That's right ... this will be our last post in this here YNT Blog, as the brand new ussoccer.com launched this afternoon. You can still find archived blog entries here, that highlight everything from the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup through the launching of the Development Academy and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, not to mention silver and gold medal efforts at the FIFA U-17 WWC and FIFA U-20 WWC, respectively.
We hope we'll see you on the new site, because we really do love your comments, criticisms and support. So go ahead, check it out ... really, it's okay:
http://www.ussoccer.com/Social/YNT-Blog.aspx
We'll see you on the flip side.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Make The Move to the BRAND NEW YNT Blog at ussoccer.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Today's Equalizer
In case you missed the game online, the U.S. U-18 MNT drew 1-1 against Germany this evening at the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland. Here is Ryan Finley's late equalizer:
Watch the U-18 MNT LIVE Against Germany!
BBC has confirmed that it will be streaming games from the Northern Ireland Milk Cup LIVE on its website. In what sounds like a pretty cool program called BBC Blast, young camera operators, directors and producers will be given the opportunity to hone their skills by doing a live event - in this case, Milk Cup games - much to the benefit of the rest of us who want to watch.
To watch the game, which starts at 2:45 pm ET (7:45 pm in Northern Ireland), click here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/11_16/blastni/media_sub_milkcup.shtml
It is currently the only match involving the U.S. team that is scheduled for webcast, so be sure to tune in!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Coming Full Circle
With their championship game win Thursday night, U-17/18 Carmel United SC completed a journey that started last November. Barely three weeks into the season, we decided to follow the team for one day of the Winter Showcase.
So take a look back at a team that had a goal in sight that was several months away and was still preparing for those early season games with the same mindset they've shown all week in Los Angeles.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Derby County Completes Finals Week as U-15/16 Champions
In the final match of DA Finals Week, the Derby County Wolves defeated Cal Odyssey 1-0 at The Home Depot Center to become U-15/16 national champions. With a goal from Dzenan Catic in the 6th minute, the Wolves complete the postseason in the same way they entered it: as the No. 1 ranked team.
For the complete match story, check here. We'll have highlights up tomorrow, but for now, check out our video player for highlights from days 4 and 5 of Finals Week.
As for the other placement matches today, here's how things shook out:
7th place: New York Red Bulls vs. Greensboro Youth Soccer: 3-1
5th place: FC Dallas vs. Washington Premier FC: 3-4
3rd place: Chicago Magic AS Monaco vs. PDA: 2-1
Once again, congratulations to the Derby County Wolves, and we'll see you tomorrow as we wrap up the 2008-09 Development Academy season!
Time For The Younger Generation
After watching the older age group get to play their placement matches all day yesterday, it's time for the U-15/16 clubs to get their time to shine.
Today's list of placement matches:
7th place: Greensboro Youth Soccer vs. New York Red Bulls&mdash:1 pm PT
5th place: FC Dallas vs. Washington Premier FC—3 pm PT
3rd place: Chicago Magic AS Monaco vs. PDA—5 pm PT
Championship Match: Derby County Wolves vs. Cal Odyssey—7 pm PT, broadcast on ESPN Classic and espn360.com
Some interesting notes:
—Cal Odyssey is on a seven-game unbeaten streak, during which they’ve only allowed three goals while scoring 17.
—Cal Odyssey’s 1-1 draw against Washington Premier was the first goal they conceded in all of finals week.
—FC Dallas' Bryan Leyva leads scorers in his age group as the only person to tally four goals through three games.
—There have been eight shutouts in twelve U-15/16 games so far during Finals Week, with three coming on Monday afternoon.
For more information on today's matchups as well as recaps of yesterday's U-17/18 placement matches, click here!
Paying Dividends
Hopefully, you'll all remember what Nike SPARQ testing is. Standing for Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction and Quickness, the battery of tests that Academy players underwent at the Winter Showcase and then again in the Spring Showcase help to measure each individual athlete's overall athletic ability. They can then train for specific weaknesses, helping to improve their ability over time.
Well, after last night's U-17/18 Development Academy championship game, we found out that Nikita Kotlov, the winning goal scorer for Carmel United, had the fastest 20-meter sprint time at the Spring Showcase. He also had the third highest overall SPARQ rating. So it would seem the training and testing works! Don't quite believe us yet?
