FAQ

The need for collaboration between clubs and communities throughout the state of Iowa to provide a platform for the highest-level players, while also continuing to enhance soccer at the community level, for players of every skill.

VSA and Iowa Rush share a vision for the caliber and style of soccer they want to play as well as the type of experiences and opportunities the clubs want to deliver to players and teams.

The VSA–Iowa Rush partnership creates a stronger, more unified soccer environment for every player. With aligned operations and a unified technical vision, players benefit from consistent coaching standards, stronger roster depth, and a clearer pathway from community-level programming to elite competition.

This “stronger together” approach raises the level of competitiveness across the club, while continuing to deliver the same excellent facilities, coaching, and experiences that families expect.

No - VSA Rush is committed to developing people through the game of soccer. Rather than focusing solely on an elite pathway, VSA Rush is shifting to provide a full pathway of soccer for 13U-19U select players. VSA Rush seeks to inspire excellence and set the standard for player development in Iowa while providing elite competition opportunities to inspire lifelong growth and a commitment to develop players that embody integrity, resilience and teamwork.

13U-19U Select - All 13U-19U select teams will fall under the VSA Rush brand. All players in those age groups will tryout together and team selections will take place for all players from those tryouts into tiered development level teams. 

11U-12U Select - All 11U-12U select players will continue to tryout at either VSA or Iowa Rush and be placed onto a VSA or Iowa Rush team. Additional information for our 11U-12U age groups will be released in the coming weeks.

Iowa Rush and VSA will continue to offer separate programming for all 10U and under players - including the 9U-10U Academy program and all Recreation age groups - 5U-19U. Other programs unique to each club, such as tournaments, camps/clinics, and other events, will largely stay club-specific, but collaborative opportunities are still being evaluated.

By coming together as a more unified club, VSA and Iowa Rush will combine resources, operations, and expertise to create greater efficiency and consistency across the organization. This structure is designed to strengthen our competitive position on regional and national platforms while providing a clearer, more connected player development pathway for athletes at every level.

This alignment is expected to lead to increased roster depth at each age group, improved long-term player retention, and more meaningful competitive opportunities for our players. In addition, a larger, unified club footprint enhances our voice and influence within the state of Iowa and on regional and national stages—while holding our entire community to higher operational, developmental, and competitive standards.

No, the current VSA Rush logo and branding will remain the same. All 13U-19U Select players will just now fall under the brand VSA Rush.

All players ages 13U-19U will register for and attend scheduled tryouts in Ankeny and Waukee. During these sessions, players will be evaluated by our coaching staff and placed within the VSA Rush player pathway.

Instead of selecting only a small group of players for ECNL and GA teams and remaining players being placed onto teams at VSA or Iowa Rush - players will now be selected into tiered VSA Rush teams that matches their current level of play and development needs.

Players will first be considered for our highest competitive platforms (ECNL and GA). From there, additional VSA Rush teams will be formed at multiple competitive tiers, ensuring that each player has an appropriate environment to continue developing within the club.

All details for 2026-27 tryouts, such as dates, locations and times, will be released on April 1st on the VSA Rush website for 13U-19U players. Players in the 11U-12U age groups can visit the Iowa Rush or VSA website to find tryout details which will also be released on April 1st.

National Program - top tier players will compete in the ECNL (Boys) and Girls Academy (Girls) leagues and attend national or regional tournaments/showcases.

Regional Program - second tier players will compete in the ECNL-Regional League (Boys), Girls Academy Aspire (Girls)* and the “New Comp” (Boys & Girls) leagues and will attend local and regional events. 

State Program - third tier players will compete in the Central Development League (Boys & Girls) and will compete in local and regional events.

*The VSA Rush application into the Girls Aspire league is still pending approval.

ECNL (top tier boys) - https://theecnl.com/
The Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) is a premier, club-based youth soccer platform in the U.S., focusing on high-level competition, development and college recruiting. Founded in 2009, it provides a national competitive structure (U13–U19) sanctioned by US Club Soccer, featuring regional conferences and national playoffs. The ECNL is widely considered one of the top youth soccer platforms.

Girls Academy (top tier girls) - https://girlsacademyleague.com/
The Girls Academy League (GA) is a premier youth soccer platform in the United States for female players, featuring competition from age groups U13 through U19. It serves as a top-tier development league, providing elite training, competition, and showcase events with significant exposure to college coaches and national scouts.

ECNL-RL (2nd tier boys) - https://theecnl.com/sports/ecnl-regional-league-boys
The ECNL Regional League (ECNL-RL), is a high-level, second-tier youth soccer league managed by the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) to provide competitive opportunities for competitive players. As a top-tier developmental pathway below the main ECNL level, it emphasizes regional competition with reduced travel, high-level coaching, and college exposure. 

Girls Aspire* (2nd tier girls) - https://girlsacademyleague.com/aspire/
The Girls Academy (GA) ASPIRE League is a tier-two, competitive regional youth soccer league for girls ages U13-U19, established by the Girls Academy as a development platform that bridges the gap between local leagues and elite top-tier competition. It focuses on player development, providing exposure to college coaches through showcases, and offering a developmental pathway to the primary Girls Academy league.

*The VSA Rush application into the Girls Aspire league is still pending approval. 

