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Eight Development Academy clubs form Northeast Girls Development League

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 11, 2019) – Eight U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs in the northeast region are creating the Northeast Girls Development League. Kicking off this fall, the Northeast Girls Development League will provide a competitive 10-month-long league for 12-U and 13-U girls Development Academy teams to develop their abilities at an elite level.

The inaugural season of the Northeast Girls Development League is comprised of the following clubs:

FC Albertson Fury (N.Y.)
FC Fury (N.Y.)
NEFC (Mass.)
New York Soccer Club (N.Y.)
Oakwood SC (Conn.)
Seacoast United (N.H.)
South Shore Select (Mass.)
STA (N.J.)

The Northeast Girls Developmental League, sanctioned and supported by US Club Soccer, maintains Development Academy standards and competition level, while also upholding US Club Soccer’s Players First philosophy.

Quotes from Northeast Girls Development League founding member club directors:

Paul Riley, FC Albertson & FC Fury: "This a huge step in the development process of our younger players. A club’s culture is important, and finding common ground among different clubs to build collective strength is massive. A competitive environment is a must for any player and program. We are proud to launch this endeavor with such a great group of clubs."

Nick Burke, NEFC: "NEFC is excited to be part of the newly created Northeast Girls Development League. This league will provide a great platform for our younger players’ development and growth in a highly competitive environment. We are looking forward to working with other like-minded Development Academy clubs to keep improving our coaches and players."

Christian Gonzalez, New York Soccer Club: "NYSC is proud to be a founding member involved in the creation and launch of the Girls Pre-Academy League. The league will provide a platform for our 12s and 13s vs. top teams from like-minded Development Academy clubs. Our young players will be challenged weekly in competitive matches, and that will enhance and accelerate their pathway. Our younger players will get a chance to embrace the Developmental Academy game day environment and will prepare them for their journey into full Academy in the following years."

Matt Cameron, Oakwood SC: "Oakwood is proud to be involved in the creation and launch of the Girls Pre-Academy League. Our young players will be seriously tested week in and week out, and that’s fantastic for their development. This experience each match will also benefit the players as they become immersed in our club culture."

Chris Scott, Seacoast United: "Seacoast United is excited to be part of the 12-U and 13-U Northeast Girls Development League. This allows us to give players a clear pathway into the Girls Development Academy from an early age to help with their long-term development. We are ready to work with the other clubs, who share common goals, to help offer a development league which will provide our players meaningful competition."

Liz Lima, South Shore Select: "Select is excited to be a part of the Northeast Girls Development league. The Pre-Academy League will provide our younger players a unique pathway to experience the culture of the U.S. Development Academy at an even younger age. We are looking forward to working with other like-minded clubs in an environment where the focus can remain on competitive player development and collaboration."

Tim Verschuren, STA: "We, as STA, are excited to be one of the founding members involved in the birth of the Girls Pre-Academy League.. We are looking forward to having our younger teams involved in this platform and give them an incredible experience as well as the best daily environment to keep improving on and off the field."

STA is a member of the first-ever class of Players First-licensed clubs. These clubs – 59 to date – have demonstrated a commitment to the Players First philosophy by giving every athlete a chance to reach their potential through the proper facilitation of relationships with their coaches, parents and players.

We are running out of letters in the alphabet

Calm down folks, this is just like pre-ECNL, making sure teams are planning for their DA future.

Wonder why they chose a name so close to Northeast Girls NPL?

NE NPL teams will now be Regional ECNL or ECNL !! or whatever it is they are calling it. Sure this new leagues is "pre-DA" but it's also another way for clubs to try and sucker parents in earlier with the hope it will lead to full GDA later. ECNL teams have pre ECNL teams as well but it's not a formal thing and they play in other leagues.

To me this also signals BDA will probably drop U13 next year, as rumored, then split the U17s into two age groups to mirror the girls. Then both girls and boys sides run U12 and U13 preDA with full DA U14+

If it was SUSA and ECNL it would be the greatest thing ever. Since it has Albertson and is connected to DA it must be awful.

Maybe these clubs anticipate not being able (or not wanting) to field non-DA teams at older ages.

How is Albertson going to field two competitive teams at U12? I doubt kids, and their parents, want to be traveling the Northeast for a game on the weekend at 11 years old. This seems nuts. Good to see LISC is not part of this.

Very good question. They have 2 strong U11 teams now, but by forcing their hand and doing this pre-DA league at U12, instead of waiting one more year they will definitely lose a lot of good players to Susa and EM. Those try-outs just got a lot more interesting.