ECNL 2

Big Ern wrote:

Anyway ... I couldn't agree more regarding your FDL/ECRL 'survival/demise' theory but do have one question ...

How many college coaches have you seen out scouting at Texas Cup, FC Dallas, DIGC?  I've been to all three over the past few years and have seen a rather meager handful maybe 6 or 7 at all of 'em combined ... Whereas, I've seen a dozen+ attend a single evening of GDA training sessions on more than one occasion, let alone the numbers of them at matches and Showcases -- Should lend itself well to the health of FDL (and ECRL for that matter) if they are indeed able to align match scheduling.

BigE - My experience is apparently completely different from yours. My kiddo played TCL her U16 (Sophomore) year. Never saw a college coach at a TCL game. That year they also played in Texas Cup, Lonestar Showcase, FC Dallas Showcase, and DIGC. While it wasn't near the attendance you see at an ECNL or DA showcase, we had multiple college coaches at just about every game we played. I would say we averaged 4-5 per game over all of the showcases. Lonestar was the best, with at least 10 coaches at each game. The school my DD committed to first saw her play at Lonestar, and the head coach came out to watch her play at DIGC.

Now, you won't see many Power 5 conference coaches at these showcases, but you will see a lot of smaller D1, D2, & D3 coaches at those showcases, but keeping it real, that's the recruiting wheelhouse for the Non-DA, Non-ECNL kids.

DeltaTauChi wrote:

Big Ern wrote:

Anyway ... I couldn't agree more regarding your FDL/ECRL 'survival/demise' theory but do have one question ...

How many college coaches have you seen out scouting at Texas Cup, FC Dallas, DIGC?  I've been to all three over the past few years and have seen a rather meager handful maybe 6 or 7 at all of 'em combined ... Whereas, I've seen a dozen+ attend a single evening of GDA training sessions on more than one occasion, let alone the numbers of them at matches and Showcases -- Should lend itself well to the health of FDL (and ECRL for that matter) if they are indeed able to align match scheduling.

BigE - My experience is apparently completely different from yours.  My kiddo played TCL her U16 (Sophomore) year.  Never saw a college coach at a TCL game.  That year they also played in Texas Cup, Lonestar Showcase, FC Dallas Showcase, and DIGC.  While it wasn't near the attendance you see at an ECNL or DA showcase, we had multiple college coaches at just about every game we played.  I would say we averaged 4-5 per game over all of the showcases.  Lonestar was the best, with at least 10 coaches at each game.  The school my DD committed to first saw her play at Lonestar, and the head coach came out to watch her play at DIGC.

Now, you won't see many Power 5 conference coaches at these showcases, but you will see a lot of smaller D1, D2, & D3 coaches at those showcases, but keeping it real, that's the recruiting wheelhouse for the Non-DA, Non-ECNL kids.

I was at Challenge Shootout in May, first match of the weekend at 4pm on friday.... i walked up and counted 35-40 college coaches all on one field. Not a DA team in the event, and only one was an ECNL team on the field.  

Got some cool selfies at that one.

Many different places to skin a cat if the team does its research and plans properly.  My crews shot many matches that weekend and I saw tons of scouts.  Power 5 all the way down.

Gotcha DTX --

Congrats to your kid!

Agreed on the Lonestar Showcase ... Haven't been since right around the inception of the ECNL, but remember it always being fairly well attended -- glad to hear it's still going strong!