U.S. Soccer Development Academy: Girls league launches counter
Amid the closure of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, a Girls Academy League has launched in counter to the MLS proposal.
Since mid-April, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (DA) is no more. Major League Soccer immediately announced the league recognized the value of youth development and would invite all the DA players to participate in their new youth league. Yet parents, players, and supporters of girls development soccer aren’t buying the MLS offer. And they say the DA program never really floated their boats, anyway.
Fred Lipka, MLS technical director of youth development, said he has worked to make the league statements clear. In youth development, MLS clubs and all non-MLS clubs will have a platform to play next year, he pledged.
Some snarling followed the announcement. It is forgotten that when U.S. Soccer created the girls’ wing of U.S. Soccer Development Academy, the same type of snarling launched against that organization.
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In Austin, Texas, the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) for girls operated well before the DA took in their girls. They allowed players to double up on their high school teams, which DA restricted. Preceding that league, Lonestar Soccer Club has long been a developer of excellent girl players.
One Lonestar parent told the Austin news media DA had promised a solution to a problem that never existed in their youth soccer. So their team has already joined, not the MLS youth program, but the Girls Academy League.
This girls league is the top-tier of the Development Player League (DPL). It’s an organization offering an option to former DA squads have if they don’t want to default to the MLS youth development program.
DPL was formed as a bridge between club squads and the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. DPL now seeks to expand Girls Development Academy soccer. The organization focuses on more meaningful games, more training, high-level coaching, and exposure to college showcase events.
It was created through the collaboration between the Southwest Division DA clubs. On April 18 – just a few days after the DA dissolved – the organization made a call to unify girls DA clubs across the country to join their organization.
They are now working on a cross-conference competition schedule for 2020/2021 with a National Championship Series. Travel arrangements are pending. The organization immediately pledge no restrictions for girls to compete with their high school teams, as DA had done. The emphasis will be to give member clubs autonomy.
With that focus, the organization has grown to three conferences, six age groups, 22 clubs, and 132 teams. The newest clubs joining this league include Pinecrest Premier SC, IMG Academy, West Florida Flames, and Central Florida Development Academy.
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So if any girls, their parents, and their coaches decide the MLS youth player route won’t serve them, they have a good place to go. And that can only be to the benefit of the women’s game.