Elite Clubs National League

The ECNL features 40 of the top girls' soccer clubs throughout the country competing in multiple divisions for the ECNL National Championship, the ECNL Club National Championship, and promotion and relegation between the divisions.

ECNL member clubs will place one team in each of the U-15, U-16 and U-17 age groups, and teams will compete for individual age group championships as well as an overall club national championship.

The 2009-2010 ECNL season features two divisions of 20 teams each (Challenge A and Challenge B). Each team will play nine regular season games within their division for placement going into the ECNL National Championship in July 2010 in Seattle, Wash. The ECNL regular season will feature a total of 270 games in each division, for a total of 540 games throughout the year-long competition.

The 2009-2010 ECNL regular-season games are spread out over five events: (1) the Eclipse Invitational in August 2009; (2) the Final Four Showcase in December 2009; (3) the Disney Soccer Showcase presented by Chelsea FC in December 2009; (4) the Las Vegas College Showcase in March 2010; and (5) the PDA College Showcase in May 2010.

The events were selected to provide a league schedule that continued over the course of an entire year, to accommodate high school soccer seasons throughout the country, and to provide each club with flexibility to choose the best schedule for their needs. At the conclusion of the regular season, all ECNL teams will be placed into playoff groups at the ECNL National Championship.

"The ECNL National Championship will be one of the best-ever youth soccer events for females in the United States," said ECNL Vice President Doug Bracken. "Bringing together over 2,000 of the best female soccer players in the United States into one event where so much is up for grabs will create an environment that is second to none."

At the conclusion of the ECNL National Championship, an ECNL national champion will be crowned in each age group, an overall ECNL club champion will be crowned, and three teams from the Challenge B division will gain promotion to the Challenge A division for the 2010-11 season.

It seems that the Board of Directors of ECNL have agreed to expand the league to 52 clubs. This means an addition of 12 clubs to the current list of 40.

Apparently, over 60 clubs have submitted applications to fill those spots. Among those are some of the west coast heavies...I've heard Surf, Real SoCal and Slammers (to name a few). Also heard some of the clubs with National League teams are looking to join, as well. Supposedly, Texans is not one of them.

I'm wondering how this will affect National League.

Humm.. how about NIT and NCAA, March madness looks the same to me.

ECNL is waxing, Nat'l league is waning. Just my humble $.02

Ah grasshopper, that sounds like waxa on waning off

Curious. Could a current ECNL player (who is playing up a year), also play down in her own age group for a different club?. Assuming she has her ECNL coach's permission and is correctly added to the roster. SO say a 13 year old girl, playing for u14 ECNL Surf, could she play for U13 Texans? Just picked random team names . Need feedback.

Yes

shootfire wrote:Curious. Could a current ECNL player (who is playing up a year), also play down in her own age group for a different club?. Assuming she has her ECNL coach's permission and is correctly added to the roster. SO say a 13 year old girl, playing for u14 ECNL Surf, could she play for U13 Texans?  Just picked random team names . Need feedback.

Club Loyalty Rule.
2.11.1 Rule 2.11.1 applies to all ECNL Registered Players except for the enumerated exceptions provided in Rule 2.11.3 and Rule 2.11.4, and as provided below in Rule 2.12 regarding Discovery Players. After being registered as an ECNL Registered Player for an ECNL Season, an ECNL Registered Player may only participate in competitions with her ECNL Club for the duration of the ECNL Season (unless released pursuant to the ECNL transfer rules herein or otherwise as provided below in this section 2.11). (For purposes of clarification, the ECNL Registered Player may appear in any competition in which the ECNL Club participates during the ECNL Season.) Except as provided below, if an ECNL Registered Player plays in a competition for a different club besides the ECNL Club to which she is registered as an ECNL Registered Player after the date she became rostered as an ECNL Registered Player (“Multiple Club Rostering”), the eligibility of the ECNL Registered Player will be reviewed by the ECNL Commissioner. If it is determined by the ECNL Commissioner that the ECNL Club to which the ECNL Registered Player is registered was aware of the Multiple Club Rostering, the ECNL Commissioner may take any or all of the following actions: (i) declare the ECNL Registered Player ineligible for the remainder of that ECNL Season; (ii) declare all games in which the ECNL Registered Player appeared on the ECNL Roster as forfeits by the ECNL Team on which such player was rostered; and / or (iii) recommend immediate revocation of the ECNL Club’s membership in the ECNL.

Translate????

Unless released and proper ECNL tranfer forms certified by club and ECNL. You cannot play for another ECNL club when you are already rostered by another.

So she could not play for another club's non ECNL team "if" that club is an ECNL club?
Are there any exceptions? Discovery player???? Keep in mind the two team and different age groups .

