Lorne Donaldson is the longtime Executive Director of Coaching of Real Colorado, a club that joined U.S. Soccer Boys Development Academy upon its launch in 2007, ECNL Girls whenit started in 2009, and the Girls DA upon its creation in 2017. After two seasons of playing in both the Girls DA (winning the inaugural U-16/17 […]
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Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Pateadores' Teddy Chronopoulos on choosing ECNL Boys, continuing a relationship with MLS clubs, and the benefits of high school soccer
Pateadores, a founding member of the recently defunct U.S. Soccer’s Boys Development Academy, lifted the 2011 DA U-17/18 national title and was part of the DA’s U-19 top tier in 2019-20. Pateadoresand six other Southern California former DA clubs have committed to ECNL Boys and will play in the 19-team Southwest Conference. Ted Chronopoulos is […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Girls soccer landscape, shaken up by COVID-19 and DA's demise in 2020, may look different again in 2021
The youth soccer landscape’s fragmentation accelerated when the Development Academy launched in 2007. With the DA gone, clubs had an opportunity to come together under one umbrella, bringing injust enough teams to knock down travel costs without diluting the talent pool too much. “Get together, let’s not come out of this with the same structure […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
ECNL Girls: FC Dallas, California Thorns and La Roca FC on board
Three clubs that fielded Girls DA teams in Texas, California and Utah have joined the ENCL Girls, which also announced launching a Florida ECNL Girls Regional League. “We are thrilled towelcome FC Dallas back to the ECNL Girls,” said ECNL Girls Commissioner Jen Winnagle. “Having the club return to the league is great for competition […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
ECNL Boys: Additions to Texas, Southeast and Northeast Conferences
The rapidly expanding Boys ECNL is welcoming Oklahoma Energy, Tennessee’s Chattanooga Red Wolves Academy, and NEFC (which fields teams in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island) for the 2020-21season. Oklahoma Energy FC,affiliated with its namesake USL Championship club, was formerly Oklahoma FC, which emerged from a partnership between Edmond SC and North Oklahoma City. Oklahoma […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
ECNL Girls migration update: Penn Fusion, Pipeline SC and PDA South commit
As the new American youth soccer landscape takes shape, Penn Fusion Soccer Academy, Maryland’s Pipeline SC and South Jersey’s PDA South are the latest clubs to commit to ECNL Girls for the 2020-21season. Pipeline SC’s announcement comes in the wake of theclub’s boys teams moveto the ECNL. Penn Fusion SA had been fielding teams […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
ECNL Girls additions: Beach FC, Legends FC, Pateadores and West Coast FC
Southern California clubs Beach Futbol Club, Legends FC, Pateadores and West Coast FC have committed to the ECNL for the 2020-21. They join the Southwest ECNL Girls Regional League to bring it up to17 teams. ECNL Regional League-Southwest 2020-21
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Christian Lavers on the prospects of ECNL-MLS synergy and working with new U.S. Soccer leadership
That the ECNL would solidify its claim as the top girls league in the nation in the wake the Development Academy’s demise comes as no surprise. After all, the Girls ECNL launched in 2009 and U.S.Soccer didn’t start its Girls DA until 2017. The Boys ECNL is only its third season but before U.S. Soccer […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Christian Lavers
“When the DA was created in 2007, there were systemic issues of too many games and not enough meaningful games and not enough training sessions. There was a philosophical change and it took timeto grow, but that has been a positive impact of what that [DA] program did. But as it grew and as things […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Boys DA clubs to ECNL: Six each from Southern California and Mid-Atlantic, and Washington's Crossfire
Before U.S. Soccer finally made official its termination of the Development Academy, Boys DA clubs flocked to the ECNL. * * * * * * * * * * SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Arsenal, Pateadores, Real So Cal, San Diego Surf, Strikers FC — founding members of the Boys DA that launched in 2007 — andFC Golden State signed […]