DA1/DA2

So, what is this? I wish posters (coaches?) on this forum would be honest and forthcoming. What ARE parents being told? I as a parent was told that there would be 1 DA team and 1 ECNL club per team. Is that now changing? If so, why at this late date? My DD WANTS to play high school soccer, so DA is not for her. But if ENCL is going away, that makes the decision a tough one......

Bret Big Daddy DA footn the bill you think they will like Big Daddy ECNL taking their players I don't think so...it's pretty clear who's in control. Follow the money....

BigEm talks about free unis and less fees he know who his daddy is now...Big Daddy DA and BigEm are pals...

BigboyBentley wrote:Don't worry Zizou you will still get your paycheck...I don't see alot changing so don't worry you can still eat your chilli dogs at the games. The Big Clubs have rigged the system for years and we keep paying...you don't have to cry this morning Zizou it will be ok...the DA won't hurt you too bad...just take away some of the LH money...

I appreciate your DD and your family paying for my DD to play. Much appreciated!

brett79 wrote:So, what is this?  I wish posters (coaches?) on this forum would be honest and forthcoming.  What ARE parents being told?  I as a parent was told that there would be 1 DA team and 1 ECNL club per team.  Is that now changing?  If so, why at this late date?  My DD WANTS to play high school soccer, so DA is not for her.  But if ENCL is going away, that makes the decision a tough one......

Based on what all of the clubs are posting on their websites (which by the way, is a lot more than they have historically posted), it looks pretty clear cut.

FCD, Solar, & Texans are posting tryouts for DA teams (U19, U17, U15, U14, & U13), and ECNL teams (U19, U19 Composite, U17, U16, U15, U14, & U13).

No mention of DA2 anywhere.  The only ??? is the "2002 Pilot" DA team that FC Dallas is advertising.  No idea what that team is, or where they would plan on playing this year.

At U13, it will be "DA Lite" and "ECNL Lite".  

BigErn can correct me if I am wrong, but for DA, U13 will have a lower level of practice commitment (I believe 3 vs. 4 days/week), and won't have the same level of restriction against participating in other sports/activities.  U13 DA will also only be playing the other Texas DA clubs (i.e. no travel to Colo or KC for league play).

Similarly, U13 ECNL will be a reduced # of teams - participation in U13 is up to the individual clubs, not mandated by ECNL, and I believe there will not be any national showcase events at U13.

Sting and D'Feeters have posted tryout information for their full slate of ECNL teams from U19 down through U13.

So, it looks pretty clear to me.  The options are:

DA - FCD, Solar, Texans
ECNL - FCD, Solar, Texans, Sting, D'Feeters
LH/TCL, USYSA PL/NL, SCPL, RRPL  - The Big 5 + everyone else

For the youngers...  

JDL for sure at U11 ('07) & U12 ('06) with FCD, Solar, Texans and Sting all openly advertising tryouts.  
U13 JDL ('05) seems a bit fuzzy.  Sting is the only club outwardly advertising '05 JDL teams, so may want to be asking more questions if your DD is trying out for one of those teams.

FCDallas Pilot 02, is just like Pre Academy on the boys side. If some of the 02 aren't ready for the 01/02 DA they will train and play with the Pilot team. Don't really know who they will play or if they make any of the traveling trips like  the 01/02 DA team will do. A lot of questions are still up in the air

Guess Who wrote:FCDallas Pilot 02, is just like Pre Academy on the boys side. If some of the 02 aren't ready for the 01/02 DA they will train and play with the Pilot team. Don't really know who they will play or if they make any of  the traveling trips like  the 01/02 DA team will do. A lot of questions are still up in the air

I'd love to hear that sales pitch.

There will be leagues for the DA2 supposedly..it's all hush hush. The real question will be when the restrictions are in full swing..and players can't participate in the other leagues what will be the ECNL reaction. From what I can tell that will be the defining moment in U14..that will be the shining moment and some good forum material when the 2 chiefs in the teepee sit around the fire and pass the peace pipe...I see war paint and dancing for the morning battle.

Time to sharpen that sales pitch.....I would like to hear it when the script changes at the call center.

BigboyBentley wrote:There will be leagues for the DA2 supposedly..it's all hush hush. The real question will be when the restrictions are in full swing..and players can't participate in the other leagues what will be the ECNL reaction. From what I can tell that will be the defining moment in U14..that will be the shining moment and some good forum material when the 2 chiefs in the teepee sit around the fire and pass the peace pipe...I see war paint and dancing for the morning battle.

