ECNL & US Club Develop National Competition for Boys
Known for kick-ass high level competition and building strong, young women, Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) has dominated the elite youth soccer world for years — clearly offering the best program for high level soccer for girls in the USA. A few months ago, U.S. Soccer decided to get into this action by launching the USSF Girls Development Academy — often referred to as the Girls DA. While U.S. Soccer is well known for their high level boys Development Academy program — working with the top youth clubs and all the MLS teams — there has never been any other option for boys. Now, the youth soccer scene shifts again with US Club Soccer and ECNL developing a national competition and development platform for U14 through U18/19 boys.
The ENPL Boys Platform is set to kick off in August 2017 and will include regular-season competition, national showcase events as well as a postseason playoff competition. The future for player development looks bright as more choices and opportunities can only be a benefit to the player looking to improve their game and reach their dreams of being the best they can be.
ECNL President Christian Lavers said in an exclusive interview, “The ENPL for boys platform is going to offer a great experience for players. The ECNL and US Club Soccer’s goal is to create great competition and player development opportunities which help raise the standards in youth soccer. Youth soccer clubs have wanted a different platform for many years and with the substantial growth of the US Club teams — it just is the right time to provide an new option and meet this need.”
“There are a lot of good boy players who need and deserve a new platform. We are helping to raise the level of the game of soccer in the USA and this is totally consistently with ECNL’s support of the U.S. Soccer’s National teams. ECNL is committed to helping make youth soccer better,” said Lavers.
Here is the release form US Club:
Youth Soccer News: US Club Soccer and the Elite Clubs National League are collaborating to create a new national competition and development platform for U-14 through U-18/19 boys beginning in August 2017. The Elite National Premier League (ENPL) will provide local and national regular-season competition, national showcase events, and postseason playoff competition for top boys teams across the country.
The ENPL will include both member clubs and member leagues (NPLs), providing club- and team-based entry into the competition. Member clubs will qualify teams into the ENPL in all five age groups each year, while member NPLs will qualify individual teams in all age groups based on performance in their respective NPLs the prior season.
The ENPL will be an independent non-profit organization with a membership-based leadership and governance structure.
“By working together, US Club Soccer and the ECNL showed that the first priority of both organizations is to build better programs for players, leagues and clubs to improve the daily environment for everyone,” said US Club Soccer Board of Directors Chairman Phil Wright. “The ENPL will provide a great pathway for players and teams across the country and is another example of our commitment to support U.S. Soccer and its programs.”
“The creation of the ENPL is a ground-breaking moment for soccer in this country,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “The collaboration between US Club Soccer and the ECNL to create this platform will ensure an absolute top-class competition and atmosphere, and will leverage the expertise, leadership and resources not only of these national organizations but of every member of the platform. With the ECNL for girls and now the ENPL for boys, we will have a fantastic development and competition platform for top players across the country in both genders that is collaboratively led, managed and supported by DOCs, coaches and leaders with expertise in grassroots soccer.”
“We are incredibly excited to announce this collaborative new platform,” said US Club Soccer CEO Kevin Payne. “The core of US Club Soccer’s mission is to foster the growth and development of clubs to create the best possible development environment for players, and we are confident the ENPL will offer a tremendous new opportunity for boys players, teams, leagues and clubs. This is a significant step in continuing to raise standards and quality across the country.”
Beyond the competition platform, the ENPL will ultimately include a coaching development platform, a player identification and development platform, and a club development platform.
The ENPL will be sanctioned by US Club Soccer, so participants need US Club Soccer passcards. They will not be able to use USYS passcards in the ENPL.
More on this development in the youth soccer scene soon, including a boy plays, further details, including the first member leagues, will be announced shortly, and applications for interested clubs will open in the coming weeks.
Source: US Club Soccer/ECNL
