Metro United announce U.S. Soccer Girls Development Academy partner clubs

Metro United have announced the organization’s founding member clubs ahead of the start of the 2019-20 club season.

Potomac Soccer Association and DC Stoddert Soccer will join Great Falls-Reston as founding member clubs of the Metro United’s Girls DA.

According to the release from Metro United, this partnership “will provide an expanded pathway for players at the member clubs as well as strong foundations for future Metro United DA teams.” It went further to say “The collaboration between the technical staff will offer additional returns and synergies for all member clubs, coaches and players.”

The directors from each club providing the following statements:

“As the initial partner club of the Washington Spirit DA, our goal was to build a program that dovetailed with our increasingly competitive VPSL teams. After a change in Spirit ownership, we were given an opportunity to re-brand and form an organization with the vision of incorporating two to three other clubs with similar philosophies and with players that wanted to compete at a different level; to college and maybe the pros. We also had an obligation to the families that had committed to the former program. Metro United was formed out of that mindset and I am pleased to acknowledge the other two partner clubs who will be joining us. By forming this alliance, we will enhance the reputations of all three clubs individually on a national level while at the same time continuing the good work we are doing at the grass roots levels in our respective clubs.” – Rich Shelton, GFR Executive Director

“Potomac Soccer Association is excited to join forces with Metro United as a part of the US Soccer Development Academy. This partnership forges a pathway for our most ambitions female players to reach their highest potential. As we all know, players have many choices in today’s very competitive soccer landscape. This partnership will set us apart from the other clubs in our area by giving our girls an opportunity to play at the highest level of the youth game.” – Steve Knapman, PSA TD

“DC Stoddert is excited to be a part of the new Metro United Program,” said Acting Technical Director Khaled Hamami. “In the ever-changing soccer landscape, being part of the Development Academy gives our players great opportunities to compete at the highest level and to be seen by some of the top college coaches in the country providing them the exposure they need.” – Khaled Hamami, DC Stoddert Soccer TD

“Metro United is excited about this unique opportunity to partner with GFR, Potomac, and DC Stoddert. We seek to create a unique environment for our players and raise the level of our Academy by partnering with clubs that share similar methodology, curriculums and goals. We look forward to collaborating across Zone 1, 2 and 3 to enhance player development by providing Zone 1 programming, developmentally appropriate pathways to the DA, and Coach Education opportunities. With hard work and the support of our partner network we believe Metro United will be a longstanding competitive force in the DMV.” – Spencer Henderson, Metro United TD