ECNL Welcomes Carolina Rapids as Member Club in 2017

RICHMOND, VA (October 31, 2016) – The Elite Clubs National League is excited to announce that the Carolina Rapids will be joining the ECNL beginning in the 2017-2018 ECNL Season.  The ECNL will be the only national league in which the club will compete, and the focal point of its competitive efforts.

Carolina Rapids is based in Charlotte, NC and has more than 2000 female soccer players across all age groups.  The club has a strong track record of player development, with multiple players currently in youth national teams, many more with experience in national identification programs in USYS Regional ODP and US Club Soccer’s id2 Program, and more than 30 female players moving on to college soccer in 2016 and 2017 at some of the top college soccer programs in the country.  The club has also reached the national championship semi-final stage or beyond in both USYS and US Club Soccer competitions in the past two years.

“We are very excited to add a club with the leadership and professionalism of Carolina Rapids to the ECNL,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers.  “The club embraces the same values and philosophies that the ECNL has been built upon, and which are embedded in all of the league’s programs.  We look forward to working with them long into the future, and to seeing their players grow and thrive in the top league in the country.”

“We’re absolutely delighted to be joining the ECNL for next season,” said Carolina Rapids Executive Director Thomas Finlay. “The league provides an unmatched player development platform for our top female soccer players and supports our holistic approach to player development both on and off the field.  We want to congratulate all the Rapids’ players, parents, coaches and directors that have helped nurture the girls’ program and position us to become part of the ECNL.”

Carolina Rapids will begin formal competition in the ECNL in August 2017.  Additional new clubs will be announced in the ECNL in the coming weeks.

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About Elite Clubs National League:  The Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) was founded in 2009 to enhance the developmental experience of female youth soccer players in the United States through: (i) improving the competitive environment through creation of a true national competitive league; (ii) improving the process for identifying elite female soccer players for college and youth national teams through a systematic scouting and identification program based on national competitions; and (iii) improving the daily training environment at top female youth soccer clubs through developing best practices and training and organizational guidelines for its member clubs.  The ECNL is sanctioned by US Club Soccer and is sponsored by Nike Soccer.

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