FC Barcelona Academy joins US Club Soccer National Premier Leagues

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Via US Club Soccer) – US Club Soccer and the National Premier Leagues have accepted FC Barcelona Academy’s 13-U through 19-U boys teams to the New York Club Soccer League (NYCSL) NPL Division, beginning with the Fall 2017 season.

The iconic club will place its top teams in the NYCSL NPL Division and its second teams in the NYCSL Metropolitan Division. Founded in 2009, the NYCSL currently includes 13 boys clubs and has been named one of 16 qualifying Elite National Premier League (ENPL) competitions around the country.

“We’re thrilled that FC Barcelona will have a home in the NPL. They’ll soon experience the benefits of a variety of programming, including: Players First, Player Development Programs, id² Training Camps and our Player Health & Safety resources,” said Leo Garcia, NPL General Manager and US Club Soccer Vice President of Competitions. “The New York Club Soccer League is an excellent environment for Barcelona coaches to establish their methodology in the United States and help develop top youth players.”

While the FC Barcelona relationship with the NPL is new, US Club Soccer and LaLiga have been working extensively since the launch of Players First in Aug. 2015 to provide unrivaled coaching development opportunities in the U.S. Since that technical partnership began, US Club Soccer has hosted six LaLiga Formation Methodology courses, and about 900 coaches from 300 clubs and organizations have participated. Three more courses will be held this summer.

“We are very happy to work with US Club Soccer on the growth of New York soccer,” said Domènec Guasch, Barca Academy NY Technical Director. “This is a relationship that we hope will extend for a long time and help many players develop their talent under the FC Barcelona methodology, playing in US Club Soccer’s NPL and NYCSL competitions.”

US Club Soccer’s mission is to foster the growth and development of soccer clubs throughout the United States to create the best possible development environment for players of all ages in every club.

US Club Soccer fulfills its mission largely through Players First, a branded, holistic club soccer experience for parents and players which emphasizes the development of each individual to his or her full potential, and helps parents make better choices about where their children should play. Players First is anchored by five pillars:

-Club Development
-Coaching Development
-Player Development
-Parent Engagement & Education
-Player Health & Safety