What is the big deal with LHGCL

My question is: Is LHGCL all that? There are so many other leagues out there. What makes LH "the Best" ? We played Plano Premier D1 and play in quite a few tournaments, including travel tournaments to Austin and Tulsa twice. I guess I just don't understand what it is so great about LH. Somebody, please help me understand. I don't want my daughter to think their team is second rate because we don't play in LH. Which is what it feels like when you

As a whole, LH has significantly better players and teams, especially if you are talking about LH D1 or D2. Is every player and team in LH better than Plano? No. But as a whole, there is a significant difference.

If you don't think so, there's about 5 or 6 '08 teams from your current club that play in LH. Go schedule some scrimmages or friendlies with them and find out for yourself.

Your only other post on here is an advertisement for your DD's team and states that they are from the Allen/Mckinney/Frisco area. Go look up the girls' varsity soccer team rosters, or call up the varsity coach from the HS's in those districts and ask them how many players on their varsity rosters play club on PPL teams vs LH/NPL/ECNL teams. Then ask them how many starters are PPL players. There's a reason why. Iron sharpens iron.

As far as how the leagues are run, the quality of the fields they play on, the quality of the refs, there's not drastic differences between PPL and LH. PPL is good league, providing a good product, and lots of kids are having a blast competing at a game they love in PPL. Just don't fool yourself regarding the level of competition.

Thanks DeltaTauChi. I wasn't saying that the competition level was the same, I just wanted to understand what the big deal was, especially with all the NPL/FDL/DA/ECNL talk.
You helped clarify a few things for me, thanks again.

They do like to cancel games quite often. Big News.

LH is considered below DA/ECNL. Your team is not a second rate team for playing in PPL, they are likely a third. It is not a shot at your team, but if you are playing in what most consider the third most competitive league, then you are not a top tier team.

There is a correct level for all players and teams. Too many times, kids are placed against too high or to low competition and get little out of the experience. There are kids who need to be playing with Upward (church-based rec), and kids who need to be on a DA team. Kids with the skill for one do not need to be on the other.

Are there individual players on PPL teams who are good enough to start on a LH team? Yes. Are there parents paying a ton of money to have their kid ride the bench on a LH D2 team when they should be starting on a PPL D1 team? Also yes. That is why there is QT for LH and placement tournament in PPL. Those league want teams playing similar competition during league play.

If your team is enjoying the game while in PPL, that is ok. If they want a challenge, play in the Platinum division of their next DFW tournament.

With the sub par quality of the local leagues now how will that affect decisions to focus more on studies and other alternatives. we will see alot more attrition and less folks signing up. Sports in general has seen a steady decline in participation across the board. Alot people just arent buying it.

The way I see it is that the LHCL has a place until they hit U13. Once that happens all of the talent moves to different higher level platforms such as ECNL/DA and then NPL and all of the other PL leagues out there. D1 LHCL at U13 will likely see a big drop off from what it was before all of those DDs left town (Literally).

Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

Maybe he was trying to justify the league possibly?

mlwfrisco wrote:Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

Exactly, after the top 2 or 3 teams the competition in the NPL is crap. Saw teams last year losing by 10,15, or 20 goals. I think Arkansas will take any rec team that is willing to put up the money to play. You also better hope a game doesn't get cancelled because their scheduling is crap. Over the past 3 years my DD's team didn't play a complete season once.

rustynail11 wrote:

mlwfrisco wrote:Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

Exactly, after the top 2 or 3 teams the competition in the NPL is crap.  Saw teams last year losing by 10,15, or 20 goals.  I think Arkansas will take any rec team that is willing to put up the money to play.  You also better hope a game doesn't get cancelled because their scheduling is crap.  Over the past 3 years my DD's team didn't play a complete season once.  

So why did she stay on the team for the 2nd & 3rd year?

You/she made the choice to stay rather than move to a more reliable league based on your personal criteria.

Why is it anybody else's issue that you made a choice you are now unhappy with?

mlwfrisco wrote:Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

So are you saying LHCL has better talent?  My point is that the whole thing is diluted and that LHCL is going to be even worse than all the others once DA/ECNL talent leaves those teams.  So all the NPL like leagues will get some talent and LHCL will have what is left.   And then ECRL kicks in and makes the lower leagues even more diluted.  My Point was that LHCL works until the Dilution happens at U13.  The upper age groups are too fractured once you get past ECNL and DA.  Even having those too is not a good thing as there is always debate about which is the true best league there.

rudekid1973 wrote:

mlwfrisco wrote:Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

So are you saying LHCL has better talent?  My point is that the whole thing is diluted and that LHCL is going to be even worse than all the others once DA/ECNL talent leaves those teams.  So all the NPL like leagues will get some talent and LHCL will have what is left.   And then ECRL kicks in and makes the lower leagues even more diluted.  My Point was that LHCL works until the Dilution happens at U13.  The upper age groups are too fractured once you get past ECNL and DA.  Even having those too is not a good thing as there is always debate about which is the true best league there.

