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Thursday, September 25, 2014
594 comments:
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Anyone have any thoughts on this weekend's Wags tournament. Some quality tri-state teams attending? Hard to predict as teams have changed rosters.
- October 8, 2014 at 1:31 PM
With these types of tournaments the questions are who is injured from school ball? Who is "guesting"- the ringer factor.
But in genereal
ABGC in bracket 1 assuming they bring the "A" team
Manhattan or Sting in the second bracket. Will choose the region 1 team.
FC PA will have to get past Piedmont Triad- not easy so that one is a toss up but I will choose the local favorite (or favorite to beat up on)to get through
Assuming there wasn't a run to the ECNL in GA will pick UFA in the last.
Final FC PA versus ABGC
ABGC wins it
- October 9, 2014 at 8:45 AM
My final four for WAGS:
ABGC vs UFA
STING vs TRIAD
- October 10, 2014 at 11:02 AM
Some great soccer out at the WAGS tournament today. ABGC FCV is rolling and looks like they should advance. Herndon may be a surprise to some, already clinching their spot in the semis after two victories. FC Penn can advance with at least a draw against East Islip.
- October 11, 2014 at 5:25 PM
Predictions are always easy when you already know the result. The games were anything but predictable for the two teams that advanced. FCV struggled to beat a scrappy Loudoun team and FC Penn needed a controversial goal to put them up in the second half. With Herndon pushing extra bodies forward for an equalizer the Strikers capitalized and got a late insurance goal.
Before the games one might have predicted lopsisded scores for FCV and FC Penn but that's not how it played out. - October 13, 2014 at 7:18 AM
Uh yeah...I predicted the final on the 9th. So as predicted was properly applied.
Also your assessment of the game is absurd. The "controversy" was the linesman waving flag as goal was scored. Center ref went over after goal to ask the linesman why flag was raised. Linesman said he was indicating a foul committed by Herndon. Goal stands. Refs called one foul the entire game- Against FC Penn. Herndon parents screaming on sidelines about repeated no calls. Herndon coach was an unvelievable gentleman. Calls across the field, " he's letting them play it's going both ways!" Shut them right up. Herndon didn't even have a real chance all game. No saves or shot recorded. The Herndon kids were playing unbelievably hard but simply were outmatched. Sorry obvious to anyone watching...except, apparently, a Herndon parent.
- October 13, 2014 at 8:21 AM
RE: the FC Penn v. Herndon game - FC Penn was clearly the superior team. They hustled to every ball and everything they touched seemed to find its mark. It was amazing to watch. That being said, I think the game was much closer than some would have expected. Both teams played extremely hard.
Good luck in the finals.
- A Herndon parent - October 13, 2014 at 9:12 AM
FC Penn wins final over ABGC in PK's. 0-0 after regulation. 3-0 in PK's
- October 13, 2014 at 11:30 AM
2 excellent teams. Was the fc Va team the ecnl team?
- October 13, 2014 at 12:32 PM
My sense of the Herndon v. Strikers game. Strikers outplayed United from start to finish. Clearly. United kept it tied for about 50 of the 70 minutes mostly on grit and hustle and some great keeper play. The better side on the day won. Parents from BOTH groups had their moments with non-calls. And when the Herndon parents got too loud with it, the coach shut them down as described. Ref let 'em play throughout, and did not impact the result in any significant way. United is newer to this level of competition and has some adjustments to make to get used to the speed and skill of the top teams. Looking forward to future matchups with Strikers and other elite teams.
- Another Herndon parent - October 13, 2014 at 2:06 PM
ABGC/FCVA vs FC PA game was interesting. FCVA came out really strongly and had much the better run of play for the first 15 minutes or so. Then the game changed to more of a back and forth until the last 15 where FC PA was much more threatening. At that point there was a couple of no calls and one foul called that were a bit controversial (one in the box could have resulted in a FC PA PK)
Very fast paced somewhat frantic game. The pace was largely dictated by the high pressure FC VA team. Neither team had many if any long strings of possession. FC VA passing might have been a bit better but the FC PA team wins 50-50s like no other. Both teams have some absolutley phenomenal players. Shout outs to attacking mids and forwards on FC VA and defensive mid and several backs on FC PA. Of course big saves by both GKs, but the FC PA keeper made several great ones during regulation and a key PK save. Probably 2 of the top teams in the country. Love to see them play PDA, Michigan Hawks, Top Hat etc - October 13, 2014 at 7:00 PM
It appears that PA Strikers really hit the Continental ECNL team hard taking a couple of their key players. An already weak team made even weaker. I think they were 1-1 against ABGC before these players arrived. Yesterday apparently they tied. Do the new players make a difference? Did the ABGC/FCVA team strengthen with any existing players? Where is the best place for an "unclaimed" kid playing top of the roster on a lesser team? Probably time to make a decision.
Is this switch a statement that the ECNL doesn't trump national league and free? IS FCVA living the best of both worlds? Or are they asking too much of their top players? It looks like their top players are playing in all of the ECNL games. Lesser players switching in and out of NPL/ECNL rosters. Did the top 18 play yesterday?
Any other movement from-to ECNL teams likely? Are others looking at options now or is it too late? - October 14, 2014 at 2:28 PM
I think FCVA got what it wanted -- the ability to play ECNL and USYS. I can't imagine the travel, financial and physical demands on that group of kids. Very talented pool of players, but how many sacrifices is any child to make for soccer.
- October 14, 2014 at 4:41 PM
- October 14, 2014 at 4:56 PM
Not sure I agree with the statement that the Strikers hit the Continental ECNL team hard. One of the girls had been playing up a year. So really only one player moved over. Begs the question...Is it better to play on a bad ECNL team or a top US Youth Soccer team that plays National League. I think the correct decision was made. To answer the question as to whether or not ABGC/FCVA has gotten stronger? Well there was no such team last year. They were two separate teams that merged. I would say in most cases when you merge two teams, the overall talent will be much greater. It might take some time for it all to gel. However, I do see where they have played several ECNL games together this fall already. Strikers were playing their first games in two months due to high school which makes their win even that much more impressive.
- October 14, 2014 at 5:59 PM
I agree that PA Strikers win was excellent considering most of the teams from up north are battling HS vs Club at this point. I'm sure many teams were playing with few if any practices as a team. Still happy to see some better soccer after 6 painful weeks of HS soccer. Looking forward to CASL and NEWSS, Disney also.
- October 14, 2014 at 7:43 PM
My DD makes an interesting point. there are twins on the region1 '00 team. 1 plays ECNL and the other plays in the National league. Beyond their reasons to separate them, it is interesting that they didn't choose one league over the other for their kids. At least one family thinks that both are viable alternatives.
- October 15, 2014 at 2:23 PM
- cc12 said...
So Virgina State Cup semi-finals are set - Beach v FCV/fka Annandale and Vienna v Herndon. While a betting person would put their money on FCV, Beach has beaten them the last two times they played. Vienna has given Herndon a run for its money but Herndon should power through.
- October 18, 2014 at 9:51 PM
FCV wins it all. Their strikers will dominate. But did they lose to beach twice?
- October 18, 2014 at 10:27 PM
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- October 18, 2014 at 11:26 PM
Any value to the college recruiting process with these camps or similar camps run by other organization?
- October 20, 2014 at 10:31 AM
I think what you will find is the schools with the better programs send assistant coaches. I think the camps are valuable if a coach from a school that you are interested is there, you let the coach know you will be there and request that they take some time to see you specifically. If you are just going in the hopes that a coach will see you and you will walk away on their recruiting list than the vale is marginal. Like everything in soccer, the proliferation of ID camps as a money maker has hurt their value and diminished their quality. As they compare, I think the Excat camps are decent.
- October 20, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Thanks 1:49. Please let me know if you know of any other quality camps like these. My daughter may be interested, depending on the colleges participating.
- October 20, 2014 at 4:10 PM
Probably best off to target a camp at a college for which your child has expressed an interest.
- October 22, 2014 at 3:05 PM
Anyone have an idea of when NEWSS, NPL Showcase and Disney post brackets?
- October 27, 2014 at 9:11 AM
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- October 27, 2014 at 10:58 AM
No I am not a "SPOKESPERSON" or the "MOUTHPIECE" for PDA but what I am is a proud parent of two lovely young ladies that do play soccer up at PDA. That I am. Oh....and my kids just love the place and I support that atmosphere that they have created and creating that my kids play in. Eric Harris
- October 27, 2014 at 3:23 PM
Ed this is a real question. what is the philosophy behind so many of the PDA kids' being rostered on more than one team within the club. I know its totally legal, I just wondered is it predominantly to bolster weak rosters, development or something else? For example, some of the current u15s were rostered on the year older (then u15) NPL team last year. I find it hard to believe that event helps their development and likely only exposes them to overuse injuries or even injuries as a result of being targeted for their abilities by opposing defenders. It might help with the development of some of the older kids, but also takes away play time so it may be an overall developmental wash.
Other kids have been rostered from lower PDA teams to ECNL. Is that as a reward to the top kids? Seeing if they are of the level to make the jump up?
Do the kids train with these other teams to which they are rostered? Just wondering if there is a philosophy to it or a team-by-team decision?
