Program overview:

The Atlanta Fire ECNL program is built on the core principles of player development. Our philosophy centers on a player-focused approach, emphasizing the development of technical skills, tactical understanding, physical growth, and an overall holistic development.

Competing in the ECNL, the most prestigious youth soccer league in the country, Atlanta Fire offers both boys' and girls' programs. The ECNL is renowned for its high level of competition, bringing together the top youth soccer clubs across the nation. This environment encourages the best young players to regularly compete against one another, fostering growth and pushing each player to reach their fullest potential.

Age Groups:

• Boys: U13 - U19 

• Girls: U13 - U19

Objective:

To create a competitive environment where players regularly compete against the best youth soccer talent. This high-level competition provides a pathway for player development, preparing them for success at the college, professional, and international levels.

Playing Style Emphasis:

At Atlanta Fire, we foster an environment that encourages constant learning and development. Coaches work closely with players to help them understand and execute our playing style, which is centered around possession-based play.

Key elements of our playing style include:

• High-speed of play with quick passing and receiving
  
  

• Triangulation through positional rotation
  
  

• Breaking opponent lines or maintaining possession
  
  

• Pressuring to deny penetration and forcing play away from goal (winning the ball back)
  
  

• Counter-pressing to regain possession quickly
  
  

• Keeping the team compact both defensively and offensively
  
  

• Ensuring coverage, balance, and closing passing lanes with optimal distance relationships
  
  

These principles form the foundation of the Atlanta Fire's playing style, guiding both individual and team development on the field.

Methodology:

Atlanta Fire’s style of play is rooted in the principles of possession-based soccer. This approach is developed through a player-centric model, where coaches focus on enhancing individual skills and behaviors while also emphasizing team principles and structure. Through this balanced development, players learn to seamlessly integrate their personal growth with team dynamics, fostering both individual and collective success.

Curriculum:

The Atlanta Fire development pathway is encapsulated in our curriculum, which serves as the blueprint for all functions within our program. This framework provides a structured approach for coaches, ensuring players receive the necessary tools for their development. Our curriculum is organized into 6-week cycles, each focusing on different components and specific topic-based activities. Coaches are provided with weekly sample sessions as a guide to help them prepare for training, ensuring consistency and alignment across all age groups.

Strength, Conditioning, and Injury Prevention Program:

This program is designed to enhance players' physical strength and cardiovascular development, ensuring they can perform consistently at the highest level. Physical endurance is critical for maintaining peak performance, and our program focuses on building the necessary strength and stamina while also emphasizing injury prevention techniques to support long-term athletic development.

Coaching Staff:

Atlanta Fire is dedicated to providing top-quality coaching to its players. The program is led by a team of highly qualified and experienced coaches, each with diverse coaching backgrounds. All of our coaches are licensed, ensuring a high standard of instruction and development for every player.

Training Frequency:

The ECNL/RL program holds practices up to four times a week, with one of those sessions dedicated to Strength, Conditioning & Injury Prevention. This training structure is designed to maximize the holistic development of both the individual player and the team, focusing on all aspects of player growth.

Games:

The game schedule for our program includes both home and away matches. For the U15-U19 teams, the season runs from August through December/January. The U13-U14 teams compete in a dual season, covering both fall and spring. Most games are scheduled on weekends (Saturday and Sunday), with exceptions for showcases or tournaments. The program prioritizes both player and team development during games, while striving to maintain a high level of competitiveness. Our goal is to ensure that every match serves as an opportunity for growth, pushing players to reach their full potential while competing at a high standard.

Region/Conference:

Atlanta Fire competes in the ECNL Southeast Conference for both boys and girls.

• Boys: 9 teams representing Georgia and South Carolina.
  
  

• Girls: 16 teams representing Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida.

Tournaments/Showcases:

The selection of tournaments and showcases is managed by the ECNL. Each age group is required to attend a set number of events as mandated by the ECNL. The club will submit its preferred showcase options, and the ECNL will then determine which showcase(s) each age group will participate in. In addition, Atlanta Fire may supplement the schedule with additional tournaments or showcases when deemed necessary for the player(s)’ development and best interests.

ECNL national showcases bring together the top national competition in one location, attracting a high number of college scouts. This provides a unique opportunity to maximize the college recruiting process for ECNL players, helping them showcase their skills to college programs across the country.

Evaluation & Team Placement:

Players will be evaluated through a combination of training sessions, ECNL ID camps, and tryouts. These assessments provide coaches with the necessary insights to make informed decisions before offering team placements.

Ongoing Evaluation Process:

Throughout the season, players will continue to be evaluated based on their training and game performance. Evaluations may be provided face-to-face or in written form, ensuring consistent feedback and development throughout the year.

Networking/College Recruiting Experience:

Diversity and Community Engagement

At Atlanta Fire United, we take great pride in the diversity of our membership. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where individuals of all backgrounds feel welcomed, respected, and valued.

Our club believes that embracing diversity not only strengthens our community, but also enriches the experience of every player, coach, and family involved.