How will the LPDL effect the LCSL next year?

[?]

With the LPDL starting in the fall I'm wondering what the plan is for the LCSL for the effected age groups.  Will the 5 LPDL clubs LCSL C1 spots be filled with other team either from their own club or others. I'm guessing we will see 5 fewer teams at the 17U and 15U LCSL level this year.  Also, does anyone know if the LPDL will have a 19U group this year?

[laffysoccermom]

It will be interesting. I think they should look at doing two age groups together in LCSL too. Especially on the girls side, you have so few teams and there's usually a bug disparity between the best and worst especially when you only have 5-6 teams. Combine and then do Comp1 (LPDL) which should be best teams regardless of club affiliation, Comp 2 and so forth. Games are more competitive, more enjoyable, and promote more development.

[cosmos]

I do not belive there are any changes in how they choose teams for those applying for the LCSL. The 50 percent plus 1 rule still applies for all returning teams to the LCSL. The two largest clubs are not even forming mixed aged teams for the LPDL, their normal birth year top team just enters the LPDL instead of the LCSL at U15,U17, and U19 ages. It is hard to predict what teams will fold or combine due to all this. I would imagine comp 2 or lower teams at the older ages are the ones more likely to fold or combine at the larger clubs as a result of all this.

I do not see Lousiana forming mixed aged teams in the LCSL (smaller clubs already do this out of necessity). I do not know of any other state that does this and Louisiana needs to send teams to the regional national championship and regional president's cup at every birth year just like all the other states.

The states do differ widely on how they allow teams to qualify for and how they organize their end of season tournaments. Again though, I do not know of any other state advancing teams for regionals at only select combined birth year groupings.

[cosmos]

Yes no U19 the first year in the LPDL.

There is also a clause that allows top LCSL teams to be invited to enter the LPDL if there are not at least 5 teams, which could occasionally be a problem when they do have U19.

[rlb2024]

I haven't been following this closely since we are finished with competitive soccer, but I am curious about something -- who would represent Louisiana at Regionals in the LPDL age groups? Do LPDL and LCSL teams participate in the same bracket at State Cup? Do LPDL teams even participate in State Cup? Thanks for any feedback.

[cosmos]

Jun 7, 2017 12:44:46 GMT -6 rlb2024 said:

I haven't been following this closely since we are finished with competitive soccer, but I am curious about something -- who would represent Louisiana at Regionals in the LPDL age groups? Do LPDL and LCSL teams participate in the same bracket at State Cup? Do LPDL teams even participate in State Cup? Thanks for any feedback.

The LPDL teams play in their own league during the year with no possibility of relegation, then at the end of the year they compete againts teams from the top division of the LCSL in the State Cup and the winner goes on to regionals.

[?]

I think this will have the effect of weakening the President Cup Selection process. At 16U, there were 19 teams this year (6-C1, 8-C2, and 5-C3). If we assume no new teams are added, we will have the 5 LPDL teams pulled out of that mix. That will leave 14 teams left for the LCSL. The C1 division would consist of the 1 C1 team that was set to be relegated, the 1 C2 that was set to be promoted and the next 4 C2 teams. There are some very decent teams in that mix but most are not going to compete against the LPDL teams when it comes to State Cup. The remaining batch of 8 teams would presumably form the C2 bracket. Again, there are some quality teams in that bunch but I do not think any of them would be competitive in the President's Cup national tournament.

[laffysoccermom]

This is the way I predict State Cup will work in the age divisions with LPDL. They will be seeded 1-5. Either top 1-3 in Comp1 will play then in State Cup and rest will drop to President's Cup or there will be a preliminary weekend where the Comp 1 teams play with the Top 1-3 playing in the Finals. This would give the LPDL teams a huge advantage but it's all about player development.

Yes- I know they currently don't allow drop down but I suspect that might change. It will go down however the big clubs want it.

[cosmos]

I also think policy will need to change that allow some comp 1 teams to play in the State Cup and the other comp 1 teams to play in the President's Cup at the LPDL ages.