Maybe it'd convince you if we told you that the Derby County Wolves, one of the teams playing in today's U-15/16 championship match, has the highest team speed in the Academy according to SPARQ testing. This means that after every player's 20-meter sprint time was taken, the team as a whole possesses the fastest average speed among players.
So in the heat of these summer months, if you're not one of the lucky few to still be playing in Finals Week, keep working hard. It will pay off!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The End Of The Road
From 74 teams down to 32, then 8, and now 2, the final day of the U-17/18 Development Academy finished today with four placement matches among all eight teams of Finals Week. The results are as follows:
7th place match: CASL Chelsea FC Academy vs. Dallas Texans—1-0
5th place match: PDA vs. FC Greater Boston—3-2
3rd place match: Real Colorado vs IMG Soccer Academy—0-1
Championship match: Carmel United SC vs D.C. United—1-0, congratulations to Carmel United SC for their second Development Academy title in a row!
Check back here tomorrow for highlights from today's placement matches, as well as interviews from players and coaches in the championship game!
Development Academy in the News
We're not the only ones writing about Finals Week; around the country several papers have been covering their local teams and players throughout the week. Here are a few links to get you started:
From Tacoma, Wash.—The News Tribune
From Fresno, Calif.—The Fresno Bee
Indianapolis, Ind.—The Indianapolis Star
Nashua, N.H.—The Nashua Telegraph
Detroit, Michigam—Detroit Free Press
Raleigh-Durham, N.C.&mdash:The News and Observer
If any of you coaches, players, parents and fans catch something in your own paper about the Academy or Finals Week, let us know!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
2009-09 Development Academy Award Winners
Over the past two days of games, the U.S. Development Academy has announced the Coach and Player of the Year honorees for both age groups. The awards were voted on by Development Academy clubs and U.S. Soccer National Staff coaches and technical advisors.
Derby County Wolves U-15/16 head coach Lars Richters and FC Dallas Juniors U-17/18 head coach Oscar Pareja have been named Coaches of the Year for the 2008-09 season. Coach Richters has led his U-15/16 Derby County Wolves to a berth in the championship match, while Pareja led his FC Dallas club to a 15-5-8 regular season record and second place in their conference.
As for the Development Academy Player of the Year awards, FC Dallas Juniors forward Ruben Luna has been named U-15/16 Player of the Year, while Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year winner and Andromeda midfielder Dillon Powers has added to his award-winning season with Development Academy Player of the Year honors for the U-17/18 age group. Powers recently returned from a trip to Egypt with the U-20 Men’s National Team, where he helped the team earn a win and a draw against the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup hosts.
Congratulations to all four award recipients on a great 2008-09 season!
Day Six Match Reports
The final day of U-15/16 Development Academy Finals Week group play has concluded!
With group 1 already claimed by the Derby County Wolves, Chicago Magic AS Monaco, FC Dallas and and the New York Red Bulls fought it out for the third, fifth, and seventh place games. The scores and resulting table positions:
Derby County Wolves vs. New York Red Bulls: 0-2, Derby County remains on top of the group and New York stays in 4th place.
Chicago Magic AS Monaco vs. FC Dallas: 2-2, Chicago Magic AS Monaco finishes 2nd in the group, while FC Dallas finishes third.
Group 2 results:
Cal Odyssey vs. Washington Premier FC: 1-1—Cal Odyssey has won group 2 and will play the Derby County Wolves in the U-15/16 championship match!
PDA vs. Greensboro Youth Soccer: 2-0—PDA finishes second in the group now, and will play in the third place match.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Placement Matches For U-17/18s
Group 2
CASL Chelsea FC Academy vs. Real Colorado: 2-0
PDA vs. D.C. United: 1-5
D.C. United and Carmel United SC will meet for the U-17/18 Development Academy national championship!
Group 1
Dallas Texans vs. FC Greater Boston—2-4
Carmel United SC vs IMG Soccer Academy—3-3
To see how the rest of the teams shook out, check here.
The third place match will see IMG Soccer Academy and Real Colorado face off, while the fifth place game will be a battle between FC Greater Boston and PDA. Rounding out the U-17/18s will be a fixture for seventh place between the Dallas Texans and CASL Chelsea Chelsea FC Academy.
