7 Elite Academy is offering players an opportunity to participate in the world-renowned Junior Premier League – one of the fastest-growing youth soccer organizations in the United States.
The JPL, created in 2011, is the largest youth soccer league in England and was launched as JPL USA in the Mountain West region this year, offering direct routes to National Finals via their partnership with US Club Soccer.
7 Elite Academy is the latest club to sign up to play in the JPL Mountain West National Premier League at three events during the 2023/24 season, as well as the Mountain West Multi-State Cup.
Players can join 7 Elite Academy at tryouts next month, with sessions in St George on May 15-18, before moving on to Salt Lake County, Utah County and Davis/Weber County from May 22 to June 3.
Anthony Godfrey, 7 Elite Academy Director, believes the JPL USA will offer a unique chance for players to maximise their potential against high-profile opposition.
He said: “The Junior Premier League has a fantastic reputation in England and works closely with some of the biggest professional soccer clubs.”
“Our Player Pathway, which offers young people regular opportunities to study and train in the UK, is very similar to those links that the JPL enjoys and can only be of benefit to our players.
“By signing up to the JPL USA, we are giving players a chance to face leading teams from other parts of the Mountain West region in a National Premier League setting, further expanding their experience and potential.
“The format of three events per season, as well as the Mountain West Multi-State Cup, fits in perfectly with the regular league and tournament schedule, and offers plenty of variation.
“This is a very exciting time for youth soccer here in Utah and I am delighted that 7 Elite Academy is part of the JPL USA’s plans for the future.”
The JPL Mountain West National Premier League format is designed for boys and girls in the Under-9 to Under-19 age brackets and teams will play a minimum of four games each at every event.
The first series of games will take place at Salt Lake RAC from July 27 to 30, before further events in Arizona on December 14-18 and South Dakota on May 2 to 5, 2024.
The eventual winners will then progress to the National post-season competition, where the title of NPL National Champions will be up for grabs.
The Mountain West Multi-State Cup, meanwhile, will offer teams a direct route into the US Club Soccer National Cup Finals, following a series of state and regional level rounds.
Martin Brock, CEO of JPL USA, said: “We have had a fantastic response to our launch here in the USA and it is great that a club of the size and stature of 7 Elite Academy has agreed to join us.
“Our aim is to offer players new ways to enjoy soccer at youth level through increased participation and experience against teams from different areas of the region.
“Every club we have spoken with is super excited about our plans for the future and the opportunities we want to create for youth soccer at state, regional, and national levels.
“Our links with professional clubs in England and throughout Europe are central to those plans and we are keen to take our champions to the UK, where they will play against the best JPL teams.
“We currently have clubs from Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota signed up, with many more clubs still talking with us.”
7 Elite Academy administers and coaches teams for thousands of players across the world, in the United States, the United Kingdom and in East Africa.
