Despite the break in action on the field, the news from the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) has not stopped. The preeminent youth soccer league was preparing for its annual National Event in Phoenix, which was scheduled for this weekend. However, the coronavirus pandemic canceled that event along with hundreds of other youth soccer events. 

Even though the play on the field is halted, ECNL is still pushing the game and its national league forward. The league announced a string a big moves during March that included the return of Real Colorado and Dallas Texans to ECNL with the top teams at each club joining the league starting in 2020/2021. The news did not stop there as ECNL also welcomed in North Carolina Courage and United Futbol Academy (UFA) for next season. Both joining ECNL after spending a few years with the Girls Development Academy. 

“Everyone in our leadership is constantly asking the questions: 1. How can we help our clubs provide an even better experience for their players? 2. What can we do to engage and inspire players? And 3. How do we keep raising the level of play and standards in the league?,” ECNL President Christian Lavers told TopDrawerSoccer in an email interview last week when asked about these clubs moving from the Girls DA to ECNL. “Those three questions frame all of our decisions in programming and structure, and they help us continue to build and grow relationships with our membership. As long as we stay true to the commitments reflected in those questions, I think the future of the ECNL - both boys and girls - is fantastic and we will continue to be able to fulfill our mission to make the game better.”