The South Shore selection will join the ECNL Girls starting in the 2024-25 season. (South Shore Select)
Recent guests are new england soccer journal Podcast “The Goal” is executive director of South Shore Select Steve McAuliffe and Academy Director brendan hamilton.
Last month, the ECNL Women's announced that South Shore Select would join the league for the 2024-25 season, meaning SSS would leave the women's academy.
In both the New England and national club situations, it's big news to have a club comparable to the South Shore selection join the ECNL Girls. The Hingham, Massachusetts-based powerhouse has a history of developing elite talent since its founding in 1996, and has been a part of Massachusetts soccer for 25 years.
McAuliffe and Hamilton joined the hosts. matt langone We discuss the upcoming move to ECNL Girls and why it was a good fit for South Shore Select.
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Here are some highlights from our discussion.
On what this move means from a competitive perspective:
hamilton“I think this has been a long process for the club. Over the last 25, 30 years, I've lived here for almost eight years, and every day I realize how hard we work together and work together.'' We want to compete with the best of the best, and we want to be the best of the best, whatever that means to us. We will work hard every day to continue the process of making sure the next 25 to 30 years are just as important.”
What about the players' reactions to the transfer to ECNL Girls?
hamilton: “We've played against all those clubs in tournaments and friendlies. So the kids – they're interesting – make friends everywhere. They go. I know it's going to be a difficult level no matter who I'm playing against. Both the Champions League games at the academy and the ECNL conference games will be very difficult for us. I think it adds a little bit more of an element of competition.”
On forming a new rivalry with the New England club within the ECNL Girls:
McAuliffe: “I think we're competitive, and I think so to be honest.” Dear, I don't even know if I want to win, but I hate losing. We strive to be respectful, but also fiercely competitive. That's why, even though we call them rivals, no matter when we go on the field, I'm not happy even if we lose. So that's the reality of the situation. ”
Regarding the ever-changing club situation:
McAuliffe: “I think there are some things we can control and some things we can't control. I think over time we tend to focus more on ourselves. I think that's always been the case. The landscape of most sports will continue to evolve, and I think our job is to continue to put ourselves in a position where people want us in some way. Are we doing the right things on and off the field to ensure success? That's something that people want to be a part of, and I think that's the approach that we tend to take.”
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