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Post by 04gparent on Mar 23, 2020 13:49:05 GMT -5
This post is Girls Soccer focused! If you were around 7 years ago, all of the Atlanta based clubs were in the same league (Athena). The clubs that developed players better or had better coaches were the ones that consistently won and advanced up the league tree (back when Pro / Rel was alive).
Over the last 5 years the focus has shifted to leagues (ECNL, DA, etc). Now with a majority of Atlanta based clubs coming back under one umbrella (ECNL), I percieve the focus will turn back to quality coaches AND player development. You can play in ECNL, but if your team is not known for having talent you will not have the same quality of coaches to come see you. Those are FACTS!
I perceive this June clubs will no longer be able to say, join us we have ECNL. Join us we have DA.
What parents should ask is how good are you at development. How did your teams do last year...
Do you think I am right? Wrong? Let me know...
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Post by Strikeorkeep on Mar 23, 2020 14:04:45 GMT -5
This post is Girls Soccer focused! If you were around 7 years ago, all of the Atlanta based clubs were in the same league (Athena). The clubs that developed players better or had better coaches were the ones that consistently won and advanced up the league tree (back when Pro / Rel was alive). Over the last 5 years the focus has shifted to leagues (ECNL, DA, etc). Now with a majority of Atlanta based clubs coming back under one umbrella (ECNL), I percieve the focus will turn back to quality coaches AND player development. You can play in ECNL, but if your team is not known for having talent you will not have the same quality of coaches to come see you. Those are FACTS! I perceive this June clubs will no longer be able to say, join us we have ECNL. Join us we have DA. What parents should ask is how good are you at development. How did your teams do last year... Do you think I am right? Wrong? Let me know... I'd partially agree with you but does a teams success really show development or does it show how well the teams recruits/builds? I think recruting is perfectly fine but I also dont think you can completely say a teams success is due to development within team/club. I see girls train with private coaches/agility coaches throughout the year so development could be attributed from that as well. |
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Post by fridge on Mar 23, 2020 14:12:39 GMT -5
I am not sure I fully understand this, but figured I'd take a shot.
At one point you indicate that a player "can play for ECNL, but if your team is not known for having talent, you will not have the same quality coaches to come see you."
If you are talking about college coaches, I disagree. ECNL's credibility as a high level/competitive league has increased even more for the 2020/21 season after picking up the Texans, Real Colo and NC Courage--(nothing against UFA and it is a very good club, but it doesn't get national attention at this time). Given there was not a dilution of "quality coaches" attending ECNL showcases when DA was created, there certainly won't be any dilution next year especially since these top clubs now migrate back to ECNL. (I also think that given DA still has dozens of top clubs, it will not have a dilution in college coaches coming to DA events.) Be mindful it is not like these new ECNL additions were made out of thin air. They have always existed, but have floated around to different leagues while keeping their talent.
As for what goes on here in ATL, not much will change as parents will want their kids on the top teams. Currently that is CF and TH. (And it may change due to favorable demographics for UFA.) TH brand will survive this just like it survived while it waited to join ECNL. However, TH will continue to lose depth because of DA travel, substitution rules, and high school prohibition. TH will have to manage very carefully to make sure lack of depth doesn't cost them in the standings as losing will strongly hurt the TH brand. It will be very interesting to see if TH doesn't flip back to ECNL. Not saying it will, but not sure there is a great incentive to stay in DA.
Love to hear what others think re TH next move (or not move).
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Post by justwatching on Mar 23, 2020 14:14:41 GMT -5
I think the club's brand and connections will win out. Maybe you can say the club builds both of those by being superior development or recruiting spots but I think that is ultimately what will win. So to answer your question about coaching being the differentiator yes to some extent but club connections and reputation will win overall.
Just being in the same league will not make all of these clubs equal the same opportunities for its players
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Post by mistergrinch on Mar 23, 2020 17:34:16 GMT -5
Clubs don't develop squat. They collect. Change my view.
