Top Drawer Soccer

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

EPL teams sent out creepy old dudes to scout 6 year olds for their pre-academy programs. They sign them to contracts at 8.
it is a really bad idea on many levels to copy their system. First, our laws ban buying and selling children. Second, the psychological damage done to the kids kicked out at 16 is tragic. Third, England hasn't done much better than the US st World Cups.

Since we can't sell kids, we are 'stuck' with pay to play. The good news is that all sports are basically pay to play. We do well at all, but soccer so this really isn't a good excuse.

Having some chances at a pro contract in Europe or South America is often far better than the shit holes the kids come from. We treat soccer like a yuppy sport, Europe often treats soccer like a way out, similar to our kids in the hood using basketball and football to get out.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

It is way to early to identify future greats at age 8. Many studies have shown that. One very good study showed that taking 6 grade basketball players that were starters on their 6th grade team an following their progress. By high school varsity age only 1 out of 5 were still considered to be in the top five of their age group.
My grandson lived in Germany and played German soccer for 3 years. Age 9-13. There was very little difference in the training for youth soccer in Germany than in the US except the kids grew up playing soccer on the streets and in their yards. Each little town/village had their own soccer club for which my grandson played. Each club has fields, club house etc where kids and adults hang out eating, drinking(lots of drinking) and playing soccer. From 6 year olds all the way to adults. The best story was watching my 11 year old playing with all these kids speaking German only with the coach on the sideline drinking a beer and Smoking a cigarette while coaching.
There were no 8 year olds signed to play pro soccer. Kids there played to the level that that they played to.

I trained in Europe for many years, and what we did was nothing even close to what American training was. That was along time ago, but the fact is, we are still way behind tactically and talent wise. When you play for a developmental team in Europe, they absolutely scout for future stars. Our disadvantage is the size of our country geographically, funding is spread across so many sports with sponsorships, and some of our best athletes don't play soccer.

 

[PeetWeet1]

Having some chances at a pro contract in Europe or South America is often far better than the shit holes the kids come from. We treat soccer like a yuppy sport, Europe often treats soccer like a way out, similar to our kids in the hood using basketball and football to get out.

And if out NFL and NBA players grew up poor, you would have a point. Household income is positively coorelated with both academic and athletic success.

 

[pitt-girl]

While that's true, it's also true for many sports these days. Volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, hockey, wrestling. It's all pay to play.

I hate to comment because I don't know anything about soccer, but I also think a big part of the issue is that boys who prove to be athletic in other sports are often steered towards the "bigger" sports - football, basketball, baseball. My older son was a terrific swimmer and really liked it. NA absolutely steered him away from swimming. He eventually landed with lacrosse, but he should have been swimming. Just our experience.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

While that's true, it's also true for many sports these days. Volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, hockey, wrestling. It's all pay to play.

I hate to comment because I don't know anything about soccer, but I also think a big part of the issue is that boys who prove to be athletic in other sports are often steered towards the "bigger" sports - football, basketball, baseball. My older son was a terrific swimmer and really liked it. NA absolutely steered him away from swimming. He eventually landed with lacrosse, but he should have been swimming. Just our experience.

You don't say. Just kidding. You're right. There'd many problems with US Soccer and the American sports culture of the kids who are often the best athletes giving up soccer for the Big 3 is at the top of the list.

 

[pitt-girl]

You don't say. Just kidding. You're right. There'd many problems with US Soccer and the American sports culture of the kids who are often the best athletes giving up soccer for the Big 3 is at the top of the list.

I know - just adding our own experience.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

You don't say. Just kidding. You're right. There'd many problems with US Soccer and the American sports culture of the kids who are often the best athletes giving up soccer for the Big 3 is at the top of the list.

I keep hearing this and I suppose its true. But I live in a community not all that different than NA. The biggest difference is the quality of football. The soccer is every bit as good and has been better where I live. My kids also play at the top club in the area and I've been involved there for several years. I don't see boys leaving soccer for other sports. I just don't. It seems as though most kids stick with the sports that they commit to when they are younger. If a kid from NA plays for North United Soccer or Beadling soccer, and he's a standout, he's not giving the sport up. He just isn't. If he's a mediocre player, he'll give it up and try something else. Soccer is simply a middle class suburban sport and the elite athletes from urban areas and from lower income areas of Florida, etc don't play the sport. Plain and simple.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

You don't say. Just kidding. You're right. There'd many problems with US Soccer and the American sports culture of the kids who are often the best athletes giving up soccer for the Big 3 is at the top of the list.