Frankly I wouldn't let my kid play up on a lower level team. ECNL or "A" older team of course, but the risk reward seems off the other way. Aren't there PDA "C" teams from which to pull kids if necessary to the B team? Are the C team parents aware that they are bringing up younger "A" kids rather than the best C team kids? I know Penn Fusion brought a mix of younger and B team kids up in the spring when the roster was thin due to injuries, red cards, etc. It appears their philosophy was to put the best kids available up on the ECNL for any given game. That seems reasonable for ECNL but the NPL philosophy should, in my opinion, lean more toward development than results. - October 28, 2014 at 8:40 AM
Alignments for U15G EDP. Some very good teams and competition.
Why are newly formed teams in the top brackets?
- October 28, 2014 at 10:43 PM
My daughter plays for the original PDA B team Pride.you ask why do we do it, well where else in south NJ should she play for? She did not get picked up by SJEB which is the closest to the Pride so where do I go? The North coach keeps promising a " pull up" tp Gunners so we are holding out hope!. Plus, she is scoring like crazy on her HS team so they have to notice that, our coach comes to all her home games so he will notice how well she is doing as a forward.
- October 29, 2014 at 12:29 AM
@ 12:29 Although I think this post is from someone looking to disparage PDA, I'll bite because it brings up some worthy talking points. PDA Pride is imo a top 5 team in NJ. Where else would you go if you live in that region of the state? If someone says Pride is not top 5, please name your 5 teams that are. If my kids coach liked my daughter enough to attend all her HS games & the team is a top 5 type team, why would I want my daughter playing anywhere else, especially if it involved a long commute? The question that only your kid should answer. Would you rather be top third of B team playing the entire game or bottom third of A team, sometimes not even playing on game day?
On scoring goals in HS, it depends on the quality of the HS's they're playing. If they're scoring a lot vs quality Group 4 schools that is impressive. If they are scoring vs mediocre Group 2 & 3, not so much. - October 29, 2014 at 7:48 AM
12:29 cannot be a real post, but I will bite too, there are a lot of girls that are scoring a lot in HS School that never score in club soccer. A mediocre NPL or ECNL player is still in the top 5% of HS players.
- October 29, 2014 at 11:49 AM
My child is on a highly ranked FAB50 top 25 team. Most of the teams' defenses that they play are basically traffic cones. Many >5-0 games. Over 100 goals scored in the short season. Half the team are "scoring goals like crazy"- means nothing. I wish it would end. The games are unbelievably boring and bad, but of course it won't for another couple of weeks.
I don't really have an understanding of your daughters' level from your description of her high school experience. Does she score like crazy in the top tournaments against decent competition. The NPL northeast is very weak. - October 29, 2014 at 12:09 PM
^^^ Soccer snob
- October 29, 2014 at 1:11 PM
High school soccer is meaningless . The inconsistency of the games and quality of competition means that performance cannot be trusted. Scoring goals in high school is nothing compared to scoring many goals against top ECNL . Now that would be impressive and mean something
- October 29, 2014 at 1:13 PM
^^^ Soccer snob.
Thousands upon thousands of kids loving playing HS Soccer and it means the world to them. But soccer snobs only care about themselves. Someone should tell the girls that celebrate winning & get upset about losing HS games that it's meaningless. My heart goes out to the girls that never make Varsity although they love the game but don't have the athletic talent. - October 29, 2014 at 2:35 PM
I may think HS soccer is not great soccer, but my daughter has loved the whole experience and has gotten to know and bond with upper-classmen which is sometimes hard for freshman.
- October 29, 2014 at 3:06 PM
HS soccer is great for weaker club players like yours...
I was commenting on the poster who said kid was tearing it up in HS as evidence that she should be at gunners level. My point is not necessarily - October 29, 2014 at 3:10 PM
That's just the type of soccer snobbery that makes this blog so distasteful at times. So I say that my daughter has had a great experience in High School and it help her to socialize into High School. You have to go off and say well she must be a weaker player. What in my post gives you the indication that you should disparage a kid you don't know. My daughter is a pretty good NPL player. ECNL level, probably maybe but probably not. She has had fun with HS soccer what high level or not, what more can you expect from the experience.
- October 29, 2014 at 3:40 PM
Stand by the position as you yourself have supported, HS soccer is great for weaker club players. Not so great an idea to put the top players at risk for injury with poor risk-reward ratio. No real development when your kid is dribbling through defenses like they were traffic cones and the coach is a gym teacher who played football, or maybe if you are lucky, d3 college soccer. Further his training session usually are mostly conditioning exercises like the "suicides" he did in basketball when a student himself. This because "his team isn't going to lose any games because they aren't as fit as the next team"! Now your kids are conditioning 3 days a week and playing 80 minute games another 3. No surprise over all of the injuries in evidence. But hey your kid gets her name in the local paper and the school cheers her name over the morning announcements. Indeed that's a lot of return for the vast majority of the kids, but for the top 2% its not worth it. Yes most of the starting Gunners fall into this percentile.
And of course the USSF agrees with me. - October 29, 2014 at 4:34 PM
The uSSF agrees with you for boys not yet for girls and many ECNL girls if not most are playing so you may not like but the kids enjoy it even if the soccer snobs don't.
- October 29, 2014 at 5:52 PM
Not for long
- October 29, 2014 at 7:03 PM
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- October 29, 2014 at 7:18 PM
What nonsense is continually written on this blog. How about I make everyone happy.
If you are reading this post now I want you to know that YOUR daughter is an elite level player playing on an elite level team. Time to buy yourself a Porsche because she is SURELY going to get a full ride to a top D1 school, unless of course there is a conflict with the Olympic team. The only caveat is that you have to shut up about it and not talk about it on message boards. I promise you this. I have watched your daughter play and she is one of the top prospects in the nation.
DCShore - October 30, 2014 at 8:03 AM
Huh DC? I thought your daughter played on a lower level town team. How is it that you are seeing my daughter play?
- October 30, 2014 at 8:12 AM
Not sure why my post was deleted. I just expressed how it is so funny that so many people of the "high level" parents come on here and complain about the level of high school play and complain about the risk of injury, but very few of you stand up and stop your kids from playing it so they must be getting type of benefit from it. What are you waiting for the USSF to make what should be your parental decision.
- October 30, 2014 at 9:57 AM
:) - October 30, 2014 at 10:53 AM
Sorry, some of us do have kids who chose not to play. However, in our world there were excellent training options for her that far surpassed that which she could have gotten through school. Look for more of the high end clubs to offer more robust year long programming as an alternative to schoolball. Some kids play for the school because they don't have much of an alternative for keeping in form during the fall months.
- October 30, 2014 at 11:01 AM
Nearly all of the ECNL kids are playing HS Soccer. I know for that at PDA the DOC in the North does not discourage and does not want to restrict the girls from playing HS Soccer. It would be very easy for them to do if they wanted to yet they choose not to. It ridiculous to think that when you hear all of the bashing that goes on about HS Soccer and the dangers to injuries that people would choose HS soccer as there only alternative to keep in form. People choose HS soccer because the girls have fun playing it
and they get to do it without the constant looking over their shoulder. I will take the punches on this next statement, but yes, I believe that many but not all of the Elite kids would be happier with HS Soccer and lower level club soccer if not for the pressure to perform for their parents, it's a main reason why you see a high attrition of athletes in high school and college because the kids realize it's a lot more work than fun. - October 30, 2014 at 11:43 AM
How many of the PDA kids are going to private schools on soccer scholarships?
- October 30, 2014 at 11:45 AM
Not as many as you think.
- October 30, 2014 at 11:56 AM
But a significant number of players is implied by your response. Thus it is likely that that number precludes a robust fall program for the others. So without another option they play schoolball. Even the USSF recognizes that the private school soccer scholarship is an exclusion to the no high school rule.
- October 30, 2014 at 12:03 PM
There are kids that go to provide school but I'm not sure how much of it is scholarship, but the number is not large enough that it would preclude Fall training for the rest and their is an NPL team up North that could ensure robust training for all. Anybody at PDA is welcome to talk to their DOC, you wll find that he is no hurry to change the current HS dynamic.
- October 30, 2014 at 12:17 PM
Isn't it great how people can twist anything to support their position. I hate HS Soccer, it's horrible dangerous, and creates bad soccer. It's a place where the weaker kids should be playing, but I let my daughter play because there for many kids it's the only alternative for girls to keep their form. By the argument, HS soccer probably destroys more form than keeps it.
8:12 I can't speak for DC Shore, but I didn't take from DC Shore that he literally has seen every Elite player play, but maybe based on his posts he has. But I think his broader point is that parents look at their kids through different lenses than how they look at other players, and parents at whatever level have an over-inflated view of how good their child really is and hold on to the dream because that's the way parents see their kids. - October 30, 2014 at 2:16 PM
One of the functions of the national pools, regional ODP teams, and id2 is to give the parents of kids who are not included a reality check. Oh but let the bashing begin on poor selections, I a know a kid who was included who...
- October 30, 2014 at 2:32 PM
Pride not a top 5 team. Gunners, Milan, Stallions, NJSA/PDA shore, Freehold are Top 5. Has Pride ever beaten any of those teams? Then throw in Toms River and SjEB.
- October 30, 2014 at 3:41 PM
Gunners are very far ahead of the others. Not even close between these second tier teams and or the best PA/VA/MD teams. Gunners have been very successful at sucking up best players in NJ or they go to PA ECNL (bucks and penn fusion) or NY ECNL (WC and Albertson) or other top NYE teams. NJ U15 non ECNL weak. NYE and PA have much stronger non ECNL offerings.
