Broward about to have some European flare

LAUDERHILL — Broward County is receiving a dose of European soccer flare.

Paris Saint-Germain, arguably the most successful professional soccer club in France, officially opened its new site of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA on Monday in Lauderhill.

Central Broward Stadium will now be the headquarters of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA campus and will be the home to the Paris Saint-Germain Academy Pro residency program, the first of its kind in the U.S.

The residency allows for youth soccer players to have access to a top-tier European professional soccer preparation program without having to sacrifice academic opportunities.

“Everybody wants to be innovative, but what we want to do is bring a real European organization in America,” Ravy Truchot, president of Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA, said. “Most of the time when you have a European Academy coming, usually after one or two years they look like an American club.

“I’m not saying American clubs aren’t good, but I think people need to have that choice. In terms of practices, methodology and coaching, we’re going to stay on the PSG rules and European style. To have this, we need our own complex. We need to hire only European coaches with European methodology.”

Paris Saint-Germain

Academy USA has partnered with North Broward Prep to provide youth players the opportunity to receive an education in conjunction with the professional soccer preparation the program offers.

The program offers the options for parents or legal guardians to enroll their kids in the soccer academy program, day school and soccer academy program or a full residency program, which includes boarding at the North Broward Prep’s campus.

Truchot said that a goal for the residency is to help create well-rounded youth who have the option to play professional soccer anywhere in the world, as well as opportunities outside of athletics. The program is looking to create more opportunities for kids in the U.S. to play professional overseas if they choose to.

“I think today we have more players in America, we have a dream to play in Spain, France, Belgium and in the UK,” Truchot said. “This system isn’t easy for them. Our objective is to create a system and methodology to join the European market.”

While the Paris Saint-Germain Academy Pro residency program will implement European methodologies, Truchot said they’ll be happy to work with other domestic leagues.

“We are open to everyone,” Truchot said. “The idea of the project isn’t to retain or keep the player. We want them to live and play pro. The most important thing is that they have the tools to become pro.”