DC United Academy

Has been around forever. Among my area it's definitely a school people know of, but only around 5,000 students. They just joined NCAA Div I in 2007 and the Big South conference (which is probably a conference nobody has heard of) in 2012.
Not exactly a well known athletics institution. That being said, they have a very low retention rate for students (middle of nowhere style), so I would normally expect to see those two transfer out of longwood if they have good seasons. That being said, according to posters above me, the soccer program is getting ambitious, so maybe they are trying to make their program the real deal.

They went 3-3-12 (W-D-L) last year

 

Former DCU academy player OJ Porteria scored the winner in the Phillipines 1-0 win over Myanmar today.

 

The down side is where the school is located - that's a lot to overcome.

 

This is true. Prince Edward County is infamous for closing their entire school system in 1959 rather than face integration after the Brown v. the Board of Education decision. Not a shining beacon, by any stretch.

 

Follow up to that, I was actually out for a birthday dinner with my father in law the other night, who said 'did you see that 60 Minutes piece on Barcelona? Wow!" It was his 70th birthday, for the record.

 

Actually, I don't think so. When MLS first created the rules, it had to be two years. I think that's been relaxed significantly since then, and the only case where it would be a clear-cut problem is if a kid went to Bradenton before being a member of your academy.

 

http://www.dcunited.com/news/2013/0...and-adidas-reach-regional-affiliate-agreement


D.C. United, Beach FC and adidas reach regional affiliate agreement

snip- "D.C. United and Beach FC – in conjunction with adidas – today announced a regional affiliate agreement, the third of its kind for D.C. United and a youth soccer club. Under the agreement, Beach FC will be one of D.C. United’s primary sources in identifying and developing the top youth talent. United will share its coaching resources and will work with Beach FC to follow its training curriculum and system of play. Top players in the Beach FC system, identified by both D.C. United and Beach FC, will have the opportunity to join the D.C. United Academy teams, with a strong priority being placed on the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 age"


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They have a pretty good reputation.
article lists some notable players who have gone through Beach FC

 

Interesting. VA Beach is 3.5 hrs away, when DC takes a player, they must be making some sort of arrangements to put him up.

 

Yes. I would be very interested in seeing how that works.

 

Two academy products--Carlos Canas and Bernardo Majano--were named to the El Salvador team for the U20 WC.

 

Sonny Silooy’s career has evolved from standout defender to standout talent developer
Washington Times

Interview outtakes: Sonny Silooy
Washington Times

 

thanks fer that link, X

 

So who is next? Jalen Robinson?

 

Him and Patrick Foss (leftback at UVA)

 

Fos

Foss would be a decent signing. I wouldn't look for it until next year though.

 

looks like Silooy is auditioning for the 2014 DCU head coaching position - or perhaps GM?

 

i'd be ecstatic if he got either position

if he could handle it i'd give him vermes/arena type power

 

Academy schedule for 2013-14 is out--here's the U18 schedule:
http://ussda.demosphere.com/teams/60852305/47187417-60852393/TEAM.html

Looks like new venues again this year, splitting their games between Morven Park in Leesburg and Spingarn High.

 

DC united playing in VA?

ugh...

 

That part isn't new. I was just surprised how far out.

 

Those are nice fields out at Morven. Decent highway access, too.

 

This is where the future of United lies. Both as players with the first team and assets to sell. Watching College Cup final four was an eye opener.

Eticha is a holding mid who doesn't put a foot wrong. I don't remember him losing possession once, and he's no king of the back pass.
Dainkeh looks really, really solid. I don't think he'll be a center back, too small, but a DM for sure.
Salandy-Dafour was the fastest player I saw all weekend by a large margin and fearless taking players on. He's as close to a can't miss prospect as I've seen of the Academy players.
Foss didn't play much.
I liked Sauers, it was a shame he didn't get as much time as Shinsky. Shinsky is a tricky player, no doubt, but he had a lot of giveaways and was beaten for the winner in the final. Sauers had more time in the semifinal and acquitted himself well, also eager to take on players from the wing.
I don't remember anything about McBride for UVA.

And this isn't even considering Robinson, the top rated Academy alum, and all the younger guys still in the system.
United has had lots of problems, but this isn't one of them. Kudos for the academy and all those involved.

 

Last year's under 18 team was very talented. The one thing I have noticed is that it is incredibly hard to anticipate which players DC United will choose to sign. One other note - Ian Harkes is supposed to be doing well at Wake Forest - another player in the mix.

 

This is just a guess, but maybe they take a wait and see approach and if a player looks like they might sign elsewhere, they go ahead and sign them if they can. Isn't this what happened with Shanosky, Hamid and Seaton?