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Post by soccermonster on Mar 23, 2020 18:30:24 GMT -5
Clubs don't develop squat. They collect. Change my view. Oh they definitely develop, they develop @$$h0le parents who see through rose colored glasses. |
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Post by soccermonster on Mar 23, 2020 18:45:20 GMT -5
Clubs don't develop squat. They collect. Change my view. Oh they definitely develop, they develop @$$h0le parents who see through rose colored glasses. By the way, this wasn't directed at you mistergrinch  It was a generality |
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Post by 04gparent on Mar 23, 2020 19:35:37 GMT -5
Interesting comments by everyone. I will restate my personal beliefs from other comments on the forum. I believe parents are more responsible for quality player development than clubs. Club results are what draw quality players. If you live in AFU footprint and you are a quality player you know that you have NO hope to compete at the highlest levels in ECNL. The results prove it. Does a club have to recruit that player to GSA (04 team won it all) or ConFire who may have better results for better visibility?
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Post by oraclesfriend on Mar 23, 2020 20:00:08 GMT -5
Interesting comments by everyone. I will restate my personal beliefs from other comments on the forum. I believe parents are more responsible for quality player development than clubs. Club results are what draw quality players. If you live in AFU footprint and you are a quality player you know that you have NO hope to compete at the highlest levels in ECNL. The results prove it. Does a club have to recruit that player to GSA (04 team won it all) or ConFire who may have better results for better visibility? I agree with you to a point. I think quality coaches are important to help develop the tactical side and encourage teamwork. At the young ages coaches can do a lot to assist technically. Parents are very important to help develop technical players by encouraging working at home (soccer homework). Private trainers can help a lot as well. Once players get to the driving ages I think they often move to the clubs that best serve their goals. Sometimes players will choose coach over club or club over coach for other reasons. Families often have to consider what is best for the collective as well. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Mar 23, 2020 20:47:45 GMT -5
As far as I can tell, unless your club is called Tudela FC, your club is not developing players. instagram.com/tudelafcla?igshid=1dfcniafosbiuI watch their practice/training videos and just sigh... I agree with the above poster, most clubs generally don't develop players. They acquire players from other clubs where the parents have paid for already good players to do private training and team practice is where the players put it all together. |
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Post by soccerworld1974 on Mar 23, 2020 21:38:34 GMT -5
I completely agree to the first posters point but on a different point, I think with the current climate of the world, things are going to change and I honestly feel the clubs in general will get smaller with some actually being eliminated (hope not though). This is where thing will resort back to the top coaches at each club being the most important asset.
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Post by Strikeorkeep on Mar 24, 2020 7:48:32 GMT -5
Interesting comments by everyone. I will restate my personal beliefs from other comments on the forum. I believe parents are more responsible for quality player development than clubs. Club results are what draw quality players. If you live in AFU footprint and you are a quality player you know that you have NO hope to compete at the highlest levels in ECNL. The results prove it. Does a club have to recruit that player to GSA (04 team won it all) or ConFire who may have better results for better visibility? Agreed on the parents but does this mentality then lead to just going where the best players are? If thats the case, have everyone tryout for TH, CF, GSA and let the pieces fall from there? . Is it better to be #12-15 on a really top ECNL team or #1-5 on a mid tier ECNL team? I've seen some average/bad coaches have really good teams because they have TONS of talent that they didnt develop. I've also seen players that have no business being on "top teams" but either its a #s game or other factors helped them get a spot. So I dont think we can universal say if you are a quality player on a mid tier team, you dont have hope for exposure. |
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Post by rifle on Mar 25, 2020 5:27:47 GMT -5
It’s pretty incredible that US Club appears to be persevering with ECNL despite the USSF attempt to shove ECNL aside (with declared Development Academy superiority). I wonder if US Club has its long term sights set on replacing the US soccer federation. It feels necessary.
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It was a generality 
