Playing Up Year Round: Spring Teams Showcase Talent in Cincinnati and Indianapolis and Against Colleges

This spring, more than 30 FC Wisconsin Eclipse players at the U15-U18 age groups chose to play year-round club soccer and continue their development in the spring season with FC Wisconsin Eclipse.  Despite the difficulties of a rain-soaked spring, they have had tremendous development and showcase opportunities throughout the Midwest.

The Spring Program is structured to offer very unique opportunities for participating players.  First, to provide new developmental challenges, the players compete with different players from multiple age groups almost every week.  The changing "rosters" for each event forces players to learn how to play with different teammates, and to adapt to playing with players with different tendencies, strengths and weaknesses.  Through these experiences, the players become more comfortable with change, more aware of team and tactical concepts, and smarter and more resilient reading the game.

Second, the Spring Program players are provided the opportunity to "play up" in almost every competition.  This year's schedule included friendlies against college programs UW-Parkside (NCAA Division II and 2012 NCAA Tournament Qualifier), and Cardinal Stritch University (NAIA).  The team has also played so in 2 Midwest College Showcases (the Blue Chip Showcase in Ohio and the Crossroads of America Showcase in Indiana), with most players playing up at least 1 year in each showcase event.  In each event, the club entered a U17 team comprised of predominantly U16 players with additional U17 players, and a U16 team comprised of predominantly U15 players with additional U16 players.  Playing up with changing rosters, the teams combined to go 3-4-3 (W-L-T) in these events - playing in front of 20-30 colleges and universities each weekend.  The final formal competition of the spring will come in the Eclipse Spring Showcase, where the teams will play other ECNL clubs (Eclipse, Sockers, and St. Louis Scott Gallagher) whose players are also playing year-round club soccer.

FC Wisconsin Eclipse is the only girls program in Wisconsin to offer year-round development and showcasing for high school aged players, the only program that provides the opportunity for U15, U16 and U17 players to play college competition as youth players, and the only program to play in the best non-ECNL midwest college showcases "up" at older age groups.  Our focus on development is consistent throughout the year, and our program is structured to maximize every player's individual potential.

Try-outs for the 2013-2014 season are just around the corner.  Look for information in the next week about try-outs and open training sessions, and come see why there is no better club to prepare you for your future and to open the door to college soccer!

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