouble with this one as well ... "IMO the smaller clubs will take over the development role in NTX".  What do you think your term "development role" means exactly?  Will LP, Fever, etc, offer more quality training in general than the ECNL and DA programs at FCD, Solar, Texans, Sting, DFeeters?

Homestretch --

I'm assuming you're referring to the 05 group when questioning the strength of the upcoming DA/ECNL sides next year.  From what I've seen and heard, the FCD 05 DA is comprised of the majority of the JDL Red team, a few of the stronger JDL Blue, and a player or two from other top 05 teams (LP, Solar, Sting, Kicks, Texans).  Solar 05 DA is similar with the bulk coming from Colvin and Pulp (plus the obligatory Byars kid).  It sounds as if Texans 05 DA will be almost all the current 05 South team?  ECNL sides will be made up primarily of the second teams from last year at FCD (JDL Blue, 05s from CC's Premier team) and Solar (Pulp) plus some of the other talent that came from other clubs that didn't get the DA offers.  The majority of the Kicks Selecao squad is now the DFeeters 05 ECNL team.  In short, every top level 05 team this year at LH will be gone or has been picked apart due to the shift upwards with the addition of the DA at the Big 3.

Given all of this information, what exactly are you waiting to see?

BigErn,

Since you have an inside working knowledge please share how many kids from current FCD 03 teams in LH made DA or ECNL for their own club?

My statement was simple, from what I have seen DA and ECNL are about recruiting kids. Will they develop once there sure, but there is no magical path from lower division teams at these clubs. DA and ECNL coaches are simply holding open auditions and 6 years of your DD playing at said club in LH doesn't mean much.

In regards to the smaller clubs statement, I just foresee these big clubs, especially FCD not spending much time or effort on girls in LH or at academy level. It's understandable to a point figuring the alphabet soup between D1 and DA now. Thus I also see an opportunity for smaller clubs to focus on developing girls.