Eclipse Select Announces Affiliation Agreement with Illinois Fire Juniors to Create Eclipse Select Central Illinois Location

Eclipse Select Central Illinois becomes the Fourth Satellite Location and Inaugural Members of the ECNL Heartland Regional League.

OAK BROOK, ILL. (March 26, 2021) – The Eclipse Select Soccer Club has agreed to an elite and youth development affiliation agreement with Illinois Fire Juniors to establish Eclipse Select Central Illinois, the club announced today.

As a result of the partnership, Eclipse Select will add an Eclipse Select Central Illinois location based out of Normal, Ill. This will be the fourth satellite location added to the club. The Illinois Fire Juniors will work together with Eclipse in the constant pursuit of furthering player growth and development. The club alliance will start at the beginning of the 2021/2022 fall campaign with the top female teams competing in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) Heartland Regional League.

“We are looking forward to our partnership and the opportunity to grow Eclipse in the greater Central Illinois area,” said Rory Dames, Eclipse Select Soccer Club President, and Owner. “Illinois Fire Juniors is a staple organization within the Normal and Bloomington community and has had great success on and off the field. We saw an opportunity to meet the high demand in central Illinois for an elite training and competition environment with the mission to further individual player development through the ECNL platform. We see the great potential it has to grow for years to come.”

“We are extremely excited to bring ECNL to Central Illinois,” said Tim Koch, Illinois Fire Juniors President. “Partnering with the highest level, competitive youth league in girls soccer will provide never before offered opportunities to players in our region. We look forward to combining our strong coaches and players with the opportunities that ECNL provides in order to take soccer to the next level in Central Illinois.”

Founded in 2007, and recently rebranded for their top female teams, Eclipse Select Central Illinois started when multiple soccer clubs dating back to the late 1990s merged as one organization under Illinois Fire Juniors. The club provides training for boys and girls from ages U4-U19, with the focus on total player skill development in a competitive and fun environment in the greater Central Illinois community.