- October 31, 2014 at 12:27 PM
12:27 Thanks for the insight no one has been made aware that the Gunners are the best team in NJ on this site before.
- October 31, 2014 at 1:30 PM
pointing out that it isn't even close. The gap is larger than would be expected when comparing sates with ECNL versus non ECNL. Point is NJ non ECNL teams are pretty behind the surrounding non ECNL teams
- October 31, 2014 at 1:49 PM
@ 3:41 In response to your questions, yes Pride has beaten some of those teams. In their most recent gotsoccer tournament games vs NJSA/PDA Shore, Toms River & SJEB, they won those games. I disagree with your opinion. Imo, they are top 5 although I would not use wins & losses to quantify why they are better. I've watched enough of 6 out of the 7 teams you mentioned to know that the only teams of that group that is without question a superior Soccer team is the Gunners.
- October 31, 2014 at 2:54 PM
Yup that's what I said gunners on a different level. All other NJ teams well below. the delta is much bigger than would e expected. is it just a poor year for NJ or are the impact players too spread out amongst too many teams or are they going to NYE/PA
- October 31, 2014 at 3:57 PM
my daughter has in the past played for PDA Atletica, Matchfit NPL & Copa Leon (some of you guys will know who I am).
when she was in middle school the HS Varsity coach (in the high school she ended up in) was the Disciplinarian in her school and watched her play middle school soccer with the boys. He scouted her early on, made friends with me. So in a sense, my daughter felt obligated to play to contribute her skills. She also enjoys the camaraderie, being with a bunch of soph/juniors/seniors who give her respect and treat her as an equal.
for her, it was both a sense of duty and wanting to play HS ball for the fun and social/status aspect of it. She's on the Varsity team as a freshman and scoring a lot of goals and making a lot of assists. The team plays Rec level so in a sense it's very frustrating for her and myself.
I felt like she really didn't have much choice with everyone knowing she would be the most skillful player and can contribute and elevate the team to not play. There isn't a lot of girls in this school who have 20k worth of training/experince.
Anyone else have the same experience? - October 31, 2014 at 5:16 PM
I would not single out PDA with regards to kids being happier. Which is exactly the fact I have been trying to drive home for some time now.
NOT ENOUGH places for kids to just play the game. And YES just have fun. So in that regard, HS is very popular amongst the athletes. I can't blame most of them.
I realize that this is mostly the wrong crowd for this kind of preaching. But I'll say it anyway.
DCShore - October 31, 2014 at 5:43 PM
Girls U15 1st Division North
Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Girls U15 1st Division Central
Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Girls U15 1st Division South
Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
- October 31, 2014 at 9:54 PM
I think they look really weak. The best Non ECNL teams are playing region1: YMS, strikers and Santos. Other former powerhouses PDA Gunners, FC Bucks and World Class are ECNL so these are the leftover D2 flight.
- November 1, 2014 at 6:59 AM
We understand ECNL PDA and your child are the best. However, I was wondering in term of flights are they grouped correctly?
- November 1, 2014 at 11:39 AM
Other than to qualify for state cup play or to advance nationally(champions league or national league, why does a u15 team even play in a league like this when they should be focusing on showcases? is it cheaper games for developmental purposes?
- November 1, 2014 at 3:23 PM
Wow, PDA Breakers must be so happy to pay 2500 plus dollars to pay in the EDP league. AND they are A much better team than Pride and Atletica. Embarrassing!
- November 2, 2014 at 12:10 AM
I agree, they were playing NPL as the Bulldogs and now as a PDA they are playing EDP. Seems like a step backwards. Can any breaker parent explain the logic to this ?
- November 2, 2014 at 10:57 AM
I disagree they are not better than pride .
Don't forget how easily freehold celtics beat them in state cup. - November 2, 2014 at 11:08 AM
Competition in the EDP league is actually better than the NY NPL League, beside Rowdies,NEFC and ISA. As far as who is better between different teams, let the games be played. Season hasn't even started and you have these parents hiding behind the name anonymous come on here and bash 13-14 yr old girls soccer teams.. REALLY! Results don't lie at the end of the season and during tournaments, let it all play out!
YOLO - November 2, 2014 at 11:49 AM
You express your ignorance when you include NEFC in NY NPL which they are no longer. Additional you neglected to mention Manhattan Santos and Quickstrike.
Guess you failed to realize that good soccer is played in places outside your little world.
Best teams outside PDA gunners in Tri-state area are
PA Strikers
Manhattan Santos
In no particular order. NJ is pretty weak in my opinion. - November 2, 2014 at 4:10 PM
I was actually speaking of last season in which NEFC was in the league,Manhattan was not and either was QuickStrike.. fact! Not even sure what teams are in the league now as I don't concern myself if I doesn't pertain to me. No ignorance here my friend but I do realize I struck a nerve with you. Lol! Your response says it all.
- November 2, 2014 at 7:13 PM
11:08 Please share with us you rational as to why EDP is better than NY NPL.
- November 2, 2014 at 7:37 PM
I said the competition is better and I'm comparing last season to this EDP season coming up.. teams like Oakwood,HBC,NY Rush,Brentwood etc are no where near as good as several EDP teams. No disrespect to those teams but that's a fact, not saying EDP is better as a league but do your research, winner of EDP will compete at NPL National Championship Tournament at the end of the season, EDP has good Gotsoccer Points for those concerned with that.. at the end of the day it really doesn't mtater what league you play in as long as girls are developing and showing well at showcase tournaments. College coachest don't care who you lost to, what the score of the game was etc.. fact! Good competition is great, EDP 1st Division North and Central have some pretty good teams.
- November 2, 2014 at 8:16 PM
"EDP has good gotsoccer points" says it all. Maybe a local community college will come to see a player at an EDP game. Now the one aspect of EDP that is useful potentially to your player that you seem to have missed is the preferred acceptances to some significant tournaments like Jeff cup.
- November 2, 2014 at 9:36 PM
@1108 who beat who in state cup?
- November 3, 2014 at 7:03 AM
Didn't bother to mention the preferred acceptance to some significant tournaments like Jeff Cup because for the top 5-6 teams in EDP or any competitive league that are worthy of being there are going to be there regardless of preferred acceptance. FYI.. have been thru this process before my friend, only stating facts and experiences I have witnessed with older girls. Besides ECNL, I can assure you that you will not see a college coach at any EDP or NPL league games unless they are coaching a team playing, ECNL may get a few on occasions but not like you appear to think. As for Gotsoccer Points, I said for those who are concerned about them, you know as well as I do that some teams chase them and need them to get in tournaments, quality teams don't necessarily need them and will get accepted because of their history..fact! In this discussion I'm not talking about just one team or a particular child so keep the thread civil and not childish, maybe we can all learn something from each other. Still a long road ahead for most in this age group, ignorance will get you nowhere.. RELAX!
- November 3, 2014 at 8:36 AM
Actually, despite your protestations to the contrary, the preferred acceptances made a significant difference last year, "my friend". For example, HMMS should never have even seen the tournament but for their EDP placement- and to be placed in the 3rd flight was a gift. Of course they didn't win a game...
The NJ teams in EDP are very weak, as has been pointed out by several, there is a much bigger gap between the PDA ECNL team and all other NJ teams. Much bigger gap (if any really even exists) than exists between the PA ECNL teams and the Strikers and YMS. In VA the ECNL teams were clearly weaker last year than the USYSA teams, but now they are one and the same. So again now in VA are there any USYSA teams that are not masquerading ECNL teams that come close to FC VA (ABGC) and McLean (Chantilly)?
Does PDA just have all the best kids or could there be consolidation of the NJ teams to put together 2 teams that could compete with PDA? - November 3, 2014 at 9:32 AM
11:08 Are you aware that all NPL leagues including NY get to send a team to NPL finals? EDP is not the same as the NPL, only certain clubs in EDP are part of the NPL. By the way your EDP NPL representative the NJ Stallions last year did not win a single game at the NPL finals last year. NY NPL has the following teams this year in the U15 bracket
Manhattan Santos
NJ Crush
The first 4 can compete with pretty anyone and have beaten the EDP pretty regularly. - November 3, 2014 at 9:36 AM
Your missing the point but... your right! None of your points really matter at the end of the day.. but again.. your right.. feel better now? Just look at results head to head, numbers don't lie. But again.. your right..
- November 3, 2014 at 10:19 AM
That's an odd post
- November 3, 2014 at 10:48 AM
So what is the point?
- November 3, 2014 at 11:10 AM
Guess it is someone unfamiliar with soccer outside of their little world of NJ. Coach must have told them EDP is same as NPL.
- November 3, 2014 at 11:21 AM
NJ is simply ahead of the curve. Other states are moving in the same direction. The ECNL is gaining momentum. There is PDA, then a huge gap in quality, then the rest. In the past within many other states the best teams were not ECNL, but now have either been absorbed or dispersed. VA just changed dramatically with the essential disappearance of ABGC and Chantilly. Now they are more akin to NJ with FC VA and Mclean leading the pack followed by the best of the worst. MD is Bethesda then all the rest arent even close including MD united. PA is different with Strikers, but my prediction is that they will take out the ugly stepsister of the U15ECNL Continental FC next year or sooner. Wierd what happened in NY/north Jersey in the WC /AP debacle. Santos is really the only non ECNL quality team. Merger with WC has happened. Are there santos kids who are going to be rostered to WC? ECNL teams are the undisputed best in most states within region 1 to have the ECNL. Strikers stand out as an aberration. If they are soon to follow, the ECNL will have cornered the market on the top level in region 1. Champions league and othr lame efforts to salvage the situation by USYSA are too little and too late.