Hopefully there will be some proactive and fair adjustments made to accommodate things. If not, things will be a real mess the next couple of years at the LPDL ages at the Louisiana U15 and U17 State Cup and President's Cup. Many teams will choose to not even register for the tournaments if things are not handled correctly.

[laffysoccermom]

I wouldn't be too surprised if some of the small clubs eventually pullout of LCSL and just do tournaments and opt for Open Cup.

[gryphon8s]

For those of you who have been around awhile, this looks like the old Premier League system that was in place before the creation of the LCSL. Looks like we've come full circle:)

[gryphon8s]

There is rumor that a few of the small clubs are getting together to pull out of the league an join US club Soccer in the next year or so. If that happens you can bet the LCSL will definitely feel the effects with fewer teams participating.

[laffysoccermom]

I really think in the future, you may have just Open Cup and State Cup in older age groups. Basically D-1 and Premier.....

This may take several years but I think it's coming. In older age groups who aren't looking to play at the next level- the old D1 makes more sense. Less cost and easier to manage with the increased non-soccer demands and activities in high school.

If you're an elite player wanting to play at a bigger college or higher levels, then LPDL makes sense.

[cosmos]

Jun 11, 2017 11:15:10 GMT -6 gryphon8s said:

There is rumor that a few of the small clubs are getting together to pull out of the league an join US club Soccer in the next year or so. If that happens you can bet the LCSL will definitely feel the effects with fewer teams participating.

I have heard the same. I heard they may join a US Club Soccer League, but I also heard that pulling out of the LCSL is only a possibility. The LPDL might also expand and allow a couple more clubs to join in a year or two if they apply and meet the criteria.

I do not think the comments of the Premier and D1 analogy are too far off.

As to the very small clubs, it is often an individual team decision and not a club decision as to if they join the LCSL and how far they travel for tournaments.

[SoccerRocks]

It really won't effect LCSL. It's two age brackets and they can still compete against these teams at State Cup. The huge benefit from LPDL is the extra training and quality. The bottom line is those players will train twice as much (3 times a week for 2 hours) versus (2 times a week for 1 1/2 hours). Plus be trained by the most certified coaches in the state. They will practice more and play less, however when they play it will be against a higher level. It's a huge win for the players that want to reach their potential.

[Rabid Monkey]

Jun 12, 2017 7:05:05 GMT -6 SoccerRocks said:

It really won't effect LCSL. It's two age brackets and they can still compete against these teams at State Cup. The huge benefit from LPDL is the extra training and quality. The bottom line is those players will train twice as much (3 times a week for 2 hours) versus (2 times a week for 1 1/2 hours). Plus be trained by the most certified coaches in the state. They will practice more and play less, however when they play it will be against a higher level. It's a huge win for the players that want to reach their potential.

So what happens to these players that want to reach their potential in the non-LPDL years??? The same thing that happens currently - they attend other training sessions within their club on non-team training nights.  Those players that are looking to play beyond the club/high school level are already seeking the additional training to fulfill their needs 

There is virtually no difference between LPDL and LCSL C1 - same clubs, same kids, same coaches - Just going to cost more with the fancy new title

[laffysoccermom]

And should a smaller club be able to compete well or beat them in an age group, you pretty much keep them from playing you except maybe in State Cup but you'll make them seeded below you so you get the advantage.

It's more money and trying to pull elite players from the small clubs. They've been being recruited but you just made it easier. In the end, it's about more money for the big clubs and pulling players to the big clubs.

[onframe]

Seems everyone is assuming top players will want to play on an LPDL team. Incorrect.

[SoccerRocks]

The answer to the question is very little and probably not at all.

[?]

Per the partial posting of this years rosters on Club websites, it looks like Mandeville will have 4 (3 boys and 1 girls) fewer LCSL teams between 14-17U, Fire will have at least 4 (1 boys and 3 girls) less and CABOSA will have 5 (3 boys and 2 girls) less LCSL teams. That is a total of 13 less LCSL teams. Those clubs moved 6 teams to the LPDL so there is a net loss of 7 teams in total. I'm sure some of the teams would have been lost due to the natural loss of players over time as they get older.