About Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
The ECNL was founded in 2009 as a challenge to the status quo of youth soccer, with a vision to be better. In its first years, the league supported only girls programming, but that changed in 2017, with the addition of a Boys ECNL program.
ECNL is the top level of competition and player development in the country. Each step was fueled by a shared commitment to elevating the youth soccer experience.
Today, the ECNL represents the epitome of excellence in youth soccer, for boys and girls, as the league and its clubs, players, coaches, and everyone involved seeks to constantly “Raise the Game” for the future.
Rapids Youth Soccer focuses on being one of the top elite programs in the country and supporting Colorado youth to reach the highest levels of the game. Our ECNL teams train and play at our Elite Performance Center at Regis University.
GIRLS ECNL Kickaround Dates – Spring 2024
Kickarounds are one tool to help us see players in an environment with current ECNL, ECNL-RL and top external prospects. CRYSC Technical Staff utilize these kickarounds in conjunction with recommendations and “body of work” evaluations for players in an effort to finalize ECNL rosters no later than May 7th.
Please see below for the Girls ECNL Spring 2024 Kickaround dates which will be held at the Elite Performance Center at Regis University. The Tryout on May 5th will be held at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
These sessions are “invite only”, so if you are interested in attending any/all of these sessions, please fill out the “Girls Elite Interest Form” and/or email Sebastian Giraldo at [email protected]. If invited, you will receive details regarding the exact field and time for your age group.
Elite GIRLS Kickaround and Tryout Dates*:
- April 7th
- April 14th
- April 21st
- April 28th
- May 5th (Tryout)
*Please note that Elite Kickarounds are invitation only. If you have questions about these sessions, please reach out to your Regional Technical Director (if you are a current CRYSC player) or fill out the Girls ECNL Interest Form below (if you are a currently playing with another club).
ECRL / NPL Update
COMING IN 2023/24 – ECNL Regional League. Rapids Youth Soccer is delighted to be able to offer a new additional tier of elite player development in collaboration with ECNL. Beginning in the Fall of season 2023/24 will see the creation of additional programming in Colorado by ECNL as the first-ever Regional League commences.
As we continue to build a comprehensive and accessible Player Pathway, we are excited to participate in the current US Club Soccer National Premier Leagues (NPL). The Mountain West League will bring the highest quality competitive soccer teams together from Utah, Colorado, Idaho, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada all competing for the chance to go to the NPL Finals.
Year-Round Calendar
With the addition of the Elite Performance Center @ Regis University, we are taking our programming another step further with wholistic development year-round, which includes:
- A fully built out training schedule for the full year far in advance;
- Classroom education sessions for players and coaches;
- Integration of futsal training;
- Position-specific training;
- Individual player development plans;
- Performance coaching; and
- Video and data analysis
Elite Performance Center
The Rapids Youth Soccer Elite Performance Center @ Regis University will be located at Regis’s historic Northwest Denver campus. Through this partnership, CRYSC Elite programming will gain access to:
- Match-fit natural grass field;
- Two indoor futsal courts;
- Classrooms with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment;
- Auditoriums for player, coach, and parent education and meetings;
- Two offices on campus for Elite staff (Clarke Hall);
- On-field concessions;
- Locker rooms, when necessary;
- Residential dorm housing; and
- On-site food options.
Player Expectations
Joining an ECNL Team with the Rapids Youth Club is a commitment. It is a commitment of time, money, dedication and respect. We ask that all players who are invited to join an ECNL team follow the player expectations below:
- Attend all team trainings, meetings, tournaments, and events
as dictated by elite coaching staff - Commit to ECNL team from August through June of the following year, following a 10 month training and competition curriculum
- Maintain financial responsibility and pay team fees
- Allocate significant time and energy to the technical, tactical,
mental, and physical growth as a player both in a structured
training setting and independently - Represent Rapids Youth Soccer with respect and humility
Additional Services
A personalized player development tool for each elite player that initiates ongoing communication between head coach and player based on the CRYSC Player Development Plan and pathway. Each Rapids elite player will now have transparent access to a personalized development plan, allowing them to better understand and take ownership of their own personal development with the support and guidance of our professional coaches.
This position is dedicated to providing support in the areas of athletic performance, injury prevention, rehabilitation from injury (return to play), as well off-season training/fitness programs for our elite players. Using sports data and testing through Loden Sports, this Director will also include baseline athletic performance standards into each player’s Individual Development Plan.
The Rapids Elite program will have a dedicated Video & Data Analyst in our program focused on providing support, analytics, and feedback to teams and individuals based on the CRYSC Player Development Plan and Rapids Actions. Each CRYSC ECNL (13U-19U) player will have full access to a personal/team HUDL account, as this will be another valuable tool used in our individual and team development plans.
