This is probably the most important blog I will ever write on here and if you are only ever going to read one, it would be this one. This could be some mind-blowing information for some of you, so sit back and maybe grab a drink.
It is absolutely incredible to see the growth of youth soccer in Western Washington over the last 10 to 15 years. The amount of clubs borders on insane and it's hard to keep track of all the leagues, teams, and levels out there. I am going to break some of this down for you so you can better understand WHERE you are putting your thousands of dollars.
Recreational/Select/Premier?
Traditionally, the tier for youth soccer is supposed to go recreational, select, and then premier. The recreational level is obviously for the kids that just want to go out there and have some fun. Select is for the players who want a little more of a challenge, but have lives outside of soccer. And premier soccer is for the kids who eat, sleep, and poop soccer. However, several clubs use terms such as "Premier" or "Elite" in their marketing and/or club name which blurs these lines. Likewise, there are several clubs that have an "Academy", but what does that mean? These terms get tossed around for flashiness and branding.
This leads to some confusion about exactly what level a team is at. There are rec teams that beat select teams, and select teams that beat premier teams. This is not necessarily a coach's, team's, or club's fault though. The youth soccer system that is currently set in place in Washington State is what leads to this chaos.
There are two main branches in our system. One is US Youth Soccer (USYS) and one is US Club Soccer (US Club). Both fall under the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).
US Youth Soccer is known as Washington Youth Soccer in our state. This league operates as a closed system known as the Regional Club League (RCL). This means that clubs that are part of this system are given territories and it's very rare that a club comes or goes from the league. A few of the clubs that are in this league have been around for a very long time and have seen great state-wide and national success. This has led to several families wanting to participate in their programs. Over time, some of these clubs have turned into the "big box" clubs of Washington Youth Soccer. Because of the marketing and on-field success of their top teams, these programs attract several kids at each age group at tryouts (which looks really good when you show up). But when you have so many kids try out for your club, as a business would you turn away money? Or would you create a C, D, E, and F Team?
Unfortunately, this has happened. Players get put into these lower-level teams (and the parents get sucked into paying for the badge) and do not get the same attention as their high-level teams in the same club. The clubs obviously put their best coaches on the best teams, so imagine what you are getting on a D team. Sometimes, these lower-level teams fund the top-level teams of their club because of the "extra" funds from these low-level teams.
But on the other hand...these clubs will always attract some of the best talent in the area just because of the numbers game at tryouts. The more players that try out, the more likely a club will be able to fill that open spot on the A team or B team with a strong player. This creates a never ending cycle of attracting the best players, getting numbers, filling low-level teams based on the brand, and repeat.
Parents are often times misled as well. I recently had a player who was planning on leaving one of my teams for one of the WYS club's "A" teams. Unfortunately, the family and the player were not educated on how that club operates and found out that it was really this club's fourth team (D team) because of how this particular club names their teams (that information changed his mind).
The other main system in our state is US Club Soccer which operates through the Washington Premier League (WPL). This league is an open system league where you only need 4 teams to create and apply to enter the league as a club. This league is also significantly younger than the RCL. The WPL is often times seen as "below" the RCL because it has a harder time attracting the same level of talent as the "big box" clubs in the RCL. In addition, players from the WPL often times see the shiny lights of "RCL" and think they have to play in the RCL leagues to have good coaching and play at a higher level. In some circumstances, this is the case. However, as time goes on and the WPL gets stronger, the line begins to blur more and more.
Since the introduction of "higher leagues" such as the ECNL to several RCL affiliated clubs, it has made the RCL as a league weaker as these clubs are fielding their B, C, and D teams into this league instead of their A team. Their A teams, and sometimes their B teams, can often be found playing in the ECNL. Whereas in the WPL, the top teams play in Super League 1 (the top league in WPL).
Why else do people think RCL is above the WPL? Well, it's because of the monopoly that WYS has and the fact that it has been around longer. The RCL's closed league system gives the appearance that the league is more "elite" and "exclusive" than the WPL. If players and parents don't do their research, another way these clubs gets families to sign up for these clubs' C and D teams. In reality, if you do not make a top-level RCL team you are just funneling your money into a giant multi-million dollar, multi-club marketing machine.
