ECNL St. Louis Recap: U12-U14 Boys and Girls teams gain valuable experience

This weekend, the ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls were in the Midwest for ECNL St. Louis, where 180 teams from the U12-U14 age groups competed over three days of action.

“I think it’s great to have an event early on in the year, especially for the younger teams who are experiencing the ECNL level for the first time,” said Tulsa SC Head Coach Jacob Feener. “It also gives the coaches and players the chance to test some things out early in the season and then go back and make the adjustments we need to.”

Feener noted that the event is not only a positive for the players this season, but will also be invaluable to them down the road as they continue to gain experience playing in national events.

“It’s always a positive, especially if you are a team that aspires to go further, to see the different levels around the country and what you can expect,” Feener said. “When they’ve been to three to five of these events before they are really in front of scouts, there’s a comfort that they are used to these events.”

𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡-𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚: Weekend of memories in STL #ECNLSTL pic.twitter.com/1zsdhYcD2Y

— ECNL Girls (@ECNLgirls) September 15, 2024

Chicago Magic Boys Director Bato Radonic echoed the sentiments that the younger events are extremely important for getting his players ready to perform at a high level when they are playing in front of scouts in the older age groups.

“We are very happy and pleased that we were able to bring our U12, U13, and U14 boys to compete at this high level ECNL showcase,” Radonic said. “It’s a great event that helps our coaches and players get ready for what’s coming up when they reach the crucial ages when they are getting ready for college.”

Having the opportunity to play against clubs from three other states and see other top competition from around the country is something that Radonic also says is very motivating for his players.

“It’s great that we were able to see teams from Colorado, New Jersey, and Philadelphia at this young age. It’s extra motivation for our kids to start working even harder and preparing themselves to play across the country,” Radonic said.

FC Wisconsin Girls Director Andy Lee emphasized that the sooner he can get his players exposed to the ECNL environment, the better.

“It’s a unique environment. They just have a fantastic time at these events. It’s a great place to be for them,” Lee said. “We also get some real lessons early on in what the highest levels look like.”

Lee believes that the younger events provide the players a good environment to get used to national events, without the same level of pressure that they will experience playing in front of scouts at the older age groups. He also believes it gives them a good experience early on in the season and some key takeaways that they can focus on throughout their fall schedule.

“It’s a bit more of a safe environment for them to see it and get used to it. It’s a really good experience for them in that sense,” Lee said. “We’ve had a good experience as a group and now we’ve got something to go away and focus on for the rest of the fall.”