SNOHOMISH COUNTY, WA— (club release) As part of its ongoing effort to provide great player development initiatives, Snohomish United announced it will be the only club in the Washington State to offer fully funded programs for the US Soccer Development Academy Boys teams at the 2006/2007, 2005, and 2004 age groups. By eliminating financial barriers for players in the Development Academy teams, Snohomish United will be able to offer the academy program to talented players regardless of their ability to pay.
Snohomish’s Technical Director, Scott Uderitz, has this to say about the move; “We are very proud that Snohomish United is able to fund our Academy program through fundraising and sponsorship. We are incredibly lucky to have board members and coaches that see the value of this program and share the same vision.” Additionally, he added; “We take great pride in the fact that in the last 6 years we have graduated 23 Snohomish United players onto the next level, between Crossfire and the Sounders. We know that by taking away the financial barriers, these numbers will continue to increase.”
This is a result of US Soccer Development Academy announcing its second largest expansion of the player development program. Snohomish United was selected to the Development Academy’s eleventh season based on club leadership and quality of coaching staff, desire to embrace Development Academy philosophy and core values, infrastructure and investment of resources, player production history, player pool depth and geographic location.
This additional growth expands the player pathway in the Pacific Northwest region, which will create additional opportunities for player development by adding U-13 and U-14 single-age Development Academy divisions, following the successful introduction of the U-12 DA division this season.
Snohomish United President, Chris Miller, shared “The move to fully fund our Development Academy program is an important step toward our long-term vision for the club. By removing the burden of cost, our DA program will provide the most talented players in our state the opportunity to reach their full potential and showcase their abilities. It’s an exciting time to be part of the Snohomish United family and our BOD is committed to continued growth and improvements. There are many reason to be excited about our club’s future and the projects we have planned.”
The strategic move is to expand the pathway is part of a long-term plan for player development, and will provide Development Academy clubs with the opportunity to enhance their efforts to develop world-class players.
About the Development Academy
Following a comprehensive review of elite player development in the United States and around the world, U.S. Soccer created the Development Academy in 2007 for male players in the U-15 to U-18 age groups. In 2013, the Academy expanded to include the U-13/14 age group, and in 2016, the Academy launched the U-12 age group, which has continued to improve development by setting standards and improving the everyday environment for elite players and clubs. Academy alumni have progressed to play at elite amateur and professional levels with 109 Academy graduates rostered in the MLS in 2016 and 23 Academy players earning U.S. MNT caps.
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