Girls Academy

Last updated

Girls Academy
Girls Academy logo.png
Founded2020
Country United States
Confederation CONCACAF
Number of teams95 (2023-24 Season)
Current championsTopHat Gold (U13)
Nationals Blue (U14)
Chicago FC United (U15)
Lou Fusz Athletic (U16)
Lonestar Red (U17)
SC del Sol (U19)
Website girlsacademyleague.com

Girls Academy (GA) is a soccer league and development platform for female soccer players in the United States. Formed in 2020, the league features youth academies and youth clubs from various organizations, including National Women's Soccer League.

Contents

Competition format

Girls Academy features age groups starting at U-13 through U-19. [1] During the regular season, teams play other members from their respective conferences. The league includes ten conferences (Northwest, Pacific Northwest, Frontier, Mid-America, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Mountain West, Southeast, and Southwest). [2] Top teams from each conference will participate in Playoffs, and National Finals for qualifying teams based on playoff performance. Non-playoff teams will also participate in a season-ending showcase.

Different age groups will also have a varying number of national events throughout the year to provide additional talent showcase opportunities in front of college and professional scouts.

Champions League

Two members of each conference are selected for Champions League, a separate competition for the most competitive clubs in Girls Academy. [3] Participants qualify based on final league standings. For the U14 through U19 age groups, the highest-ranked wildcard teams at the National Playoff from each age group are added to the mix for a total of 20 teams per age group.

National events

Girls Academy hosts five national events each season Winter Showcase, Champions Cup, Spring Showcase, Summer Showcase, and National Playoffs, plus two U13/U14 events: East and West regionals. [4]

History

Citing the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced it was ending the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, leaving top boys and girls clubs to look for a new home. [5] Former Development Academy clubs had a few options, many choosing to move to the Girls Academy, [6] [7] founded by a group of leaders from the Development Player League (DPL). [8]

Former University of Washington women's soccer coach Lesle Gallimore served as its founding commissioner of the Girls Academy. She accepted the position in the summer of 2020, after the conclusion of her 26-year tenure as head coach of the women's soccer team at the University of Washington.

In October 2020, Girls Academy announced a strategic relationship with Major League Soccer and a partnership with USYS. [9] According to the press release, Girls Academy will work in coordination with MLS Next, to “deliver a true pyramid for female youth players in the US, with the GA serving as the USYS premier girls platform in conjunction with MLS.” The partnership will focus on establishing academy standards for coaching and player development, improving talent identification partnerships, enhancing coaching education, and creating competitions to showcase players. While GA will maintain full autonomy over its league, they will also benefit from advice from the leaders of MLS and USYS as it aims to become the premier league for elite female soccer players in the United States.

In June 2023, Lesle Gallimore announced her resignation as Girls Academy commissioner to become General Manager of NWSL club OL Reign. [10] Gallimore was succeeded by Patricia Hughes in September 2023. [11]

On February 10, 2024, U.S. Soccer approved Girls Academy as a National Affiliate member. [12] [13]

League Champions

National champions

U-13U-14U-15U-16U-17U-19
2020-2021 [14] Oklahoma Energy FCCincinnati United PremierNEFCCincinnati United PremierNationalsBay Area Surf
2021-2022Colorado RushNationals TSJ FC Virginia Albion SC [15] Oakwood SCBay Area Surf
2022-2023TopHat GoldSouth Shore SelectTopHat GoldLou Fusz AthleticTSJ FC Virginia Sockers FC Chicago
2023-2024 [16] [17] TopHat GoldNationals Chicago FC United Lou Fusz AthleticLonestarSC del Sol
National Titles Ranking
TeamNational