I can only speak for the 04 age group, but looking at the teams from North Texas, this is where they finished last year.

CITY FC 04G LAUGHLEY - Placed 8th in Red River NPL
DKSC 04G NPL - No history
NTX CELTIC FC 04G MAYES - LHGCL D2, placed 3rd
SOLAR SOUTH 04G NPL S.ADAMES - LHGCL D3, placed 4th
STING NPL CB 04 - LHGCL D2, placed 6th
BVB 04 G PREMIER (F: LFC ST JOHN) - LHGCL D2, placed 1st
BVB 04 G PUMA (F:LFC BARNES) - LHGCL D3, placed 2nd
DALLAS TEXANS - LHGCL D2, placed 5th
FEVER UNITED 04 - No history
NTX CELTIC FC 04G BARTLOW - NTSP Competitive League(No clue what league this is)
STING 04 NPL TB CUEVAS - No history

So not one team from LHGCL D1, 4 from D2 and 2 from D3. Please show me that NPL has more talent. Why are these teams playing in a regional league and having to travel 8-10 times a year for league games against even worse OK, ARK, LA teams. Spend the money on Showcases!

mlwfrisco wrote:

rudekid1973 wrote:

mlwfrisco wrote:Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

So are you saying LHCL has better talent?  My point is that the whole thing is diluted and that LHCL is going to be even worse than all the others once DA/ECNL talent leaves those teams.  So all the NPL like leagues will get some talent and LHCL will have what is left.   And then ECRL kicks in and makes the lower leagues even more diluted.  My Point was that LHCL works until the Dilution happens at U13.  The upper age groups are too fractured once you get past ECNL and DA.  Even having those too is not a good thing as there is always debate about which is the true best league there.

I can only speak for the 04 age group, but looking at the teams from North Texas, this is where they finished last year.

CITY FC 04G LAUGHLEY - Placed 8th in Red River NPL
DKSC 04G NPL - No history
NTX CELTIC FC 04G MAYES - LHGCL D2, placed 3rd
SOLAR SOUTH 04G NPL S.ADAMES - LHGCL D3, placed 4th
STING NPL CB 04 - LHGCL D2, placed 6th
BVB 04 G PREMIER (F: LFC ST JOHN) - LHGCL D2, placed 1st
BVB 04 G PUMA (F:LFC BARNES) - LHGCL D3, placed 2nd
DALLAS TEXANS - LHGCL D2, placed 5th
FEVER UNITED 04 - No history
NTX CELTIC FC 04G BARTLOW - NTSP Competitive League(No clue what league this is)
STING 04 NPL TB CUEVAS - No history

So not one team from LHGCL D1, 4 from D2 and 2 from D3. Please show me that NPL has more talent. Why are these teams playing in a regional league and having to travel 8-10 times a year for league games against even worse OK, ARK, LA teams. Spend the money on Showcases!

You are making my point.  So NPL is made up of d2 and d3 teams from LHCL.  So now what teams are left in LHCL?  Teams that didn't qualify or are coming in from Plano Premier.  Exactly my point.  NPL is not super talented compared to the overall landscape of course but I would argue at the higher age groups NPL and FDL etc have more talent than LHCL.  LHCL is becoming a third option for most clubs when it comes to fielding a team U13 and higher.  Whether you like it or not that is what is happening.

Not sure how I’m making you’re point. All the LHGCL teams listed will continue to play in LHGCL. They aren’t going to NPL exclusively. They will be doing both. Yes, DA/DPL and ECNL/ECRL will take some quality away from LHGCL, but NPL won’t. My point is, why spend the large amount of time and money traveling 8-10 times a year for non competitive games, when you can stay at home and play quality competitive games every weekend and sleep in you’re own bed. I get the travel for DA and ECNL but beyond that I think it’s a waste of time and money. I’m good with traveling to Showcases. You actually might have a college coach or two show up at your games.

It's all good material when in the latrine.

Lefty wrote:

rustynail11 wrote:

mlwfrisco wrote:Have you seen the list of NPL teams for next year? I wouldn't exactly say the talent has moved there.

Exactly, after the top 2 or 3 teams the competition in the NPL is crap.  Saw teams last year losing by 10,15, or 20 goals.  I think Arkansas will take any rec team that is willing to put up the money to play.  You also better hope a game doesn't get cancelled because their scheduling is crap.  Over the past 3 years my DD's team didn't play a complete season once.  

So why did she stay on the team for the 2nd & 3rd year?  

You/she made the choice to stay rather than move to a more reliable league based on your personal criteria.

Why is it anybody else's issue that you made a choice you are now unhappy with?

Slow your roll cowboy, and I am not making it anyone else's issue. I was just sharing our experience with NPL and what the competition looked like. It's called an opion or a viewpoint and because you have one it doesn't mean you are angry or trying to blame anyone for something.

