The NEFC U-19 Development Academy team doesn't return to training until early January, but academy director Nick Burke already has high hopes for what could unfold once league play resumes in March.
"We expect them to be challenging for a national championship," Burke said, "but we know there’s a lot of work ahead."
Lifting hardware come late June and early July will prove challenging, but the group is in a promising place at the midway point. With a plus-40 goal differential, they're 10-3 and sit in first place in the Northeast Division.
So, what's been the difference? Burke is quick to explain.