Elite 64 Welcomes an Additional 9 Boys Youth Soccer Clubs and 8 More Girls Youth Soccer Clubs
Youth Soccer News on SoccerToday: The US Youth Soccer National League Expands To Include More Clubs In The Inaugural Elite 64.
The USYS National League is excited to announce the next nine boys and eight girls clubs that will compete as inaugural members of Elite 64.
| Boys Youth Soccer Clubs AFC Lightning (GA) AYSO United (CA) Boston Bolts (MA) Cincinnati United Premier (OH) Colorado Rapids Youth SC (CO) East County Surf SC (CA) FC 1974 Libertyville (IL) Michigan Jaguars FC (MI) Utah Soccer Alliance (UT) | GIrls Youth Soccer Clubs Arsenal Colorado (CO) AYSO United (CA) Boston Bolts (MA) Colorado Rapids Youth SC (CO) East County Surf SC (CA) FC Copa Academy (NJ) Phoenix Rising (AZ) Wasatch Soccer Club (UT) |
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.
“We are really excited to expand the pool of clubs within Elite 64 to this group of top-class organizations that will add to already outstanding collection of clubs that have been announced to this point,” said Simon Collins, USYS National League Commissioner. “We have been very encouraged by the conversations with club leaders, and we look forward to working with these clubs to elevate the experience for the players. These clubs have proven to set a high standard in how they operate on and off the field, and together we’ll strive to provide the best possible platform that helps the players reach their full potential.”
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 youth soccer club leaders involved in the USYS Elite 64 …
AFC LIGHTNING (Elite 64 – Boys)
“AFC Lightning is excited to compete with and against the best teams in US Youth Soccer. Elite 64’s commitment to the player through their partnerships with ProScore and STATSports is exactly what our teams and players are looking for! The college showcases will provide important visibility for our players as they reach for the next level. Elite 64 will provide outstanding competition in outstanding facilities and allows our community to continue to work together for the betterment of our players. Having a clear pathway for our families that works with the needs of our community will streamline our talent development plan for our teams.”
Steve Muccillo, Executive Director
ARSENAL COLORADO (Elite 64 – Girls)
“Arsenal Colorado has been seeking the right competition platform for our athletes and we are excited that US Youth Soccer has developed Elite 64. We believe it will provide a great pathway for our members, creating a competitive atmosphere with a player first focus, providing the most elite opportunity for players of northern Colorado.”
Dave Shaffer, Technical Director
AYSO United (Elite 64 – Boys and Girls)
“AYSO United is excited to join the USYS National League family. We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the top youth clubs in the country and join Elite 64. Elite 64 is a player-centered league that will allow our top players to gain national exposure, compete against the best clubs nationally, and enhance their overall youth soccer experience. Elite 64 will be the pinnacle program within AYSO United. Elite 64 values and standards will be integrated throughout our club. Our United players can develop and progress within our club environment knowing that they have access to the highest level of competition in the U.S. The integration of STATSports and ProScore is a key element in creating a player-centered environment. Our Elite 64 players and coaches will have access to cutting-edge technology, which will allow them analyze data and improve performance.”
David Thomas, Director
BOSTON BOLTS (Elite 64 – Boys and Girls)
“The Boston Bolts are honored to be an inaugural member of Elite 64. We were blown away by the vision laid out by Simon Collins and the Elite 64 team. We’re thrilled to be part of this new platform and to offer our boys and girls the opportunity to play in a fantastic environment that will prepare them for the future. The partnerships with STATSports and ProScore will provide our coaching staff with an amazing, state-of-the-art technology that will further expand our resources to elevate player development and ensure that we have access to valuable insights every moment our players are on the pitch.”
Brian Ainscough, Chief Executive Officer
CINCINNATI UNITED PREMIER (Elite 64 – Boys)
“We are very excited to be an inaugural member of Elite 64. The USYS National League has been a big part of Cincinnati United Premier’s history, and we’re looking forward to being part of this elite platform with like-minded clubs that put the focus on the player. The partnerships with STATSports and ProScore add valuable data and feedback that will greatly benefit our players and add to their youth soccer experience.”
Scott Bower, Technical Director
COLORADO RAPIDS YOUTH SC (Elite 64 – Boys and Girls)
“We at the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club are excited about the opportunity to be an inaugural member of the National League Elite 64 platform. Not only does Elite 64 provide high-level regional and national competition to more of our players, we believe it further enhances our player pathway and development model at the club. Elite 64 will provide our members with many player-centric development opportunities including consistent exposure to high-level competition within our region, the flexibility of age-group rosters, an increase of college recruiting pathways, and additional coach development possibilities for our staff. We are thankful to US Youth Soccer and look forward to getting started in Elite 64.”
