RICHMOND, Va. (April 1, 2025) - The ECNL Coach Education Center, powered by The Coaches' Voice, is releasing today the new coach professional development (CPD) program for the 2025-2026 season. As part of the ECNL's ongoing commitment to raise coaching standards and improve player development, all ECNL and ECNL Regional League coaches are required to complete specified CPD hours each season through the ECNL Coach Education Center, and have access to thousands of hours of additional content.
Launched in August 2024, the ECNL Coach Education Center is a groundbreaking digital education platform providing online professional development resources to ECNL coaches and clubs across the country. In its first year, the platform saw nearly 350 clubs and more than 5,000 coaches engage in more than 30,000 hours of professional development to improve their knowledge and the experience of players in their club.
2025-26 CPD Program Details
The ECNL Coach Education Center CPD content launching today will address several new topics important to coaching excellence and rarely included in coach education programming:
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The Coaching Craft - learning, leadership and high performance
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Small-Sided Games - how to best structure SSGs for development
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Player Care and Onboarding - creating a healthy and supportive environment
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Mental Health - how sports support player mental health and best practices
The new CPD will also introduce three new practical training sessions:
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Stuart Lewis, Tottenham U18 - Switching play through midfield
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Simon Copley Arsenal YDP - Create to finish the attack
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Lee Smith, Southampton U10 - Playing through midfield
All ECNL and ECNL RL coaches must complete the required CPD hours prior to coaching ECNL or ECNL Regional League games in the fall season, which begins August 1, 2025.
For more information on the 2025-26 CPD presenters and topics, click here, and to learn more about the ECNL Coach Education Center, click here.
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About the ECNL:
The ECNL is the nation's leading youth soccer development platform. The ECNL respects and celebrates the unique individuality of every youth soccer player and club, supporting and enabling them to unleash their unfettered passion and fierce tenacity in striving to achieve their potential.
The ECNL mission to Raise the Game is a total commitment to create the best possible environment for players, coaches, referees and administrators, with a determination to constantly question convention and challenge the status quo in youth sports.
The ECNL Commitment:
We will lead, set our eyes on new horizons, and pursue them relentlessly. Born out of the belief in a better way. Continued in the ever-evolving pursuit of excellence.
www.TheECNL.com
