2017-18 ECNL CONFERENCE PREVIEWS Established in 2009, the Elite Clubs National League has transformed youth female soccer over the past 8 years, and is the highest level of competition in the United States. With thousands of alumni current playing women’s college soccer, 90% of the league’s graduating classes moving on to college soccer every year, and stars dominating the best conferences in collegiate soccer, the ECNL is the proving ground and development platform for the future. In the 2017-18 season, the collegiate stars of the future will be competing in one of eight conferences across the United States. While the ECNL National Events Series is the primary destination for scouts and college coaches to recruit elite level players, and are some of the most exciting events in youth soccer, it is ECNL Conference competition that lies at the heart of the ECNL. Conference play is the primary method by which teams qualify for the ECNL Post Season, and conference games feature some of the most heated rivalries in youth soccer. With teams and players that know each other well, and compete against each other every year, winning an ECNL Conference Championship is a matter of huge pride for every player and member club. OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE The 2017-18 ECNL Season is the inaugural season for the Ohio Valley Conference. The ECNL’s Ohio Valley Conference is comprised of eight clubs across five states: Indiana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The primary competition season is the spring. The 2016-17 ECNL season marks the addition of four new member clubs to the ECNL who will be playing in the Ohio Valley Conference: FC Alliance and Tennessee SC will expand the ECNL to Tennessee while FC Pride will add an ECNL member club in Indiana. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are also new for the 2017-18 campaign and add to the reach of the ECNL in western Pennsylvania. “The newly formed Ohio Valley Conference is very exciting. The addition of some key new members to go along with some ECNL mainstay clubs will provide an outstanding competition for 2017-18. The fierce old rivalries will remain and new rivalries will be born. The competition for Conference Championships and ECNL Playoff places will certainly come down to the wire. The ECNL’s ability to recognize the need for the conference to provide sensible travel and a great competition is a testament to the leagues ability to move and act quickly in the name of member clubs. It will be an honor for all eight clubs to compete in the Ohio Valley Conference.” -Doug Bracken OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE BOARD MEMBER Doug Bracken ECNL Vice President ECNL Director for Ohio Elite SA OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE 1 - Western New York Flash 2 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3 - Internationals SC 4 - Ohio Premier 5 - Ohio Elite SA 6 - FC Pride 7 - Tennessee SC 8 - FC Alliance 2016-2017 IN REVIEW While the Ohio Valley Conference is a new conference for the 2017-18 season, many of its clubs participated in other ECNL conferences in the 2016-17 season. The championships earned in 2016-17 by these clubs (in their previous ECNL conference) are below: MID-ATLANTIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS U15 - Internationals SC U18/U19 - Ohio Elite SA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIERS Western NY Flash Ohio Elite SA Ohio Elite SA U16 Ohio Premier U18/ U14 U19 Ohio Premier Ohio Premier U15 Internationals U17 TOP 25 IN ECNL OVERALL CLUB STANDINGS 19th 23rd 2017 ECNL/ID2 NATIONAL TRAINING CAMP The 2017 ECNL/id2 National Training Camp is a joint effort between the ECNL, U.S. Club Soccer’s id2 National Player Identification and Development Program, and Nike. The camp is open to all players regardless of U.S. Soccer affiliation, or lack thereof, and is sanctioned as an Olympic Development Program by US Soccer and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The ECNL held the 2017 ECNL/id2 National Training Camp July 27-30, 2017 at the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon. Players were elected based on their performances at ECNL competitions, ECNL PDP events and other events throughout the year. The camp was made up of 97 of the top female youth soccer players across the ECNL, staffed by an elite staff of expert coaches, and included many stars who will be competing in the Ohio Valley Conference this season. 