The ECNL (elite clubs national league) will soon unveil its "base template", which will forever change how elite local youth soccer operates in our area, certainly for the girls and seemingly for the boys as well if USSF implements the same program.

The thrust of the program is "fewer games" "better competition", and much more travel.
The stated "goal" is to improve the landscape for elite female soccer players.
"Too many games but few meaningful games" and "poor training-to-game ratios.."

Another goal is to better identify the top players via scouting and competition against the best.
"The quality of the player's soccer experience is more important than the quantity..."

"Destination Clubs" will be identified, which will "provide a vehicle to attract, educate, and support elite players, coaches and clubs..." There will be a Texas Conference, but look for much more travel in regional and national games/events. And most likely, no more high school soccer allowed-though still up in the air.

The desired impact on the players: "individudal technical speed increases significantly" and "team performance becomes more tactical" which means the "quality of the player and the game increases exponenentially."

Evidently the national powers and the professional teams are flexing their muscle.

Remains to be seen whether this is good for the local clubs and players, imo.

Don't shoot the messenger (please). I don't have a vote.

forgot to add: looks like it will go down to U-14

If this is the case, sounds like more travel expenses for the parents so good luck with those that can afford the hotels, gas, airfare, etc.

Also it will cost more money for those clubs who sponsor players... times are bad economically and we have a few on our team that lost their jobs that can barely afford the $3K a year for their kid to continue to play now...

Thats what USSF Academy has already been doing for the past 3 years in Texas. 4 years for the rest of the country

Not at U14 amigo. Therein lies the major difference.
Classic League at pre-academy levels will not be the same, and no more State Cup.

So what you're saying, in a nutshell, is that this girls only program that currently is U15-18 will drop to U14 and that USSF's Development Academy for the guys will then drop to U14 because of this??
http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com/overview/index_E.html

This should help our soccer programs tremendously. The reason players in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, etc and all throughout Europe are so highly skilled is because they fly on planes and play soccer games at various locations.

My bb is ready to sign up...loves to play, loves to travel. Sounds fun!

Happy, basically, yes. The girls have already adjusted. The boys, on the other hand, will have to decide at the age of 14 if they want to put all of their eggs in one basket. If they want to also play football, baseball, basketball, etc. for an additional year or two to determine their true passion- not an option.

And heaven forbid your son or daughter go to a school that will not excuse missing a test on a Friday so that he/she can fly to Chicago Friday morning for an early Saturday morning game. And then there's the cost increase.

While I applaud the effort to compete with Brazil and Argentina, we don't live in those countries and it's not the same on many different levels.

I think you're going to see a number of players and parents decide that enough is enough and vote with their feet and move to other sports or leagues. I'm sure the USSF has discussed this potential reaction, and evidently they've decided that it's worth the risk. After all, they'll say, the rest of the country has swallowed it. But those that have did not have the Classic League that we've enjoyed for many years.

Some will applaud this, others will not. I'm just getting it out there for a discussion.

If you have strong feelings either way, call Ms. Melissa Benowitz at the United States Soccer Federation at:
312. 808. 1300. If she's not in you can ask to leave a voicemail message.

I agree, Mr. C.


It sounds like another one of those, "Hey, well it least it's something" idealisms.


While ddressing the topic, it also polarizes the issue. Yes, too many meaningless games at too young an age. No, throwing more money at it will not necessarily improve the results.

The girls side does not have anything close to the Boys U/16-U/18 Academy.
The USSF Academy and ECNL are not even comparable. Totally set up different

The girls side has had rumors of doing Academy like boys since boys began

and U/14 Boys Academy has been talked about for 2 years now.

I don't understand the big deal. Amigo

Far Side, watch and learn bwana. The girls will not be allowed to play in premier and the boys will not be allowed to play in classic. No high school soccer. No Texas Cup. Starting at age 14 and possibly 13. If you don't think this is a major change then evidently I have done a poor job explaining the changes, which I agree is a distinct possibility.

Rest assured, in the next few weeks the clubs will spell it out, and you will understand that this is not business as usual for many boys and girls that play competive soccer. But those most directly impacted will be the boys U13-16.

Go, I agree with the core of your comment. But if you have a kid that is playing at one of "Destination Clubs" then the decision to specialize in one and only sport just got moved up two or three years. That, in my opinion, is a big deal, and represents a major change. For the rest of the soccer universe, locally or otherwise, not so much. The potential to develop the next Clint Dempsey goes up, and the potential to have kids burn out or go to other sports also increases. That's why it's a good topic for debate and discussion.

Go back to the old turf monster archives about 3 years ago.

You will see the same argument by many anti academy parents that said academy will never last.

Once U-13/14 is implemented the best will go and everyone else will still complain and then after a few months
it goes away.

