ECNL Launches New Center for Athlete Health
The ECNL‘s groundbreaking Center for Athlete Health and Performance aims to revolutionize youth sports through research-backed practices that prioritize long-term athlete development and well-being.
TL;DR:
In a move to transform youth sports culture, the ECNL has announced the creation of the Center for Athlete Health and Performance (CAHP), a pioneering research and education hub designed to identify, develop, and distribute best practices in long-term youth athlete health, development, and performance.
Led by Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Drew Watson, the center represents a unique collaboration between sports science, medicine, and practical field experience. The CAHP will focus on high-impact areas relevant to young athletes, including mental health support, injury and illness prevention, load management strategies, pediatric exercise physiology, and sports nutrition.
“The ECNL Center for Athlete Health and Performance is a truly innovative and unique collaboration that will provide information, recommendations and best practices to help stakeholders within youth sports improve the health, safety, and performance of youth athletes,” explains Dr. Watson. “This represents an extraordinary opportunity to integrate real-world experience with the most relevant current evidence and medical expertise.”
Bridging the Gap Between Science and Soccer
What sets the CAHP apart is its integrated approach. The center will compile applicable research from around the world while simultaneously conducting original studies within the ECNL. This two-pronged approach creates a powerful feedback loop between theory and practice.
Over the past two years, Dr. Watson’s Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin has already been collaborating with the league on longitudinal research projects examining mental health and injury risk among ECNL athletes. The findings from these studies will inform practical interventions aimed at improving athlete well-being.
The center’s first research findings and recommendations are scheduled for release in the coming days, with additional content planned throughout the year to support players and coaches in achieving their goals.
Creating a New Standard for Youth Sports
Dr. Watson envisions the CAHP becoming more than just a resource—he sees it as a catalyst for transforming youth sports culture nationwide.
“We envision the ECNL Center for Athlete Health and Performance to be a resource for coaches, players and families that will positively impact the development of young athletes, and ultimately improve the youth sport environment,” he notes.
Perhaps most exciting is the center’s potential to generate youth-specific evidence on an unprecedented scale. The data collection infrastructure being developed within the league could become a model for other sports organizations looking to make more informed decisions about athlete development.
“Our goal is that the ECNL Center for Athlete Health and Performance becomes the standard in the space, and something that can be replicated in clubs and different sports throughout the country,” adds Dr. Watson.
As youth sports in the U.S. continues to evolve, initiatives like the CAHP represent a promising shift toward approaches that prioritize athlete health and sustainable development over short-term performance gains—a playbook that benefits everyone in the youth sports ecosystem.
