The Portland Thorns Academy will compete in the the ECNL.
For the 2020-2021 season the Portland Thorns Academy will field 6 teams.
U13 Portland Thorns Academy Team - players born in 2008
U14 Portland Thorns Academy Team - players born in 2007
U15 Portland Thorns Academy Team - players born in 2006
U16 Portland Thorns Academy Team - players born in 2005
U17 Portland Thorns Academy Team- players born in 2004
U18/U19 Portland Thorns Academy Team - players born in 2002 & 2003
The Portland Thorns Pre-Academy will compete in the 2020/2021 OYSA League.
For the 2020-2021 season the Portland Thorns Pre-Academy will field 2 teams
U12 Portland Thorns Pre-Academy Team - players born in 2009
U11 Portland Thorns Pre-Academy Team - players born in 2010
For immediate release: May 12, 2020
Collin Romer (503) 553-5433, cromer@timbers.com
Katie Simons (503) 553-5539, ksimons@timbers.com
Kevin Acevedo (503) 553-5512, kacevedo@timbers.com
Mauricio Villarreal (503) 553-5529, mvillarreal@timbers.com
THORNS ACADEMY JOINS ELITE CLUBS NATIONAL LEAGUE GIRLS
Club's Academy teams will begin play in 2020-21 season
PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Thorns FC today announced that the Thorns Academy will begin play in the Elite Clubs National
League Girls (ECNL Girls), the top youth league for young women in America, starting with the 2020-21 season.
"We are committed to the Thorns Academy and believe entering into this partnership with the ECNL will be key in its growth and success," said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager and president of
soccer for Thorns FC. "The ECNL is a proven national competition platform that will give our players the best opportunity to reach their full potential as we strive to develop players for youth
national teams, top college programs and the first team."
Established in 2014, the Thorns Academy serves as the youth development platform for two-time NWSL champion Thorns FC. Beginning in 2016, the Thorns Academy was one of the 25 founding members of
the U.S. Soccer Girls Development Academy, and began play in four age groups (U14, U15, U17 and U19), adding a fifth team at the U16 level in 2019. By joining the ECNL, the Thorns Academy will add
a sixth age group at the U13 level for the first time.
Under the direction of Academy Director, Laura Schott, the staff consists of six highly experienced and successful "A" licensed coaches that have all played and coached at the collegiate level that
strongly believe in the Thorns development philosophy. Several current and former Academy players have been called in by U.S. Youth Regional and National Teams, including Olivia Moultrie, Shaela
Bradley, Hailey Coll and Paige Lacey. Moultrie, 14, appeared with the Thorns U-19 team this past Academy season and was the youngest player to participate in training camp with the U.S. U-17
Women's National Team in January, while she has also trained with the Thorns FC first team. Players in the Thorns Academy have the opportunity to attend Thorns FC home matches, earn practice
opportunities, observe training sessions and train at Providence Park.
The Thorns Academy gives elite youth players a professional structure to work within daily and provides the best environment to develop top female players, together with showcase opportunities and
competition. The Academy provides a further step in the elite girls developmental pyramid, from RTC, ODP, Academy, college and the first team. Additionally, there are currently eight
Thorns Alliance Clubs across the region, while the Portland Timbers and Thorns FC also oversee the Olympic Development Program (ODP) on behalf of the Oregon Youth Soccer Association, along with
eight regional training centers across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
The ECNL Girls is a national brand that includes eight conferences that span across the United States, including the Northwest Conference, which the Thorns Academy will play in with teams from
Washington, California, Idaho, Utah and Colorado. The Thorns Academy will compete in regular-season conference games, cross-conference events and ECNL national events while trying to qualify for
the ECNL playoffs.
About Elite Clubs National League Girls
The Elite Clubs National League Girls (ECNL Girls) was founded in 2009 to enhance the developmental experience of female youth
soccer players in the United States through: (i) improving the competitive environment through creation of a true national competitive league; (ii) improving the process for identifying elite
female soccer players through a systematic scouting and identification program based on national competitions; and (iii) improving the daily training environment at top female youth soccer clubs
through developing best practices and training and organizational guidelines for its member clubs. The ECNL Girls is sanctioned by US Club Soccer and is sponsored by Nike Soccer.
-- visit www.thornsfc.com --
Calling all Oregon and Southwest Washington female soccer players:
Is soccer more than just a hobby for you? Do you see yourself as a leader and not just a player? Are you looking for a way to elevate your game? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you. Come join us for the Portland Thorns Academy Tryouts and show us just how passionate you are. We are looking for dedicated players to help us represent our city at the youth level. Our mission is to:
-
Continue to be a pioneer in girls soccer, by providing a quality, female academy program,
and giving players a professional structure to work in daily. -
Create a more competitive environment for elite female players with year-round training
for the top players, showcase opportunities and elite competition. - Bridge the gap between ODP, Academy, College and the Thorns first-team and allow players access to the Thorns coaching staff and first-team training sessions.
- Create professional and collegiate soccer opportunities.