Then it will be U-11/12

Classic league will be a high end rec league like it is now for U-15/16/17/18


Just my opinion with total of 15 years on both BB and DD side.

I know all about the stuff with ECNL going on but are there any links to specific information put out about this U-14 boys academies? I hadn't heard much about this myself, but if it is coming I would like to see some of the information out there.

FarPost I respect your soccer knowledge and experience but you are a little over eager on the DA stuff. I see many club teams slicing and dicing the DA teams up in competition across the US when those DA teams venture to play the best club teams (Surf Cup, FC Dallas College Showcase, etc.). Happened here last week-end to Texans Houston Soccer Academy by one of our 94 club teams. Lots of excuses flying around from DA parents (age differences, etc.) bottom line it is not as big difference as you state and if you talk to the SMU recruiting coach you will get a different story that what you have in your mind. He is looking for quality players who play for quality teams club or DA.

go99 wrote:well the kid still doesn't have to chose at that age. He can stay on his regular team and move up later. If the kid is good enough there will be nothing to stop him from making the move at 16 instead. There was a kid on the 96 FCD team that didn't go to the academy team origionally because of football. He made the decision this year instead. Some kids will not come into their own at 14 and may not make the AL team until 16. It looks like more options to me. Some will take it some will not.

This is correct nothing wrong with choices.

I believe that U/16 Academy teams played U/18 classic teams.In the FCD Showcase.

I'm talking age equality.

I agree coaches do look for all you say. The teams not in DA do get watched but they are looking for that one or two quality players that
choose not to play in DA.

We can go on and on with this. I wish you and your BB all the best in your search.

I just believe there is a big difference.
Last year at U/16 our Academy team beat the U/16 State Champs Classic champs etc. 5-0 twice.
This year our U/18 Academy beat # 3 Classic league team 9-0 (scrimmages)

Players who played with my BB on those teams could not believe the difference in level of play.

Aswan wrote:This is just more top-down BS. Americans already have more opportunity to rise to high levels of competition commensurate with their abilities than in virtually any other country in the world. What we don’t have is a social order where kickin-the-ball-around is a major pastime or, alternatively, a community-based venue for regular free-play. What separates our players from other nationalities is basic ball control skills, skills developed playing around with the ball…a lot. If they really wanted to do something effectual they would encourage and support local rec associations in expanding opportunities for playing and practicing at young ages instead of creating more elite categories that will ghettoize the sport instead of popularizing it. Regular local pick-up games at age U-8 would have helped my son much more that DA ever will.

This sounds right. And one thing that makes kids here toss footballs and & basketballs around a lot is the school based competitions. Don't under rate school spirit. But the clubs don't care anything about seeing that strengthened.

TheFarPost wrong assumption on competitiveness of DA vs Classic League DI teams. TFC 94 from U-17 age group beat #3 DA standings team in DA Texas Region 1 to 0 this last week-end in the FC Dallas College Showcase. The TFC team with 94's beat the Texans Houston DA academy team in college showcase event before college coaches. College coaches were very impressed with the TFC team not sure about DA team.

There are some DA teams like FC Dallas U18 academy that are truely extremely good. Others are at bottom of league standings nothing more than classic league teams with alot of ceremonial hoopala. We have seen players who don't consistently start on DI classic league team start on DA team.

Soccernovice wrote:TheFarPost wrong assumption on competitiveness of DA vs Classic League DI teams. TFC 94 from U-17 age group beat #3 DA standings team in DA Texas Region 1 to 0 this last week-end in the FC Dallas College Showcase. The TFC team with 94's beat the Texans Houston DA academy team in college showcase event before college coaches. College coaches were very impressed with the TFC team not sure about DA team.

There are some DA teams like FC Dallas U18 academy that are truely extremely good. Others are at bottom of league standings nothing more than classic league teams with alot of ceremonial hoopala. We have seen players who don't consistently start on DI classic league team start on DA team.

At least your consistent Soccernovice. Congratulations to TFC U-17 beating a U15-16 DA team 1-0. That would consistently result into a shellacking from U-17/18 DA teams.

with the same coaches coaching, the technical training will not improve. more bad practice is just more bad. and from what i've seen the ecnl teams are still practicing only 2 times a week.

Until soccer pays like football,basketball and baseball the best athletes will continue play these sports.And it ain't gonna happen.

I don't think many would argue that top DA teams will usually dominate a game against the same age from the CL; however, to say that the CL will undergo major changes is simply not accurate. The CL has roughly 475 players in the U14 age group. Having 4 teams in the DA would pull less than 80 out. Sure, 80% of those would be top players, but the league will continue on...just as it has with the current DA structure.
You haven't convinced me that this new girls league will have a major impact on the boys league.