Click on the scores for full match reports and check back with the YNT blog later today for photos and highlights from matchday 3 for the U-17/18s!
LA On The Small Screen
While waiting for departure to The HDC today, a few U-15/16 FC Dallas players were in the lobby and the YNT blog decided to ask about their favorite TV shows that have taken place in LA and the surrounding So Cal area.
Reality TV shows peppered the conversation, with The Hills and Cribs being mentioned, alongside dramas 24 and The O.C.
Someone got a little mocked for liking Keeping Up With the Kardashians (we won't say who to protect the guilty party), but the awkward silence after we asked about Saved By The Bell quickly turned the laughter on us. We didn't get it until we remembered that the show's last episodes aired when these guys were still infants.
It's never a good morning to realize you're old, but thanks for the reminder, boys!
Individual Game Highlights
For those of you who can't be in LA with us ('tis a shame, because the weather truly is beautiful, and we do wish you were here) or missed the broadcast of a specific game, we're going to be posting individual game highlights on YouTube over the next few days. First up are Day 1 U-17/18 games:
Texans vs. IMG Academy
CASL vs D.C. United
FC Greater Boston vs Carmel United SC
Real Colorado vs PDA
Enjoy!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Derby County Wolves Clinch Group 1
With a 1-0 victory against the Chicago Magic AS Monaco this afternoon, the U-15/16 Derby County Wolves have clinched group 1 of Finals Week and a spot in the U-15/16 First Place Placement Match--simply put, they're in the title game!
The other afternoon match that helped them clinch it was a 3-0 win for FC Dallas against the New York Red Bulls.
It is still possible for either FC Dallas or the Chicago Magic to end up with six points, which would tie Derby County if they lose in their third game, but the first tiebreaker is head-to-head match-up. Because Derby County has beaten both of those teams already, they're through.
As for the rest of the day's results, Washington Premier FC beat Greensboro Youth Soccer 2-1 and Cal Odyssey defeated PDA 1-0.
And just to round out the day, here's a new episode of Studio 90!
Day Four Reading Material
While action is already underway in the first game of the day (U-15/16 NY Red Bulls vs. FC Dallas), take a few minutes to read today's notes.
You might also want to see who made the D.A. Starting XI.
Other U-15/16 matches today include:
Chicago Magic AS Monago vs Derby County Wolves in a battle for first place in the group; both teams enter the match with hefty undefeated streaks. Kickoff is slated for 4 pm PT.
Last but not least, Greensboro Youth Soccer will face off against Washington Premier FC at 6 pm PT, while PDA and Cal Odyssey close out the day at 7 pm PT.
As always, we'll be back later this evening with scores and match reports!
A Look at the Players Lounge
The Players' Lounge at Academy Finals Week is more popular than ever as it's located, conveniently, right in the teams' hotel. Before and after meals especially, you can always find a line for EA Sports FIFA 2009 games, the fussball table and computers. When players return from their games, you will surely find a crowded Gatorade bar. Take a look...
Players hanging out at the tables in the lounge
D.C. United players take their turn on FIFA '09
The Dallas Texans controlling the fussball table
Highlights from the day before are looped on a giant projected screen so players can check themselves out
World Championships!
As much as we might like to think US Soccer's Development Academy is the biggest draw in town, in a place like LA, we know that sometimes that's just not the case.
But little did we know that this week, we'd really be facing a true competitor. A competition attracting the biggest and the brightest from around the world. A competition...of performing arts.
In our fantastic hotel this week are performers from around the world, competing in the World Championships of the Performing Arts. According to everyone's favorite encyclopedia, the WCOPA is:
"An 'Olympics-style' competition in which singers compete against other singers, dance groups compete against other dance groups, actors against other actors. Industry heavy-weights, talent agents, record execs and television producers judge the talent to determine who moves onto the finals. Once at the finals, a champion is selected by 16 celebrity judges from among the top 3-4 performers in each category and both age groups. Of the eight category winners, a Junior and Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World is selected."
No word yet on a jazz hands event.
We've seen teams from Sweden, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, Jamaica, Moldova, and there could be a few others we haven't caught. So to those from overseas, (especially South Africa, who just hosted the MNT team so kindly)...welcome!
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