I keep hearing this and I suppose its true. But I live in a community not all that different than NA. The biggest difference is the quality of football. The soccer is every bit as good and has been better where I live. My kids also play at the top club in the area and I've been involved there for several years. I don't see boys leaving soccer for other sports. I just don't. It seems as though most kids stick with the sports that they commit to when they are younger. If a kid from NA plays for North United Soccer or Beadling soccer, and he's a standout, he's not giving the sport up. He just isn't. If he's a mediocre player, he'll give it up and try something else. Soccer is simply a middle class suburban sport and the elite athletes from urban areas and from lower income areas of Florida, etc don't play the sport. Plain and simple.

They are losing most kids at U6, U7, U8. Those kids scoring 20 goals a game at U6 running circles around everyone just because they are more mature and athletic often mobe move on to other sports.

Retention is pretty good after, say U10-U12 so I'm not saying you have a lot of late elementary or middle school kids leaving for other sports.

This and the multi-sport culture hurts player development in this country. USA Basketball recommends you play bball and other sports until age 14. For soccer, its the opposite. The game is too technical, you have to specialize.

 

[Pitt79]

For soccer, its the opposite. The game is too technical, you have to specialize.

Not really, several players at our high school played soccer in the fall and where really good, then got scholarships in basketball or lacrosse.

Had a striker in soccer, he ended up playing Lacrosse at UNC.

A 6-6 sweeper in soccer, who ended up playing basketball at UMBC.

 

[Pitt79]

They are losing most kids at U6, U7, U8. Those kids scoring 20 goals a game at U6 running circles around everyone just because they are more mature and athletic often mobe move on to other sports.

Not where I live.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

For soccer, its the opposite. The game is too technical, you have to specialize.

Not really, several players at our high school played soccer in the fall and where really good, then got scholarships in basketball or lacrosse.

Had a striker in soccer, he ended up playing Lacrosse at UNC.

A 6-6 sweeper in soccer, who ended up playing basketball at UMBC.

Of course, but I am talking at playing at high levels, not HS soccer. There's a reason those guys you mentioned got scholarships in sports other than soccer. If you don't specialize in soccer, forget having any chance to play D1 or be a pro.

 

[Pitt79]

Of course, but I am talking at playing at high levels, not HS soccer. There's a reason those guys you mentioned got scholarships in sports other than soccer. If you don't specialize in soccer, forget having any chance to play D1 or be a pro.

True, But almost nobody gets that far, way less than 1% in any sport. Our local high school does have a guy who right now has been getting a lot of playing time with DC United, I don't know if he played any other sport?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Of course, but I am talking at playing at high levels, not HS soccer. There's a reason those guys you mentioned got scholarships in sports other than soccer. If you don't specialize in soccer, forget having any chance to play D1 or be a pro.

True, But almost nobody gets that far, way less than 1% in any sport. Our local high school does have a guy who right now has been getting a lot of playing time with DC United, I don't know if he played any other sport?

Yes but my whole point is that if you aspire to be D1 or a pro, you have to specialize in soccer.....which means lots of money to play for the cup/academy teams. Its just not something that this country is set up for cultually. The US team will NEVER be a factor on the world stage until a good percentage of its best athletes start specializing in soccer from age 9 or 10.

 

[Pitt79]

Yes but my whole point is that if you aspire to be D1 or a pro, you have to specialize in soccer.....which means lots of money to play for the cup/academy teams.

That's probably true in most sports. Oddly, I think it's least true in football, because your body can't that beating all year round.

 

[Pitt79]

Of course, but I am talking at playing at high levels, not HS soccer.

A lot of the high school teams are pretty good. I suppose the top travel teams could beat them though, since they are more like all star teams of the high school players who play both.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yes but my whole point is that if you aspire to be D1 or a pro, you have to specialize in soccer.....which means lots of money to play for the cup/academy teams.

