The new Development Academy season kicks off this weekend, as game around the country begin in the runup to Labor Day.

Thousands of players will compete in the Boys and Girls edition of the DA. Keep an eye on these five storylines for the upcoming club season.

1. The launch of the Girls Development Academy

The biggest focus for the 2017-18 season is not on the 11th season of the Boys Development Academy, but rather the introduction and launch of the Girls Development Academy.

It’s been a long time coming for the Federation to step up on the girls side in the same way they have focused on the boys side for the past decade. Of course, with the girls club arena far more robust thanks to the ECNL, it makes for a very intriguing first season for the Girls Dev. Academy. The impact will be notable on high school soccer once again, as girls will, for the most part, focus on club instead of high school.