2017 NATIONAL TRAINING CAMP ATTENDEES Ravin Jordan Tori Alexander Brewster Hallowachs Ohio Elite SA Internationals SC Ohio Premier *BEST XI* Taylor Huff Colleen Ariella Pitty Internationals SC McIlvenna Ohio Premier *BEST XI* Ohio Elite SA id2 Lawson Renie Taylor Requa Emma Sears Ohio Elite SA Western NY Flash Ohio Premier FC ALLIANCE ABOUT: The Club strives to provide the highest level of competitive play throughout Tennessee and the surrounding states. Our Club has grown through a combination of having top coaches and clinicians providing world-class training and the highest quality competition for our players. We encourage our players to develop physical fitness, competitive spirit, team play, loyalty, and good sportsmanship. We also provide the opportunity for interested adults to participate as coaches or in other positions within our club. CITY: Knoxville, Tennessee ESTABLISHED: 2008 HOME FACILITY: Alliance Park # OF FEMALE PLAYERS: 512 WEBSITE: www.fcallianceknox.org TWITTER: @FCAlliance1 FC ALLIANCE COACHING STAFF Director of Coaching/ECNL Director - Josh Gray U13 & U16 - Josh Gray U14 & U17 - Kevin Keck U15 - Jon Scheider U18/U19 & U18/U19 Composite - Chad Stocton U18/U19-ANNA 2017-18 KATHERINE U18/U19-MADDIE U17-MACKENZIE U16-KRISTEN PLAYERS ANDERSON RICKETTS SMITH GASAWAY TO WATCH U16-KIANNA U15-JAIDEN U13-MEGAN LANE WESTON BURLESON “We are very excited to be a part of the Ohio Valley Conference. The balance of ECNL veterans and new member clubs will create an amazing learning and competitive environment for our players and coaches.” -Josh Gray, FC Alliance Director of Coaching INTERNATIONALS SOCCER CLUB ABOUT: The Internationals Soccer Club was established in 1976 as an outlet for players who had graduated from college with a desire to continue to play competitively. Soon to follow was the Internationals women’s program which competed at the national level within two years. The youth program was launched in 1985. Today, Internationals Soccer Club, is one of the finest and most respected youth soccer clubs in the country. CITY: Cleveland, Ohio ESTABLISHED: 1976 HOME FACILITY: Pinnacle Sports # OF FEMALE PLAYERS: 275 WEBSITE: www.internationalssoccer.com TWITTER: @ISCgirls INTERNATIONALS SC COACHING STAFF Director of Coaching/ECNL Director - Zdravko Popovic U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18/U19 & U18/U19 Composite: Zdravko Popovic, Jared Rose &Brad Evans 2017-18 U18/U19-JORDAN U18/U19-SYDNEY U18/U19- U17-CHRISTIN PLAYERS BREWSTER DAWSON LOREN SEFCIK BAUMBICK TO WATCH U17-HALEY U17-MARIA U16-TAYLOR CURTIS NELSON HUFF “We are extremely excited about the 2017-18 ECNL season and are looking forward to the challenge of joining a new conference - the Ohio Valley Conference. Each year, the competitive platform that the ECNL provides has helped our players grow in every phase of the game. We are motivated and energized as we prepare to build upon the individual and collective success that we have enjoyed over the past five years in the league. Our players and staff are committed to setting a high standard in order to help our club and the league reach new levels of excellence.” -Zdravko Popovic, Internationals SC Director of Coaching 2016-17 HIGHLIGHTS: U15 Qualified for Champion’s League Post Season Competition U16 Qualified for Showcase Cup Post Season Competition OHIO ELITE SOCCER ACADEMY ABOUT: Ohio Elite Soccer Academy was established in 2002 to raise the level of development for girls in Cincinnati and surrounding areas. By providing a professional coaching staff, high level facilities and the best competition available to players in the U.S. the club has pushed players to reach their very best. Ohio Elite Soccer Academy alumni have moved on to the college and professional ranks as well as US National Teams. CITY: Cincinnati, Ohio ESTABLISHED: 2002 HOME FACILITY: Seven Hills School and Ohio Elite Training Center # OF FEMALE PLAYERS: 500 WEBSITE: www.ohioelite.com TWITTER: @ohioeliteSA OHIO ELITE SA COACHING STAFF Director of Coaching - Tim Lesiak ECNL Director -Doug Bracken U13 & U14 -Woody Sherwood U15 & U17 - Doug Bracken U16 & U18/U19 - Tim Lesiak U18/U19 Composite - Scott Sievering Assistant Coach - Toby Frolich 2017-18 U18/U19-RAVIN U18/U19-ALLISON U18/U19-ANNA U17-DIANA U17-ALEXIS PODJILL GOINS PLAYERS ALEXANDER KLIMKOWSKI BENIGNO TO WATCH U17-COLLEEN U17-LAWSON U16-MARCELLA U16-LAUREN U15-BROOKE MCILVENNA RENIE CASH DECKERT BROWN “Ohio Elite Soccer Academy is both excited and honored to embark on another year in the best girls youth league in the world. The ECNL has consistently challenged and prepared our players for the next level. The newly formed Ohio Valley Conference will present new challenges. We look forward to meeting those challenges. Simply put, Ohio Elite is all in!” -Doug Bracken, Ohio Elite SA ECNL Director 2016-17 HIGHLIGHTS: U18/U19 Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions U16 Ohio Valley Division Champions (Mid-Atlantic Conference) U16 & U18/U19 Qualified for Champion’s League Post Season Competition U17 North American Cup Runner-Up OHIO PREMIER SOCCER CLUB ABOUT: Ohio Premier provides a positive environment for competitive male and female soccer players of all ability and skill levels, ages 4 and above. Our mission is to promote the personal development of each player and help them reach their full potential, both on and off the field with a focus on discipline, determination, dedication and teamwork, while nurturing a passion for the game of soccer. The club strives to attain a national reputation as one of the premier soccer clubs in the country.