Girls soccer is one of the most popular youth sports in the United States. This means there are various opportunities to play at the club level and get the exposure you want. From my experience, you don't need to play in the “most competitive” leagues to get exposure to Division I schools, but it does help. If you want to join a competitive club league that brings a lot of exposure, check out these three:
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1. Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Finding a club team that is involved in the ECNL will provide you with the most exposure to college coaches, especially at the DI level. This is a high commitment league with teams from all over the country. There are currently 113 member clubs in the ECNL. The ECNL holds national events around the country (San Diego to New Jersey, down to Florida, etc.) where teams compete for their regular season. Following regular season, there are ECNL National Playoffs and Finals to determine the National Championship club of the league. Alumni from the ECNL have committed to and had a great impact at Power Five programs such as Florida State University, University of North Carolina, Penn State, Stanford, and many more.
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2. National League (NL)
The National League is an extension of US Youth Soccer. The National League is a competitive atmosphere where specific teams can qualify to participate as opposed to an entire club. There are 13 conferences in the National League, and teams play against each other within the divisions as their regular season competition. Teams with success in their division will then qualify for the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships, and winning regionals will qualify a team for the US Youth Soccer National Championship. The National League provides exposure for all types of divisions and universities. Alumni from the National League have continued their careers at universities such as Clemson University, Northeastern University, Monmouth University, University at Albany, etc.
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3. National Premier League (NPL)
The National Premier League is a sector of US Club Soccer that provides a competitive atmosphere for youth soccer players. Similar to the National League, the NPL creates exposure opportunities for all divisions. There are 18 member leagues within the NPL, all having around 20 teams within the division. Teams will play within the division as their regular season to qualify for the NPL National Finals. The NPL is a more inclusive league that doesn't require many qualifications to be accepted into. Alumni from the NPL have continued their careers at universities such as Nebraska Wesleyan University, Fordham University, Cal Poly, University of Bridgeport, and more.
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These are just three of the many leagues that teams can participate in to expand their exposure for college coaches. While the most elite league in girls soccer seems to be ECNL, that shouldn't limit the effort you can make to reach out and commit to whatever school you please. Each league will give you the proper exposure and commitment level if you're willing to put in the effort to reach out to coaches and be competitive in the classroom as well as on the field.
Image source: History of Soccer
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* Originally published on January 31, 2022, by Andrea Leitner