Champs

No. of

Wins

Nationals 2021 (U17); 2022, 2024 (U14)3
Tophat Gold2023, 2024 (U13), 2023 (U15)3
Bay Area Surf 2021, 2022 (U19)2
Cincinnati United Premier2021 (U14, U16)2
Lou Fusz Athletic2023, 2024 (U16)2
Albion SC2022 (U16)1
Chicago FC United2024 (U15)1
Colorado Rush 2022 (U13)1
Lonestar 2024 (U17)1
NEFC2021 (U15)1
Oakwood SC2022 (U17)1
Oklahoma Energy FC 2021 (U13)1
SC del Sol2024 (U19)1
Sockers FC Chicago2023 (U19)1
South Shore Select 2023 (U14)1
TSJ FC Virginia2023 (U16)1
Former member club

Champions Cup

U-13U-14U-15U-16U-17U-19Club
2022South Shore SelectNationals BlueCincinnati UnitedColorado RushFlorida UnitedBay Area SurfNationals
2023Tophat GoldCincinnati UnitedNationals BlueCincinnati UnitedAlbion SC San DiegoFlorida UnitedTophat
2024City SCNationals BlueCity SCNationals BlueCincinnati UnitedSouth Shore SelectNationals

Teams

For the 2023-24 season, Girls Academy included 95 teams. [18]

