FC Dallas Youth News

[Stan Collins]

Thought I would start a catch-all for FCD Youth news with this item, a short feature on one of the players selected for the first Academy team, London Woodberry:
http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2008/05/30/breaking_sports/42.txt

[boomersooner027]

The FC Dallas juniors and Houston Dynamo youth have just finished up the first leg of their home and home series.

The U-16 FCD team beat Houston 3-1 and the U-18's tied Houston with a 25 yard free kick from Sueno winner Gabriel Funes(I caught about 10 minutes of the game and saw the goal, it was over the wall one bounce and in off the inside of the post...pretty sick goal.

These games are significant because these were the first ever FCD Juniors games and I would imagine it was the first ever home and home series as the Houston youth teams will come play the return leg at PHP before the game against the Galaxy in late July.

[Stan Collins]

I put a copy of your post here, so we can use this thread as a catch-all for FCD youth related news.

[boomersooner027]

Cool, I don't know how I missed this thread.

Something else significant is that FCD Juniors are a true youth team while Houston Dynamo is basically just an all-star team of kids around the area who play for other clubs.

[pwip]

http://worldcupway.blogspot.com/2008/07/fcd-youth-development.html

[Stan Collins]

http://worldcupway.blogspot.com/2008/07/fcd-youth-development.html

Also:
http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080519&content_id=159205&vkey=pr_fcd&fext=.jsp&team=t104
will be financed exclusively by FC Dallas. Another fully funded team.

One can't help but wonder how history might have been different regarding a Clint Dempsey type player if this program had existed in his day.

[ATLGunner]

Yah, but I like what they have so far. Ellinger as director, Pareja as U-17 coach, already have drawn Leyva. Too bad they waited so long.

[Stan Collins]

Absolutely, and if anything that statement should be read as what can happen now. Clint Dempsey is quite good, but what he is not is a once in a generation player. Guys that talented come down the pike with at least semi-regularity.

And the next one who comes from rural Texas and is willing to commute all the way to Dallas to play high level club ball will probably be pretty enticed by the opportunity to do that for free. And at the option to go directly into the pros. The next Clint Dempsey might get that good 2 or 3 years faster, would get transferred for more money, and might feel the loyalty to the club that helped him along to come back when he's done there.

[boomersooner027]

The FCD Juniors begin their inagural season in the US Soccer Development Academy this afternoon with U-16 and U-18 games against national champions Andromeda.

http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080919&content_id=189416&vkey=pr_fcd&fext=.jsp&team=t104

FC DALLAS JUNIORS 2008-2009 U.S. SOCCER DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY SCHEDULE:
(Schedule subject to change; all times Local; U-16 times listed)

September 2008:
Sat. Sept. 20 at Andromeda (1:30 pm, Andromeda Training Facility - Showcase Field)

October 2008:
Sat. Oct. 11 at Classics Elite (5:00 pm, Trinity University)
Sun. Oct. 12 at Lonestar (9:00 am, Town & Country Optimist Club - Field 26)
Sat. Oct. 18, at Dallas Texans (2:00 pm, University of Texas at Dallas - Stadium Field)
Sat. Oct. 25 at Solar SC (TBD)

November 2008:
Sat. Nov. 8 at Texas SC (6:00 pm, Elizabeth Meyer Park - Field 4)
Sun. Nov. 9 at Texas Rush AHFC (1:00 pm, Bear Branch Soccer Complex - Field 7)
Sat. Nov. 15 vs Dallas Texans (2:00 pm, Pizza Hut Park - Field 4)
Sat. Nov. 22 vs Andromeda (2:00 pm, Pizza Hut Park - Field 4)

December 2008:
December 5-8 - Winter Showcase at the Lancaster National Soccer Center in Lancaster, Calif.
Sat. Dec. 13 vs Texas SC (2:00 pm, Pizza Hut Park - Field 4)
Sun. Dec. 14 vs Texas Rush AHFC (10:00 am, Pizza Hut Park - Field 4)

March 2009:
Sun. Mar. 22 vs Real Colorado (TBD, Pizza Hut Park)
Mon. Mar. 23 vs Colorado Rapids (TBD, at Pizza Hut Park)

April 2009:
Sun. Apr. 19 at Sockers FC (TBD, in Chicago, Illinois)
Mon. Apr. 20 at FC Milwaukee (TBD, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Sun. Apr. 26 at CASA (TBD, in Cleveland, Ohio)
Mon. Apr. 27 at Internationals (TBD, in Cleveland, Ohio)

May 2009:
Sun. May. 3 vs Solar SC (TBD, at Pizza Hut Park)
Sun. May. 10 vs Empire United (from Rochester, NY; TBD, at Pizza Hut Park)
Sun. May. 10 vs Carmel United Soccer Club (from Carmel, Indiana, TBD, at Pizza Hut Park)
Sat. May. 16 vs Classics Elite (TBD, at Pizza Hut Park)
Mon. May. 18 vs Lonestar (TBD, at Pizza Hut Park)
May 22-26 - Spring Showcase at the Sarasota Polo Grounds in Clearwater, Fla.

June 2008:
June 26-29 - Academy Playoffs at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. - Top three teams from each of the nine divisions.

July 2008:
July 11-18 - Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. - The top eight teams from each age group will qualify to compete at the Academy Finals Week.

[Stan Collins]

That's 22 games, by my count, not counting showcases and playoffs.

I remember one of the goals was reducing the number of games being played. It would be interesting to see a study on if that goal has been achieved (most of these kids still play games outside of the Academy setup, whether for club, HS, or YMNT/ODP, right?) and how much the reduction has been.

