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.
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