- November 3, 2014 at 6:20 PM
So we can assume that the 20 or so players at PDA are the only quality players in NJ? You are very transparent.
- November 3, 2014 at 6:43 PM
Nope, I conceed, some are going to bucks, penn fusion and world class. maybe a few role players scattered among the NJ "academies" and town teams. Does matchfit have anyone notable at u15?
- November 3, 2014 at 7:06 PM
9:32AM's observation of one and the same would seem also to apply to teams playing both NPL (US Club)and USYS. Is that a growing trend?
- November 3, 2014 at 8:09 PM
Notable exception to the ECNL domination is NEFC who will be left for them to play? Heard their national forward left to play ECNL so they might be going the "dispersion" route.
- November 3, 2014 at 8:50 PM
809 probably
Hedging bets at least until the landscape stabilizes a bit. Will the new champions league work and will NPL be unnecessary for u15 and above? Is the national league still competitive enough to draw coaches interest? I think those are important questions. If the answer is no to both ultimately, then it will be the ECNL and then all others several cuts below. - November 4, 2014 at 10:31 AM
at least 7 of Matchfit U15 ECNL are former Gunners. not sure exactly what that means - November 4, 2014 at 11:33 AM
There is no lack of quality players or talent in NJ, just like it there is not in PA, NY or other states. Where the lacking is is in the number of of clubs that can attract quality kids in every age group. The ECNL has been successful at pulling the best kids away from their clubs leaving the rest of the very good players on teams with a few high quality players and a supporting cast. We've been through this before, but until there is a viable alternative to the ECNL, the best kids will be attracted there. The fact remains that NJ can support another 2 ECNL teams so the best kids are left at PDA, going to PA ECNL Clubs, or Match Fit. I think PDA has proven that it is not PDA that is the attraction but rather the ECNL. They've tried in the South to attract kids to tryouts and grow the club there with little success and the best kids still want to drive 1+ hours even though there is a close PDA alternative. Until there is an ECNL alternative (unlikely in the near term) or additional ECNL teams, after the 50 kids go to ECNL, the rest will be dispersed around the state.
- November 4, 2014 at 11:50 AM
Were these 7 Gunners who were told they were moving down to one of the "B" teams prior to their going to Matchfit? I don't even know which one is really the "B" team if there is one. Or were they kids struggling for play time who were looking to get on the field more with a weaker team? were they starters but role players being overlooked for id2 and national recognition looking to move up in status? If so then I guess they wouldn't be "notable". Do any of the 8 top players ever leave Gunners and give up their opportunities to play up/train up/ be nationally showcased etc.? Notable is at least regional level if not national level. are any of the Matchfit players notable?
- November 4, 2014 at 11:51 AM
If a player is "notable" they would be playing on an ENCL team AND playing up an age group or 2, imo. PDA does this with their top talent. I'm guessing other top clubs around the nation do as well. So if your kid is a top player on a top team in their age group, still not so impressive. Enjoy it for what it is, the beautiful game.
- November 4, 2014 at 1:22 PM
Regarding PDA, the club ECNL teams are all top quality but PDA is a poor representative of the ECNL national approach. To assume that PDA and to a lesser extent Matchfit represent enough of the top players in NJ is wrong. PDA and ECNL are far too closely tied for the NJ players to truly benefit. Monopolies in business are broken up as they tend to benefit a select few and the same applies to soccer. Expect a legal challenge at some. NJ can support at least 2 more ECNL programs.
- November 4, 2014 at 1:24 PM
These parent blogs are laughable. There is no way anyone can say there is a huge gap in talent between 20+ girls on gunners and the rest of nj, especially by using pre-puberty win/loss records as the measuring stick. the fun is going to start now that this age group has reached high school. And no, the entire world is not running to PDA to sit their soon to be 27 girl bench. Not everyone wants to play college soccer at Rutgers. Lol.
- November 4, 2014 at 3:13 PM
3:13 I agree mostly with your post and that there is a lot of talent in the state, but these girls are U-15, pre-puberty has gone a long time ago.
- November 4, 2014 at 3:44 PM
1:22 I don't completely disagree with you but the number one recruit in the 2018 graduating class and a member of the U17 national team plays on age. If you look at the national pool rosters its a mix. Some of the '99 national pool players play up for example at Penn fusion, but some of the '00 national pool players play on age for example fc bucks. For sure though most ECNL players who play up an age (and grade) are indeed notable, but not all kids who play on age are not notable as you say.
Some play on age because they are on the younger side of the age range. Some play on age because they are late puberty kids. Some play on age because the club likes them with that team. There are clearly more reasons too numerous to recount.
- November 4, 2014 at 4:10 PM
@ 3:13 "Not everyone wants to play college soccer at Rutgers"
Yeah exactly - you're gonna send your kid to a third rate college (okay, maybe Rutgers is not 3rd rate LOL) so she can play soccer? Shouldn't we be aiming for Princeton or Cornell and hope our daughters play for fun/fitness? - November 4, 2014 at 9:16 PM
Shouldn't we be stressing academics as opposed to athletics? Isn't their intelligence going to further their future ambitions as opposed to soccer? Maybe the fervent soccer posters do not have girls who can manage honors classes, community service, and a sport. Don't put all your eggs in the" sports" basket.
- November 4, 2014 at 11:13 PM
So why are you posting on a soccer forum? Maybe you should find a my-kid-is-going-to-Harvard-without-soccer-helping-the-admission-process-along forum. Sorry our kids are also in the honors programs. But keep hoping otherwise. The top soccer kids might very well go ivy. I bet yours, even with her honors classes, will have much less of a chance. If they want my daughter to play soccer for them, she has a decided advantage over your with her community service.
- November 5, 2014 at 5:40 AM
1999 http://www.epysa.org/odp/1999_girls_u16/
2000 http://www.epysa.org/odp/2000_girls_u15/
EPYSA ODP teams posted. For those who say that ECNL players don't need ODP or are discouraged from participating, these rosters would clearly belie that position. There is a huge influence from Penn Fusion and a significant presence from Continental. Less so from Fc Bucks. Many of the repeats from last year are from these clubs. Looks like half the '99 roster is Penn Fusion '98 or '99 players. Coach is the Penn Fusion '98 coach. Looks like Penn Fusion is all in. Will this set a trend? or is it an aberration. Would think that any exposure is good if you can manage it economically and fit it in timewise. - November 5, 2014 at 10:14 AM
In NJ, are the top 5 HS teams better than the top 5 u15g club teams?
- November 5, 2014 at 10:19 AM
That is difficult to answer , because the top hs teams have girls from the top clubs. For Example , Ridge H.S , which is supposedly ranked no 5 in the state has 7 Pda girls on it . So how do you separate it , would these girls play for pda or their h.s team ?
- November 5, 2014 at 10:32 AM
7 gunners or 7 pda high school aged ECNL kids? If the latter then I think your answer is that the best high school teams beat the best u15 teams by virtue of the fact that there is a significant age difference and the u15s would essentially be playing up.
- November 5, 2014 at 11:28 AM
You will find the HS teams in the State are chock full of ECNL and NPL players. With the exception of the top ten state HS teams any top ECNL or high ranking club U15 team would probably win. Most HS coaches are counter productive for soccer development. Play it for fun and school spirit only.
- November 5, 2014 at 12:03 PM
the question was top 5; you answered yes
- November 5, 2014 at 2:21 PM
To much crap being posted to index.
There is obviously a lot of talent in the 'top' Academy teams. To say there is a 'gap' is just a freaking joke though. It shows me that someone doesn't understand THE GAME and is likely to be a very self absorbed person.
There are plenty of 'notables' on teams outside of ECNL teams. You know the same girls recently brought up from other teams, including, "gasp, lower town teams".
PLENTY of great soccer. At least a lot more than most of the dummies on this board recognize. Not much going on right now in this age group, but come Spring it will be fun to get back out and watch.
- November 5, 2014 at 5:54 PM
So if there isn't a gap then which NJ teams have competed in the top flight in, at least regional tournaments if not national, tournaments and met with success? PDA has done that. In PA fc Pa has done that. In Mass nefc has done that in Va abgc has done that. Any Nj teams at that level? I think not. Of interest abgc has become fc va ecnl. Nefc is rumored to have list their national striker. Fc pa is rumored to be going to continental. Seems like the gap that already exists in nj is being replicated at least in region1. That is interesting.
Regarding the notable:you said something interesting, "brought up". Brought up to where? Why are they notable? what have they accomplished? Have they improved the level of the team to which they have been "brought up" so that we should look for that team at CASL or Disney or Surf cup or Las Vegas or even Jeff cup? Oh yes EDP has now preferred admission maybe we will see them at Jeff cup top flight? Probably not... - November 5, 2014 at 9:05 PM
A great post of mine REMOVED because I was too accurate in my response to 9:05PM.
DCShore - November 5, 2014 at 9:59 PM
I'd like someone to step from behind the shadows and tell me why my post was removed? Not 1 single personal reference. I mentioned several teams that are repeatedly mentioned on this site, INCLUDING 9:05's own post.
