YNT-eligible NASL/USL players: 2017/18 offseason thread

I need some clarity real quick. So there are both amateur contracts and academy contracts right? I think I remember Swope Park Rangers signed kids to contracts that preserved NCAA eligibility, that I recall was an “amateur contract” but I’ve also seen kids from numerous academies just play in USL games. I’ll assume the latter are “academy contracts”. So could a team theoretically sign a kid to an amateur contract and not count towards the amount of academy players in an 18? Or are these contracts I’m thinking of the same thing. I assume these amateur contracts take a roster spot though.

 

I think they are the same.

 

Brian Gambarte (18) and Gaston Cardozo (19) could be joining @atlutd2 from Newell's Old Boys on loan deals. They were the other two players that #ATLUTD acquired rights to in the Franco Escobar purchase #ATLUTD https://t.co/pSdtnuARXO

— ATLUTD Prospects (@ATLUTDprospects) February 1, 2018

Could be wrong but I think Gambarte is a CF and Cardozo a LW

 

Saint Louis FC signed Aedan Stanley '99, Jack Maher '99, and Seth Stiebel '99 to academy/amateur contracts.

Stanley in particularly played a number of games last year. He may continue to get game action, though he's currently slated to depart for Duke this summer.

 

That's curious. I'd swear I read where the first year D3 was gonna be regional with USL focusing on the Southeast. I wonder if this means they'll have two regions the first year.

 

In my opinion USL has it backwards. Instead of making the division II a gigantic league with the Division III being a small league, it should be reversed. Both of the leagues should be large, but the Division III will cut costs more with primarily regional travel. Regional travel requires a ton of teams.

My guess is that this will evolve naturally as some Division II teams look to cut costs (particularly some MLS II teams) and choose to go the Division III route.

I love that states like Alabama and Georgia and Arizona have ownership groups excited to get involved with minor league professional soccer. I want kids in every state of the union to see a local, direct pathway for themselves into the professional game. MLS cannot canvas the entire country by itself, but USL can.

Now, if we can just get the NCAA to approve the year round calendar proposed by the coaches, the Division IV PDL/NPSL/UPSL route will become an excellent development option for some players while they attend college as well.

There is some real, big time potential here if we play our cards right.

 

I had not heard about the Southeast regional emphasis. In addition, I have heard that Omaha is looking to start with a D3 franchise in the first year,

 

I think USL will continue to get very large and very regional and within about 5 years have about 80-90 teams in the two divisions.

(For perspective, there are 120 full-season minor affiliated league baseball teams and 72 affiliated short-season teams in the US and Canada, NOT counting the independent leagues.)

There are just so many places out there where a team could do well if the travel costs are contained.

 

The report in the local paper said that FC Tucson may not start in D3 until 2020, depending on how quickly the USL can assembly a regional division for the west.

This sort of flexible start date makes sense. Regional travel should be appealing to potential owners, but nobody wants to be first and be stuck on an island. Now the USL can go to potential owners in Bakersfield or San Bernardino or Visalia or wherever and tell them that Tucson is ready when they are. Meanwhile, Tucson can happily ply their trade in the PDL without ever having to do stupid travel to another part of the country.

 

Tulsa signed Chase Gentry, a 97 goalkeeper out of Cal State Dominguez Hills.

http://www.roughnecksfc.com/news_article/show/883859?referrer_id=2689357

Next season is when this thread will really be deluged with USL signings of '97 college graduates. Gentry is young for a college senior.

 

NEWS: FC Dallas agrees to one-year affiliation extension with @USL side @EnergyFC.

📰https://t.co/2P6kr3DBMS pic.twitter.com/o9LrEx70Ft

— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) February 7, 2018

 

Camilo Benitze, a 99 from Ecuador via North Carolina and Sporting KC's academy, just signed with Swope Park Rangers.

The release says he's an Ecuadoran citizen and he came to the US at age 13, so he might get naturalized (assuming he isn't already) in time for this cycle.

https://www.sportingkc.com/post/201...y-midfielder-camilo-benitez-full-usl-contract

 

KC's affiliates and/or recruiting are really making an impact. Busio and Lindsey are also from NC. USL signings Felipe Hernandez and Will Little are from Tennessee. Zach Wright is from Texas. Wan Kuzain is from southern Illinois. Daniel Salloi is from Hungary.

EPB, Ellis, and Kempin are their only academy signings actually from the KC area.

 

NEWS: #Quakes74 extend affiliate partnership with @Reno1868FC: https://t.co/0sTdKpGKEj pic.twitter.com/wElB774KBO

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) February 10, 2018

 

75' - A special moment for our affiliation. 💙@QuakesAcademy player JJ Foe Nuphaus enters the match as a sub for @Reno1868FC. Ivan Valencia also started the second half for Reno. #ForwardAsOne pic.twitter.com/r95PLBYYLG

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) February 10, 2018

It's hard to imagine the Quakes' amateur academy players playing much for Reno, though. Logistically that's a real pain.

 

3 1/2 - 4 hour drive one way. I’m not saying that it can’t be done but the word “pain” was a good word to describe the drive.

Both Sacramento and Fresno are over an hour closer.

 

Daniel Steedman signed an academy contract with Charlotte.

Congrats USSDA U18-19 team member Daniel Steedman for his recent signing to the Charlotte Independence as an amateur player.
See article for full details: https://t.co/vH3vMfQeOG pic.twitter.com/9oVgllv807

— Charlotte Soccer Academy (@CSA_Soccer) February 12, 2018

He's a '00 midfielder with 17 goals in 15 U19 games this year who has verballed to UVA.

http://chrl.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=1400261&player=28939595

 

Ethan Bryant '01, a midfielder, has joined San Antonio FC on an amateur basis.

http://www.sanantoniofc.com/news_article/show/886933?referrer_id=2436046

There's no DA program in San Antonio above the U14 level; the release says he was playing with ex-DA club Classics Elite. He did spend a season with IMG Academy in Florida in 2015/16.

http://imga.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=1400582&player=29381752

 

Evan Waldrep '97 left Grand Canyon a year early to sign with Phoenix Rising.

http://www.phxrisingfc.com/news_article/show/886989?referrer_id=2717359