That's probably true in most sports. Oddly, I think it's least true in football, because your body can't that beating all year round.

Its absolutely not true in other sports, maybe hockey because you need to be a good skater.

You can play football or basketball for 1 year in HS and make the pros if you have the right combo of size and athleticism. In contrast, that same athlete probably couldn't start for a D3 soccer team, just requires too much skill

 

[Pitt79]

Its absolutely not true in other sports, maybe hockey because you need to be a good skater.

You can play football or basketball for 1 year in HS and make the pros if you have the right combo of size and athleticism. In contrast, that same athlete probably couldn't start for a D3 soccer team, just requires too much skill

I guess you're right. Interestingly you're killing the whole argument that the football and basketball "athletes" would instantly destroy the soccer "nerds" after a few practices! LOL.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Not where I live.

Not in western Pa either. SMF has a theory. Buts it's wrong.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

A lot of the high school teams are pretty good. I suppose the top travel teams could beat them though, since they are more like all star teams of the high school players who play both.

The top cup teams would destroy a good high school team. When my niece was a senior in high school her team was one of the best in the country. They had something like 10 girls on that team that will end up with D1 scholarships. Her cup team was also one of the best in the country and would have crushed her high school team. I think all those girls, even the non-starters, ended up with D1 scholarships except for one girl. She had a scholarship to a D2 school.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

The top cup teams would destroy a good high school team. When my niece was a senior in high school her team was one of the best in the country. They had something like 10 girls on that team that will end up with D1 scholarships. Her cup team was also one of the best in the country and would have crushed her high school team. I think all those girls, even the non-starters, ended up with D1 scholarships except for one girl. She had a scholarship to a D2 school.

@Pitt79
I can vouch for Joe because I remember the team well. His nieces club team would have beat the PA's largest classification state champs by 10 goals. Would have beat the single A state champs by 20 goals. It's entirely different games. Might as well be a different sport.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

The top cup teams would destroy a good high school team. When my niece was a senior in high school her team was one of the best in the country. They had something like 10 girls on that team that will end up with D1 scholarships. Her cup team was also one of the best in the country and would have crushed her high school team. I think all those girls, even the non-starters, ended up with D1 scholarships except for one girl. She had a scholarship to a D2 school.

What club/cup team, city?
My daughter plays ECNL, and the Atlanta team concord fire they play are absolutely amazing. They maybe considered the best team in the country for their age. U-13.

 

[PeetWeet1]

Its absolutely not true in other sports, maybe hockey because you need to be a good skater.

You can play football or basketball for 1 year in HS and make the pros if you have the right combo of size and athleticism. In contrast, that same athlete probably couldn't start for a D3 soccer team, just requires too much skill

I find it very hard to believe that a kid couldn’t play one other sport through at least junior high and reach one’s potential. If anything, the additional sport(s) would help prevent burnout and reduce overuse injuries.

 

[Pitt79]

@Pitt79
I can vouch for Joe because I remember the team well. His nieces club team would have beat the PA's largest classification state champs by 10 goals. Would have beat the single A state champs by 20 goals. It's entirely different games. Might as well be a different sport.

In Maryland though, there are so many travel teams, some aren't very good. I'm not sure what a "Cup" team is, I don't hear that terminology around here.

The ironic thing is, that the high school teams play in big stadiums in front of a couple hundred people, and the travel teams play in fields with bleachers and just the parents watching.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

In Maryland though, there are so many travel teams, some aren't very good. I'm not sure what a "Cup" team is, I don't hear that terminology around here.

The ironic thing is, that the high school teams play in big stadiums in front of a couple hundred people, and the travel teams play in fields with bleachers and just the parents watching.

Plenty of club/travel teams here too. But the elite players usually congregate to one or two teams in each age group by the time they are of HS age. So the top two club teams are essentially all star teams. And those teams as freshman would likely beat the top HS team. And then by the time that club/cup/travel team is in their senior year...it's not even close.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

In Maryland though, there are so many travel teams, some aren't very good. I'm not sure what a "Cup" team is, I don't hear that terminology around here.