New Comp (3rd tier boys/girls) - New Comp Presentation
The New Comp league is a combination of the former National Premier League (NPL) through US Club Soccer and the Midwest Conference leagues directed under US Youth Soccer. The name “New Comp” is a place holder for the league name and additional details are being released on an ongoing basis. The presentation linked above is what has been released about the league so far. 

CDL (3rd tier boys/girls) - https://clubdevelopmentleague.com/
The Club Development League (CDL) is a competitive state-wide player development soccer league for 13U through 19U players. The CDL is fully-sanctioned under US Club Soccer and is dedicated to creating a strong, professionally managed and standards based league in Iowa. Member clubs determine league organization, standards, programming and the annual calendar. 

National Program (ECNL/GA) - players will be expected to travel through the year. Teams will play weekend league matches throughout the Midwest, with some games hosted locally. In addition to league play, teams will attend ECNL or GA national showcase events, as well as select regional or national events throughout the season. Travel schedules will vary by team, but families should anticipate regular out-of-state travel as part of competing at the national/elite level.

Regional Program (ECNL-RL, Aspire, NewComp) - similar to the National/Elite program, players can expect consistent regional travel at this level. Teams will play weekend league matches throughout the Midwest, with some games hosted locally. In addition to league play, teams will attend league showcase/playoff events, as well as other potential regional/national events throughout the season. Travel schedules will vary by team, but families should anticipate regular out-of-state travel as part of the regional/premier program. 

State Program (CDL) - players can expect to play league games throughout the state of Iowa, but most league travel will be local and limited to day trips. Teams will play in some select out-of-state tournaments, but most additional events will be local.

National Program (ECNL/GA) - families should plan on 4 practices per week during the fall and spring season. Most teams will fall into a cadence of 2 practices/week at Timberline (Waukee) and 2 practices/week at Prairie Ridge (Ankeny). Winter practices will be held 2 times per week at RecPlex. 

Regional Program (ECNL-RL, Aspire, NewComp) - families should plan on 3 practices per week during the fall and spring season. Most teams will have 1 practice/week at Timberline (Waukee), 1 practice/week at Prairie Ridge and 1 age group training practice that will take place at the player’s nearest geographical location (ie- if you live closer to Prairie Ridge, you attend your age group training in Ankeny). Both Prairie Ridge and Timberline will hold specific age group training sessions each week.

State Program (CDL) - families should plan on 3 practices per week during the fall and spring season. Most teams will have 1 practice/week at Timberline (Waukee), 1 practice/week at Prairie Ridge and 1 age group training practice that will take place at the player’s nearest geographical location (ie- if you live closer to Prairie Ridge, you attend your age group training in Ankeny). Both Prairie Ridge and Timberline will hold specific age group training sessions each week.

Final decisions on uniforms are still being made. Being that VSA and Iowa Rush are entering the second year of each of their uniform cycles, every effort will be made to ensure cost effective decisions are made for the 2026-27 year. All VSA Rush teams will “sync” up for the new uniform kit buying cycle for the 2027-28 playing year.

Each program level will have a designated boys and girls Director of Coaching. Individual team coach announcements and program level DOC’s will be announced at a later date prior to tryouts.

Costs vary by age group and team level. To ensure alignment across our programs, some adjustments may be necessary for certain ages or competitive levels. A complete fee structure for each program and team will be shared before tryouts begin.

All 13U-19U select players will utilize Playmetrics for the 2026-27 season. This includes tryout registration, bid acceptance, payments and team communications.

Your child’s placement for the 2026–27 seasonal year will be impacted by the national age-group change and combining 13U-19U players all under the VSA Rush brand.

For tryouts, all players should attend the first session with their designated age group based on the new age group guidelines. Requests for players to “play-up” will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and coaches and club leadership will review individual circumstances and communicate directly with players and families if a player is recommended to try out with an older age group. 

With an expanded and shifted age group player pool, your child's team placement might look a bit different this year. The great news is that having more players allows us to offer multiple competitive levels within each age group. This ensures your child will be placed in the best possible environment to support their personal development, maximize their learning, and create a balanced team experience.

We encourage you to keep the lines of communication open with our coaches and staff throughout this process. We want to ensure each player knows they are valued and fits into our club pathway!

To find your age group placement for 2026-27 and for more details on the age group change, visit https://www.vsarush.com/age-group-resources.

Yes! Iowa Rush, VSA, and VSA Rush work together to provide financial aid through the Mihura Fund to help cover program registration, uniforms, equipment, and travel expenses.

All players and families are eligible to apply, regardless of club affiliation or program level—this includes Academy, Rec and other programs. Financial aid is intended to support families with demonstrated need and is not based on player skill or merit.

More details on the Mihura Fund can be found HERE. Details on how to apply for financial aid will be released prior to tryouts.

YES! 

You can donate HERE.

There is also a fundraising committee that will be organizing events, campaigns and fundraising awareness to support financial aid efforts. If you are interested in learning more about how you can help - please contact Sarah Lynn, sarahlynn@iowarush.com. 

You can reach out to team coaches or program directors for questions, in addition to:

Kirk Artist, Iowa Rush Executive Director, kirkartist@iowarush.com

Carlos Acebey, VSA Executive Director, executivedirector@visionsocceracademy.com

Abby Johnson, General Manager, abbyjohnson@iowarush.com

Matty Smith, Boys Technical Director, matty.smith@visionsocceracademy.com

Will Nurre, Girls Technical Director, willnurre@iowarush.com