From Our First Team to the National Rankings: The EKS 2011 Story

Where it started

Elite Kickers Soccer Club began in 2023 with one team: a group of 2011 boys playing at U13. There was no long club history behind them and no pathway of younger teams feeding in. There was a group of players, a coach, and a plan for how they would develop.

That team is now our U16 Boys, and it is the team the rest of the club was built around.

Where they are now

As of October 2026, EKS 2011B is ranked #431 nationally, #140 in the region and #26 in Virginia in the GotSport rankings. The team competes in EDP and the N1 League under Head Coach Gabriel Ascunce.

For a club that is only three seasons old, a national ranking is a meaningful milestone. More important to us is what it shows about how these players have developed.

What made the difference

Technique first, every season. From day one, training focused on first touch, change of direction and ball mastery. That never stopped as the players got older. At U16 they still work on finishing, shooting, crossing and heading every week.

Training to be challenged. Most EKS players are trained to compete a year above their age. Sessions are designed to be demanding, and coaches keep asking whether they are challenging enough.

Coaches who demonstrate. Our coaches show every technique on the field and explain why it matters. Players learn by seeing it done properly, then repeating it.

Video and analysis. Games are filmed and reviewed, so players can see their own decisions and learn from them.

A team that stayed together. Many of these players have been together since U13. They know each other's game, and their families have been part of the journey from the start.

What comes next

Rankings change every week, and they are not the goal on their own. The goal is to keep developing players who are technically strong, confident and ready for the next level. The 2011s showed what that approach can do, and our younger teams are now following the same path.

Interested in joining EKS? Request an ID session to see where your player fits.