The ironic thing is, that the high school teams play in big stadiums in front of a couple hundred people, and the travel teams play in fields with bleachers and just the parents watching.

When those cup/club teams get older they will play in larger regional and national tournaments. When that happens, and they are playing at the highest division in the regional and national tournaments college coaches will be there watching and recruiting. College coaches at the D1 level do not attend high school games.

My nephew plays for a proteam development squad, they play everywhere, and the games are lightly attended. High School is different, friends, and relatives come because they are close by.

My youngest daughter plays in Atlanta, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Nashville, Knoxville, and soon Richmond, possible Seattle, and Florida. Nobody attends but parents because it's too hard for anyone to get there. But the soccer is 100x better than HS soccer, boys and girls. Hence why college coaches don't attend HS games.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

When those cup/club teams get older they will play in larger regional and national tournaments. When that happens, and they are playing at the highest division in the regional and national tournaments college coaches will be there watching and recruiting. College coaches at the D1 level do not attend high school games.

My nephew plays for a proteam development squad, they play everywhere, and the games are lightly attended. High School is different, friends, and relatives come because they are close by.

My youngest daughter plays in Atlanta, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Nashville, Knoxville, and soon Richmond, possible Seattle, and Florida. Nobody attends but parents because it's too hard for anyone to get there. But the soccer is 100x better than HS soccer, boys and girls. Hence why college coaches don't attend HS games.

My niece played for one of the Beadling teams here in Pittsburgh. They won the regional championship and played in the national championship tournament twice in her last three years on the team.

The leagues that they played in over the years had teams in Eastern PA, New York, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland and others. They played tournaments in North Carolina, Florida, Las Vegas, Texas, etc. The reason their games are lightly attended is that they'd only actually play a few games a year in Western PA, the rest were all over the place. For the most part, you didn't just wake up the morning of the game and say hey, it's a nice day today, I'm going to the soccer game, because the soccer game may very well be a six or eight hour drive from home.

As far as college coaches go, I don't think her college coach saw her play a high school game even one time. I know he had said he was going to try to get to one at one point, but if he did I didn't see him (which of course doesn't mean that he couldn't have been there somewhere). But the college coaches would see her cup team play at least several times a year. When you went to one of the big tournaments there were dozens of college coaches at those things, looking for players. You could go on the tournament web sites before hand and they would have a list of college coaches that had signed up to attend. I think once when they played in Vegas the list had well over 100 schools on it, head coaches, assistants, D1 schools, D2, D3, from all over the country. Maybe it's different for the boys, but for the girls if you want a college scholarship you pretty much have to play for a team that plays in the big events.

 

[Pitt79]

When those cup/club teams get older they will play in larger regional and national tournaments. When that happens, and they are playing at the highest division in the regional and national tournaments college coaches will be there watching and recruiting. College coaches at the D1 level do not attend high school games.

My nephew plays for a proteam development squad, they play everywhere, and the games are lightly attended. High School is different, friends, and relatives come because they are close by.

My youngest daughter plays in Atlanta, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Nashville, Knoxville, and soon Richmond, possible Seattle, and Florida. Nobody attends but parents because it's too hard for anyone to get there. But the soccer is 100x better than HS soccer, boys and girls. Hence why college coaches don't attend HS games.

I hear you, I know of certain travel teams that are like that, that travel all over the country all year round. A coworkers daughter supposedly is ranked in the top 150 U14, and they're debating about playing at a high school or not, I told her she should, high school is fun. Playing at the high school, you are well known, and a local celebrity almost, like going to Duke for a one and done year, compared to going to the D-League out of high school and nobody caring that you play for the Des Moines Anteaters, even if they are way better.

There are other travel teams like the one my daughter played for, for a year, that the "travel" meant Lancaster PA, Germantown and Hagerstown MD etc. no place more than a 2 hour drive, only one time staying in a hotel all season. Actually, I'm glad of that, at her pitiful high school team, she seems like a superstar playing in that big stadium in from of a 100-200 people, but I honestly don't want to travel all around the country etc. for nothing.

