FRISCO, Texas (Feb. 15, 2022) — The US Youth Soccer National League is excited to announce the next seven girls clubs that will compete as inaugural members of Elite 64.
Chicago FC United (IL)
FC Westlake (TX)
Greater Toledo FC Impact (OH)
Ohio Galaxies FC (OH)
St. Croix SC (MN)
Team Boca (FL)
Tonka Fusion Elite (MN)
Each of these Elite 64 clubs share a collective vision and are dedicated to providing an unmatched gameday experience, in addition to maintaining the highest standards, both on and off the field, to maximize the opportunities available to their players.
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“It is great to welcome these standout girls clubs as inaugural members of Elite 64,” said Simon Collins, USYS National League Commissioner. “We are excited to continue to work with clubs that are dedicated to doing what is best for the players, both on and off the field, and are confident Elite 64 will help these clubs offer an unrivaled experience for their top-level players. These clubs have a history of player development, and we’re confident their leaders will utilize the full developmental pathway of the National League to ensure every level of player at their club is able to compete in the right environment.”
The newly-announced elite performance tier of the National League, Elite 64 will begin play this fall and feature club-based competition for the nation’s top boys and girls players in the 13U, 14U, 15U, 16U, 17U and 18/19U age groups. The 64 clubs in each gender will be geographically positioned into eight groups of eight clubs. Teams play a 14-game league season and have access to two national showcases (alongside National League P.R.O.) and the Elite 64 national finals.
Each of the inaugural Elite 64 clubs will benefit from world-class performance analysis from ProScore and new USYS partner STATSports, which will provide Elite 64 clubs with unparalleled access to the world’s most advanced performance wearable technology. All data and analysis collected will be shared with college coaches and professional scouts — making every Elite 64 game or training session a recruitable moment.
Acceptance into Elite 64 guarantees each club a minimum three-year involvement in the competition, with 18-month evaluations of every club taking place to ensure standards are met and Elite 64 maintains the highest possible level of competitive balance across the platform.
Hear from the club leaders…
CHICAGO FC UNITED (Elite 64 – Girls)
“Chicago FC United is honored to be an inaugural member of Elite 64. We are looking forward to the top-level competition week in, week out. The national exposure at the Elite 64 showcases will be a great addition to our club’s programming, and we look forward to helping to grow the league and provide a top soccer environment for our players. Elite 64 simply gives our players an opportunity to compete against the top USYS teams in the country. Playing at that elite level consistently will improve our players and the increased opportunities can only enhance and further player development. We have had a small experience using the STATSports and ProScore technology through National League P.R.O. and have been very impressed with the impact it can have on player development, coaches’ game analysis and the availability to college coaches for the recruitment process. Our ability to use this technology on a larger scale, more frequently, will only further our ability to provide meaningful information to our players on a more consistent basis, thus also allowing college coaches to get an improved, well-rounded view on every player in our club.”
Andy Parry, Director of Operations
FC WESTLAKE (Elite 64 – Girls)
“FC Westlake is extremely excited to be accepted into Elite 64. Elite 64 is going to give our players and club the platform to accelerate their development and competitiveness against some of the best clubs from around the country. Our players are not only going to have a high-level experience on the field but also off it with the additional support from STATSports and ProScore. After our experience with these products at the National P.R.O. events, we are fully aware of how it can motivate our players to not only play in college but also make it to the pros! Myself and everyone at FC Westlake cannot wait to get started.”
Andy McClelland, Director of Coaching – Elite
GREATER TOLEDO FC IMPACT (Elite 64 – Girls)
“Elite 64 provides a unique opportunity to the Toledo area for a true national platform. We are honored to be the tip of the spear for growth and progress in Northwest Ohio and for our ability to proudly represent our community against the national elite. GTFC has always been about evolution and growth, and Elite 64 is the next logical step in our development as an organization of over 1,000 youth players. Iron sharpens iron. We are being pitted against the country’s elite in an environment that demands growth and development. From supreme competition to the ultimate exposure to college coaches, everything about this experience will not only enhance our players technical and tactical development but will also support our development of the total person.
“STATSports and ProScore have already given us tremendous value during our P.R.O. season. Individually, the data these services provide drive our players to be competitive with each other. From a team and club perspective, it is giving our staff another tool to measure the success of their sessions, the health of the players and recognize trends in our performance to either encourage or correct. Technology is at the forefront of soccer growth throughout the world and this technology, linked with our match film, provides our players an edge many clubs do not experience.”
Mike Aubry, Executive Director
OHIO GALAXIES FC (Elite 64 – Girls)
“Ohio Galaxies FC is delighted to be selected to USYS National League’s Elite 64. We believe our players are best served competing against the best clubs regionally and nationally, and Elite 64 is such a platform. The partnership with ProScore and STATSports shows the commitment from US Youth Soccer to support its elite clubs in developing their players. Having real-time data and footage is a huge step in the right direction for individual player development through player metrics and team development through match analysis. Not to mention the ability for players to have footage and create highlights for recruiting purposes. We are looking forward to Elite 64’s inaugural year.”
Neil "Scooby" Daniels, Director of Coaching
ST. CROIX SC (Elite 64 – Girls)
“St. Croix is excited to be part of the girls’ Elite 64 and playing against some of the strongest clubs in the nation. As we start competing in Elite 64, we understand the expectations of the coaches, players and parents. We are here to play the very best and to compete against them. St. Croix looks at this pathway for the St. Croix girls players as an opportunity to be seen by college coaches. Adding the performance analysis from STATSports and ProScore to the college pathway will be a huge assistance in their ability to be recruited and to their individual development as a soccer player. Elite 64 will bring an even more competitive direction to the club and build the development of St. Croix's staff and players.”
Nathan Klonecki, Executive Director
TEAM BOCA (Elite 64 – Girls)
“It is an honor for Team Boca to be selected to the USYS National League Elite 64 for its inaugural season. This new league will give our players the opportunity to compete against the top players in the nation within an extremely professional developmental platform, and it still gives us the freedom to compete in our State Cup competition and ODP. Kudos to US Youth Soccer for understanding this need and implementing such into a national league format. The Elite 64 partnership with STATSports and ProScore will also tremendously enhance the player experience and ensure that our players have a simplified and direct path to college coach recruitment as well as exposure to Pro scouts globally, which has always been a priority at Team Boca.”
Bill D’Addio, Director
TONKA FUSION ELITE (Elite 64 – Girls)
“We're extremely honored and excited to be selected to join the National League Elite 64. As a club, we continue to root ourselves in a holistic approach to player development and our efforts will always be centered around a strong desire to continuously improve what we can offer our players, families, and staff. The addition of the Elite 64 platform will provide our players with consistent and elevated opportunities to compete against some of the top clubs in the country, while also serving to improve and further extend college recruiting opportunities for our players. We look forward to kicking off the inaugural season this fall and, of course, to the higher level of play and expectations that Elite 64 will require.”
Lawrence Tsoi, Technical Director