Two upgrades, four new clubs added to U.S. Soccer Development Academy
CHICAGO, Ill. – A pair of California-based clubs will be joining the U.S. Soccer Development Academy at the older-age levels, while four others will be added at the youngest level to open 2014-15, which will mark the Academy’s eighth season.
FC Golden State and Juventus Sport Club will field teams at the U-15/16 and U-17/18 age groups beginning this fall. FC Golden State of Pasadena and Redwood City-based Juventus Sport Club have both been part of the Academy’s U-13/14 age group in 2013-14.
They were selected following an extensive review process of the technical and programmatic aspect of each club.
“We are looking forward to the additions of FC Golden State and Juventus Sport Club for the U-15/16 and U-17/18 Development Academy age groups,” said U.S. Soccer Director of Scouting Tony Lepore. “Both clubs are located in key areas of Southern and Northern California where there is a strong history of National Team and professional player production. As part of the U-13/14 age group this season, both clubs have demonstrated a vision and philosophy consistent with U.S. Soccer Curriculum. Both clubs are also committed to moving away from pay-to-play and will be providing a cost-free program to their Academy players.”
FC Golden State was formed in 2007 and draws players from Los Angeles, San Bernardino and surrounding locations.
“FC Golden State is very excited and honored to be included in the U.S. Soccer Academy and look forward to working closely with Tony Lepore, Hugo Perez and all the Technical Advisors to help develop our players to their highest potential,” said FC Golden State technical director Josh Henderson. “Becoming a member of the Development Academy is the goal of every youth club in America, and FC Golden State will exhaust every resource to meet the high demands of competing in the best youth league in the world.”
Juventus Sport Club, which was formed in 1956, draws talent from the San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan regions and has an extensive history.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to play in the Development Academy,” said Juventus Sport Club technical director Albertin Montoya. “There is no better way to continue developing our players than having them play against the best teams in the country on a weekly basis. We take great pride in playing an attractive and entertaining brand of soccer, and we now look forward to being able to replicate our game in the Development Academy. The challenges that each game will present to our players will only help them mature as young players, and mostly importantly as young men.”
FC Golden State and Juventus will join a U-15/16 and U-17/18 field that currently consists of 79 clubs in 2013-14.
FC Golden State
Location: Pasadena, Calif.
Formed: 2007
Program Overview: Non-profit with 88 teams, serving boys and girls ages 5-19 from Los Angeles, San Bernardino and surrounding locations
Website: www.fcgoldenstate.net
Social: Twitter @fcgoldenstate; Facebook
Juventus Sport Club
Location: Redwood City, Calif.
Formed: 1956
Program Overview: Non-profit that fields approximately 45 boys and girls teams between ages 8-19, serving an area that includes San Francisco and San Jose
Website: www.juventus-sc.org
Four applicants have been selected to join the Development Academy’s U-13/14 age group later this year: Cedar Stars Academy (New Jersey), Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania), Prince William Soccer (Virginia) and EBU Bay Oaks (California).
The Academy launched its U-13/14 division in 2013-14, featuring a fall and spring season, a month-long futsal period during the winter and an upcoming Academy Showcase from June 13-16 in Westfield, Ind., near Indianapolis.
The Development Academy was founded by U.S. Soccer in 2007 to provide an elite everyday training and competitive environment for the country’s elite youth soccer players. Since its launch, the focus of the program has been to increase the amount of meaningful training sessions for elite players by lengthening the Academy season to 10 months for all clubs, limiting the number of games and working with coaches to appropriately plan Academy teams’ training schedules for one of the longest and meaningful training setups at any level of soccer in the country.
