In just a year of existence, the Red Wolves’ Academy program has been making waves in the youth soccer scene. As early as late 2019, the academy program cracked Soccer America’s top 100 clubs in the nation. Early this year at the Disney Soccer Showcase, which is ranked as Soccer America’s #1 youth tournament in the country, the Dalton Red Wolves 03 boys team finished as champions in the top division. The club also has 4 players ranked in thecountry’s top 100 prospect list of high school boys. The academy’s acceptance into the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) is a statement of its commitment to excellence.
The selection and admission process for ECNL is rigorous and very competitive. “We are extremely excited to welcome the Red Wolves into the league,” says ECNL Boys Commissioner, Jason Kutney. “At a time when the youth landscape is shifting and our league is growing rapidly in quality, it became clear that the Red Wolves would continue to raise the level of the ECNL Boys, through their investments in facilities and player development pathways. Between on-field successes, player production, and significant investments in the game, the Red Wolves embody the spirit of grassroots American soccer and we are thrilled to welcome them into the league.”
The Red Wolves Boys teams will now be one of only three academies in the state of Tennessee that are in the ECNL.
“Joining the boys premier competitive soccer league in the nation will create new opportunities for our Red Wolves players in the greater Chattanooga and Dalton area,” says Academy President Chad Mize. “Our participation in the ECNL will support our academy’s mission to develop our players for both our organization’s genuine path to pro and as an avenue to collegiate soccer.”
ECNL is the premier league for our boys teams to develop either a pathway straight to the professional ranks with our first team, or to collegiate soccer with the excellent recruiting exposure offered by the ECNL organization.
When discussing the logistical benefits of ECNL, Mize had this to say. “The parents and players that previously commuted to Knoxville, Nashville, or Atlanta to play ECNL now have a team in their own hometown. In addition, the Southeast Region of ECNL will include teams from Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, and Knoxville, which will reduce our team’s travel time and costs.”
“When our academy was founded a year ago, we stated that our goal was to provide new competitive programs and opportunities to youth soccer players in the greater Chattanooga and Dalton area, and our admission into ECNL is the result of our Academy continuing to deliver on that mission,” says Mize. “We will continue to grow and evolve every year on both the boys and girls side of the Academy and further deliver on our commitment to excellence.”
The core values of ECNL include innovation, respect, opportunity, development, and excellence. With regional, national and international showcase soccer events, the ECNL continues raising the level of the youth game by offering membership to those Academies that demonstrate similar core values as well as a vision for developing the best soccer talent in the country.
“Being recognized as one of the top clubs in the nation in such a short period of time is a great step forward for our academy. Having a platform like ECNL where our young talent in Dalton and Chattanooga can continue to grow and develop is invaluable. The acceptance into the ECNL will add to the Path to Pro building block we are looking to provide our players,” says Jimmy Obleda, Technical Director and Head Coach for the Chattanooga Red Wolves professional team.
About Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Founded in 2018, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC is a professional soccer club in Chattanooga, Tenn. The USL League One founding member is led by business executive Robert Martino and President Sean McDaniel. The club is constructing a state-of-the-art 5,500-seat soccer-specific stadium in Chattanooga for the 2020 season. For more information, visit https://www.chattanoogaredwolves-sc.com/.
