ECNL Girls Florida: Five Texas Outside Backs to Watch
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2024 has just begun and the first weekend of the new year will feature elite club soccer competition as the ECNL Girls League is hosting its Florida Winter event from Friday to Sunday. Set to take place at the Premier…
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Continue Reading2024 has just begun and the first weekend of the new year will feature elite club soccer competition as the ECNL Girls League is hosting its Florida Winter event from Friday to Sunday.
Set to take place at the Premier Sports Campus, in Lakewood Ranch, the event will have teams from the U16, U17 and U18/19 age groups, with as many as 230 sides making the trip to Florida to get some high-level competition early in the year.
Several clubs from Texas will be in action too, as Albion Hurricanes FC, Dallas Texans, DKCS, Solar SC, Sting Austin and Sting Dallas will be represented in the tournament, sending 14 teams to the event.
These five outside backs from Texas all play big roles for their teams:
With Weiss at right back, Sting Dallas Black G08 will battle PDA Blue, Bethesda SC and SUSA FC this weekend in Lakewood Ranch. She’s a big part of the team’s playing system with her intense two-way game on the flank. Weiss is very smart on defense, times her tackles extremely well and can play hard when needed, but is at her best in the attacking third. She’s very fast and skilled on the ball and can hurt opponents in a variety of ways. Her crosses are typically very precise and with her ability to dribble and pass, she can also tuck inside to make plays and finish from distance.
Dedmon will be one of the pillars of the backline of Albion Hurricanes G08 when they play Concorde Fire Premier, Ohio Elite Soccer Academy and Tennessee Soccer Slub this weekend. Extremely physical and versatile, she can be used at right back or in the middle of the backline as a center back. Dedmon is very athletic and uses it in her favor, putting pressure on attackers and pushing them away from the penalty box. When in possession, she’s known for her pace and her ability to push the ball upfield down the right flank. Because of her size, Dedmon is also very effective in defensive and attacking set pieces.
Arreola will be on the right side of FC Dallas G07’s backline in their matches against the Wilmington Hammerheads, Michigan Hawks and World Class FC this weekend. A Mexican youth international, she’s very smart with the way she plays the game, always producing at a high level. Defensively, Arreola, who can also play as a center back, uses her athleticism to dominate opponents and is really good at chasing them in wider positions. Also capable of playing as a forward, she’s a very dangerous offensive player too, making quick runs upfield and exploring well the space available.
Ross and her team Albion Hurricanes FC G07 will have SLSG Navy, Utah Avalanche and VA Union as their opponents in Florida. One of the team’s vocal leaders, Ross works very hard at left back for them, always displaying great effort to win the ball back. When in possession, she can also be dangerous with her quickness and vision. A right-footed player, she likes to bring the ball inside, which opens up space for her teammates to explore near the sidelines and creates several passing possibilities for her.
Cook and Sting Dallas Black G06/05 will play against Match Fit Academy, FSA FC and Heat FC in this week’s event. She’s a defensive-minded outside back, who plays primarily on the left, and does a very good job of shutting opponents down. She’s very tenacious and won’t back down even against the most talented or physical opponents, giving her absolute best in every play. Cook is very smart with her action and also plays a major leadership role with the team, keeping her teammates engaged and communicating the entire time.