Because the RCL is closed off, it is protective of its territory and does not want other clubs and organizations to intrude in its space. Here is a "fun" recent story from the RCL; an RCL team that hosts a tournament every year rejected a WPL team's application to the tournament for no reason. The WPL team was only bringing their A teams to the tournament. There is only one very obvious reason why the RCL club rejected the WPL club. They are protecting their territory and image in case the WPL team made a huge mark on the tournament and maybe beat some of their teams.
RCL teams have been caught lying about other clubs outside of the RCL and doing controversial things to get their players to stay. A few examples are...
Players and their families are told that they should not join a team because the club will fold.
Players have been removed from their current teams for attending a different club's discovery/tryout session.
Some go as so far to say that, if you leave you can never come back.
Coaches from the RCL have made uninvited appearances at discovery/tryout sessions hosted by clubs outside of the RCL as an intimidation move.
Some clubs from the RCL cut players who attend another clubs practice just to see what it's like
And what about the other leagues?
Yup, there are several other leagues. And leagues within leagues...here is a brief overview of some of them.
MLS NEXT
One of the higher levels of play for youth soccer in America
133 clubs
Only 1 in Washington - Sounders FC
Boys only
"Replaces" U.S. Development Academy (DA)
Feeds into MLS Next Pro
Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Launched as a platform for top-level girls teams to compete against each other under the US Club Soccer Umbrella.
Boys joined after collapse of the DA.
Because the league was looking for the "top" teams in each region, the RCL team's from our state applied and got these spots even though they had been USYS clubs.
These teams are often labeled as "club name ECNL"
ECNL Composite or ECNL 2
Some clubs have 2 ECNL teams and then they label their 3rd team as their "A" team
Pre ECNL
This is not an actual ECNL league, but just the kids that "will be" playing ECNL when the are old enough.
ECLR (Elite Clubs Regional League)
The difference between ECNL and ECLR is that ECNL teams compete on a national scale and ECLR teams compete on a regional scale.
Elite Academy (EA)
"The Elite Academy League is composed of member clubs that represent Elite competitive clubs in their market and have shown to be of the standard."
Male exclusive
Competes with ECNL as a league
Girls Academy League (GAL or GA)
A "youth soccer platform designed to develop the best female players in the county."
Female exclusive
Competes with ECNL as a league
US Youth Soccer National League
A platform for high-level premier teams to compete for spots in US youth soccer tournaments
USYS Regional Championship
National League P.R.O.
Teams compete for direct advancement to the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships
National League Showcase Series
Opportunities for more teams to participate in showcases that match up similar teams from varying areas of the country in a national platform
US Youth Soccer Elite 64
A "top club-based league format in the National League, offering like-minded elite clubs with a platform to compete against each other while focusing on maximizing the experience of the players."
USYS affiliated
Regional Club League (RCL)
Not as strong as it used to be because of emerging leagues
Top players often do not play in the RCL anymore
Divisions labeled as...
RCL 1, RCL 2, RCL 3, RCL 4, etc.
Sometimes a team will be named "club name" RC1, this does not mean they necessarily play in league RCL 1. It refers to their 1st RCL team.
Washington Premier League (WPL)
Gaining ground against RCL
Divisions labeled as
Super League
Classic
Copa
The divisions can be labeled with numbers such as Classic 3, indicating there is a Classic 1 and Classic 2.
One age group's division could read...
Super League 1
Super League 2
Classic 1
Classic 2
Classic 3
Copa 1
Copa 2
Copa 3
North Puget Sound League (NPSL)
Uses WYS bylaws
Used as the Select/Competitive Rec league for RCL Clubs
EX. Crossfire Select, Seattle United, etc.
Member teams have access to US youth soccer tournaments
There is a South Puget Sound equivalent (SSUL)
Rec Soccer
The fun level! For care and worry-free fun!
Anyone can be on the team/no tryouts
Volunteer Coaches
These are not all the leagues (most) but they get you an idea of what is out there. There are also "all-star" or "super teams" such as ODP/EDP and WPL Surf, but we will save that conversation for later.
In my opinion, this is a complete mess. USSF should create a top-down structure, eliminate state and other associations, and have clubs aligned directly under them. There is no need to have all of the leagues competing against one another. It is not benefiting our players, it's only watering down our system. It's making all the platforms mediocre instead of showcasing our true elite players. But it's all about the money.
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