ECNL CONFERENCE PREVIEWS 2015 The Elite Clubs National League is the highest level of play in female youth soccer in the nation. It is the competition and development platform for the elite female soccer players across the country, and focuses on improving the daily training environment for top female youth soccer clubs. The ECNL consists of seven conferences across the United States and 79 member clubs, making it the true national competitive league for elite female youth soccer. The ECNL is the mark by which we measure competitive female youth soccer teams and players, said Christian Lavers, Director of Coaching for FC Wisconsin Eclipse. The gap between ECNL competition and any other competition in our state or any other state is staggering and increases every year. The level is constantly challenging coaches to be better at developing and preparing players. ECNL National Events are the destination for U.S. Soccer scouts and college coaches recruiting players. However, ECNL Conference competition lies at the heart of the ECNL. Conference play is the primary method by which teams qualify for the ECNL Post-Season each year. Conference games feature some of the most heated rivalries in youth soccer, and winning an ECNL Conference Championship is a matter of huge pride for every player and club. MIDWEST CONFERENCE The ECNL s Midwest Conference is comprised of nine clubs that span across five states: Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. The primary competition season is the fall. The Board Members representing the Midwest Conference are Rory Dames of Eclipse Select Soccer Club and ECNL President Christian Lavers from FC Wisconsin Eclipse. The Midwest Conference is the smallest conference in the ECNL in number of clubs, but is one of the deepest in talent. The were U18 ECNL National Champions and the number one club in the Overall Club Standings for the 2014-15 ECNL Season. The Midwest Conference has numerous players on the U.S. Youth National Team, as well as dozens of ECNL alumnae representing some of the best college soccer programs in the nation. We are looking forward to the challenge of repeating last year s success, said Director of Coaching Doug Landefeld. The overall club championship capped off an incredible year that featured great individual and team performances for our club. Three Midwest Conference member clubs were ranked in the top 20 ECNL Overall Club Standings at the conclusion of the 2014-15 ECNL Season. 1st - 13th - 20th - SLSG-MO 1
MIDWEST MEMBER CLUBS 1. Sporting Blue Valley 2. Minnesota Thunder 3. FC Wisconsin Eclipse 4. 5. Sockers FC 6. 7. Vardar 8. SLSG - MO 9. SLSG - IL 2014-2015 AT-A-GLANCE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ECNL FINALS ECNL U14 ECNL U15 ECNL U16 ECNL U17 ECNL U18 U14 SLSG - MO Sporting Blue Valley U17 Sporting Blue Valley U15 SLSG - MO U18 U16 Sockers FC SLSG - MO U15 U17 U15 Naomi Ferguson Maciah Lipsey Kalyssa Van Zanten CURRENT U.S. NATIONAL PLAYERS U16 Amanda Rapaduski Maycee Bell Kaya Frazier U17 Isabel Rodriguez Alexa Spaanstra U18 Malia Berkely Marissa Bosco Zoe Morse Data pulled from US Soccer USWNT Rosters (www.ussoccer.com) from Jan. 1, 2015 to Sep. 15, 2015. Includes players from ECNL class of 2015 U19 Dorian Bailey Kirsten Davis Alyssa Gorzak Zoe Redei Kelly Sweeney Jordyn Bloomer U20 Courtney Petersen 2
