U.S. Club Soccer’s ‘99 boys id2 Natl. Selection Intl. Tour bound for Spain
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Following great matches against youth academy teams from top European clubs such as FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Ajax and Celtic over the past three years, U.S. Club Soccer has announced that members of the 2013 id2 National Selection International Tour will look to build on that success Feb. 28 – March 11 when they return to Spain for the second straight year.
The id2 National Selection will consist of 18 male players born in 1999 chosen from id2 Program Training Camps held in 2012. The squad will have the opportunity to train, attend professional matches and compete against youth teams from well-known professional clubs while gaining a unique educational and cultural experience of life in a foreign country.
The traveling party will arrive in Miami on Feb. 28 and train on March 1 before flying to Madrid. After spending the initial portion of the trip in Spain’s capital city, the team will transfer to Barcelona and return to American soil on March 11.
The tour schedule and travel roster will be announced at a later date.
“We are very excited for our young players on the 2013 id2 National Selection International Tour to once again have the opportunity to compete against high-quality opposition and soak up the culture of Spain, “said Gerry McKeown, U.S. Club Soccer’s id2 Program Director for boys and head coach of the id2 National Selection, in a press release. “Spain remains the home for some of the best club and international soccer in the world right now, so it is the perfect place for our players to learn and grow, both on and off the field.”
This will mark the fourth straight year for the id2 National Selection International Tour, following on the heels of very successful trips to Germany and the Netherlands in 2010, England and Scotland in 2011, and Spain in 2012.
The 2012 edition of the tour included matches against academy teams from FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, as well as attendance at a pair of La Liga matches. The trip was highlighted by a 3-1 victory over FC Barcelona at the club’s official training complex, Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper; a competitive match against Atlético Madrid at Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, the headquarters of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF); and the chance to see Lionel Messi score four goals in FC Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Valencia CF at L’Estadi Camp Nou.
Consistent with US Club Soccer’s philosophy that identification and development should be free to players, the organization is funding the trip in conjunction with the strong support of Nike; there is no cost to players.
Aided by their time at id2 National Selection International Tours and id2 Program Training Camps, numerous alums have advanced into U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs. The id2 Program is an Olympic Development Program as approved by the United States Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation.
2012-13 id2 PROGRAM DETAILS
The 2012-13 id2 Program will feature boys born in 1999-2000 and girls born in 1994-1999. The program will include four id2 Program Training Camps, the National Selection International Tour and the ECNL/id2 Program National Training Camp for girls.
id2 Program Training Camps for 1999-2000 boys and 1998-1999 girls:
• Oct. 11-14 at TD Bank Oakwood Soccer Complex in Portland, Conn. (boys and girls)
• Dec. 6-9 at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.(boys and girls)
• Spring Camp #1 (specific dates and location TBA)
• Spring Camp #2 (specific dates and location TBA)
2013 id2 National Selection International Tour for 1999 boys:
• Feb. 28 – March 11 | Spain
2013 ECNL/id2 National Program Training Camp for girls:
• Dates and location TBA
Established in 2004, U.S. Club Soccer’s id2 National Identification and Development Program provides an opportunity for the country’s elite youth soccer players to be identified and developed, while also being scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs.
A comprehensive national scouting and recommendation program is used to form a player pool from which top players are invited to attend an id2 Program Training Camp.
There is no cost to the player to be scouted or recommended for the id2 Program. The id2Program is open to all players regardless of U.S. Soccer affiliation, or lack thereof