I mean spend all that money and not even get a scholarship? She's not doing any club soccer just playing high school now, and she has actually drawn interest from a CC coach locally, which is pretty cool. She likes playing soccer, but hated that travel team, she didn't like it enough to practice 12 months a year, outdoors in the winter at 7pm... LOL, but of course, she's not getting a D1 scholarship or playing on the USWNT ever. So she can play out the end of her junior year and her senior year as team captain and MVP of a really bad girls high school team, and maybe, maybe play college, because it's still possible at a low level.

 

[Pitt79]

My niece played for one of the Beadling teams here in Pittsburgh. ...As far as college coaches go, I don't think her college coach saw her play a high school game even one time. ..

What college does she play for?

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

92% of all ECNL players play in college. What caused the other 8% not to play, who knows, burn out, heavy academic coursework, lost interest, or just weren't good enough despite being on an ECNL team.

 

[Pitt79]

92% of all ECNL players play in college. What caused the other 8% not to play, who knows, burn out, heavy academic coursework, lost interest, or just weren't good enough despite being on an ECNL team.

What is ECNL? never heard of it.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

What college does she play for?

Duquesne

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

What is ECNL? never heard of it.

Elite Clubs National League. It's a relatively new organization that tries to get the best club teams in the country to play more games against each other.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

Us soccer recently created a new league to model mls development for girls. Because of that ECNL added 13 more teams. Ecnl has been around longer than actually realized.

It'll be interesting to see how the new girls league goes. I think because ODP isn't a very good model anymore, US soccer will look to the new league for picking national team players.

 

[PeetWeet1]

Us soccer recently created a new league to model mls development for girls. Because of that ECNL added 13 more teams. Ecnl has been around longer than actually realized.

It'll be interesting to see how the new girls league goes. I think because ODP isn't a very good model anymore, US soccer will look to the new league for picking national team players.

How soon do players choose national travel?
Do these teams require a year round commitment?
If a girl can’t afford this type of travel, or wants to play more than one sport, are other paths available for getting a D1 scholarship?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Us soccer recently created a new league to model mls development for girls. Because of that ECNL added 13 more teams. Ecnl has been around longer than actually realized.

It'll be interesting to see how the new girls league goes. I think because ODP isn't a very good model anymore, US soccer will look to the new league for picking national team players.

How soon do players choose national travel?
Do these teams require a year round commitment?
If a girl can’t afford this type of travel, or wants to play more than one sport, are other paths available for getting a D1 scholarship?

For boys, its U9 and its usually an August-June commitment. For boys, I would say there is no path to a D1 scholarship unless you play for one of these teams. I would say the boy can play another sport but it would have to be a part-time thing so they'd be like a full-time soccer player but for 3 months they play on the basketball team but can't go to any practices and have to miss some of the basketball games.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

How soon do players choose national travel?
Do these teams require a year round commitment?
If a girl can’t afford this type of travel, or wants to play more than one sport, are other paths available for getting a D1 scholarship?

My youngest who plays ECNL is a U-13er. The travel at this age is only regional, that means we travel the Ohio Valley Region. As she ages, ECNL requires teams to play in regional tournaments and eventually the national tournaments. Much of this depends on how good they are also, but the requirement for regional tournaments is there regardless of age.
At her age the commitment is spring and fall. This changes when they are at the high school level, ECNL does allow girl's to play HS so at that age there isn't ECNL in the fall, but not sure how that works if HS girls play in the spring.
Our regional season ends second week of November, and doesn't start again until March. Between November and March is winter training, friendlies, and tournaments if there are any.
We are still filling in the pieces as we learn more about ECNL, because our club is one of the newest members. We are part of the 13 added. If you check on rosters at the D1 level, many of the girls will have ECNL or CASL next to their club name. If it doesn't say ECNL, there is still a good chance that team is part of ECNL, just not stated in the player bio.
Because women's professional soccer in the US is not very financially stable, they cannot create pro team development teams. But MLS may be working to create a women's version. Not sure on that.

There are many girl's selecting to National team camps who play ECNL. http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com

 

[Pitt79]

For boys, its U9 and its usually an August-June commitment. For boys, I would say there is no path to a D1 scholarship unless you play for one of these teams. I would say the boy can play another sport but it would have to be a part-time thing so they'd be like a full-time soccer player but for 3 months they play on the basketball team but can't go to any practices and have to miss some of the basketball games.