NPL has always been a secondary league and certianley was not a factor in any of the decisions we made in regards to club/coach/team and won't be in the future.

It's "Big" news when it rains.

mlwfrisco wrote:Not sure how I’m making you’re point. All the LHGCL teams listed will continue to play in LHGCL. They aren’t going to NPL exclusively. They will be doing both. Yes, DA/DPL and ECNL/ECRL will take some quality away from LHGCL, but NPL won’t. My point is, why spend the large amount of time and money traveling 8-10 times a year for non competitive games, when you can stay at home and play quality competitive games every weekend and sleep in you’re own bed. I get the travel for DA and ECNL but beyond that I think it’s a waste of time and money. I’m good with traveling to Showcases. You actually might have a college coach or two show up at your games.

Ok then that is where the difference is. There are some clubs I am aware of where NPL is their only league for that team and billing it as the gate to ECRL next year. Either way the talent undoubtedly will be diluted in LHCL after U13 as their are too many options. I was never meaning to say NPL was all that and a bag of chips except that with all these other options out there the LHCL has a much lower appeal once ECNL and DA come into play. These leagues pull the talent out of LHCL and then throw in FDL and ECRL and the result is a much less competitive league than it was at the lower age groups.

Here is my opinion... I wish these clubs and teams would get together and figure out one good league for all of our DD's to play in. North TX has plenty of talent and there really isn't any reason to have to travel for league games. However, they haven't and they wont! Lake Highlands has also dropped the ball in so many different ways that they really have pissed off so many parents (customers) that "we" have wanted to look elsewhere. Now I cant speak for other parents or teams... but the traveling really doesn't bother me a whole heck of a lot because I live so far south, that traveling up to UTD is like going to OK LOL! Our team played in NPL last year (first year for us) and we did enjoy it... I would also go as far to say that if you don't have a team in it, you can't just blindly say that the competition is weak (basing it off of what you see in "lake highlands" or whatever... some teams NPL rosters are a little different than their Lake highlands rosters. I will also say that NPL is growing and getting bigger and better here in North TX... it is really big in other regions)… there were a couple of teams from the NPL league that beat some DPL, and ECNL teams at the Premier cup this past weekend. So maybe that talent isn't as bad as you think!

I will repeat though, I do wish that all of these teams did just play in Lake Highlands (including ECNL teams) and go back to the way it was with 3 divisions and you knew it was the best of the best or you get relegated! Wishful dreaming though!

Look no further than the 08's to see what has happened to this once-proud league:

There will be 15 teams in D1.
7 teams earned a D1 bye.
5 teams earned a D2 bye.
1 team played in PP, another in API and one was relegated out of the league.

Yo wrote:Look no further than the 08's to see what has happened to this once-proud league:

There will be 15 teams in D1.  
7 teams earned a D1 bye.
5 teams earned a D2 bye.
1 team played in PP, another in API and one was relegated out of the league.

Exactly, It is no longer the place for the highest caliber play as the players approach the ECNL years the talent gets pulled elsewhere. The younger players don't have this happen as I remember the competition was very strong up until now. All of the talent has left LHCL for the 07s and higher. I believe it is a matter of time that some league becomes the new shiny toy for clubs and I believe the cancellations and lack of rainy weather options is killing the league. I get not playing in lightning but they need a better option for just rain.

Yo wrote:Look no further than the 08's to see what has happened to this once-proud league:

There will be 15 teams in D1.  
7 teams earned a D1 bye.
5 teams earned a D2 bye.
1 team played in PP, another in API and one was relegated out of the league.

From what I am told, none of the 4 "elite" teams in Dallas for the 08 age group are playing in Lake Highlands this coming year.
Sting, Texans, FCD, and Solar West all found different platforms that better suit their goals.

At U13 the top teams obviously have other leagues to go play in (DA and ECNL) and the quality of LH drops significantly, but even at U12 nowadays LH has lost a bit of its luster.

So where are these teams playing?

timmyh wrote:

Yo wrote:Look no further than the 08's to see what has happened to this once-proud league:

There will be 15 teams in D1.  
7 teams earned a D1 bye.
5 teams earned a D2 bye.
1 team played in PP, another in API and one was relegated out of the league.

From what I am told, none of the 4 "elite" teams in Dallas for the 08 age group are playing in Lake Highlands this coming year.
Sting, Texans, FCD, and Solar West all found different platforms that better suit their goals.

At U13 the top teams obviously have other leagues to go play in (DA and ECNL) and the quality of LH drops significantly, but even at U12 nowadays LH has lost a bit of its luster.

They are playing, but up in D1 of U13.  In U13 D1, only two teams that would have ordinarily earned a D1 bye are returning (back when only 9 teams are D1 at U13).  The 08s will be playing several teams that would ordinarily be D2 or D3 or were in Plano or relegated out of D3.