The first national championship for girls wasn't held until 1980, but girls club soccer has taken off in recent years. Six of the top eight clubs in the girls Top 20 also ranked in the boys Top 20. California led all states with five girls Top 20 clubs.

American soccer has seen a proliferation of big-money youth clubs in recent years. But just how good are they? Soccer America selects the top 20 boys and girls clubs based on three categories: (1) success in U.S. Youth Soccer championships since 2001; (2) the number of players who went on to national and regional teams last year; and (3) a survey of college coaches on the best clubs at developing and showcasing players.

1. BETHESDA. Maryland club has won one national and five regional titles since 2001. Excel has three players – Megan Holmes, Amanda Poach and Hayley Siegel – on U-17 national team. Ranked No. 1 by college coaches for developing and showcasing talent. Rising Star: Amanda Poach, who won Golden Boot at 2003 U-16 nationals.

2. SAN DIEGO SURF. Three Surf collegians – Rachel Buehler (Stanford), Carrie Schmit (Texas) and Angela Woznuk (Portland) – play with U.S. U-19s. Club won 2002 U-19 national title and 2003 U-16 title, beating Bethesda in shootout in final. Also finished second in 2001 U-18 cup. Rising Star: Carrie Dew, 2003 Youth All-American.

3. PDA. Best known as program from which Heather O'Reilly graduated. ''PDA has some college coaches, and that helps them there,'' says one college coach. Had three players on 2003 national champion Wildcats team at recent U-17 national camp. Rising Star: Virginia-bound Jen Redmond, U.S. U-19 midfielder whose sister Elizabeth is on U-17s.

4. SERENO GOLDEN EAGLES. Put Arizona girls soccer on the map in 2003 with U-17 national champ and U-15 runner-up. Had six girls teams reach West finals in the last two years. Boys program is also a Top 20 club. Rising Star: Jessica McDonald, U-17 national team forward whose brother played on boys U-17 national team in 2002.

5. DALLAS TEXANS. Won first U.S. Youth Soccer title in 2003 when U-18 Texans Red claimed championship. Currently has players on the U.S. U-19, U-17 and U-16 national teams. Only club program to rank in top 10 for boys and girls. Rising Star: Kerri Hanks, U-19 star who scored both goals in Texans' victory in 2003 under-18 national final.

6. LAGUNA HILLS ECLIPSE. One of several powerhouses in Southern California's Orange County. Won 2002 U-15 national championship. Four players from Eclipse White are on U.S. U-17 national team: Kiara Bosio, Courtney Lewis, Kasey Moore, Amy Rodriguez. Rising Star: Kasey Moore, defender who won Golden Boot at the 2002 nationals.

7. COLORADO RUSH. Won back-to-back U-17 national titles in 1998 and 1999 and back-to-back U-19 titles in 2000 and 2001. Has six national titles overall. Ex-MLS star Paul Bravo coaches Rush Nike U-18s as well as works with Colorado Rapids as assistant. Rising Star: Caroline Lea, Cal-bound forward who joined team from rival CGSA.

8. MICHIGAN HAWKS. Won three national girls titles (1989, 1991 and 2001). Produced current U.S. national team stars Kate (Sobrero) Markgraf and Lindsay Tarpley. Hawk teams won five state titles last fall, including seventh in a row for the U-18s. Rising Star: Erin Doan, high school senior who played on U.S. U-17 team in 2003.

9. PLEASANTON RAGE. Had five players on Soccer America's Top 25 college recruits for 2003. Julia Schnugg, part of Northern California club's same senior class, plays for U.S. U-19s. Frenchman Philippe Blin is technical director. Santa Clara coach Jerry Smith is technical advisor. Rising Star: Lizzy George, midfielder with 1510 SATs.

10. BUSCH. St. Louis club was founded in '70s as boys select club. Added girls soccer in '80s. Won two regional titles in 2001 (U-19 and U-15) and 2002 (U-18 and U-16). Rising Star: Ashlee Pistorius, U.S. U-19 star who had 153 goals (soccer) and 1,566 points (basketball) going into senior year and committed to play both sports at Texas A&M.

11. SLAMMERS FC. Another powerhouse from Southern California's Orange County. Newport Beach club is only club to win girls national titles in 2002 and 2003, capturing U-14 crown both years. Won three 2003 League Cup titles in tough Coast Soccer League. Rising Star: Alexa Orand, only high school sophomore on U-19 national team.

12. CHALLENGE. Houston area girls program whose Texas Shootout showcase event draws more than 300 college coaches each June. Also hosts fall college weekend. Won two regional titles in 2002 and one in 2001. Rising Star: Amber Gnatzig, U-16 national team midfielder who scored for Challenge in 2003 U-15 regional final loss.

13. CARMEL UNITED. CUSC was formed in 1995 following merger of three clubs from Indianapolis suburb and merged with Indianapolis Inferno in 1999. Cosmos was U-17 national runner-up in 2000; Commotion reached U-17 final in 2003. Rising Star: Lauren Cheney, who scored in all three games at U-17 Interregionals in November.

14. HBC. Oldest club among the Top 20 girls programs. Founded in 1961, Huntington, N.Y., club has more than 1,000 boys and girls. Two HBC teams won their age group at regionals in 2001 and 2002. Rising star: Lorraine Quinn, U-19 national team midfielder who joined Fury after playing on Queens club Blau Weiss Gottschee's boys team.

15. GWINNETT SA. Atlanta area club's '85 Phoenix Red won 2001 U-16 national title and 2002 U-17 regional crown. Teams won three state titles in 2001 and two in 2002. '89 Phoenix Red was 2003 Region III Premier League champion with 8-0-1 record. Rising star: Caitlan Dingle, high school junior who scored 138 goals in two prep seasons.

16. COLORADO GSA. Formed after splitting off from Rush Nike girls program. Won 2002 U-18 national title and tied for third in the 2003 U-18 cup. Jeff Hooker, the 1984 U.S. Olympian and University of Denver women's coach, is academy's director of coaching. Rising star: Nicole DeLue, one of Colorado's top underclassmen.

17. SC BLUES. Girls program added five years after women's team was started in 1985. Club based in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., had two national runners-up in 2001. Won five 2003 Coast Soccer League League Cup titles, including U-9s, in which Blues had both teams in the final. Rising Star: Kristina Larsen, 2003 Youth All-American.

18. D'FEETERS. Founded in 1978, Dallas area club won the U-19 national title four years later. Has sent eight teams to the nationals, most recently the '84 team in the 2001 U-17 cup. Plays in tough Lake Highlands Girls Classic League. Rising Star: Kelsey Carpenter, the 2003 Dallas Morning News Girls High School Player of the Year.

19. ECLIPSE SELECT. Chicago area club won two regional titles in 2003 and three age groups in last fall's Midwest Regional League. Sponsors U-18, U-19 and U-20 teams as feeders into the Chicago Cobras' W-league team. Rising Star: Brittany Bock, who captained the U.S. and was MVP at 2003 U-16 Ballymena Tournament in Northern Ireland.

20. DALLAS STING. Winner of five of the first nine U-19 girls national titles. Former indoor star Tatu works with the U-17 team that should contend for 2004 national title. Club has a training complex in Richardson and is building a new facility in Tarrant County. Rising Star: Anne Candee, who scored three goals in 2003 U-16 nationals.

by Soccer America Magazine Editors