BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP

PREP1 Network | PREP1USA.com An inaugural national competition, a roster representing schools across El Paso and southern New Mexico, and a philosophy that prioritizes developing athletes rather than simply assembling talent. The next chapter of youth soccer in the Borderland is taking shape, and Cosmos FC • DKSC ECNL RL NTX G2008/09 N1 Squad is part of a new competitive landscape designed to create meaningful opportunities for developing players. Competing in the inaugural National 1 (N1) League for the 2026–27 season, the squad enters a competition built around team-based play, regional competition, and pathways toward higher levels of youth soccer. With the El Paso Premier League (EPPL) operating South District 4 locally, the league brings a new dimension to the competitive soccer landscape across El Paso, West Texas, and New Mexico. But for this squad, the significance extends beyond the league name, the competition, or the opportunity to compete on a larger stage. The philosophy is straightforward: development first. Not simply assembling talent, but developing it from the ground up. A New Chapter for Youth Soccer in the Borderland The National 1 League represents a unified, team-based national youth soccer competition for players in the U13–U19 age groups. It brings together elements of US Club Soccer's National Premier Leagues (NPL) and US Youth Soccer's National League into a broader competitive structure. For the 2026–27 season, South District 4 encompasses West Texas, including El Paso, and New Mexico, with the El Paso Premier League serving as the local operator. The structure is designed to connect local competition with broader regional and national opportunities. Top-performing teams can advance into the ECNL Conference League Playoffs and US Club Soccer regional events, creating additional competitive objectives for clubs and athletes. Those pathways provide an incentive to compete, improve, and build consistency throughout the season. Advancement, however, must be earned on the field. For Cosmos FC • DKSC, the inaugural season provides an opportunity to measure progress in a competitive environment while continuing to establish the habits and standards necessary for long-term player development. Development Is More Than Collecting Talent In youth soccer, talent can attract attention. Building a complete athlete requires considerably more. Technical ability, tactical understanding, decision-making, communication, discipline, confidence, and the willingness to learn are developed over time. They are not automatically present simply because a roster contains talented players. That distinction is central to the identity of this Cosmos FC • DKSC squad. These athletes are being developed from the ground up, not simply brought together because they possess talent. A development-first approach places the athlete's growth at the center of the process. It recognizes that players enter the game at different stages of maturity, experience, and confidence. It also recognizes that a player's potential cannot always be measured by what she can do today. The objective is to help athletes continue improving, become more complete players, and learn to contribute within a team structure. For a roster spanning multiple graduating classes, that commitment to individual growth and collective chemistry is especially important. Older players and younger athletes can bring different perspectives and experiences to the group, while a shared training environment can encourage accountability and a stronger understanding of the game. Development is not an overnight achievement. It is the cumulative result of preparation, coaching, repetition, feedback, and the willingness to keep working when progress is not immediately visible. That is what makes the training environment as important as the competition itself. A Roster Reflecting Borderland Soccer One of the most notable characteristics of the Cosmos FC • DKSC G2008/09 N1 Squad is the representation of high schools across the region. The roster includes athletes from Franklin, Eastlake, Coronado, Santa Teresa, Bowie, Del Valle, Chapin, Pebble Hills, Jefferson, and El Paso High School, along with younger athletes currently in middle school. That geographic and school representation reflects the depth of the local soccer community and the different developmental stages represented within the group. The athletes also span graduating classes from 2027 through 2032, creating a roster with both experienced high school players and younger athletes continuing their development. For the younger players, competing and training alongside older athletes can provide opportunities to observe different approaches to preparation, communication, and competition. For the older players, the environment presents an opportunity to demonstrate leadership, consistency, and responsibility within the group. The challenge is building a cohesive team from athletes with different backgrounds, school experiences, and stages of development. Talent may bring players together, but building chemistry, trust, and a shared identity requires continued work. The Road Ahead The inaugural N1 League season presents an opportunity for Cosmos FC • DKSC to establish itself within a new competitive structure while pursuing continued growth as a team. The regional format connects clubs across West Texas, El Paso, and New Mexico, giving teams a defined competitive setting in which to pursue results and measure their progress. The possibility of advancing into the ECNL Conference League Playoffs or US Club Soccer regional events adds another level of motivation. Those opportunities are potential rewards for performance, not guarantees, and the work required to reach them begins with preparation and consistency. For the athletes, the challenge is to approach each training session and competition with a commitment to improvement. For the team, it is about developing a collective identity that can withstand the demands of a full season. Wins and losses will always be part of the scoreboard. But the long-term value of a development program is also reflected in how athletes improve, how they respond to adversity, how they communicate, and how they grow in their understanding of the game. Those are the building blocks that can help prepare players for their next opportunities, whether in high school soccer, college recruiting, or higher levels of club competition. The Foundation Matters The 2026–27 campaign is an inaugural season for the National 1 League, but for the athletes competing in it, the work is part of a much longer journey. Cosmos FC • DKSC G2008/09 N1 Squad represents a group of athletes at different points in that journey, united by the opportunity to train, compete, and continue developing within the same environment. The mission is bigger than a roster announcement or a league designation. It is about creating an environment in which athletes can improve their skills, strengthen their understanding of the game, and learn what it takes to become more complete players. Because the goal is not simply to assemble talent. It is to develop it. And in a region rich with soccer ambition, the most meaningful measure of success may ultimately be what these athletes become through the process. PREP1 Network continues to spotlight the athletes, teams, and programs shaping the future of Borderland sports. COSMOS FC • DKSC ECNL RL NTX G2008/09 N1 SQUAD Class of 2027 Ashley Carpio — Franklin HS Madison Woodruff — Eastlake HS Jazlinn Berry — Eastlake HS Letizia Ruiz — Santa Teresa HS Ysabella Cervantes — Franklin HS Evana Tovar — Del Valle HS Samantha Tarango — Bowie HS Danika Scott — Coronado HS Kailani Guerrero — Chapin HS Class of 2028 Sarah Armendariz — Coronado HS Mariana Carreon — Coronado HS Analeigh Newbern — Franklin HS Dylan Ramirez — Coronado HS Jessica Zubia Vitolas — Jefferson HS Class of 2029 Sofia Guevara — Coronado HS Valeria Oropeza — Santa Teresa HS Alexa Mejia — Franklin HS Emily Varela — El Paso High Harlow Armendariz — El Paso High Camila Aveytia — Pebble Hills HS Class of 2030 Zoe Martinez — Pebble Hills HS Camila Aguirre — Eastlake HS Zoe Acosta — Franklin HS Eliana Fernandez Muniz — Franklin HS Class of 2031 Avery Mogen — 8th Grade Class of 2032 Aumai Ramos — 7th Grade Follow PREP1 Network for continued coverage of Borderland athletes and the programs developing the next generation of soccer talent. 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