R3PL, ECNL, ODP, SC challenge league, high school soccer. On the girls side it looks like there are a lot of choices of what a player can be involved in. It seems people are complaining on one hand there are too many demands on a player and then on the other hand why some of these leagues are conflicting and talking about not allowing participation in a conflicting league. Why doesn't there seem to be as much complaints on the boys side? Didn't some of the league offerings become mutually exclusive? At the end of the day, the player should decide what level/league she wants to participate in, try out and if she makes that team knowing full well what the schedule commitment is, fully commit to that season and team. If she knows of conflicts up front, let the coach know at tryouts and then it is the coach's decision whether they take on that player with those contingencies or priorities. i.e. if high school or ODP is a priority then let the ECNL coach know at team selection that high school or ODP comes first or the reverse. If the coach takes on a player knowing those priorities then they are willing to work with it and shouldn't expect a player to be at an event when it was stated at selection time her priority, as well as the reverse. If the player says the ECNL team is a priority then the player should make all the events. It would make it easier in this case then to have separate "teams" for each of the leagues since there seems to be more and more overlap. The ECNL team should not neccesarily be the same team as R3PL. This may be the end result if ECNL is going the way of the boys academy but in the mean time hold separate tryouts for a team that participates in the ECNL league, premier league, challenge league etc. If a player tries out for several different teams in different leagues it is only fair to state her priorities up front and give the chance for the coach to select another or additional players if that team is not a player's priority. If you could separate out the different leagues, what a great time to be a girl soccer player. You could combine whatever participation meets your desire, needs and talent. There doesn't have to be one "right" or better league. If high school soccer is important to a player then combine with the challenge league and/or ODP. If year round national competition is more the players interest and style then do ECNL. I think it is difficult right now because it is all combined and a player really can't be 100% committed to every soccer league available. Choices have to be made by players and coaches but they need to be clear up front and upheld through the whole season.
