For most academy teams, progression through ranks is a gradual process. For the Riverhounds Development Academy’s 2014 Regional League Girls, that process happened faster than any of them could’ve expected.
After an undefeated run in the Pre-RL, the 2014 RL Girls entered a new, unfamiliar environment by moving into the Pre-ECNL bracket. Whether it be a result of faster pace, more physicality or overall skill of competition, the group was set to discover a new landscape after a promotion earned by the girls’ hard work and readiness.
In the RDA, the pathways offered to players are structurally quite clear. The top-tier academy teams compete in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), with the ECNL Regional League (RL) next below it. Before moving into those top leagues, younger age groups play in Pre-ECNL and Pre-RL leagues, developmental competitions that prepare players for the higher levels that come as they grow older.
This same idea of player and team development was far ahead of schedule when it came to the 2014 RL Girls. Head coach Marcelo Antonelli, now in his second year with the team, describes not only the foundation of the team, but the mindset behind it.
“We create a culture where everybody would be working hard for the team, giving their best, and at the same time enjoying practice,” Antonelli said. “You can learn to have fun competing, learning and improving. I think that’s the culture we’re creating.”
It is that exact culture, he believes, that carried the group tremendously upward.
“We can talk about possession, combination play, defending,” he said. “But, I think the biggest area of growth is team mentality. Everybody is fighting for each other to the end. They demand from each other and enjoy the process. That culture is the number one thing that helped us make the jump.”
Keeping this mindset in their arsenal, the results followed naturally. Through the season, the team built piece by piece, focusing first on defensive needs, then shifting the focus to attacking combinations. By building their consistency, they gradually began to outgrow their competition. Still, Antonelli is careful to focus on the team’s future obstacles in Pre-ECNL play.
“It’s not even really a decision,” he said. “The results brought them there. They had enough confidence, chemistry and success to be ready for the next challenge.”
When shifting to the players, their adjustment to the higher level has been quite the quick one. But adding in the elements of more physical and rigorous competition, the impact is being felt.
“The competition has gotten harder,” said Sierra Zuccher, a player who has been with the academy since the Grassroots (ages 4-8) level. “The fields are getting bigger, and we have to play more aggressively, as everybody’s going for the ball more.”
For Camryn Lemley, the shift in play has also redefined the team’s definition of success. As competition grows, so does the meaning of victory.
“Last year, we won most of our games and did very well as a team, but it’s much harder to win this year,” Lemley said. “If we win every game, we’re not improving. But now that we’re having tougher competition, it’s challenging us to improve.”
Behind both the coach and players, we must take a look at the club’s leadership and overall impact on the development pathway.
Brittni Grenninger, Entry Level Girls Director, details how the promotion of the team reflects the entire academy system working as intended.
“It’s a great feat that speaks a lot for the kids that we have at the program, the coaches we’ve had along the way, and what Marcelo has been able to do with that group, to see the pathway progress — not just in theory but in actuality — and see these girls move up into the top division alongside their pre-ECNL team,” Grenninger said.
Each level of youth soccer demands something different, and this 2014 RL Girls side now sits in the middle of a transition upward. By moving up, the team reflects exactly how the RDA is built and designed to enhance player development.
The RDA offers multiple levels and pathways, which allows its players and teams to move forward and make every step of development at their own pace. The 2014 RL Girls have shown that, for them, their pace is a rapid and impressive one.
