Quote: Do the acronyms really matter if the training is not there?
My guess would be no. However, I do know from reading various interviews with Christian Lavers, current president of ECNL, that as an organization ECNL from the beginning has been active in developing guidelines for member clubs focusing on improving the training environment as well as opportunities for player development in general. Part of that philosophy is evident in the organization's goal to reduce total number of games played while increasing the quality of games and improving the training to game ratio. However, Lavers always points out that guidelines and recommendations regarding training and player development presented to the member clubs are not mandates, that the individual member clubs decide how/when recommended guidelines are adopted/incorporated at the local level.
So, ECNL is actively working to improve training, but one would have to consult with the local ECNL club to determine how it specifically may be embracing those recommendations for best practice.
"The ECNL recognizes that player development primarily occurs in the daily training environment... "
"I. Developmental Curriculum
The speed and quality of individual player development improves when the training curriculum for player development is systematically planned throughout the player’s entire youth career. As such, the ECNL encourages all ECNL Member Clubs to develop a standardized, developmentally appropriate training curriculum for each age group within the ECNL Member Club (the “Curriculum”). The Curriculum should include the technical, tactical, physical, and psychological standards and expectations for each age group. The ECNL will request submission of the Curriculum for the future season by each ECNL Member Club at the conclusion of each ECNL season, and will utilize the submissions to share best practices between the ECNL Member Clubs... "