[boomersooner027]

UPDATE (Sept. 20) - We split today, the U-16s won 3-2 thanks to a Bryan Leyva freekick...the U-18s lost 2-0, finishing the game a man down.

From the FCD blog. Great result for the U-16's against a national powerhouse in their first game ever

[cowtown]

From the FCD blog. Great result for the U-16's against a national powerhouse in their first game ever

The youth setup they're pursuing, which may be Ellinger's only area of legitimate competency, including the fact that the team is not using it to make the quick buck, is one of the few things that really give me hope that this organization may actually care about soccer.

[boomersooner027]

The youth setup they're pursuing, which may be Ellinger's only area of legitimate competency, including the fact that the team is not using it to make the quick buck, is one of the few things that really give me hope that this organization may actually care about soccer.

FYI, the emphasis on youth development is coming directly from Hitch.

[cowtown]

FYI, the emphasis on youth development is coming directly from Hitch.

First I've heard of that. Got a link? I'd like to like the guy more than I do, especially since it seems he will be with us for a while.

[boomersooner027]

http://worldcupway.blogspot.com/2008/10/funes-brothers-at-river-plate.html

The Funes brothers...one of them the winner of Sueno MLS...are training at River Plate right now as they have visa problems(they were both born in Argentina).

Also the FCD Juniors will be playing the Tigres U-16 and U-18 teams before the full team plays Tigres in mid-October.

[mattmanp]

US U-20 camp in Spain:

Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (2):
Earl Edwards (San Diego, Calif.)
Josh Lambo (FC Dallas)

DEFENDERS (5):
Gale Agbossoumonde (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Anthony Arena (Kenmore, Wash.)
Kyle Davies (Southampton FC)
Zarek Valentin (Lancaster, Pa.)
Anthony Wallace (FC Dallas)

MIDFIELDERS (7):
Bryan Arguez (Hertha Berlin)
Jorge Flores (Chivas USA)
Gregory Garza (Sporting Lisbon)
Josh Hernandez (Dallas, Texas)
Jared Jeffrey (Club Brugge)
Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin)
Giuseppe Nazzani (Reggio Emilia, Italy)

FORWARDS (4):
Vincenzo Bernardo (SSC Napoli),
Tristan Bowen (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Abdusalam Ibrahim (Toronto FC)
Jose Torres (Loros de Colina)

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_10682372.html

Nice to see some FCD players on the U20 roster for the training camp in Madrid. Shows how seriously and how well FCD has taken youth development.

[boomersooner027]

The FCD U-16 Juniors are 8-0-1 and in 1st place. They beat Andromeda this past weekend on a 90th minute goal from Bryan Leyva.

The FCD U-18 Juniors are 3-2-3 in 5th place in their division.

The Development Academy standings can be seen here. http://ussda.demosphere.com/Standings/index_E.html

[JaySlick]

Some Official FCD youth updates


http://worldcupway.blogspot.com/2008/12/fcd-juniors-update-winter-break.html

official Press Release:

http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20081215&content_id=209063&vkey=pr_fcd&fext=.jsp&team=t104

TEAM NOTES:
• The FCD Juniors U-16 and U-18 teams have played a combined 28 games and only lost twice.
• The U-16s are 9-0-2 (29 points) in the Texas Division and 11-0-3 overall. They have outscored their opponents 42-10 overall.
•The U-18 team is 5-2-4 (19 points) within the Division, and 6-2-6 overall. They have outscored their opponents 31-20 overall.
•With three games remaining in Division play, the U-16s have already qualified for the 32-Academy Playoffs next June, since they are guaranteed to finish in the top three of the Texas Division.
•In Division play, the U-16s have scored 14 more goals then the next best team, and the U-18s have scored nine more goals then any other team.
•During the 10-month season, each Juniors team will play 14 games within the Texas Division, and 14 games outside the Division (including the Winter and Spring Showcases).
•Juniors forward Ruben Luna is the leading scorer in the entire Development Academy with 20 goals in 13 games for the
U-16 team. He's scored four goals twice, and added games of three and two goals respectively. •Right-sided defender / midfielder London Woodberry leads the U-18s with 11 goals in 12 games.
•U-16s midfielder Jose Perez became the third FCD youth player called in to a U.S. Soccer Youth National Team when he joined the U.S. U-17 team for a camp in Florida from Dec. 12-15. Midfielder Alex Molano joined the U.S. U-17 Residency Program in
September, and midfielder Josh Hernandez was called up to the U.S. U-20 team for a camp and games in Spain in November.
•Juniors U-18 forward Gabriel Funes and midfielder Ramiro Funes have not been available during the first half of the schedule. While in their native Argentina, the twin brothers have been training with River Plate's U-18 team, made possible through the relationship between FC Dallas and River Plate.
•The season continues for both Juniors teams in March with games against Academy teams from other Divisions, from cities in Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Colorado. Each Juniors team also has three Division games remaining.
•The Juniors teams will travel to Monterrey, Mexico on January 14 for friendly matches against Tigres UANL youth and other area teams.
•The next large Development Academy event will be the Spring Showcase on Memorial Day Weekend from May 22-26, 2009, at the Sarasota Polo Grounds in Clearwater, Fla.

[JaySlick]

Luna is destroying in the U16's and doing really well. woodbury looks like a good player coming through the system. and 3 guys have been called up the national team. not bad for since may...

here's an article about the FCD youth system and their philosophy:
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/component/option,com_topdrawer/Itemid,251/nid,7426/

[ElRoss425]

Hope Luna gets called in to the U-17s soon. He's tearing up the Texas and Development league. Also, the FC Dallas website lists him as 6' 190lbs. is that true? If so that's a big kid.