Time to sharpen that sales pitch.....I would like to hear it when the script changes at the call center.

The funny thing (or maybe it's not so funny), is that if all of these additional teams and leagues happen, that you think it will be to benefit of LH...

Bw you will need to change your lists pretty soon I will look for your updates. You better cross reference w BigEm...he seems to be your eyes....and dots your Ts...

DA 1 DA 2
ECNL
REST

Who will make the new list.

Well, like you BBB, I'd love to hear the sales pitch on how a Frontier Conference (or even just a Texas) DA2 is going to be a better option than TX conference ECNL.

All good questions BW. Until we know the truth we just have to wait.

Just like on the field of play BW there will be winners and losers w the change.

So you read that CA is doing DA2 and you assume the NTX clubs are going to do it but are hiding that from everyone?

I am just asking the questions ForReal...do you have the answers?

If there is DA 1 and DA 2 League why would Texas not participate?

We got 2 leagues being formed for DA I wonder how long it will take before it's official here in Texas ForReal....and how these clubs will address this alignment w the ECNL w their third team playing this arena w the restrictions mandated by the US Development Academy.

bwgophers wrote:Well, like you BBB, I'd love to hear the sales pitch on how a Frontier Conference (or even just a Texas) DA2 is going to be a better option than TX conference ECNL.

He doesn't even have a clue. I do believe he likes to hear himself talk. I'm out

BigboyBentley wrote:I am just asking the questions ForReal...do you have the answers?

If there is  DA 1 and DA 2 League why would Texas not participate?

The biggest reason is geographic density of DA clubs.  By default, DA2 is subservient to DA, meaning that you are looking at "2nd Tier" players.  The majority of these players aren't going to be recruited and end up playing for Power 5 conference schools.  They will be playing for smaller D1 programs and below.  Also, the majority of those kids are going to be looking at going to college within driving distance of home.

Now, in places like SoCal and NE, the geographic density of DA clubs is such that all of the clubs in the conference are within driving distance of one another.  In places like that, a DA2 league that has synergy with DA makes sense, both to the club, and to the players/parents in those clubs.

In NTX, not so much.  If I'm a parent of a kid who doesn't make DA at FCD, Solar, or Texans, and my kid is most likely going to end up going to college somewhere in the TX/OK/LA/AK area, why do I want to spend an extra $1-2k per year for my kid to have to make trips to Colo and KC to play league matches, when there is an established, and proven viable alternative with ECNL that has a regional footprint that makes more sense?  

Also, in case you didn't notice, the SoCal clubs that are doing both DA and ECNL (So Cal Blues, West Coast FC, Surf, and Slammers), are not in the new DA2 league.  

So, again, I would be curious as to what the sales pitch would be from FCD, Solar, Texans as to why a DA2 league would be a better option than ECNL for a kid that doesn't make DA?  Will it be cheaper than ECNL?  Will the competition be better than ECNL?  Will it provide better exposure to college coaches than ECNL?

After all... as you said BBB, it is a business and you need to follow the money.  So why should we spend our money on DA2 over ECNL, and if I'm FCD, Solar, or Texans, why would I f orce people to spend money on DA2, if I can get the same money from them for ECNL, without the risk of alienating them?

Ok BW I see you talked about this in Feb..you feel like if Non DA teams regionally can fill some spots that might be the direction. I don't disagree that ECNL will loose too much since the pooled environment is fluid w the top 2 teams. I just think it's a little sketchy when you have one team and not a 2nd for fluidity and competition. Like you said in Feb this has yet to be hashed out. Like others have commented there's only so much talent in NTX where does it give?

Everybody was comfortable w the system in place and now we have a new sheriff calling the shots and that's the unknown.

If the playing format rules for DA2 end up the same as DA the 2nd tier players will eventually move there as well. Folks are underestimating the impact limited subs will have on the style of play. When you cannot run around full speed then sub when you tire, you are forced to play a different version of the sport. Players in this format will become better players. Coaches will want these players because they will be tactically more capable than players who grew up on college rules.

Its an easy fix for USSF to correct travel for some of these regions. ECNL lives on only as long as it takes DA to establish itself as the dominant league...3 to 5 years max. After that ECNLwill rebrand as something else because I doubt quality left will even be as good as USYS national leagues. Non merit based entry doesnt work when talking about 2nd,3rd,4th tier players. Their strength is marketing, and I'm sure the rebrand moniker will be even more catchy.

