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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Girls ECNL welcomes San Diego Surf and Real So Cal
About two hours before U.S. Soccer announced the termination of its Development Academy, the San Diego Surf and Real So Cal joined the ECNL for the 2020-2021 season. * * * * * * * * * * “We are tremendously excited to welcome the Surf and Real So Cal back to the league,” said […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Boys ECNL expands Mid-Atlantic Conference with addition of DA clubs
The ECNL Boys’ Mid-Atlantic Conference will expand to 15 clubs for the 2020-21 season with the additions from U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy. The new format is aimed at “maximizing competition andreducing travel.” * * * * * * * * * * For the 2019-20 Boys Development season, Charlotte Independence, Charlotte Soccer Academy, North CarolinaFusion, […]