September 9, 2008 - U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy kicked off its second year this weekend with the continued mission of providing players with a superior environment to improve their development and achieve their potential as elite soccer players. First to take the field were the Miami FC Kendall U16 and U18 teams that feature 20 players that are new to the full-time program for the 2008-2009 season.
Miami FC Kendall’s U18 team features two holdovers from last year’s squad and 13 members of last year’s U16 team, along with six members of last year’s Kendall SC U17 state championship team and three players that are new to the organization. The new U16 group has one holdover from last year’s team and five members who graduated from last year’s development roster. They are joined by eight former members of Kendall SC teams and 10 members that are new to the organization. The teams will play a 22-game league schedule, plus 9 showcase tournament games and a special match agains members of the U17 Youth National Team Residency program.
The Academy’s second year will build upon the successful foundation that was built during the inaugural eight months in 2007-08, looking to improve upon one of the most comprehensive overhauls of American player development in history. Even before last July’s Finals Week at The Home Depot Center, the Development Academy Technical Staff had already begun evaluating the program’s role in the development of American players, coaches and referees. The Staff recognized room for improvement, and will implement changes in its second year that will allow further opportunity for growth.
“From the beginning of the Development Academy, our goal was to do everything possible to provide players, coaches and referees with an environment to help them develop and we definitely accomplished that during our inaugural year,” said Development Academy Technical Director John Hackworth. “We know we can improve and we’ve implemented some positive changes to our programs that we feel everyone can benefit.”
All 62 clubs who participated in the first year will be returning, while 12 new clubs have been added in the 2008-09 season, including eight new clubs in Texas, two in the San Francisco area, on in Los Angeles and one in New England. With 74 clubs, the conferences have been realigned into four conferences with nine divisions to provide a schedule that will necessitate fewer flights for each team to help reduce costs.
During the 2008-09 Academy season, more than 2,000 games are scheduled across the country, including two Showcase weekends in December and May. The Winter Showcase will be held at the Lancaster National Soccer Center in Lancaster, Calif., from December 5-8, and the Spring Showcase will take place on Memorial Day Weekend, May 22-26, at the Sarasota Polo Grounds in Florida.
The 10-month season will build into a playoff weekend in June, The top three teams in each division, along with the top five fourth-place teams, will qualify for the 32-team Academy Playoffs at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. The top eight teams from each age group will then qualify to compete at the Academy Finals Week in July. In 2008, Finals Week was broadcast live from The Home Depot Center on ESPNU.
U.S. Soccer’s vast network of scouts have utilized the scouting opportunities presented by the Academy, with every team scouted by a National Staff coach at least 10 times. With specific evaluation criteria including technical ability, tactical knowledge and athleticism, 105 players were invited to National Team camps at the Under-17, Under-18 and Under-20 levels during the first eight months of the Academy program. Academy players also make up nearly half of the current 40-player Under-17 Residency Program. Beyond the National Team, international and domestic professional team scouts and college coaches have made their presence felt throughout the season.
For more information about the Development Academy program visit www.ussoccer.com and www.ussda.demosphere.com.