Jeb Brovsky, Elite Boys Director
EAST COUNTY SURF SC (Elite 64 – Boys and Girls)
“We are very honored and excited for East County Surf to be entering the Elite 64. I believe Elite 64 is going to provide opportunities for our players to play in a professional environment among some of the top talent across the nation. We are looking forward to participating and interacting with like-minded clubs that have the same outlook on youth soccer as we do. By joining Elite 64, the East County Surf Player Pathway is providing elite level of play for our players in East County San Diego. Having access to STATSports and ProScore will further distinguish East County Surf from others and give our club an edge in the analysis of team and player actions. This type of technology will help tremendously in the player development process as it will allow our coaches to provide in-depth feedback on players performance. It will also be an invaluable tool to help our players through the recruitment process, whether for college or pro opportunities. We are ready and eager to start this venture with USYS National League Elite 64!”
Jason Aldous, Executive Director of Football
FC 1974 LIBERTYVILLE (Elite 64 – Boys)*
“It is a privilege for FC 1974 to be accepted as a member of the USYS National League Elite 64 and to be recognized as a leader in youth soccer development. We are thrilled to be part of this new platform and to offer our elite players a top game day experience with the ability to extend our competition calendar. We strive to best develop our players and compete in the highest level platform available. Playing in National League P.R.O. has given us the opportunity to play against some of the best clubs in the country, and entrance into the Elite 64 will push our organization further along in the youth soccer landscape.”
Michael Zovistoski, Executive Director
FC COPA ACADEMY (Elite 64 – Girls)
“FC Copa Academy is honored to be selected as part of the Elite 64. It’s a perfect opportunity for our girls to play alongside the top clubs from around the country. Being part of this inaugural season allows us to continue our ongoing mission of providing our players with top level competition and college showcases that support their goal of playing at the next level. Additionally, the access to the performance analysis from STATSports will provide players and college coaches the ability to track the progress of each player and will be a tremendous tool for these athletes in their development and recruiting process. We look forward to being a long-term contributing club for the years to come.”
Roberto Aguas, Executive Director of Coaching
MICHIGAN JAGUARS (Elite 64 – Boys)
“We are excited to be able to compete against some of the top clubs in the country in Elite 64. The standards set forth by league leaders assure the clubs will be like-minded and focusing on player development first. The unique roster flexibility will allow for players from many different club affiliates to participate in high-level games. Technology is becoming a bigger part of the youth game. We are looking forward to being able to share measurables from STATSports and ProScore with our players, staff and college coaches.”
Paul Tinnion, Executive Director
PHOENIX RISING FC (Elite 64 – Girls)*
“Phoenix Rising FC is excited to join the prestigious National League Elite 64. Being a part of this platform provides opportunities for our players to perform against the best possible competition at the regional and national levels. We look forward to the challenging games against other top clubs, and we are confident the Elite 64 game day environment – combined with performance analysis provided by STATSports and ProScore – will energize our players and lead to greater development opportunities as they strive to reach their full potential.”
Chris Brown, Executive Director
UTAH SOCCER ALLIANCE (Elite 64 – Boys)*
“We are honored to accept the invitation for our boys program into the National League Elite 64. It is testament to the hard work put in by our players, coaches and staff to be recognized as one of the inaugural members of Elite 64 by US Youth Soccer, and we are excited to continue our relationship with USYS. This is a great opportunity to compete against the top clubs in the nation, who share similar vision of player development both on and off the field. We are confident that we, at the Utah Soccer Alliance, will utilize this pathway to develop our players at every level. Utah Soccer Alliance would like to recognize the support shown to us by our local governing body, Utah Youth Soccer, and will take pride in representing our state on the national level.”
Patrick Rennie, Director of Boys Soccer
WASATCH SC (Elite 64 – Girls)
“Wasatch SC is honored to join Elite 64, a premier platform that will provide opportunities and competition for our players and families at the highest level in the country. We are excited to represent Utah as we join the top youth soccer organizations across the United States in Elite 64. Our club’s goal is to provide a pathway for our athletes to compete at the highest level possible. We believe that the high standards of the league and analysis tools of STATSports and ProScore will enhance our student-athlete recruitment process and the ability to elevate our players’ performance to provide them with the best conditions for their growth.”
Lee Davis, Technical Director
View the Club Directory to see all the inaugural Elite 64 clubs that have been announced to this point and continue to check back as more are announced.
*Also an Elite 64 Youth Soccer Club, announced previously