ECLIPSE SELECT SC About: The Eclipse Select Soccer Club is based on a tradition of excellence and committed to establishing teams that can compete for an ECNL National Championship each year. Founded in 1997, the club is known for its demanding and intense environment, a technique used to prepare players for the next level. City: Oak Brook, Illinois Year Established: 1997 Home Facility: Oak Brook Number of Female Players: 475 Director of Coaching: Chris King ECNL Coaching Staff: Mike Nesci (U14), Chris King (U15, U17), Rory Dames (U16, U18) Website: http://www.eclipseselect.org/ Twitter: @eclipseselect Instagram: @eclipseselectsc Zoe Redei U18 (U19 USYNT) Alyssa Gorzak U18 (U19 USYNT) Marissa Bosco U18 (U18 USYNT) Tatum Milazzo U18 (U18 USYNT) Nicki Hernandez U18 Caitlin Haislip U16 Kalyssa Van Zanten U14 (U15 USYNT) U14: (4th, 7-6-2) U15: (2nd, 10-2-3) U16: (2nd, 11-3-2) U17: (1st, 15-0-0) U18: (1st, 14-1-1) FC WISCONSIN ECLIPSE About: FC Wisconsin was founded in 2012 to fundamentally change youth development and youth soccer in Wisconsin. FC Wisconsin Eclipse is a girls-only program with one team per age group and a unique program-based coaching model where every coach in the program works with every team to insure consistency and focus on individual development. City: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Year Established: 2012 Home Facility: FC Wisconsin Soccer Park Number of Female Players: 130 Director of Coaching: Christian Lavers ECNL Coaching Staff: Andy Lee, Vito Parente, Hayley Siegel, David Check, Joana Bielefeld, Bill Solberg Website: http://www.fcwisconsineclipse.com Twitter: @FCWisEclipse Instagram: @fc_wi_eclipse/ Jordyn Bloomer U18 (U19 USYNT) Payton Wesley U18 Jen Wandt U17 Lindsey Weiss U17 Aryssa Mahrt U14 U14: (6th, 4-8-4) U15: (8th, 2-12-1) U16: (7th, 3-9-4) U17: (9th, 3-10-2) U18: (8th, 2-10-4) 3
MICHIGAN HAWKS About: The Michigan Wolves-Hawks Soccer Club is a premier level soccer club for both girls and boys. Founded in 1974, this non-profit has earned several Conference Championships and consistently sent teams to compete in the ECNL National Finals Event. City: Livonia, Michigan Year Established: 1974 Home Facility: JayCee Park Turf Number of Female Players: 330 Director of Coaching: Doug Landefeld ECNL Coaching Staff: Michele Brach-Krzisnik (U14), Derek Williford (U15), Adil Salmoni (U16, U18), Doug Landefeld (U17) Website: http://www.michiganwolveshawks.com/ Twitter: @HawksWolves Instagram: @wolveshawkseast Malia Berkley U18 (USYNT U18) Zoe Morse U18 (USYNT U18) Isabel Rodriguez U17 (USYNT U17) Sam Kleedtke U16 Alexa Spaanstra U16 (USYNT U17) Kaya Frazier U15 (USYNT U16) Mikaya Lipsey U15 (USYNT U15) U14: (1st, 14-0-2) U15: (1st, 11-1-4) U16: (1st, 13-1-2) U17: (2nd, 7-3-6) U18: (2nd, 11-3-2) MINNESOTA THUNDER ACADEMY About: The Minnesota Thunder Academy is the premier soccer club in Minnesota with the goal to provide a professional environment where youth can learn to train and compete at the highest level possible. It is one of several Nike Premier Clubs within the league, an honor shared with forty-six clubs throughout the country. City: Richfield, Minnesota Year Established: 2006 Home Facility: West St. Paul Dome Field Number of Female Players: 450 Director of Coaching: Danny Storlein ECNL Coaching Staff: Andrew Kaasa (U14), Andrew Kim (U15), David Golan (U16), Daniel Storlein (U17), David Alberti (U18) Website: http://www.mnthunderacademy.org/ Twitter: @MNTHUNDACADEMY Cherry Mae Fast U18 Mariah Haberle U18 Jade King U18 Meredith Haakenson U17 Adrienne Richardson U17 Paige Peltier U14 U14: (9th, 2-8-6) U15: (9th, 1-14-1) U16: (5th, 7-5-4) U17: (4th, 5-5-6) U18: (3rd, 9-4-3) 4
