Washington Capital FC to be renamed Washington Capital Utd.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Via Washington Capital Utd.) – A year after its successful merger with Washington Soccer Club, Washington Capital FC has announced it will rename the club “Washington Capital Utd.” to reflect the now-unified club, further expansion, and continued commitment to growth in the Washington, DC area.
In recognition of the opportunities presented to the players through increased depth and breadth of the Club, DeMatha Soccer Academy, based in Hyattsville, MD, has agreed to move all of its high school-aged players to the Club, while Brazil FC, a development program based in Laurel, MD, has agreed to merge its players and staff into the Club.
Additionally, in accordance with the Club’s firm commitment to strengthen and expand further its steadily growing girls’ program, Washington Capital Utd. has announced that Michele Rodriguez-Smith will join the Club as a coach and the first Director of Girls Programming in the Club’s history.
The announcements come as the Club’s 2005 Boys’ team, currently ranked #4 in the US and Canada by GotSoccer, heads to Charleston WV to compete in the US Youth Soccer’s Region 1 Championships beginning June 28th, with a stake in Nationals on the line.
The recent success reflects the vision that all parties had when the Capital FC/Washington Soccer Club (CFC/WSC) merger talks were initiated.
Technical Director of Coaching, Judah Cooks, saw this merger as a huge opportunity for the deep and talented player pool in Washington DC: “We have seen small, local clubs struggle to retain elite players that they have developed, but there is a great opportunity here.”
“With the pool of players from WSC and CFC combined, we expect to run the sort of program whose competitiveness and resultant achievement will be attractive to the best DC and near-in players from MD and VA,” Cooks said.
As part of the agreement with DeMatha Soccer Academy, Parnell Hegngi, former Ohio State University player and German professional player, will be joining the coaching staff of the Club.
Brazil FC, which had maintained its affiliation with the Club that began under WSC during the 2018-2019 season, will move additional players and staff to the Club.
Coach Rodriguez-Smith brings an unmatched wealth of experience and accomplishment to the Club. A former University of Maryland standout, her extensive resume in the collegiate ranks includes roles as former Head Coach of GWU, and associate head coach of William & Mary. With experience at the youth level, including in the Bethesda program, Michele is well-poised to assume the Director of Girls position.
On top of the remarkable achievements of the merged teams in one short year, the Club is focused on an even brighter future.
Said Cooks, “We are excited about the massive achievements of our players in the top area leagues and competitions, but we think this is just the tip of the iceberg. This City is primed for an explosion in talent and achievement that will continue our push to national exposure and recognition.”
Background: In May 2018, Capital Futbol Club merged operations with Washington Soccer Club. This followed a year of discussions about the future of youth soccer in the City, instigated by a reflection of both parties regarding how to provide additional opportunities for players. After only a year of merged operations, the results have exceeded even the highest expectations.
The merger has continued to attract new talent to the Club that had not been affiliated with either the former CFC or WSC. The addition of DeMatha Soccer Academy and Brazil FC to the Club are contributing to the continued expansion and strengthening of the talent pool, both players coaches. Total registrants will well-exceed 400 for the first time during the 2019-2020 season, spread across 30 teams.
