ECNL championship set to begin

SEATTLE (July 12, 2010) – The inaugural ECNL National Championship is set to kick-off in Seattle at 60 Acres Soccer Park on Thursday, July 15.

All 120 teams from the 40 current ECNL clubs will compete for age group championships, promotion and relegation between the "A" and "B" flights in each age group for the 2010-11 season, and an overall ECNL National Club Champion. Each team has been assigned to a play-off group based on their position in the final ECNL regular-season standings, and each team will play three games over three days.

"The ECNL National Championship is the culmination of the season, and will be one of the most exciting youth soccer events of the year," said ECNL Vice President Doug Bracken. "More than 2000 of the best female soccer players from all over the country will be competing in one place with so much on the line. It will be a special atmosphere that the players should really enjoy."

The ECNL National Championship will begin July 14 with the ECNL Annual General Meeting. Each club, including the 12 new clubs accepted for the 2010-11 season, will be in attendance to discuss ECNL operations, structure and player development. U.S. U-23 Women's National Team Coach Bill Irwin will also deliver a presentation at the AGM on National Team programming and issues in female player development.

The ECNL National Championship will also mark the beginning of a long-term sponsorship between the ECNL and Nike Soccer. Nike will be the official apparel, footwear and equipment sponsor of the ECNL for the next three seasons, and will have a significant presence at all ECNL events moving forward.

"We are tremendously excited to announce this relationship with Nike," said ECNL President Christian Lavers. "Nike will be able to deliver significant value to the ECNL in terms of marketing and promotion of our events, support for the ECNL Player Identification Program, support for our member clubs, and so much more. This partnership will help insure that the ECNL continues to lead the way for elite youth female player development in the United States over the next several years."

“The Elite Clubs National League takes competitive girls youth soccer to a new level,” said Joe Elsmore, Nike’s Director of Soccer Sports Marketing. “Nike is proud to partner with the top elite girls league in America.”