PLEASE do not tell me that a PDA parent...or worse yet some in the org runs this site.
I accurately detailed how an artificial 'chasm' or gap has been created in youth soccer. Daming to some I guess.
DCShore - November 5, 2014 at 10:04 PM
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- November 5, 2014 at 10:55 PM
I am 9:05 and i am sorry that I didnt get a chance to read your response. Can you repost?
- November 6, 2014 at 6:59 AM
It's probably not worth it.
This site is either up to cater to someone's ego and/or to cater to a particular org.
NO DOUBT the chasm you see now exists. The question is how did it get there. Is it really something that cannot be crossed?
The chasm/gap you see is largely an artificial one.
It is easily demonstrable. And I took the time to do it last night.
I will detail again just not now. I will also save my work so I can copy & paste it each day/night if I have to.
It's just important to recognize that when all 'top' play is pooled in a closed system there is NO WAY that chasm/gap can be crossed. Which is PRECISELY what the 'for profits' want.
Just look at last season's US Cup. Well coached, trained town teams defeating the 'B' and 'C' programs of a well known "Development" academy.
NO DOUBT these 'for profits' want to increase the closed leagues so this sort of chasm crossing does not occur. No doubt this is in large part PRECISELY why the Gunner ONLY play in the closed leagues. Can you imagine them losing to a well coached town team? What would the reaction be?
The PDA Gunner would almost SURELY beat any town team first run. But by the 5th or 6th game you would likely see some parity as the quality town team got use to the speed of play. EVERY coach knows this.
The gap can never be crossed because it has been created. Closed systems do not work for this way. They will only benefit the 'for profits'.
This does not take away form the teams and players today. We are talking about quality programs across the board. But this 'gap' nonsense is ridiculous. It's exactly why you continually see players brought in (or as one org calls it 'developed' in their programs. It keeps them strong and they do a good job of marketing to parents.
More later.
DCShore - November 6, 2014 at 8:14 AM
Spot on DC Shore!!
- November 6, 2014 at 9:51 AM
I'm not sure why some posts are being deleted these days, I had a couple deleted that mentioned club names but no people also. My guess is that the administrator has some sort of club affiliation.
To add to your artificial gap comment here are a few issues in NJ that have also created the gap.
- Relative to other states with an ECNL presence, NJ is under represented in the ECNL solely on a population. Does it at all make sense that CT. with half the number of people has an equal number of ENCL teams as NJ, and it had 3.
-What has this underrepresentation caused - it has consolidated talent in few clubs. I do think there is a team gap these days because of this consolidation of talent in a few places. What that means is that there are limited roster spots . There are still a lot of exceptional players who have remained on teams who just do not have talent top to bottom to compete. Are we really believe that there are 50 CNL quality players and 50-100 just aren't good enough. the difference between 50 and 60 may simply come down to a coaches need or a coaches style rather than the quality of an individual kid.
There are a lot of valid points on the closed system as well, when you put yourself in a bubble you start to believe everything that you are told.
Before the hype of ECNL and the top kids on town teams leaving their club there were quite a few top tier teams in NJ that competed well out of NJ. In other states, when those kids left their clubs, they had 3 or 4 ECNL choices to try out for.
Go back and look at the U-12/ and U-13 history of clubs before they started to lose kids; TRE, Freehold, SJEB, Bulldogs, in addition to others already mentioned on this blog were very competitive teams regionally. All of those teams have lost top players to either PDA or Match Fit so it is not unexpected that these teams would decline and their wouldn't be a rise of new ECNL clubs because of the lack of options. Als, look back 2-3 years and it speaks to the point of recruiting rather than developing, the Gunners have reached their level in large part by attracting kids from other teams. They were not nearly as dominant a few years back and look at the history a team like Freehold was very competitive with the Gunners. You wouldn't see the dominance of one team if more options were available like in other states. - November 6, 2014 at 10:20 AM
The closed system of play still has a few loopholes that allow a non- Ecnl clubs to compete against an ECNL team. Currently NEWSS has Gunners and a few other ECNL's competing, will they be bracketed separately? Let's hope not. USYSA needs to be careful also, as it appears they are using some the larger tournaments like CASL and Disney to play their league games, setting up closed brackets at their tournaments is not a good idea. This is setting a bad precedent as open competition is what these tournaments should be about. Tournaments lose their value when brackets become limited not by ability but rather affiliation.
- November 6, 2014 at 11:38 AM
The USSF supports a pyramidal (closed) system. However, I support that NJ deserves a third ECNL club. CT has never had more than 2 ECNL clubs. Soccer plus merged with FSA and their ECNL franchise is called FSA now. They didn't drop soccerplus though they may have without the merger. To my knowledge only one club (VA) has ever been dropped and this happened this year.
I think that if a club is not ECNL it falls on the doc or at least the coach to ensure that the team meets adequate competition to advance their abilities. This may mean playing against boys and older teams. I agree when they were younger the town teams were often very competitive and even often beat PDA. Much of young kids soccer success is based on athleticism which often translates into early puberty. Some of the decline in the town teams is a result of many of the kid's catching up physically this year and earlier advantages dissipating without commensurate improvement in soccer skills and IQ>
Much of the improvement of PDA and Matchfit is clearly related to the pyramidal system in action (collection of better players in smaller numbers). Again this practice is in keeping with the USSF philosophy (I know there is no USSF sponsored DA, but there is no doubt the officials are happy that the pyramid is happening without their resources on the girl's side)
The gap will become more pronounced as our children age out of youth soccer. Without a doubt some left behind could have achieved greater individual development and success if they had chosen to move higher up in the pyramid at an earlier age. yes there is some aspect of choice especially earlier before the skill chasm occurs. Now, at U15, it is harder to catch up if a player hasn't been playing with and against high level players.
NJ is contributing no players to the '99 national team that are U15 eligible (One is U16)and 2 to the '00 national pool one of whom of note plays in PA. To my knowledge none of the NJ ODP players will be attending the boca raton odp interregional. This is a relatively poor showing when compare to PAE where there are the same number of national players ( 2 '99) and 1 ('00) but there are several on the boca roster I believe. Not that I think ODP is the end all beat all but number of kids on the A ODP interregional roster is an accepted metric for success.
I know that many if not all of the national players not only played competitive soccer throughout their early childhood, but also sought every opportunity outside of their formal team training to improve. Many of their parents could afford, and chose to support them with, private trainers, many trained with boys' teams, and many attended multiple teams' practices within the same club etc. That type of augmentation can and does occur outside of the ECNL clubs, but most kids who make soccer so important to them so as to devote extra time and often their parents money demand to be moved to the most competitive environment possible and at this time, by U15 it is the ECNL.
I am not saying I agree with all the ECNL philosophy, but it what it is and the gap is growing to the advantage of the ECNL clubs and I am not sure to the advantage of the kids. - November 6, 2014 at 1:53 PM
The reason that I think it is not to the advantage of the kids is that I live 90 miles from the nearest ECNL club. There happens to be a wonderful trainer/coach in my town with whom my children have all trained over the course of the past 10 years. There is also a decently run local club with decent facilities. Yet there are currently 20 or more kids who travel 90 plus (some travel 120 miles) from our area to the ECNL and DA clubs.
At my child's age there are enough traveling along with those who have stayed (who are now unfortunately behind- yes a couple have recently tried out and been turned away) to have formed a region level 1 team if not a national league team. But instead we all travel to play in the ECNL and DA.
In the old days we would have consolidated into one team with the best trainer and our kids would be equally positioned to where they are now with my traveling 90 miles to train and play 2-4 days/week. All of the same coaches - college and national would have seen them in region1 and national competitions along with the big tournaments. They all would have done ODP to augment their exposure and to understand where they ranked. The new ECNL world is not in my kids' best interest, but I am part of the problem because I don't want my kid disadvantaged and I cant change the world with one kid. - November 6, 2014 at 2:06 PM
Let's call it what it is. If you are in the ECNL i's great, if you are not it sucks. Although, I would argue that many kids from spot 15-25 are not all that happy. people are pissed because if you do make it into an ECNL club the level of soccer drops off and it has gotten worse in the last few years with the move away from USYS focused clubs. What makes it worse is that this is a team sport so you are often left with the judgment of one individual deciding your kids soccer future and that coach will come into a tryout process with pre-conceived biases. In an individual sport, you are the best or you are not and the results prove it. In a team sport, you look at your kid and think your kid is as good as any ECNL kid but for various reasons, may not be there, so we are angry that our kids do not get the same opportunities. It is worse in NJ because you get this artificial restriction of the number of ECNL teams. NJ is not based on the supply of ECNL level kids which should be the determining factor . I think people would be far less upset if there were 150-200 ECNL spots. People on this blog will deny it, but there are clubs that have actively prohibited ECNL expansion in NJ and use excuses like quality fields or some other BS. No spots are restricted in NJ because it benefits certain clubs to have limited options.
- November 6, 2014 at 3:04 PM
Why does it have to be either or (ECNL/non-ECNL)? I don't think it has to be that way. There are advantages and disadvantages to both for each kid. I know kids that are on the local ECNL teams and are happy. I know some that are not satisfied. I know kids on a local USYS team that are quite happy. Their team is at a level where they can get into all the major showcase tournaments (and are playing against ECNL teams), so they will have access to the college scouts *IF* that is what they want. Not every kid that's a good soccer player wants or expects to play in college or wants to make the USWNT.
