About the ECNL
The ECNL is a national youth soccer league founded in 2009 for U-15, U-16 and U-17 girls` teams for the purpose of providing the highest level of competition and the best developmental environment for American female youth soccer players, as well as an identification and development program, which will seek to include players in US Soccer`s National Teams. The 2009-10 season is the ECNL's inaugural season, during which each team will play nine regular-season games and two postseason games. Each of the 40 member clubs in 2009-10 will have a team in the U-15, U-16 and U-17 age groups.
Mission Statement
The Elite Clubs National League, Inc. (ECNL) is a non-profit member-based organization founded in 2009 to enhance the developmental experience of the female youth soccer players in the United States through: (i) improving the competitive environment through creation of a true nationally-based competitive league with multiple flights; (ii) improving the process for identifying elite female soccer players for the U.S. Soccer youth national teams through a systematic scouting and identification program based on national competition; and (iii) improving the daily training environment at female youth soccer clubs through developing best practices and training and organizational guidelines for its member clubs.
2009-2010 ECNL Competition
The ECNL is the elite competitive league for youth female soccer players in the United States. In the inaugural 2009-10 season, the ECNL will consist of 40 of the top female youth soccer clubs throughout the United States competing in two 20-team flights - Challenge A and Challenge B. Each team will participate in nine regular-season games within their flight. Each ECNL club will play regular-season games at three ECNL events, se1ected from five regular-season ECNL events: (i) the Eclipse ECNL Showcase in August in Chicago, Ill.; (ii) the ECNL Divisions at the Final Four Showcase in December in College Station, Texas; (iii) the ECNL Divisions at Disney's Soccer Showcase presented by Chelsea in January in Orlando, Fla.; (iv) the ECNL Divisions at the Las Vegas College Showcase in March in Las Vegas, Nev.; and (v) the ECNL Divisions at the PDA College Showcase in May in Zarephath, N.J.
Following the conclusion of the regular-season, the ECNL will host the ECNL National Championships July 15-18, 2010, in Seattle. At the ECNL National Championships, every ECNL team will compete in two post-season playoff games to determine final standings in each division at each age group. At the conclusion of the ECNL National Championships, individual age group ECNL National Champions will be crowned, an overall ECNL Club National Champion will be crowned, three teams from Challenge B will be promoted to Challenge A at each age group, and three teams from Challenge A will be relegated to Challenge B at each age group.
2009-2010 ECNL Player Identification Program
The ECNL player identification program in 2009-10 will be organized in conjunction with US Club Soccer`s id2 player identification and development program. ECNL coaches and staff will work closely with id2 staff to identify elite female players in the 1995 and 1996 birth years for participation in one of two id2 National Camps. In addition, players in the 1994 birth year will be scouted in ECNL competition for invitations to a special ECNL / id2 National Camp in March 2010. The ECNL will cover all costs of participation (except travel) for ECNL players identified in the 1994 age group for this camp.
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