Player Pathways

Your path awaits

• Top League Competition
• Professional Club Structure
• Proven Coaching Staff
• Geographic Convenience
• Value of Member Services
• Collegiate Player Pathway
• Pre-Professional Player Pathway

LOCAL

U9-U19

Year round programming available for boys and girls!

REGIONAL

U9-U12

Pre-ECNL, GLA/ NPL & Pathway League

REGIONAL

U13-U19

ECNL Regional League, National 1 League & GLA/NPL

PRE-PROFESSIONAL

U15-U23

USL Academy, League 2, W League through Cleveland Force

ECNL Regional League

ECNL RL

ECNL Boys Regional Leagues are operated and managed so as to ensure a consistent environment and level of professionalism across all leagues, facilitating more club connectivity between levels of play and providing a path for more players within each Member Club to reach their fullest potential. Each league allows for coordination and collaboration between the teams of different levels within ECNL clubs, or opportunity for teams and players in other clubs to develop through regular high-level competition.

National 1 League

N1

Formerly referred to as NewComp, this new competition is the result of bringing together US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues and US Youth Soccer’s National League, beginning with the 2026-27 season. The new league ushers in an era of collaboration in youth soccer that benefits players and families across the country.

Great Lakes Alliance

GLA

The Great Lakes Alliance (GLA) is a long-time member of the National Premier Leagues.

In total, the GLA serves as a U10 through U19 regional soccer league for competitive boys and girls clubs.

The U10 through U14 age groups play in the fall, and the U-15 through U-19 age groups start at the conclusion of the high school season. The NPL age groups remain U13 through U19.

Pre-ECNL

Pre-ECNL

Pre-ECNL is an elite developmental youth soccer platform for players ages U9 to U12 that serves as a direct player pathway into the official Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) framework.

Great Lakes Alliance

GLA

The Great Lakes Alliance (GLA) is a long-time member of the National Premier Leagues.

In total, the GLA serves as a U10 through U19 regional soccer league for competitive boys and girls clubs.

The U10 through U14 age groups play in the fall, and the U-15 through U-19 age groups start at the conclusion of the high school season. The NPL age groups remain U13 through U19.

Pathway League

PL

The Great Lakes Alliance Pathway League is a team-based competitive league for U10 through U12 clubs, designed to provide a structured and development-focused environment that prepares teams for advancement into leagues such as the National 1 League – Midwest District 1.

Featuring two competitive divisions, the Pathway League ensures that teams compete against opponents of similar ability while providing a clear progression for clubs as they continue their development.

The Central Alliance Soccer Association is the top local premier league for Northeast Ohio.