[THIRTEEN FOR ’13] Since the current format was adopted in 2000, clubs have used the MLS SuperDraft to snap up so-called phenoms, high school players who havedecided to forgo college soccer and try their luck in MLS. It’s been hit or miss for clubs in the draft. Real Salt Lake’s first pick ever was U.S. […]
development academy
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Seaton is MLS's first post-launch signing
[HOMEGROWN WATCH] Michael Seaton made history as the first player born after the launch of MLS in 1996 to sign with the league. D.C. Unitedsigned the Jamaican-born striker, who doesn’t turn 17 until May 1, as a homegrown signing. Seaton, who played in D.C. United’s last Reserve League match of the 2012 campaign, becomes thefifth […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Concorde Fire perfect in Academy divisions
[DISNEY’S SOCCER SHOWCASE] Georgia’s Concorde Fire and pair of Florida clubs, Weston FC and Chargers SC, all won their three games in the Open U-17/18 AcademyDivision at the Disney Soccer Showcase at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Concorde Fire also swept all three games in the U-15/16 Academy Division. For all the Academy […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Sporting KC academy keeper signs at Atletico Madrid
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Goalie Jacole Turner, who began the fall season playing for the Sporting Kansas City U-17-18s in theDevelopment Academy, had quite a trip to Europe. The keeper flew to Croatia to try out at Dinamo Zagreb and while there was informed that a tryout had been set up for him at Real Madrid. The […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dream comes true for Galaxy's Sorto
[THIRTEEN FOR ’13] Salvadoran-American Oscar Sorto, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles idolizing Los AngelesGalaxy star Maurico Cienfuegos, became the first defender the MLS champs have signed to a homegrown contract. Like that of JoseVillarreal, who debuted for the Galaxy in 2012, Sorto’s signing comes 15 months after he joined the Galaxy academy […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Nosack and Zhividze get first academy hat tricks
[PORTLAND TIMBERS] James Nosack and Timur Zhividze scored the first two hattricks ever for the Portland Timbers’ U-17/18 team as they came back from two goals down after 20 minutes and beat Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps’ residency team, 6-3, in Surrey, B.C. The Timbers were able to pull one back just before halftime on Zhividze’s first […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Amando Moreno, the tip of the iceberg
[THIRTEEN FOR ’13] The most important rule change that has positively impacted player development is the NCAA’s modification of its rules about amateurs playingwith pros. It means MLS clubs can bring in young players and get a look at them in practice — and even games — to see how they do with and against […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Club Cooperation Pays Off in So Cal (Q&A with Todd Saldana, Part 1)
Interview by Mike Woitalla Southern California club South Bay Force had its application to the U.S. SoccerDevelopment Academy rejected, but Director of Coaching Todd Saldana still found a way for his players to play at the highest level of boys soccer in the USA thanks to a partnershipwith Pateadores. It led to Saldana coaching the […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Red Bulls sign pair of youth stars
[MLS HOMEGROWNS] The New York Red Bulls signed a pair of players, forward Amando Moreno and goalkeeper Santiago Castano, from their academy program, becoming their sixth and seventh academy products to sign with New York’s first team via the MLS homegrown playerrule. Moreno, 17, recently joined the U.S. under-18 national team for which he scored […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Hugo Perez: '99s are an excellent group'
[U.S. U-14 SPOTLIGHT] Hugo Perez, who starred for the U.S. national team in the 1980s and early 1990s, is now head coach of the U.S. U-14national team and has high expectations for the current crop. “We have so much talent here,” Perez said in a USSoccer.com interview. “I’m with theU-14s and right now we have […]