West Florida Flames to Join the Girls Academy League and continue within the Development Player League 

The DPL format that the flames opted to participate in back in February, has restructured due to the news breaking of the demise of the Girls’ DA.  With players at the forefront of their thinking, the DPL executives will implement a new tier called the “The Girls Academy League”, consisting primarily of former Girls DA Clubs. The Flames will participate in both the Girls Academy League (GA), as well as, the Development Player League (DPL) as originally decided.  

From the Development Player League: 

By unifying DA clubs from conferences across the country we have found a way to maintain several of the defining standards of the Development Academy with flexibility in two key areas; permission for all players in the Girls Academy League to participate in High School Soccer and revising the substitution rules to encourage clubs to better utilize their player pools, especially when showcasing their players to college coaches. We feel by giving the autonomy to clubs to determine what’s best for their membership, we can take what worked for us in the DA and erase the obstacles for our players to have a more enjoyable and diverse experience.

During the upcoming months we are aware of the challenges we face especially when it comes to travel. Each conference will work on a calendar that falls in line with the recommendations from Health Organizations and Government, while maintaining a competitive schedule and showcase opportunities for the teams. The Girls Academy League fully intends to have cross-conference matches, college showcases and a National Championship Series for the 2020/2021 Season and we will release more information on how that is structured in the near future.

We strongly believe that strong leadership from some of the most talented organizations in our country will be able to maneuver these difficult times and unite, providing our players with a league and showcase platform that will exceed the level of the DA through clear communication, honest feedback and loyalty to our membership. As disappointed as we are in the decision from our Federation, we feel we have a unique opportunity to take the reins and introduce a more collaborative approach to player development.

Our organization is poised to take a bold step in the development of talent in this country and we thank you for your continued support and trust of your club and their leadership.

“We are excited to participate with the Girls Academy; it fits within our club’s core values and philosophy of development. Member clubs can continue to drive development at the highest level to create more opportunities for top talent. This is a result of the tremendous collaboration and the daily hard work of exceptional club leaders and staff to create an optimal environment for players throughout the country” stated Gary Rach, Executive Director of West Florida Flames.

Tryouts for the Girls Academy and Development Player League to be announced soon. Please continue to check our website and follow us via our social media accounts for updates

For more information on The Girls Academy League visit www.girlsacademyleague.com