Qualifying Competitions Announced for ENPL
A set of qualifying competitions for the ENPL have been announced as teams put their skills to the test against the top competition in the United States. The ENPL is a collaboration between US Club Soccer and the ECNL to raise the level of boys soccer in the United States.
Youth Soccer News: Following the announcement of the first qualifying competitions of the Elite National Premier League (ENPL), the qualifying National Premier Leagues and Boys ECNL Conference for the 2017-18 season in the Northeast have been released.
Qualifying boys’ teams in five age groups from U14 to U19 from the New England Premiership (NEP), the New York Club Soccer League (NYCSL), Elite Development Program (EDP) and from the Boys ECNL Northeast Conference will earn a berth to the ENPL Playoffs in June 2018. Based on their performances throughout the regular season, teams will earn qualification to the ENPL Playoffs.
By providing qualification paths for both team- and club-based competitions, the ENPL will feature the best competition in US Club Soccer. The regular season competition within each NPL and Boys ECNL Conference are independently structured; however, all teams will focus on reaching the same destination: the ENPL Playoffs.
The NEP covers the breadth of New England, with 20 member clubs and competition from U9 to U23 in both league and cup competitions. Teams from the NEP claimed three NPL championships along with two finalists during the 2016 NPL Finals.
The NEP NPL Divisions will provide a competitive pathway for top teams to compete for an ENPL National Championship.
“The New England Premiership welcomes the opportunity to collaborate and cooperate with its partner clubs, NPLs and Boys ECNL conferences under the ENPL umbrella,” said Sean Carey, NEP League Director. “Providing the appropriate level of competition and pathways for players on local, regional and national levels is a core value of the NEP and its member clubs. The ENPL platform will offer the opportunity for top players and teams to compete against like-minded, standards-driven teams and clubs on a national stage.”
The NYCSL is the largest league in New York, with multiple levels of competition for teams in the NPL division, the Premier League or the Travel League. The NYCSL claimed one title at the 2016 NPL Finals.
“The NYCSL is delighted to be a ENPL qualifying competition. Our NPL member clubs will benefit from the high-caliber regional and national exposure ENPL will offer and give their players a great opportunity to test themselves against some of the best players in the country,” said John Curtis, NYCSL Technical Director. “The ENPL offers a true national platform and the inclusion of Boys ECNL qualifying competitions broadens the reach currently offered by NPL alone. We are very excited to see how this more comprehensive platform delivers improved opportunities to all NPL players.”
The EDP – NPL Division includes teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic, consisting primarily from New York and New Jersey. EDP teams matched the NEP with three NPL national championships and two finalists.
“ENPL gives our members the opportunity to compete on a regional and national stage, which gives them a little something extra to play for throughout the year. Importantly, ENPL will push our membership to continue to create top-notch development environments for their players,” said Alan Shilling, EDP CEO. “The most intriguing aspect of ENPL are the people and clubs who are involved. Surrounding ourselves with great minds who are committed to the game will allow our league and our members to stay at the forefront of player development within this sport.”
The Boys ECNL Northeast Conference will include clubs from Maryland to Massachusetts that have distinguished themselves in a variety of different competitions in US Club Soccer and elsewhere over the past years.
Photo Credit: US Club Soccer
