ECNL hires Jay Howell as Executive Director
RICHMOND, Va. (April 9, 2012) – The Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) has announced the hiring of Jay Howell as the first Executive Director of the ECNL, beginning Monday, April 9, 2012. In his role as Executive Director, Jay will be responsible for managing the external partnerships of the ECNL, and will oversee all league activities. Sarah Kate Noftsinger will continue as the ECNL Commissioner, and will continue to manage league operations and administration.
“We are really excited to have Jay join the ECNL on a full-time basis,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “Not only has Jay been a part of the ECNL from its inception, he also brings a wealth of soccer and management experience to the league, and will help us continue to make the ECNL the best female youth soccer developmental platform in the world.”
Jay has a long history in youth soccer, having worked as the Director of Coaching at CASL in North Carolina for 11 years. While at CASL, he helped the organization grow to be one of the largest and most progressive soccer clubs in the country. Following his time at CASL, Jay worked as the Executive Director / Director of Coaching for Birmingham United Soccer Association for the past 2 years.
“Joining the ECNL is a fantastic opportunity” said Jay. “I look forward to working with the ECNL Board of Directors, Christian, Doug Bracken and Sarah Kate. Together we will continue to advance and improve the nation’s best female player development environment and league.”
Jay will be based in Richmond, Va., where he will also serve as the ECNL Director for the Richmond Strikers.
| ABOUT THE ELITE CLUB NATONAL LEGUES: |
The Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) was founded in 2009 to enhance the developmental experience of female youth soccer players in the United States. ECNL seeks to improve the competitive environment through the creation of a true national competitive league with multiple flights, augmented by a systematic scouting and identification program and an improved daily training environment at top female youth soccer clubs. The goal of the Elite Clubs National League is to change the landscape for elite female soccer players in the United States through innovative, player-centered programming and to enhance the overall experience by creating a better, more enjoyable, and more successful player, coach, and club development model. Follow ECNL on Twitter @theECNL. Visit the official ECNL website for more information: http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com.
| ABOUT US CLUB SOCCER: |
US Club Soccer is a non-profit organization committed to the development and support of soccer clubs and players in the United States. A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer maximizes flexibility and offers youth and adult player and staff registration, integrated competition platforms at the recreational and competitive levels, as well as a a variety of other programming, including the Olympic Developmen Program-sanctioned id2 National Player Identification and Development Program.
Unique to US Club Soccer is the ability of member clubs to unite youth and adult programs under one organizational umbrella, creating a “members for life” culture within each club.