I know a kid who got a soccer scholarship to VT who played basketball and lacrosse in HS too, and quit playing for any soccer club from 10th grade on.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

What is ECNL? never heard of it.

You serious? You live in what you call a soccer Mecca and you don't know what the ECNL is?

For the past several years, the ECNL was the highest level a girl could play. College coaches skewed their recruiting to the teams that played in that league. Bias toward those players set in as coaches continued recruiting that leagues events. The thought was that they would put an ECNL club in all the big soccer markets and the best players would gravitate to that club, thus making it easier for college coaches to find and scout the best players from an area because they all play for one team.

Until just this year, the ECNL did not expand into Pittsburgh, so Joe's nieces team at Beadling and my daughters team at Beadling had to fight the "non ECNL" bias that college coachs had, even though they consistently beat ECNL teams every time the played them at select events.

Like Duquesne, my daughter also plays at a mid major. If she had played for an ECNL club, she would probably be playing in the Big10 or ACC. My daughter was part of a 9 player recruiting class at her school and she was the only non ECNL player in the class. My theory is that her mid major coaches go to the ECNL events, see which players have not committed to a Power5 school and then offer whoever is left. The problem is, the girls who are left are not standouts, but because they are on ECNL rosters, coaches over value their worth.

My daughter, probably due to ECNL bias, sat behind some of these players for a chunk of her freshman year. But these girls aren't that special. My daughter ended up overcoming that bias, rising up the roster, and is actually 3rd in the conference in goals scored in her sophmore year.

And now the ECNL has expanded way to much and there's way too many players and teams in the league. It's no longer "elite". Maryland United is the ECNL club in your area. In Virginia, there's Bethesda, McLean Youth, and newly BRYC (Braddock Road)

 

[Fk_Pitt]

My youngest who plays ECNL is a U-13er. The travel at this age is only regional, that means we travel the Ohio Valley Region. As she ages, ECNL requires teams to play in regional tournaments and eventually the national tournaments. Much of this depends on how good they are also, but the requirement for regional tournaments is there regardless of age.
At her age the commitment is spring and fall. This changes when they are at the high school level, ECNL does allow girl's to play HS so at that age there isn't ECNL in the fall, but not sure how that works if HS girls play in the spring.
Our regional season ends second week of November, and doesn't start again until March. Between November and March is winter training, friendlies, and tournaments if there are any.
We are still filling in the pieces as we learn more about ECNL, because our club is one of the newest members. We are part of the 13 added. If you check on rosters at the D1 level, many of the girls will have ECNL or CASL next to their club name. If it doesn't say ECNL, there is still a good chance that team is part of ECNL, just not stated in the player bio.
Because women's professional soccer in the US is not very financially stable, they cannot create pro team development teams. But MLS may be working to create a women's version. Not sure on that.

There are many girl's selecting to National team camps who play ECNL. http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com

Your kid at Braddock Road? If so, great club! They were often a rival of ours in USYS. But they just went ECNL this year.

 

[PeetWeet1]

My youngest who plays ECNL is a U-13er. The travel at this age is only regional, that means we travel the Ohio Valley Region. As she ages, ECNL requires teams to play in regional tournaments and eventually the national tournaments. Much of this depends on how good they are also, but the requirement for regional tournaments is there regardless of age.
At her age the commitment is spring and fall. This changes when they are at the high school level, ECNL does allow girl's to play HS so at that age there isn't ECNL in the fall, but not sure how that works if HS girls play in the spring.
Our regional season ends second week of November, and doesn't start again until March. Between November and March is winter training, friendlies, and tournaments if there are any.
We are still filling in the pieces as we learn more about ECNL, because our club is one of the newest members. We are part of the 13 added. If you check on rosters at the D1 level, many of the girls will have ECNL or CASL next to their club name. If it doesn't say ECNL, there is still a good chance that team is part of ECNL, just not stated in the player bio.
Because women's professional soccer in the US is not very financially stable, they cannot create pro team development teams. But MLS may be working to create a women's version. Not sure on that.

There are many girl's selecting to National team camps who play ECNL. http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com

Thank you and congrats to your daughter. Hope you enjoy the journey.