To generalize and say that those not on ECNL teams think ECNL sucks is just plain wrong.
- November 6, 2014 at 3:48 PM
Well off kids have more opportunity in this society in everything. Soccer is the least of it and pretty unimportant. There is no career path in soccer except for tiny tiny number with truly freakish abity who are all playing up, abroad or with the boys right now.
- November 6, 2014 at 4:19 PM
Agree overall with your sentiment, but maybe not all the details.
We can and should focus on improving the overall experience. From an enjoyment point of view, from a development point of view and what is good for the game.
You indicate my number one frustration with the sport on a youth level. There is too much MONEY in it. Too much required , too much spent. We are feeding this beast that does not translate well for the game overall. We should have as many numbers playing the sport on the highest levels possible. Instead parents, coaches and organizations alike are in career-builder mode.
How's that working out for our Leagues? National Teams? The American soccer image abroad?
Nothing is absolute and pockets of true brilliance and success do manifest on every level. The sad truth is as much as I could see THE GAME taking a huge leap forward in this country I believe there are equal odds it remains stagnant. Again, how's this all working out for our National teams?
DCShore - November 6, 2014 at 4:37 PM
If we rely exclusively on the ecnl to field our national teams, we may not remain the top international women's soccer power. That remains to be seen. For the vast majority of players that is of no great consequence. Soccer is great sport whether you play in the ecnl or in a lower cost league. - November 6, 2014 at 6:25 PM
Sadly, we really are not the top of Women's international soccer. Superior (though diminishing) advantage in athleticism aside, the game being played by the USWNT is NOT the best. The rest of the work has caught up to us athletically and a handful of teams have already passed us technique and IQ-wise.
DCShore - November 6, 2014 at 9:38 PM
But its not the ECNL thats the problem. It is selctors who can't move forwrd from the athletic direct one dimensional game with which the US has been successful. There are plenty of wonderful creative players about whom the USSF is aware. They are starting to be identified on the boys side, but the girls coaches are yet to embrace a more technical style suited to the creative players. here is a link to a video of one of the most creative '98s in the country (plays for the national title deaza force team coached by...her dad) Note that she does not play up and even is in fact at the older range for her team. However small, technical, late bloomer, players are rarely successful playing up. Note also that she was recently cut from the U18s who will be our u20s in 2 cycles (2018)
I hope you enjoy her video. I will hope that the coaches wake up to talent like this and grow up enough to use it to restablish US supremacy in women's soccer. its out there its just not being selected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IfCLXIoaDg - November 6, 2014 at 10:04 PM
@10:04 Looks like a very nice player. Nice video production also. I didn't see anything uniquely special though. Another run of the mill, top third ecnl type player. If that's the style you want the girls playing, everything's going to be fine. The games I've been watching have many girls playing that style with equal touch, technique & tactical abilities.
I've only been watching the womens game for a few years now but I thought the USWNT is considered the best in the world. Is that not the case? From what is getting posted on here, one would think we are not even in the top 10.
- November 7, 2014 at 8:37 AM
U20 knocked out by NKorea
U17 didn't even qualify
clearly some basis for concern over the future - November 7, 2014 at 9:12 AM
Don't have any answers but it is very unclear to me hoe we can hope to compete if most players are eliminated early because of the high cost. These top clubs choose from the pool that are in a position to pay. Obviously that includes many good players but it is enough? Seems unlikely to me.
- November 7, 2014 at 9:35 AM
Enjoyed the video. Great player. Did not watch every minute so I may have missed it, but I did not see many highlights of her defensive capabilities. Not an expert though.
If any coaches are out there, I would be curious to hear your opinion of this player's strengths and weaknesses. As best as can be discerned form a highlight tape. - November 7, 2014 at 11:11 AM
Would think that wins & losses at u17 & u20 are not as important as identifying & developing the few players that might make the World Cup or Olympic roster one day. The USWNT is fine & the sky is not falling.
- November 7, 2014 at 12:01 PM
many pundits would disagree. We haven't won a world cup since 1999. We are getting beaten by more technical teams and the African nations will soon be putting forward more athletic teams. Keep you head in the sand because fortunately I think there will be a reaction in the youth national teams, especially, if we fail again next year.
- November 7, 2014 at 12:14 PM
The U-17s did not even qualify, how do identify players if they are not even able to compete at the highest levels. The U-20s with the exception of 1 game were pretty awful in the World Cup, so what do you do, scrap the whole team and start identifying another 25. The USWNT has an over reliance on aging stars, and will be severely tested in the World Cup. The same USWNT came in 7th with all of the top players except Morgan there. The signs are there.
The USWNT has currently has 4 players 25 or under. The German National Mens team that won the Men's World Cup currently has 15 and I think had 18 over the summer. - November 7, 2014 at 12:35 PM
Don't get your point 1235?
- November 7, 2014 at 1:20 PM
The point is that at every level, U-17, U-20, or the USWNT, our youth has not been very competitive at the highest levels. When you see it at every age level at the top of the pyramid, then you have to take a hard look as to whether our current youth system is putting the best out there. The U-17 is a current indictment of the current system because they didn't even qualify for their world cup and that is the first group where the majority of players would have come from the ECNL.
The Germany point is that the German Men's team several years back went to a complete Youth movement and it yielded a lot of benefits to their men's program. The fact that our USWNT coaches do not believe that they can build a competitive world cup team with youth is also an indictment of what our youth system is producing.
My personal view is that there is a correlation between the narrowing of the player pools very young and the output it is producing on the field. - November 7, 2014 at 1:28 PM
Germany is a top soccer player producing machine. We will not be competing with Germany any time soon on the men's side. f they can find the girls like they do the boys, probably not on the women's side either.
- November 7, 2014 at 1:36 PM
How can we possible be putting the best out there? To try to play at the highest levels in this country is simply out of reach financially for the majority of families.
- November 7, 2014 at 1:40 PM
The point on Germany is not that whether we can compete with them or not on the Men's side. Read the post. The point I am making is that Germany built a team with youth with more than 50% of their National team being under the age of 25. With the current state of US soccer, by the USWNT standards, we can not build a a world leading women's team with more than 4 women under the age of 25. Has our youth program regressed so much that at U-17 we can't qualify for a world cup, at U-20 we are embarrassed and at the USWNT level we have very little youth.
This is what our current closed pyramid is delivering. - November 7, 2014 at 1:58 PM
Its the second u17 world cup we didn't qualify for. Agree, Hoping that change is in the wind, but worried its not. Sermanni...
- November 7, 2014 at 3:07 PM
"If any coaches are out there, I would be curious to hear your opinion of this player's strengths and weaknesses. As best as can be discerned form a highlight tape."
---> I'll start off by saying this player is a very nice athlete, exudes a lot of confidence with and without the ball, and appears very much to be a gamer. All great qualities.
Unfortunately it is a highlight real. MOSTLY centered around goal scoring. Go figure.
So much more of how the player plays and reads THE GAME is required to make any kind of overall evaluation though. Simply put, not enough situation play to see what kind of decisions the player is capable of playing.
As far as what kind of GAME is on display. It really is typical American Soccer imho. Again, not totally fair to say because the clips are a highlight real, but from what I observed all of the play involved one, maybe two players. I did not see any "decision-making" going on beyond "kick the ball up" to the open/overlapping player and "outrun" the opponent.
Again, based on what is seen a lot of positives from this player but it is really difficult to know if the player understands and is capable of playing THE GAME.
All of this said, I'm sure a lot of coaches would give body parts up to have a finisher like this young lady. There is something to be said for that.
DCShore - November 7, 2014 at 7:47 PM
As far as our National Teams go...more about marketing than success.
Klinsmann will likely ultimately fail, or rather be sacked, because he does not realize this. Leave Landon Donovan (or whomever) off the roster and you get roasted. Criticize the MLS...same things.
On the women's side I said my peace already. We missed an opportunity in the 90's to capitalize on our early success. Instead we went directly into marketing mode. A coach recently got sacked, I mean left, because he was trying to change the dynamics of the team game. Oh well.
TOO much money around the sport. At the end of the day priority is to; fill seats, fill club memberships, sell T shirts.
U.S. soccer continues to struggle.
Looking forward to the Spring. Not enough soccer in this age group going on right now.
DCShore - November 7, 2014 at 7:56 PM
Deanza Firce '98 won the U14 national ECNL championship and I believe was runer up at U15. They are remarkable. I will conceed that perhaps you didnt see enough on Luca Deza's reaal, though I think its obvious that her soccer IQ is off the charts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqYCokpGQb0 - November 7, 2014 at 10:34 PM
Since when is this a California Blog, I am no fan of PDA and I don't like their model, but they have a two players that will match any girls playing in the country, and you do not have to watch a highlight reel to see them. If you want to see some great players in person, there is on on the U-17 ECNL team and one on the U-18 ECNL team that play at the USWNT U-20 land U-17. There are a few other top top level players to go see from our area.
I believe there are currently 4 players from NJ on the U-18 WNT. - November 7, 2014 at 11:50 PM
Yeah, well i almost did't bite on the whole "evaluate question" precisely because it was an absurd request in the first place. As i pointed out it was only a highlight real. Based on that clip i thought my eval was fair.
I will take YOU at your word don't have time to look at more clips now, but please do not Ever confuse me with someone who equates winning and championships with knowing THE GAME.