SLSG - ILLINOIS About: In 2007 St. Louis Soccer Club, Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, and Metro United Soccer Club combined to form St. Louis Scott Gallagher, establishing a new era of youth soccer programming in the area. City: Collinsville, Illinois Year Established: 1993 Home Facility: Collinsville Field Number of Female Players: 395 Director of Coaching: Shawn Hewitt ECNL Coaching Staff: Shawn Hewitt (U14), Laura Ridolfi (U15, U16), Lindsay Eversmeyer (U17), Jeff Besserman (U18) Website: http://www.slsgsoccer.com/ Twitter: @SLSGILSoccer Instagram: @slsg_il_ecnl/ Maddie Gleeson U18 Kate Lorenz U18 Makayla Waldner U18 Alyssa Frazier U17 Tamia Cash U16 Sam Stutsman U16 Emma Dutko U15 U14: (8th, 3-10-3) U15: (7th, 7-8-1) U16: (8th, 1-10-5) U17: (6th, 4-6-6) U18: (9th, 2-11-3) SLSG - MISSOURI About: In 2007 St. Louis Soccer Club, Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, and Metro United Soccer Club combined to form St. Louis Scott Gallagher, establishing a new era of youth soccer programming in the area. City: St. Louis, Missouri Year Established: 2007 Home Facility: SLSG Soccer Park (Fenton) Number of Female Players: 1,300 Director of Coaching: Scott McDoniel ECNL Coaching Staff: Scott McDoniel (U14, U16, U18), Ralph Richards (U15, U17) Website: http://www.slsgsoccer.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/slsgsoccer Kayleigh Stahlschmidt U17 Gaby Lawlor U17 Kirsten Davis U17 (U19 USYNT) Anna Lawler U16 Naomi Ferguson U15 (U15 USYNT) U14: (2nd, 10-3-3) U15: (3rd, 8-5-3) U16: (4th, 9-4-3) U17: (7th, 3-6-7) U18: (6th, 5-9-2) 5
SOCKERS FC About: Sockers FC was formed in 1986 as a boys only club, developing the first girls team in 1997. In seventeen years the girls program has quickly established itself as one of the top youth programs in the Chicago area. City: Palatine, Illinois Year Established: 1986 Home Facility: Nike Park Turf Field Number of Female Players: 550 Director of Coaching: Trey Bradberry ECNL Coaching Staff: Trey Bradberry (U14, U15, U16, U17), Scott Keena (U18) Website: http://www.sockersfcchicago.com/ Twitter: @SockersChicago Tate Barney U18 Ryan Gareis U17 Julia Lenard U17 Hannah Richardson U16 Celiana Torres U15 Victoria Thornton U15 Abbey Danneger U14 U14: (5th, 4-8-3) U15: (6th, 6-6-4) U16: (3rd, 9-3-4) U17: (5th, 6-9-1) U18: (7th, 5-10-1) SPORTING BLUE VALLEY About: Founded in 1977, Sporting Blue Valley offers both recreational and premier youth soccer program opportunities in the Kansas City area. City: Kansas City, Kansas Year Established: 1977 Home Facility: Overland Park Soccer Complex Number of Female Players: 854 Director of Coaching: Richard Davies ECNL Coaching Staff: Adam Lamb (U14), Doug McLagan (U15, U17), Gareth Pritchard (U16, U18) Website: http://www.sportingbvsoccer.org/ Twitter: @SPORTINGBV Sinclair Miramontez U18 Keelie Fothergille U17 Maddie Souder U17 Kaycie Kinley U16 Maycee Bell U15 (U16 USYNT) Caroline Peterson U15 Dilary Heredia-Beltran U15 U14: (3rd, 8-5-3) U15: (4th, 7-5-4) U16: (6th, 4-10-2) U17: (3rd, 7-5-4) U18: (5th, 6-8-2) 6
VARDAR About: Since 1982 Vardar Soccer Club of Michigan has produced exceptional players and teams with the highest individual and team records. Vardar is dedicated to the development of excellence and sportsmanship in its members and is the top soccer club in the state. City: Detroit, Michigan Year Established: 1982 Home Facility: Winstar Field Sports Complex Number of Female Players: 275 Director of Coaching: Morris Lupenec ECNL Coaching Staff: Morris Lupenec (U14), Demir Muftari (U15, U16), James Stachura (U17), Chris Corteg (U18) Website: http://vardarsoccer.com/ Twitter: @vardarmichigan Conner Huggins U18 Elaina Eckert U17 Gabriala Jodzis U16 Mya Fregoli U16 Danielle Hartje U15 Zoe Gaffney U15 Gabby Tremonti U14 U14: (7th, 3-7-6) U15: (5th, 6-5-5) U16: (9th, 1-13-2) U17: (8th, 3-9-4) U18: (4th, 8-6-2) 7