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ECNL Girls Introduces Three New Clubs for 2021-22 Season

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RICHMOND, VA (March 16, 2021) – The ECNL Girls is excited to announce the addition of Cleveland Force (OH), Kings Hammer (KY), and Midwest United FC (MI) for the upcoming 2021-22 season. The addition of Cleveland Force and Kings Hammer into the Ohio Valley Conference, and Midwest United into the Midwest Conference, will elevate the competition level within both conferences, while also creating a better overall structure. Since its inception, the ECNL has fostered the next generation of collegiate and professional athletes through a complete dedication to facilitating the comprehensive development of the best players, coaches and clubs in the country.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cleveland Force, Kings Hammer and Midwest United to the ECNL,” said ECNL Girls Commissioner Jen Winnagle. “These new additions will continue to add quality to both the Midwest and Ohio Valley Conferences, providing more top players and teams with the opportunity to compete in the ECNL platform.”

Along with the introduction of these three new clubs, ECNL Girls will also welcome the re-branded and restructured Liverpool FC Michigan to the Midwest Conference.  Created through a merger between current ECNL club Vardar SC and Liverpool Michigan, part of the Liverpool International Academy system, the combined organization will have teams at all age levels in the ECNL.

Cleveland Force
Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Force Soccer Club is Northern Ohio’s largest soccer program with more than 5,000 players, ages 2-19, made up of community affiliates, club affiliates, and full-time registered players. The organization provides soccer players an unparalleled club structure, focused on empowering intelligent, humble and hard-working boys and girls who approach goals with a positive outlook, both on and off the field. Cleveland Force develops and challenges players from start to finish by being the innovators in the evolution of soccer development through the integration of community clubs, premier clubs and the best competition available across the country.

“Cleveland Force Soccer Club is excited to become a new member of the ECNL Girls for the 2021-22 season,” said Rob Miller, Girls Director. “The strength of the ECNL in terms of the exposure, competition, club collaboration and educational opportunities are unmatched. Having the ability to compete against the very best clubs in the country will provide our players with a development path into college and beyond. A pathway that now includes the ECNL and the ECNL Regional League gives us the ability to develop and showcase future generations of the top talent in Northeast Ohio. We look forward to collaborating with all member clubs in a continued effort to raise the game both regionally and nationally.”

Kings Hammer
Covington, KY

Kings Hammer’s mission is to positively impact the development of young people by providing soccer and educational opportunities to players of all ages and playing abilities and to create a lifelong passion for the sport of soccer. The club plays an active role in the leadership, development and personal growth of its athletes and staff by being an active member of the community through service, partnerships and programs. Kings Hammer’s ultimate goal as a club is to encourage, inspire and empower each player and coach to be able to reach the highest level possible within the game and their lives, while helping develop leaders and individuals who will inspire others to do the same.

“Kings Hammer is extremely excited to join the ECNL with our Academy girls program,” Chris Black, Kings Hammer Academy Girls Director. “The consistency and strength of the ECNL has made the league the top platform in the country for many years. The conference competition along with the national showcases will create a strong development environment and provide exceptional opportunities for Kings Hammer players.  We look forward to competing against top clubs and coaches across the country in 2021-22.”

Midwest United FC
Grand Rapids, MI

Midwest United FC was established in 2015, though its roots trace back to elite soccer in Michigan since 1990. The club’s mission is to provide the players in Western Michigan a quality soccer program to promote the growth of, and appreciation for, the beautiful game. With more than 80 teams across all age groups, Midwest United FC continues to work diligently to ensure each player reaches their full potential and has been successful in doing so, with more than 500 alumni committing to collegiate soccer.

“We are very excited for the opportunity and can’t wait to get started in the ECNL this fall,” said Lewis Robinson, Midwest United Director of Coaching. “We can’t wait to see our players compete in the ECNL on the regional and national stage alongside the top clubs and players in the country. Thanks to all of our players, families, and staff for their continued support and work to create this opportunity and we’re really looking forward to getting to work in the fall!”

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About the ECNL:

The ECNL is the nation’s leading youth soccer development platform. The ECNL respects and celebrates the unique individuality of every youth soccer player and club, supporting and enabling them to unleash their unfettered passion and fierce tenacity in striving to achieve their potential.

The ECNL mission to Raise the Game is a total commitment to create the best possible environment for players, coaches, referees and administrators, with a determination to constantly question convention and challenge the status quo in youth sports.

The ECNL Commitment:

We will lead, set our eyes on new horizons, and pursue them relentlessly. Born out of the belief in a better way. Continued in the ever-evolving pursuit of excellence.

www.TheECNL.com

Girls FB:  /theECNL |  Girls IG: @theECNL  | Girls TW: @theECNL

Our goal is to continue to develop all of our players and their respective teams with an improved player development model and pathway during the new Fall 2022 – Spring 23 season after the tryouts.

Your player’s coach both as a volunteer and paid licensed and certified coach is part of our team and will continue to be part of our soccer club and community. The new partnership is aware that our responsibility as a youth club is to provide more support and resources to each coach so that our players and parents experience is even better.

We plan to have most of our current coaching team to continue to lead their assigned teams for the upcoming season unless there is a conflict with their schedule and/or another opportunity they prefer to pursue in the club which we may consider and appoint a new coach as a result.

Uniforms are set to change for the Fall 2022 – Spring 2023 season and we plan to keep the new and upcoming kits for 2-year period as that is the cycle suggested by the manufacturers.