Discovery Players
2.12.1 A “Discovery Player” is a player that is not a full-time member of the ECNL Club to which she is registered, , and is an exception to Rule 2.11 above. A Discovery Player may appear on an active roster for a team of a non-ECNL Club, or a non-ECNL Team of another ECNL Club. In order to be considered a Discovery Player, a player must be explicitly designated as such on the ECNL Roster before such player participates in any ECNL Competition. Discovery Players are eligible to participate in all ECNL Competitions.
2.12.1.1 At the Under-14, Under-15, Under-16, and Under-17 age groups, each ECNL Team may have two (2) Discovery Players on their ECNL Roster at each age group.
2.12.2.2 At the Under-18 age group, each ECNL Team may have four (4) Discovery Players on their ECNL Roster.
2.12.3 Discovery Players may only play for the ECNL Team for which they are initially rostered within the ECNL Season. Discovery Players are subject to Rule 2.6, and are club-tied and team-tied for ECNL Competition during the ECNL Season.
2.12.4 Discovery Players may come from any distance away from the ECNL Club.

A player cannot be rostered on another ECNL team to be a discovery player. If she is not on a ECNL roster she would be able to play

To answer your question. Per the rules, yes... Dont be confused by the other busy responses. Current real life example. There is a player who lives and plays Club in El Paso, Also is rostered for a Challenge ECNL team and makes as many games as she can.

I believe the question at hand is whether a player who is rostered to an ECNL club can play in a different age group for different ECNL club.

Short answer, no.

Gunners wrote:I believe the question at hand is whether a player who is rostered to an ECNL club can play in a different age group for different ECNL club.

Short answer, no.

You may be right, but the question mentioned "also" playing for Texans U13, which would not be an ECNL age group..

So, if that is correct, then the answer is Yes

The letter of the rule leads you to believe no, but there is nothing they could do to stop you, as it is two different organizations. In reality, if the Clubs were in the same Conference, then it is very unlikely the initial ECNL would keep the player if they were determined to go elsewhere. Also unlikely the receiving ECNL Club would do business that way, unless the player was past the point of no return with the current club. A bad can of worms to open.

Question: Why does the leadership of the ECNL never seem to consider the high school schedule when scheduling their 'showcase tournaments'. For example the showcase in Spring, Texas (20 miles north of Houston) is going to be on the same weekend as TAPPS play-offs (Ursuline, Bishop Lynch, Nolan, Parish, Awty and others) and the SPC (Hockaday, Greenhill, ESD, Ft Worth Country Day, Tulsa Holland Hall, Houston St Johns and others). Collectively these schools will have at least a few dozen ECNL players on their school teams.

Shouldn't ECNL and least care a little bit about this situation which forces many girls to make a difficult choice: Possibly play for a State Championship (SPC) or a key play-off game (TAPPS schools) with their friends and classmates or join up with their respective clubs ?

dallas 1968 wrote:Question: Why does the leadership of the ECNL never seem to consider the high school schedule when scheduling their 'showcase tournaments'. For example the showcase in Spring, Texas (20 miles north of Houston) is going to be on the same weekend as TAPPS play-offs (Ursuline, Bishop Lynch, Nolan, Parish, Awty and others) and the SPC (Hockaday, Greenhill, ESD, Ft Worth Country Day, Tulsa Holland Hall, Houston St Johns and others). Collectively these schools will have at least a few dozen ECNL players on their school teams.

Shouldn't ECNL and least care a little bit about this situation which forces many girls to make a difficult choice: Possibly play for a State Championship (SPC) or a key play-off game (TAPPS schools) with their friends and classmates or join up with their respective clubs ?

Has it occurred to you that they may have considered it and intentionally scheduled the games to discourage HS participation?

Why would they do that ? In my experience most girls really enjoy and want to play for their school team. I for one am not buying the argument that ALL ECNL coaching is better than ANY high school coaching. From what I have observed that is far from the case, especially in North Texas.

dallas 1968 wrote:Why would they do that ? In my experience most girls really enjoy and want to play for their school team. I for one am not buying the argument that ALL ECNL coaching is better than ANY high school coaching. From what I have observed that is far from the case, especially in North Texas.

Control?

Self Interest?

You forgot to add: Generally Being an A Hole ?

Lefty wrote:

dallas 1968 wrote:Question: Why does the leadership of the ECNL never seem to consider the high school schedule when scheduling their 'showcase tournaments'. For example the showcase in Spring, Texas (20 miles north of Houston) is going to be on the same weekend as TAPPS play-offs (Ursuline, Bishop Lynch, Nolan, Parish, Awty and others) and the SPC (Hockaday, Greenhill, ESD, Ft Worth Country Day, Tulsa Holland Hall, Houston St Johns and others). Collectively these schools will have at least a few dozen ECNL players on their school teams.

Shouldn't ECNL and least care a little bit about this situation which forces many girls to make a difficult choice: Possibly play for a State Championship (SPC) or a key play-off game (TAPPS schools) with their friends and classmates or join up with their respective clubs ?

Has it occurred to you that they may have considered it and intentionally scheduled the games to discourage HS participation?

Or it could be that the world does not revolve around TAPPS. Why would ECNL schedule around TAPPS for a few dozen players?

Be true to your school. Any ECNL coach that would have a problem with that isn't worth playing for. They've got plenty of bodies.