The Colorado Rapids College Placement Program (CPP) assists all players and their families with the college athletics recruiting process. The program includes standardized test prep, admission and application information, communication development, and financial aid information. The College Placement Director’s role is to help parents and players navigate the college selection process through online resource guides, quarterly workshops, ACT/SAT test prep program, and assisting with Sports Recruits.
In coordination with our new Futsal Director and access to brand new futsal courts in the Berce facility, we will use Futsal as an additional development tool by integrating it into our weekly and off-season programming options.
- Individual Player Development Plans
-
A personalized player development tool for each elite player that initiates ongoing communication between head coach and player based on the CRYSC Player Development Plan and pathway. Each Rapids elite player will now have transparent access to a personalized development plan, allowing them to better understand and take ownership of their own personal development with the support and guidance of our professional coaches.
- Sports Performance Coach
-
This position is dedicated to providing support in the areas of athletic performance, injury prevention, rehabilitation from injury (return to play), as well off-season training/fitness programs for our elite players. Using sports data and testing through Loden Sports, this Director will also include baseline athletic performance standards into each player’s Individual Development Plan.
- Video & Data Analyst
-
The Rapids Elite program will have a dedicated Video & Data Analyst in our program focused on providing support, analytics, and feedback to teams and individuals based on the CRYSC Player Development Plan and Rapids Actions. Each CRYSC ECNL (13U-19U) player will have full access to a personal/team HUDL account, as this will be another valuable tool used in our individual and team development plans.
- College Placement
-
The Colorado Rapids College Placement Program (CPP) assists all players and their families with the college athletics recruiting process. The program includes standardized test prep, admission and application information, communication development, and financial aid information. The College Placement Director’s role is to help parents and players navigate the college selection process through online resource guides, quarterly workshops, ACT/SAT test prep program, and assisting with Sports Recruits.
- Futsal Programming
-
In coordination with our new Futsal Director and access to brand new futsal courts in the Berce facility, we will use Futsal as an additional development tool by integrating it into our weekly and off-season programming options.
Rapids Youth Soccer =
Meet CRYSC’s Head Athletic Trainer Julie Graves
Julie Graves is Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club’s first, full-time Head Athletic Trainer. As a Colorado native, Julie has been around sports her entire life. She was a gymnast until ninth grade, and then pursued being a Student Athletic Trainer throughout high school until she graduated from D’Evelyn High School in Lakewood, CO. Julie attended and graduated college at Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Bachelor’s of Science in Athletic Training. She then moved to southern California to attend Azusa Pacific University for graduate school. As a graduate assistant, her main sports were men’s soccer, women’s water polo, and men and women’s tennis. Her favorite sport to work with was the men’s soccer team. After earning her Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies, she moved back to Colorado and was offered the Assistant Athletic Trainer position at Colorado Christian University. She worked with all 15 sports at CCU.
In March 2016, Julie was hired on with University of Colorado Health and CU Sports Medicine as the Head Athletic Trainer for Colorado Storm to build a Sports Medicine Program for the elite soccer club. Julie has now joined the CRYSC through the club merger with Storm. In her spare time, Julie loves exploring all the beautiful places Colorado has to offer and trying new Denver restaurants. She is also an avid Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies fan!
University of Denver Center For Performance Excellence + CRYSC
Rapids Youth Soccer has partnered with the Center for Performance Excellence (CPEX) to provide opportunities for players with CRYSC to develop as individuals using soccer as a vehicle for personal development and growth. CPEX is a nonprofit consulting organization that provides sport and performance psychology and life skills coaching. Every day the mental performance consultants use performance as a vehicle for positive social change and to teach mental strategies to achieve personal excellence. CPEX consultants strive to help all their clients achieve performance excellence, which includes helping them work toward fulfillment, meaning, and satisfaction in life by increasing capability, developing consistency, and connecting to the joy of performing. CPEX consultants provide the opportunity to train the mind along with the body and to create valuable connections between thoughts and actions.
CPEX consultants are currently earning their Masters of Arts in Sport and Performance Psychology at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. Consultants receive a minimum of 250 hours of training prior to working with clients. Training involves rigorous, multi-layered supervision, hands-on instruction and education, and direct observation of working consultants in the field. All consultants are supervised by recognized experts and leaders in sport and performance psychology with over 45 years of professional practice.
Within CRYSC, CPEX provides group and team consultations to all Elite teams as well as workshops for athletes, parents, and coaches throughout every region. CPEX also offers individual sessions for CRYSC athletes at a discounted rate. For more information on the University of Denver’s Center For Performance Excellence visit their website here.