The problem for NTX is we probably had more girls getting college looks and a better national reputation when the best teams could all be found in LH (i.e. preECNL era). Unless DA addresses costs, playing format will help some, but it won't push NTX forward to where we were before.

HomeStretch wrote:If the playing format rules for DA2 end up the same as DA the 2nd tier players will eventually move there as well. Folks are underestimating the impact limited subs will have on the style of play. When you cannot run around full speed then sub when you tire, you are forced to play a different version of the sport.  Players in this format will become better players. Coaches will want these players because they will be tactically more capable than players who grew up on college rules.

Its an easy fix for USSF to correct travel for some of these regions.  ECNL lives on only as long as it takes DA to establish itself as the dominant league...3  to 5 years max. After that ECNLwill rebrand as something else because I doubt quality left will even be as good as USYS national leagues. Non merit based entry doesnt work when talking about 2nd,3rd,4th tier players. Their strength is marketing, and I'm sure the rebrand moniker will be even more catchy.  

The problem for NTX is we probably had more girls getting college looks and a better national reputation when the best teams could all be found in LH (i.e. preECNL era). Unless DA addresses costs, playing format will help some, but it won't push NTX forward to where we were before.

Yeah, no your statement is inaccurate. ECNL grew quickly due to its ability the showcase NTX ladies and others in the region and nationally. LHGCL is dead! That league was shit.

This is a complete and utter BS opinion:

The problem for NTX is we probably had more girls getting college looks and a better national reputation when the best teams could all be found in LH (i.e. preECNL era). Unless DA addresses costs, playing format will help some, but it won't push NTX forward to where we were before.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I doubt you would have have access to the numbers now, but I would put money if you did you will find there are not any more players from NTX going to D1 programs on scholarship now than pre ecnl. I did some of this analysis years back...looked at total commits coming out of ntx and the RPI of schools to which kids were committing. NTX was solidly #2 mkt behind socal prior to ecnl. The years for which I had #s showed FEWER players commiting to solid schools from NTX after ecnl. Pre ecnl the top LH teams had a sizeable # of commits. Dont believe me? Go ask KM about his early 91s/92s and the kinds of #s NTX committed in those classes. LH may be dead now, but there is little doubt prior to rise of us club soccer it was known as one of top leagues in the country and the # of commits supported that opinion. Teams still traveled to showcases yes, but the LOCAL competition was real and is a key reason pre ecnl NTX teams were national contenders just about every year. Now...not so much....a few teams in a few age groups at that level, but there is no fear of NTX on the national stage anymore. If anyone has any #s whatsoever showing how ECNL resulted in better outcomes for NTX market I'd love to see them. I'm sure the small markets saw a boost in exposure opportunities, but the numbers I looked at didnt reflect a win for NTX.

If DA ends up being exclusive without any controls on cost or sensible competition structure it wont be an improvement on the LH of yesteryear.

This is like old time '01 academy days with you two going at it...

Zizou posting on 03 now and working back to 05. My cuz from Arkansas got lots of chitlins...I smell the chili dogs now...

Zizou so it's all lite and less filling you keep talking how bad LH is going to be so if there are no restrictions and the same players can play wherever what really changes? You aren't really selling anything new except trying to convince the chasers this is better than ECNL so you don't loose your chili dog allowance at the games...

Little late here and am I ever surprised to be saying this ... but BBB actually started a worthwhile thread here.  Very entertaining and enlightening conversation!

As Bdub mentioned (100% spot on per usual), none of the Big 3 this year will be offering a DA2.  When it was being considered a couple of months ago, it was going to be structured similarly to the U13 DA ... so less commitment/travel than the full fledged DA.  

Bdub's questions about the sales pitch to parents/kids touting a DA2 option over ECNL are the same that most (me included) would have at this point.  From what I've heard from, and found to be the general contention of the powers that be, is ...

The competition at DA will be better than the ECNL in the short term, leading to more college coach exposure even for the upcoming year.  This, in the longer term, will lead to even more migration of top talent to DA which will eventually lend itself to the creation of DA2 here in NTX as well.

DA will offer discounted ('partially funded' may sound even more enticing to most) club dues going forward vs the ECNL being full priced, and the clubs would more than likely follow suit when the DA2 comes to fruition.

All of the DOCs and high end coaches at FCD and Solar I've spoken to anticipate and agree that the ECNL doesn't have much of a future remaining at their clubs.