Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Three area clubs added to program
Three South Florida soccer clubs will join Major League Soccer’s new youth academy program.
The MLS announced Wednesday that 65 former U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs will be added to the league’s development program, which will consist of more than 8,000 players on 95 clubs throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Miami Rush Kendall SC, South Florida Football Academy in Boca Raton and Weston FC will join Inter Miami CF Academy to represent South Florida in the MLS’ elite player development platform.
“This new platform created by the MLS will elevate the level of every soccer club involved,” Weston FC technical director
Luis Mendoza said, “and will develop players that will be able to reach the highest level of soccer.”
There will be 11 programs in the entire state, with the aforementioned 65 clubs being referred to as “elite academy clubs” plus the 30 MLS Academy clubs — the 26 current clubs plus four additional expansion teams.
“Our entire organization here at South Florida Football Academy is extremely excited and proud to become one of the Founding Members of the new MLS elite youth development platform,” said Eric Eichmann, South Florida Football Academy director and former U.S. national team forward.
“I am so grateful to MLS for taking this bold step and establishing a youth development platform that offers a clear pathway to a professional playing career for elite youth soccer players in the United States both in MLS and non-MLS Academy clubs.
“I feel that this new MLS platform will be pivotal in dramatically improving the landscape of youth soccer and will put our professional league fully in charge of elite player development for the first time in time in the history of our country.”
Girls teams will not be a part of the new program, but they could be added in the future.
“The creation of this new elite youth development program,” said Renatto Soriano, technical director at Miami Rush Kendall SC, “will be remembered as the most valuable win for soccer in the USA.”