Our new uniform/player kit brand will be Nike.

Pricing will be very comparable to our current brand of uniforms/player kits as we plan to add more value to the assortment of products that our players currently receive.

No. We will be using Soccer Village as our vendor for our families to order their new season uniforms/player kits.

Soccer Village will provide sample sizes during tryouts for the new uniforms/player kits so that you can order the correct sizing for your player.

Click here to view the Soccer Village website.

Fees will be an all-inclusive model that will cover all expenses (except uniform and personal travel).

No separate club fees and team dues.

Families will have an improved payment plan option of 8 installments with an initial deposit.

Financial Aid and Scholarships will still be available to our families. More information will be added to the website once tryouts have concluded.

Teams will continue to train at the same locations. A big part of this partnership is to work with the city and other independent locations to improve and invest in facilities to create a better training and playing environment.

Kings Hammer is one of the most recognizable privately held clubs in the Midwest.

Founded in 1993 in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.

2 US Youth National titles, 2 runners-up, 4 US Youth Region 2 Champs, 42 OH State Cups, 25 KY State Cups.

In 2020, they added a U23 team in the Ohio Valley Premier League, winning the league’s inaugural season in the Fall of 2020.

In 2021, they joined USL League Two, the pre-professional division of the USL in the US and adding a USL-W team for the 2022 season.

Kings Hammer is backed by Corporex, a privately held investment company with broad holdings throughout the United States. CPX creates investment opportunities for their capital partners through traditional real estate assets as well as an ever-broadening array of other opportunistic investments including Commonwealth Hotels, Kings Hammer Soccer LLC, Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club and Five Seasons Family Sports Clubs. Their ability to create exceptional value through these investments is rooted in their 56-year history as a BUILDER. Why Kings Hammer?

A Complete Pathway to support an all-inclusive player development

Grassroots-Premier-Academy-Professional Development

  • Pathway will start with grassroots and premier program for the 2022/23 season
  • All-inclusive pay structure with flexible and affordable payment plans that covers all costs. 

No additional team fees (uniform/player kits & personal travel are not included)

  • Additional showcases and ID platforms through KH events & network
  • Unique travel and network opportunities through KH and its partners
  • Increased scholarship support through club and local foundation
  • Affordable uniform costs with better assortment through Nike and SV partnership
  • Play Metrics operations & comm. Platform connects the entire club
  • Techne training app – Supporting self-improvement at home
  • Sports Recruits (College recruitment platform and support)
  • College recruitment seminar
  • Player/Parent Education through KH Education Division
  • Kings Hammer Speaker Series – Platform created to present relevant youth soccer information. National and International guest speakers
  • Use of camera & technology for further development opportunities
  • Kings Hammer Goalkeeper Union for specialized training

Our goal is to make Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC one of the most successful regional youth soccer clubs that focuses on player development with the proper core values. We plan to recruit and retain all coaches that will enable us to achieve our player development pathway for our players in the long run.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will continue to offer all levels of appropriate aged training for all level players. Click here to see our new and improved player development pathway.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will continue to offer programs all year round.

Full details of all programming will be released in May 2022.

Yes, the logo and the name will change to represent the new King Hammer Murfreesboro.

We will be combining local, regional, and possibly national sponsorships to generate the resources and scale up the opportunities for our Murfreesboro area players and teams. The benefit of our partnerships has impacted our families far beyond just sponsorships.

 

Technically, No. The Board of Director of MSC have agreed unanimously to sign a 6-year Partnership Agreement to outsource the management of the club to Kings Hammer to elevate the services we are currently and increase the opportunities to have a bigger economic impact to our community with this partnership.

Kings Hammer provides professional player development, great customer service, and offers an inclusive approach to youth soccer.  Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC will elevate the scale of a community club with access to the highest-level opportunities for players to reach their fullest potential. Throughout the tiered system of development, players and coaches will be able to develop in the appropriate tiered programming, network and expertise provided by Kings Hammer Soccer Club.

Our Recreational Program, which will be branded as our Grassroots Program will continue to play their games at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex under the umbrella of Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC with more support and resources for both players, parents and volunteer coaches of the program.

Our Academy and Select Program, which will be branded as our Premier Program will continue to train and play their games at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex as well as other locations they currently travel as part of their JDL and TSL games schedule versus other TSSA member organizations and youth soccer clubs.

Our future Premier Program teams will also continue to travel and attend tournaments within the state of TN and possibly other states based on their specific development need and skill level as a team.

No. However Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC will have an improved structured player development model and a pathway that can support each individual player to play at different levels and assist players achieve their specific goals.

No. Kings Hammer have strong program representation in both States and their players play in their respective locations. The newly formed King Hammer Murfreesboro SC player will continue to play their JDL and TSL games in our area against other TSSA member organizations as scheduled by our state.

Premier Program teams may eventually travel to tournaments in Kentucky and Ohio as a result our partnership with Kings Hammer and vice versa.

As the club grows, we may potentially combine top players from each location to create regional development teams to compete at higher caliber events, showcases to create additional opportunities our players. 

That is our overarching goal and plan. However, it will take some time until we can have teams that can compete in higher level platforms. As Kings Hammer Murfreesboro, we’ve already started working towards a strategic development plan to prepare our club to be part of these leagues and compete at the highest level possible in a short amount of time.