DCShore - November 8, 2014 at 6:30 AM
Found seconf video helpful. The play was set up with a written title before the clip played so I knew what to watch for. Eucational, I will show it to my kid.
It is offensive highlights again. Wish there was one like this highlighing with grat defensive plays. Alas, my kid's team spends much time on defense! LOL. - November 8, 2014 at 9:05 AM
1150 you are clearly not to whom I was directing the Deanza Force post. I posted it in response to some questions regarding LD and not having seen enough of the build up etc to determine quality. It is a post about soccer style of play and the possibilities of the girls game. I am unaware of any PDA youtube public videos or I might consider posting them. Regarding defensive plays, the guy who made the videos has graciously done one for most of the kids including the defenders. If you are interested, here's one:
you can google "Deanza Force '98 defender" to see others.
By the way I am a coach and have shown these videos to various female players so they understand what's possible. If you dont appreciate the quality, then dont view. - November 8, 2014 at 10:01 AM
The basic problem with girls soccer is that coaches both high school and 95% of paid coaches like the "direct style" because it gets you more wins than losses. It is high energy / high pressure bash ball soccer of some type or another. I have seen good technical players from quite a few teams get let go or minimized because coaches think they are not being very productive on the field. They are the ones holding the correct position. Other high energy girls who run around and chase the ball or the ones taking three players in a row on are taking the triangles out of the game. That is one of the main reasons why the Gunners are more successful than most they don't do that.
Until we weed out those coaches and players and get to just playing the simple technical game. Pass when the pass is there and dribble when the space is there nothing will change.
Just look at the players playing with you daughter and you will see the ones I am talking about.
No My daughter does not play for PDA. Just like watching the real game. - November 9, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Do you understand what happens often, but not every time, when a dribbler takes on players and pulls a defense out of shape? You dont want to cut that out of your game completely with technical, robotic, simple, one touches.I dont disagree that often kids eschew the "obvious, simple pass, in favor of an over the top ball that I believe they think makes them look "better" if the coach does not correct that decision then we get 50-50 jungleball. Most often you are correct, there should be simple short passes with good movement off the ball to create the passing lanes.
But there still needs to be a player or players who can often in the attacking third create the unexpected. messi is the most obvious, but also Eden Hazard (sp?) is emerging for Belgium and Chelsea as a similar player. There are many others, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Ronoldo, etc.The point is there is a place for take on artists also. They must be taught the discipline of when to use it. - November 10, 2014 at 7:04 AM
Anyone know when NEWSS will post brackets?
After CASL what are most VA, MD clubs doing for tournaments? Any reason north teams are always willing to head south and southern teams really come north for our tournaments? Just curious. - November 10, 2014 at 10:12 AM
Disney is the next big tournament after CASL
- November 10, 2014 at 10:29 AM
It's colder in the North and warmer in the South.
- November 10, 2014 at 10:29 AM
@10:12 - I believe many of the teams from the northern part of Region I haven't started league play yet. Many of the non-ECNL Teams from VA & MD are just concluding their league play and the ECNL teams are in the middle of it. After Bethesda & CASL, NEWSS would be 3 straight weekends, two with travel. The top teams in VA (FCV & Herndon) are doing CASL & Disney, and Herndon is also doing Bethesda, plus VA State Cup just wrapped up. FCV has ECNL, plus a good chunk of their roster is also going to Super Y Nationals in Florida in early December.
- November 10, 2014 at 10:33 AM
Not sure Herndon should be consider as a top team in VA since they did not win a saturated WAGS League.
- November 10, 2014 at 11:41 AM
Not one NJ kid on the '00 region 1 team, but 2 on the '99s. Last year there were seveal on the national camp roster.
http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/rosters_announced_for_2014_odp_girls_thanksgiving_interregional/ - November 10, 2014 at 7:15 PM
I love the fact that the two 99 girls are NOT from your elite academies! Way to go girls!! You did it without your parents paying out the wazoo!
- November 11, 2014 at 7:24 AM
Congrats to all who made it. For sure some serious head scratcher decisions, but all players must be solid to be included. I know the '00 a little better. There definitely were some PDA players at camp and in the pool. Were there many '99 PDA players at camp in RI? Just wondering if they even tried out. PA '99 dominated by Penn Fusion, but it is an excellent point that '99 are not ECNL.
- November 11, 2014 at 8:04 AM
Is it really a surprise about other NE ECNL Clubs? Penn Fusion actively wants their kids to tryout for ODP because their coach also coaches the ODP team. Most ECNL dis courage participation in ODP although they do not stop a kid that wants to try out. USYS has actively commented that need need to draw the best kids back to ODP and that the quality has dropped due to the lack of ECNL players participating.
I know people would love to believe that the "Academy" Kids just aren't good enough to make it. - November 11, 2014 at 9:47 AM
ODP is a good, or not so good experience based on the coaches.
The 99's from PF are all new to PF this year, from non ECNL teams. Maybe they have not figured out that there is not a need to do both ECNL and ODP. Do not see the top kids from Bucks either.
What I saw was a very watered down 2000 list. With many very good players not returning. Maybe a poor experience last year, but even looking at 99's and 98's very few of the starting PF players are on those pools. The 99's had great coaches last year also. Makes for a kid wanting to go back.
ODP is not the only route anymore. ID2 and National Teaining centers.... Don't need ODP if your area has a national training center. Kids are invited, no try out. Year long training once per month, run by US Soccer, you either keep up or are weeded out . No fees!
ODP is becoming less important with ECNL and these other talent ID programs. - November 11, 2014 at 11:12 AM
@ 7:24 I believe there is a 99 from one of the NJ ECNL programs that is a natural u16, playing up at u17 ECNL. If she wanted to be on the ODP team, she would.
The one year that we looked at ODP, if I remember correctly, it was $50 for the tryout then something like $1500 for what amounted to a summer select team. Many would consider $1550 "paying out the wazoo" for ODP.
If what 11:12 says is correct, that is a good thing. The 2 or 3 kids per state, across all age groups, that actually have a shot at the national team should not have to be forced through the ODP system.
- November 11, 2014 at 1:05 PM
NEWSS brackets - http://www.gotsport.com/asp/directors/tournament/vieweventteamscleanb.asp?EventID=38730&Group=Girls_15
Not published on their website yet, so they may not be final. - November 11, 2014 at 3:25 PM
ODP is a pricey way for your child to potentially get additional exposure. But for sure there have been kids recently who have gotten to the national camps through ODP.
Indeed the kids who have been to national camp often drop out of ODP because they already have received the exposure. For the kids that are the next tier down, but are late developers, ODP might offer them another chance to break into the system if they develop.
Regarding the PA training centers. They have been in existence for about a year now. They only asked 6 clubs for players. And the clubs were surprises to some extent. They asked the 3 ECNL clubs, FC PA, CLassics and Penn legacy! Why you might legitimately ask not FC Europa and YMS which field much higher level teams at the '00 and '99 ages. because the guy who runs it is in Lancaster. The ECNL players are pretty much covered with id2 and ECNL national events, seems to me that USSF should be looking elsewhere, but that's me. As far as I know there have been no cuts nor adds. More importantly, the only kids from PA who were invited to the national camps were already invited before the training centers started. In fact all 3 (4 if you count KH who has dropped out) were definitely identified through ODP and the training center was non contributory. So ODP led to the national pool for 3-4 deserving PA players, guess it was worth it for them. - November 11, 2014 at 4:02 PM
Disney brackets are posted.
- November 12, 2014 at 3:57 PM
Disney brackets have been out for over two weeks.
- November 12, 2014 at 4:41 PM
To Eric Harris,
I see you have 2 daughters at PDA, U15 and U9. My daughter is U9 at a town team and is interested in PDA for U10 for the 15/16 season. That said, I see there are two U9 teams currently at PDA North, Lightning and Wolves. Which does your daughter play on and can you give me your thoughts on the coach and the style of play he's trying to teach? From what I can find, both teams are playing in JAGS U10 so playing up a year but flighted differently, Wolves in Olympic and Lightning in National. You said there are no "A" or "B" teams but is one better than the other? Just trying to get your perspective as we are researching the best options for my daughter. Many thanks for your reply!
- November 13, 2014 at 10:22 AM
Looks like 4 teams from area are in the Showcase brackets for Disney. All are non National league teams, good for them. Should be interesting to see if Disney can fight of NPL next year for top teams.
FC Virginia
NEFC - November 13, 2014 at 10:39 AM
Yes I do and if I were I would contact both the coaches listed on the website for both U9 teams. If I were you I would try to reach out to them today and see if you can just bring your daughter to a practice and let her practice with the girls on either team. PDA is a great place if you come with an openmind and with leave the win mentality at home and come with development of "YOUR" child and only "YOUR" child your child is going to love it. To be honest I really hope that you bring your child. If you never been up there and if your child has never been a part of PDA you are going to find out really fast how what 95% of the stuff people say on here is not even close. Yes the Wolves and the Lightning are in JAGS and one in Olympic and one in National. Its not due to skill level but more because I am the JAGS U10 coordinator and I wanted to make the brackets even as far as teams go. They both play the same schedule and the same teams. You are correct there is no A/B system as you will see once you come up. If you need anything you can call me or email me. Just go to the JAGS website and you will see my cell phone and email contact to reach out and I can go further into details that you may have questions about.
Eric Harris - November 13, 2014 at 11:19 AM
Of course they are not National league teams. The National league has its own bracket at Disney as those games count toward the league standings...