ConferenceMember Name (Location)
FrontierBVB International Academy NTX (Carrolton, TX)
FrontierHTX Soccer (Houston, TX)
FrontierLonestar SC Red (Austin, TX)
FrontierLonestar SC Black (Austin, TX)
FrontierLou Fusz Athletic (St. Louis, MO)
FrontierLouisiana TDP Elite (Baton Rouge, LA)
FrontierRenegades Soccer Club (Richardson, TX)
FrontierRISE Soccer Club (Houston, TX)
FrontierSan Antonio City SC (San Antonio, TX)
FrontierSt. Louis Development Academy (St. Louis, MO)
Mid-AmericaChicago FC United (Glenview, IL)
Mid-AmericaCincinnati United Premier (Cincinnati, OH)
Mid-AmericaIndy Premier United (Noblesville, IN)
Mid-AmericaLexington Sporting Club (Lexington, KY)
Mid-AmericaMichigan Jaguars FC (Novi, MI)
Mid-AmericaNationals Blue (Detroit, MI)
Mid-AmericaNationals Gray (Detroit, MI)
Mid-AmericaSockers FC (Chicago, IL)
MidwestCentral Illinois United (Rantoul, IL)
MidwestGalaxy SC (Naperville, IL)
MidwestKansas Rush Soccer Club (Olathe, KS)
MidwestSalvo SC (Rosemount, MN)
MidwestSC Wave (Brookfield, WI)
MidwestSporting Nebraska FC (Omaha, NE)
MidwestTonka Fusion Elite (Plymouth, MN)
MidwestVSA Rush (Waukee, IA)
Mid-AtlanticBaltimore Armour (Baltimore, MD)
Mid-AtlanticBaltimore Celtic (Baltimore, MD)
Mid-AtlanticBeadling SC (Bridgeville, PA)
Mid-AtlanticCentury United FC (Pittsburgh, PA)
Mid-AtlanticKeystone FC (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Mid-AtlanticPhiladelphia Ukrainian Nationals (Philadelphia, PA)
Mid-AtlanticPA Classics (Manheim, PA)
Mid-AtlanticReal Jersey FC (Medford, NJ)
Mid-AtlanticSJEB FC (Pitman, NJ)
Mid-AtlanticSkyline Elite SC (Charlottesville, VA)
Mid-AtlanticSporting AC (Wilmington, DE)
Mid-AtlanticTSJ FC Virginia (Leesburg, VA)
Mountain WestAlbion SC Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Mountain WestBroomfield Soccer Club (Broomfield, CO)
Mountain WestColorado Rush (Littleton, CO)
Mountain WestLas Vegas Sports Academy (Las Vegas, NV)
Mountain WestNew Mexico Soccer Academy (Albuquerque, NM)
Mountain WestRio Rapids SC (Albuquerque, NM)
Mountain WestUtah Celtic FC (Highland, UT)
Mountain WestWasatch SC (Kaysville, UT)
NortheastCedar Stars Academy – Monmouth (Tinton Falls, NJ)
NortheastCedar Stars Academy – Bergen (Teaneck, NJ)
NortheastLong Island SC (Glen Cove, NY)
NortheastNEFC (Mendon, MA)
NortheastNew York Soccer Club (Purchase, NY)
NortheastOakwood SC (Glastonbury, CT)
NortheastRochester NYFC Youth (West Henrietta, NY)
NortheastSeacoast United (Epping, NH)
NortheastSouth Shore Select (Hingham, MA)
NortheastSTA (Morris Plains, NJ)
NortheastSyracuse Development Academy (Solvay, NY)
NorthwestAlmaden FC (San Jose, CA)
NorthwestClovis Crossfire (Clovis, CA)
NorthwestLamorinda SC (Orinda, CA)
NorthwestLos Gatos United (Los Gatos, CA)
NorthwestSacramento United (Sacramento, CA)
NorthwestSan Francisco Elite Academy (San Francisco, CA)
NorthwestSanta Clara Sporting (Santa Clara, CA)
NorthwestSilicon Valley SA (Palo Alto, CA)
NorthwestWest Coast Soccer Club (Tracy, CA)
Pacific NorthwestBridge City SA (Portland, OR)
Pacific NorthwestCapital FC (Salem, OR)
Pacific NorthwestColumbia Premier SC (Vancouver, WA)
Pacific NorthwestEugene Metro Fútbol Club (Eugene, OR)
Pacific NorthwestLiverpool FC IA Washington (Issaquah, WA)
Pacific NorthwestOL Reign Academy (Tacoma, WA)
Pacific NorthwestSpokane Sounders (Spokane, WA)
Pacific NorthwestWashington Rush (Everett, WA)
Pacific NorthwestWashington East Surf SC (Spokane, WA)
SoutheastAFC Lightning (Fayetteville, GA)
SoutheastFlorida United (Miramar, FL)
SoutheastIMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
SoutheastPBG Predators (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
SoutheastSouth Carolina Surf (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
SoutheastSouthern Soccer Academy (Marietta, GA)
SoutheastTophat Gold (Marietta, GA)
SoutheastTophat Navy (Marietta, GA)
SoutheastUnited Soccer Alliance (Fleming Island, FL)
SoutheastWake FC (Holly Springs, NC)
SoutheastWest Florida Flames (Apollo Beach, FL)
SouthwestAlbion SC San Diego (San Diego, CA)
SouthwestCity SC (Carlsbad, CA)
SouthwestFC Tucson (Tucson, AZ)
SouthwestFRAM Soccer Club (Torrance, CA)
SouthwestLA Surf SC (Pasadena, CA)
SouthwestMurrieta Soccer Academy (Temecula, CA)
SouthwestSC del Sol (Phoenix, AZ)
SouthwestSDSC Surf (San Diego, CA)
SouthwestWest Coast FC (Irvine, CA)

College athletics

For the 2022-23 season, nearly 600 Girls Academy committed to play college soccer. 62.8% committed to Division I, 19.6% Division II, 13.4% Division III, and 2.6% NAIA. [19] This was an increase over the 2021-22 season, which had 551 commitments. [20]

Sponsorship

The following organizations are a partial list of officials sponsors of Girls Academy:

Notable players

As of April 2024

PlayerGA ClubPro ClubNotes
Chloe Ricketts Michigan Jaguars Washington Spirit On March 2, 2023, Ricketts signed a three-year deal (with an option for a fourth year) with the team at the age of 15 years and 283 days. The contract made her the youngest ever NWSL signee at the time, breaking the record set by Olivia Moultrie in 2021 (15 years and 286 days). [21]
Kimmi Ascanio Florida United San Diego Wave In March 2024, San Diego Wave FC signed midfielder Kimmi Ascanio to a three-year contract through the 2026 season.

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References

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