EL PASO, Texas (November 19, 2024) – The El Paso Locomotive FC Academy once again demonstrated why it is one of the strongest academies in the Southwest, putting up dominant and impressive results at the ECNL Showcase in Phoenix over the past weekend.
The young Locos had the chance to demonstrate their skills and talent to scouts from 130 different colleges and universities, a significant opportunity to continue the establishing the pipeline to higher education by helping Locomotive Academy players acquire scholarships to further their athletic and academic careers.
“I cannot emphasize how big, exciting and impactful these events are for our program and players,” Academy Director Ivan Militar said. “The teams had a fantastic display and everyone played meaningful minutes as we met our developmental priorities and came out to win. As we move forward in ECNL, there is no doubt that eyes are now on us. Winning our conference and making playoffs is our priority as we aim to help our programs continue to grow and improve.”
The Academy had four teams travel to the showcase: the U19s, U17s, U16s and U15s. The Locos combined for 12 matches played and recorded eight wins, three draws and one loss.
The U19 squad posted a perfect 3-0-0 record, conceding no goals while scoring eight to win its group.
See the full list of Locomotive Academy’s ECNL Phoenix results below.
U19 (2006) Academy Results
Record 3-0-0, +8 GD
Game #1 vs RISE SC – 2-0 W
Game #2 vs MVLA – 2-0 W
Game #3 vs Santa Rosa United – 4-0 W
U17 (2008) Academy Results
Record 1-0-2, +1 GD
Game #1 vs Germantown Legends – 1-1 D
Game #2 vs Westside Metros – 1-0 W
Game #3 vs Rebels SC – 1-1 D
U16 (2009) Academy Results
Record 2-0-1, +5 GD
Game #1 vs Lobos Rush – 4-1 W
Game #2 vs Rebels SC – 2-0 W
Game #3 vs San Juan SC – 1-1 D
U15 (2010) Academy Results
Record 2-1-0, 0 GD
Game #1 vs COSC – 2-0 W
Game #2 vs San Francisco Elite – 2-1 W
Game #3 vs Sporting California – 0-3 L
About the El Paso Locomotive FC Academy
Founded in 2020, the Locomotive Academy was created to provide unrivaled competitive opportunities for youth players in the Borderplex region. The Academy fields seven teams between 13-19, including a fully funded U-20 USL Academy program, and competes in three youth leagues: the Elite Club National League (ECNL), USL Academy League and the El Paso Premier League (EPPL). Through its league competitions and participation at various tournaments and showcases throughout the year, the Academy strives to provide players with direct exposure to numerous college and scouts while playing against some of the strongest youth teams in the country.
In addition to working with numerous colleges across the country, the Academy also grants players a pathway to train and play alongside the Locomotive senior team, giving the young athletes an opportunity to learn and develop alongside professional athletes and coaches through USL Academy contracts, the only youth soccer organization in El Paso to offer such opportunities. To learn more about the Locomotive Academy, head to eplocomotivefc.com/youth-soccer.
About ECNL
Founded in 2009 and sanctioned by US Club Soccer, the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) is highly regarded for its top-level national competition, player development and college recruitment track record. As a result of grassroots collaboration and innovation driven by youth soccer leaders all around the country, the ECNL quickly rose to national prominence – and ultimately to be the top level of competition and player development in the country. Each step was fueled by a shared commitment to elevating the youth soccer experience. To learn more, visit theecnl.com.