- November 13, 2014 at 11:33 AM
11:33 I think it was a statement saying it was nice to see some local representation in the Showcase brackets. The non - National league side of bracket will play the National league in the finals. So just relax the attitude.
- November 13, 2014 at 11:48 AM
Actually, FC Virginia is in the National League and are in the USYS NL bracket.
- November 13, 2014 at 1:20 PM
Not following you. They are in the national league and are in the national league bracket. Not sure what point you are making.
- November 13, 2014 at 2:47 PM
Oh I get it, my bad, you are saying the previous poster was mistaken in excluding them from the national league. Got it
- November 13, 2014 at 2:49 PM
"I love the fact that the two 99 girls are NOT from your elite academies! Way to go girls!! You did it without your parents paying out the wazoo!"
November 11, 2014 at 7:24 AM
Why do you think that one of the 2 doesn't (and didn't last year) play for PDA.
Congrats to her its a major accomplishment especially to be a November birthday and make the regional squad
- November 14, 2014 at 1:20 PM
According to that link, they are both from high priced clubs. PDA & Copa
- November 14, 2014 at 2:51 PM
Yes Nov 11th you make it seem like they played for town teams or something what's up with that? Trying to make a point with no point to be made. Hoping no one would actually check?
- November 14, 2014 at 2:58 PM
The PDA player just joined PDA so let's not get too excited, PDA parents. Someone else developed her.
- November 14, 2014 at 5:36 PM
Played last year too. The point wasnt who "developed" her its that she recognized the value in the better exposure a top player can receive at a more well known club. The daddy coaches dont develop anyone. The kids who advance are getting the training elsewhere and most often paying for it.
- November 14, 2014 at 7:48 PM
7:48 Hear that?? That was me getting sick on the living room rug! Get off that high horse.
- November 14, 2014 at 9:02 PM
7:48 No, she didn't play last year, she played for a short time in the spring this year.
- November 14, 2014 at 11:08 PM
C'mon people , 748 knows, the only girls who make it are from the big academies. Since when does paying ridiculous fees equal soccer success? Just ask the PDA pride parents, not one is happy right now!
- November 14, 2014 at 11:29 PM
Many of the daddy coaches dont even train there own teams during the week so before pda it was probably just some other high priced coach like most of the higher level teams, so who ain't paying.
- November 15, 2014 at 11:29 AM
Does anyone know when they're suppose to post the brackets for NEWSS? I couldn't find anything on their website.
- November 15, 2014 at 12:43 PM
So is better to be the ugly step-sister playing at a big academy or to play at a smaller club.
- November 15, 2014 at 12:57 PM
EAST MEADOW ECNL FREEHOLD CELTIC - November 15, 2014 at 1:10 PM
I posted this last week - NEWSS Brackets:
- November 15, 2014 at 3:02 PM
I think it depends. If the coaching is excellent, your child's (and your) ego can stand the "B" team designation, and you are willing to pay the fees, you can sometimes find a decent B team at the larger clubs. More often the kids who are on the bubble of the A team (best b team kids) leave after losing hope on moving up, and there is a big gap between the quality of the A and B teams (ECNL- NPL) teams. That said, at places where the B teams get decent coaching and facilities and there are fewer surrounding options like FC Stars, the B team might be one of the best teams around. Also some realistic parents say, hey my kid is not an A team kid, she is going to play club soccer or d3 in college, so why are we paying out a mortgage sized payment to her club and traveling all over the place. Those parents go back to a smaller club or a lesser team. Its a personal decision. My personal decision would be based on the coaching and my child's goals if they match her actual potential. I would try and match the best opportunity to her goals and abilities.
However, I think parents have a very hard time realistically assessing their child's abilities compared to their peers. Then the excuses start: Not in the right position, kids don't pass to her, kids aren't very good around her, the team is loaded with "politics" ... and onward. At u15 you should have a pretty good idea where she realistically falls on the spectrum from impact national, regional level players (few) down to role A team players who are also often impact B team or smaller club players (lots of those) to the kid who just wants to have fun playing with friends or is not very athletic but loves the game. In region 1 most of the population has a decent choice of flavors from which to choose.
- November 17, 2014 at 8:26 AM
SJEB- loss 5-0?? How? Played PDA tough and East Isle tough. Ldc looked like weakest team in bracket??
- November 17, 2014 at 12:36 PM
Just checked out the Bracket, how do you get that LDC was the weakest in the bracket. They tied PDA, beat SJEB, and lost by a goal to East Islip. They beat SJEB by a lot more than the PDA team did. PDA, now that's funny, another town team loss, on paper wouldn't you have expected them to at least get to the finals. Are PDA and SJEB the best that South Jersey has to offer? Neither could muster a win against the two likely "daddy coached" town teams.
- November 17, 2014 at 1:47 PM
PDA B team looking pretty good actually.
- November 17, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Spoken like a true parent. How do you get that? 1-1-1 in a tournament including 2 town clubs, is that really where they should be competing at this point.
- November 17, 2014 at 1:52 PM
It's a B team. Do you expect it to be as good as the A team? Where should it be aligned?
- November 17, 2014 at 2:08 PM
What are the 2 town teams??
- November 17, 2014 at 2:38 PM
LDC (Lower Dauphin) and East Islip.
- November 17, 2014 at 2:46 PM
Lower Dauphin is hardly a town team. No shame in losing to them. 5-0 is a little rough.
- November 17, 2014 at 2:55 PM
I'd expect a B team at PDA or an A team at SJEB to be beating locally coached teams. Outside of the ECNL name it supports the point that their is nothing really special to the Academy name once you get past the ECNL.
- November 17, 2014 at 2:56 PM
LDC is somewhere in between a town team and a true Academy. The real point that has been debated to death on this site is the value of a PDA type of name behind you doesn't seem to mean very much. If you are a PDA NPL team or SJEB and if your coaching was better and and it was the place that kids want to get developed as I was reading here last week, than those clubs should be having a bit of an easier time of it in these types of tournaments.
East Islip beat or tied all of the teams mentioned, So for all the hype and movement of kids over the last year, it seems that maybe PDA's ECNL team is the only team in NJ that has shown any real improvement. - November 17, 2014 at 5:05 PM
Looks like the local teams did not fair too well in the Bethesda tournament. I can understand Bethesda because they have not started their season, ECNL. But what happen to McLean and Herndon, no excuse for them. They are okay teams and probably should not be placed in the top level, it showed this past weekend.
- November 17, 2014 at 6:10 PM
How can you say PDA b team is looking good? Same old style, no improvement this year at all.
- November 17, 2014 at 6:47 PM
LDC is L Lancaster D Dauphin and C Cumberland counties. United. There are kids from those three counties at least. Coached by the City Islanders coach who is very well respected. If only they could grab the kids traveling to Philly to play for the Strikers and ECNL they would jump a level. Not sure why they don't all play there.
- November 17, 2014 at 8:19 PM
PDA B, C, D will continual to struggle from success perspective precisely because they are the 'money pools' from which plays on the A team (and some of the stronger players on B) receive their discounts. They are only set up to achieve a certain level of success. The funds are needed elsewhere.
BEFORE any accusations are thrown my way that I don't know what I am talking about I suggest you ask your coach ,the DOC and the head of PDA this question. Do all players pay the same?
The answer may shock some and embarrass others.
That said, PDA B, and C play good/very good games imho. Again, my opinion is that the problems players/parents have are missed expectations. Not necessarily on the soccer side. PDA has to market these teams as something more. Otherwise you are less likely to pay the money. PDA certainly wants success with every team but will swell rosters and take guaranteed $'s every day. It's what they have to do as a business.
DCShore - November 18, 2014 at 9:03 AM
Does anyone really think that the doc at PDA really cares about the success of the B, C, D teams? As long as he can fill the rosters with paying "customers", the only results that matter are the ECNL results because they do reflect on the club. As long as there is a market- any market for the B,C, and D teams, there wont be any changes. If people start walking and they cant fill the rosters there would be changes. Market driven like any business. there is a market for the B, C and D programs at their current price and performance levels. Don't expect any changes any time soon.
- November 18, 2014 at 9:16 AM


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"We are looking forward to our Halloween party Friday evening," said Suzette Matthews, president of CBYP.
"CBYP not only provides opportunities for professional networking but we also provide a space for everyone to get together and socialize."
Entertainment will be provided by DJ Saxy. CBYP T-shirts and membership applications will be available; T-shirts are $10 and yearly dues are $40 a person or $65 a couple.
"I'd like to encourage everyone, members and nonmembers, to attend the CBYP Halloween party," said Jordan Thomas, secretary of CBYP.
"CBYP is a great way to get involved in the community and meet new people."
The mission of Cleveland-Bolivar County Young Professionals is to increase the quality of life of its members and the Cleveland community by providing opportunities for community service, professional development, social interaction, and relationship building for young professionals living and working in Cleveland and Bolivar County. For more information on CBYP, visit www.cbyp.wordpress.com.


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THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DIRECT ITEM. THIS ITEM SHIPS ON OR BEFORE Thursday, January 29 th
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Celebrate the career of an NFL® superstar with this Fanatics Authentic® San Diego Chargers LaDainian Tomlinson sublimated 12" x 15" player plaque! It features a photo collage of Tomlinson himself next to his impressive career stats and comes ready to hang in your home or office.
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