Hackworth returns to federation as U-15 coach
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Nov 6, 2014
In this new full-time position, Hackworth will work on transitioning under-17 players as they move up to the under-17 national team.
“When I heard about this position becoming full-time, I was excited not just for myself but for U.S. Soccer,” Hackworth said. “I think it’s a position that will truly advance our player development in this country. The U-15 coach’s job is to prepare a large pool of players early in the developmental cycle of the youth national teams, and expanding our focus in this area is significant. One key component is taking the messages from the senior national team and keeping them consistent throughout all the programs, so that players know what is expected at the highest level and we are properly preparing them to advance through our national teams.”
Hackworth first became an assistant coach for the U.S. under-17 men’s national team under former head coach John Ellinger in 2002. He then took the USA to the 2005 U-17 World Championship, where the U.S. advanced to the quarterfinals, and the 2007 U-17 World Cup, at which the USA fell in the round of 16. After being replaced by Wilmer Cabrera, Hackworth worked an assistant coach with the men’s national team until 2009 and then served as the inaugural technical director of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy before spending the last five years at the Union, first as its youth development coordinator and then head coach.
In Hackworth's first cycle, late bloomers included Jozy Altidore, Omar Gonzalez and Neven Subotic,
who later played for Serbia at the World Cup. The 2007 crop was less productive.
Hackworth’s first camp with the U-15s will take place in December and include 36 players and will
take place from Dec. 13-20. The U-15s will travel to Gradisca, Italy, for a tournament in the spring.
Hackworth will coach the U-15s -- the 2000 age group -- in 2015 before they graduate
next fall into the next U-17 cycle that ends with qualifying for the 2017 U-17 World Cup. In the fall of 2015, Hackworth will begin to work the 2002-born group for a two-year cycle.
4 comments about "Hackworth returns to federation as U-15 coach".
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Martin is at RSL Academy in Arizona. Not sure about Hugo.
Key sentence here is "to prepare a large pool of players". Unlike his predecessor who focused on a small group. This is the same group that was just taken into the recent camp, however I hope they go into there data base and start calling kids back to the TC's. Specifically kids that were not ready to go straight to the national team at the time because they where physically not ready.
Also, who is taking over the 99's?
BJ, seems like most 99's are being incorporated to U17s, so maybe Richie Williams? Good luck with your son getting seen, don't know much of Hackworth, only that he has been relieved from youth national teams duties before. Assuming they wanted a coach who did not rock the boat like Perez. With that said expect to see the more mature and physical players to be selected with skill not being the major priority. Hope your kid is close to 6 foot tall by now