CPEX Individual Sessions
CPEX also offers individual sessions for CRYSC athletes at a discounted rate. There is an introductory individual consult (approximately 25-30 minutes) for all CRYSC athletes at no cost. For individual session rates, see below. For more information contact [email protected].
1 Session
All sessions are 45 minutes
$45
3 Sessions
All sessions are 45 minutes
$120
5 Sessions
All sessions are 45 minutes
$175
ECNL Program Staff Members
Staff Member
Title
Contact
¿Habla
Español?
Daniel Agnew
Boys Director - Elite
Originally from Northern Ireland, Daniel's playing experience started with Ballymena United Football Club within the Northern Ireland Football League's (NIFL) professional development phase before moving to Ashford University, a nationally ranked men's soccer program in Iowa.
Daniel has worked from grassroots to elite youth, holding numerous roles throughout his eight years with the Colorado Rapids, spanning four Regions of the Youth Club and the Major League Soccer (MLS) Academy. He plays an integral role in identifying and developing the best young players in the State of Colorado for a seamless transition to play at the next level, both regionally and on the national stage.
A lifelong student and true soccer enthusiast, Daniel's dedication to education on and off the field is reflected in his master's degree and continued professional development across multiple governing bodies, including UEFA and USSF. He was selected in the 2023-24 class of the United Soccer Coaches 30-under-30 program, an education and mentorship opportunity designed to support up-and-coming members of the coaching profession who are 30 years of age or younger, leading the way in developing soccer players and enhancing the game.
Phone: 719.401.0470
Email: [email protected]
Habla Español?: No
Jen Metz
Elite Programming Administrator
Jen is a Colorado native who grew up playing soccer. She graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Business. She has worked in youth soccer for eight years and has been with CRYSC since 2019, primarily as an administrator. Since 2020 Jen has also served as the conference delegate for the Mountain Conference of the WPSL League, which the Colorado Rapids Women are part of. In 2021 the Colorado Rapids Women were crowned Mountain Conference champions and were also awarded with Franchise of the Year honors. She enjoys getting to work with such a great group of directors and coaches and for having the opportunity to create a positive experience for our members!
Phone: 719.357.9747
Email: [email protected]
Habla Español?: No
Sebastian Giraldo
Regional Technical Director / Interim Girls ECNL Director - Elite
[email protected]
719.301.0742
Sì
Sebastian Giraldo
Regional Technical Director / Interim Girls ECNL Director - Elite
[email protected]
719.301.0742
Sì
Sebastian Giraldo
Regional Technical Director / Interim Girls ECNL Director - Elite
Sebastian is originally from Pamplona, Colombia and has spent time with soccer clubs in Michigan, Texas, and Tennessee. He holds a Ph.D. in Elite Athlete Development from the University of Texas-Austin and a US Soccer A License. He also works with US Soccer Coach Education and is involved with several research initiatives examining elite youth soccer athletes and coach education.
Sebastian comes to Rapids Youth Soccer from US Soccer where he operated as a Coach Education Instructor on USSF Licenses and Grassroots Courses across the country. Additionally, he brings a wealth of experience from club-level, where he has held multiple positions in education and coaching methodology at San Antonio City SC and South Texas FC. Sebastian’s high-quality coaching background includes time spent in the ECNL, GA, ODP, and as Head Coach of USL League Two club Corpus Christi FC. At CRYSC, he will be using his experience and understanding of the youth soccer landscape to enhance and support the development of Central staff, coaches, and players.
Phone: 719.301.0742
Email: [email protected]
Habla Español?: Sì
Jeff Oleck
Elite Regional Manager and Director of International Partnerships
[email protected]
303.834.7328
No
Jeff Oleck
Elite Regional Manager and Director of International Partnerships
[email protected]
303.834.7328
No
Jeff Oleck
Elite Regional Manager and Director of International Partnerships
Jeff Oleck has been with Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club since 2016. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, the majority of his coaching development took place on the college side of the game at schools such as Northwestern University, Valparaiso University, and Wabash College. While involved in the college game, he also served youth programs as a coaching/goalkeeping director at Team Evanston, NWI United, Dynamo FC, and Indiana ODP. His passion for coaching comes from a desire to help each player find themselves, both on and off the field, and use soccer as a vehicle to enhance life experiences and personal growth. Oleck graduated from Valparaiso University in 2006 with a B.A. in Biology with a Business Administration minor. He also earned a M.S. in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University in 2011. He holds the USSF National “A” License and the USC Advanced National Goalkeeper Diploma.
Phone: 303.834.7328
Email: [email protected]
Habla Español?: No