ECNL - must expand

Agree and in my opinion the top 2 u14 girls teams in the state are not ecnl teams - top hat and nasa. Both play quality soccer vs relying on physical specimens.

I doubt ECNL will ever expand to more than 5-10 additional clubs, if that. I have heard, and I don't know that there is any truth to it, that they intend on keeping the league small enough to insure that all events can be held in one location (not one city, one location). That is why they are limited as to where the National Qualifier/Championship can be held. It takes about 25 fields to handle that event, and it takes around 20 to handle the other events. Plus, the ECNL model is that their clubs become destination clubs. That has happened. Kids are traveling from all over to play on an ECNL team. Personally, I wouldn't want to do it, but many do.

At U14 all of the players who eventually end up on an ECNL team haven't made the change yet. Some will stay at their club and others will migrate to an ECNL club, but often not until they are in high school at U15. A couple of players leaving one team and joining another can make a significant difference. Watch these teams over the next few years and see what happens. It's difficult to really know where a U14 team will end up at U16, 17 or 18.

Tophat and some of the other clubs are doing a great job offering their players opportunities. So, do these clubs really want or need ECNL? None of us knows. who applies and who doesn't TH is the club named by most everyone as the the one that should be ECNL, but isn't. Were they invited that first year and declined because they wanted to wait and see where the league went? All three Atlanta clubs have been in ECNL for much of the league's history (I believe GSA came last, and they are a solid club). I just don't see Atlanta getting any more clubs because there are other soccer rich areas with strong clubs that have none at all.

I can say all of this and then find out ECNL has added a fourth club. I don't have any connections to know what the future brings. I just know what I've heard and read (some of what I've heard is from our club DOC). But, I have a question, and maybe you can help me understand. Why do you want another ECNL club when there are three? If your daughter wants to play ECNL and is able to make a team, she can do that. But, Atlanta offers so many good options and has so many good teams. Not every parent or players wants to ECNL. Those that don't still have some really good options. There are so many really good soccer players around the country that have so many fewer options. They have no choice but to travel a significant distance to the ECNL clubs (some fly to their league games).  Be thankful for the many opportunities Atlanta has.