As if regular practices at their high schools wasn’t enough, a group of four local soccer players have dedicated themselves to the sport beyond the prep soccer field.

Emma Kate Uithoven, of Lamar School, and Alice Williamson, Lucy Green and Anna Claire Nance, of West Lauderdale, are members of the Alabama FC ECNL U17 select team out of Birmingham, Alabama. The ECNL, or Elite Clubs National League, “was founded in 2009 to enhance the developmental experience of female youth soccer players in the United States,” according to the league’s website. 

It’s a level of coaching that has allowed them to both develop their soccer skills and get added exposure to college coaches. The four typically travel to Birmingham twice a week for practices, and their team’s games have taken them to places like Chicago, Seattle and New Jersey. 

It’s a lot of time to spend together in the car each week, but luckily, the four of them have become close.

“That’s part of what makes it fun, sitting in the car and having a good time,” Green said. “We like traveling with each other.”

While they all enjoy each other’s company, Williamson admitted the time spent in the car can get tedious.

“Especially on the way home,” Williamson said. “You just want to get back and go to sleep, but you still have to shower, but I feel like I’ve gotten used to it because it’s been so long.”

Nance said it isn’t just the car rides that are enjoyable. Spending so much time with soccer can be a grind, but it doesn’t feel like one thanks to the camaraderie they all share.

“It makes it better to be on a team with each other, because we’re all so close,” Nance said. “Playing with your closest friends is such a good feeling.”

Uithoven, Williamson and Green all started playing for the U17 team several years ago along with former West Lauderdale standout Riley Thompson. After Thompson enrolled at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the other three approached Nance the following year and asked if she was interested in joining them.

“I was playing for a team in Jackson at the time, and they were saying how they needed a midfielder when Riley left,” Nance explained. “I tried out and liked it so much. It was just a better fit for me.”

Not only are they getting more college exposure, but Uithoven said she’s noticed a significant improvement in her soccer skills after joining the team.

“I feel like it’s helped me because I understand the game more now, and my technique has gotten better,” Uithoven said. “Plus, I like playing with people from other states. I like to meet new people.”

Nance said meeting new people was also one of the highlights for her, as she’s gotten close to several teammates she otherwise wouldn’t have met had she not joined. She also said the instruction she gets from the team’s coach, Andrew Brower, has been invaluable.

“He’s taught me so much more and opened my eyes to soccer,” Nance said. “He’s well-known in the soccer community and gets us a lot more exposure.”

Green said the things they’re learning are a good addition to what they learned playing in the Meridian Youth Soccer Organization earlier in their soccer careers.

“It’s definitely prepared us for college soccer,” Green said. “We all want to play in college, and it exposes you to a lot of stuff. Our coaches in Meridian also gave us a great foundation when we were younger.”

Between high school soccer and select soccer, balancing sports and academics can be challenging, but Williamson said the almost 2 1/2-hour drive to Birmingham is a great time to catch up on schoolwork.

“It’s not that hard because we do our homework in the car,” Williamson said. “You do miss stuff around here, but other than that, it’s not a big deal.”

The team recently when to Phoenix, Arizona, for a showcase, which is one of many cities to which the four have been able to travel since they started playing in Birmingham.

“It’s really fun,” Uithoven said. “If I didn’t play travel soccer, I feel like I wouldn’t have gotten to go to all these places, and it gives me an open mind on where I might like to live one day — plus, you see a lot of potential colleges.”

It adds up to a lot of time spent playing soccer, but Williamson said it’s all worth it to each of them.

“It’s just a love for the game I guess,” Williamson said. “We’ve been doing it for so long.”

Said Uithoven, “I love it. Whenever I play, it takes things off of my mind and helps me relax.”