Podcast: Brendan Hamilton, Steve McAuliffe on South Shore Select’s move to ECNL

South Shore Select will be joining the ECNL Girls beginning in the 2024-25 season. (South Shore Select)

The latest guests on New England Soccer Journal’s “The Goal” podcast are South Shore Select Executive Director Steve McAuliffe and Academy Director Brendan Hamilton.

Last month, the ECNL Girls announced that South Shore Select will be joining the league for the 2024-25 season, which means SSS will be leaving the Girls Academy.

In both the New England and national club landscape, it’s massive news to have a club that is the caliber of South Shore Select join ECNL Girls. The powerhouse, based in Hingham, Mass., has been a part of the Massachusetts soccer landscape for 25 years, with a history of developing elite level talent since the club’s founding in 1996.

McAuliffe and Hamilton joined host Matt Langone to discuss the upcoming move to the ECNL Girls and why it was right for South Shore Select.

The full podcast can be accessed below and is available on all major platforms. If you enjoy it, please leave a rating and a review.

Here are some highlights from our discussion:

On what the move means from a competitive standpoint:

Hamilton: “I think this has been a long process for the club. The past 25, 30 years — I’ve been here for close to eight years now — and just the ins and outs every day of how hard we work together and collaborate together. I think that we want to compete with the best of the best, and for us, we want to be the best of the best. So, no matter what that means, where that means, we’re going to work hard every day to continue our process into making sure the next 25, 30 years are just as important.”

On the players’ reactions to moving to ECNL Girls?

Hamilton: “We’ve played all those clubs in tournaments and friendly matches. So, the kids — they’re funny — they make friends wherever they go. Whoever we play against, we know it’s a hard level — Champions League match in the academy, every ECNL conference game is going to be quite hard for us. I think that the factor of the competition increases a little bit.”

On forming new rivalries with New England clubs within ECNL Girls:

McAuliffe: “I think we’re competitive and I think that, to be honest with you, I’m not even sure if I like to win, but I hate to lose. We try to, obviously, be respectful, but also fiercely competitive. So, when you say a rivalry, anytime we step on the field, I’m not thrilled if we lose. I mean, that’s just the reality of the situation.”

On the always-changing club landscape:

McAuliffe: “I think that there are things that are in our control and there are things out of our control. I think that through the course of time, we’ve tended to focus on things that are us. I think that’ll always be the case. The landscape in most sports will continue to evolve. I think that our job is to continue to put ourselves in a position for people to want us in a certain way. Do we do things right, on and off the field, to make sure that our brand succeeds? That is something that people would love to be a part of, and I think that’s the approach we tend to take.”

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