DrewVT6
07-17-2007, 08:02 AM
The governing body of US Soccer, the USSF, has anounced that starting in the fall of 2007 a new "Academy" team, EmpireUnited, will be made up of the best players from the Rochester Jr Rhinos, Buffalo United and Syracuse FC. The US Soccer Federation is really just now following the lead of what other successful soccer countries have done (See France, Portugal, etc) to improve the quality of players and to help create better professional players.
It is essentially creating an official standard for youth soccer similar to what hockey has with Junior A or other high level amatuer teams.
The real next step in the process will be to take the money out of it, in order to ensure all the best players are rising to the top rather than the players whose parents are willing to pay the most.
One thing that will happen as a result is we'll start to see guys from the Rochester area getting invited to the various levels of the national team (U15, U17, U20).
The D&C has a great article (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070717/SPORTS/707170309/1007) by John Boccacino
It is essentially creating an official standard for youth soccer similar to what hockey has with Junior A or other high level amatuer teams.
The real next step in the process will be to take the money out of it, in order to ensure all the best players are rising to the top rather than the players whose parents are willing to pay the most.
One thing that will happen as a result is we'll start to see guys from the Rochester area getting invited to the various levels of the national team (U15, U17, U20).
The D&C has a great article (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070717/SPORTS/707170309/1007) by John Boccacino