As an affiliate club, Arlington Soccer Association (ASA) is one of the primary soccer clubs D.C. United looks to for identifying and developing top youth talent in the region. Not only are ASA players scouted and brought in to play for D.C. United, but all levels of ASA teams benefit from the quality and consistency of the affiliate program. In this young relationship, D.C. United wants to share coaching and training resources with ASA that will improve players, coaches and teams.
Arlington Soccer Association has three players on the D.C. United Academy U-16 roster this season. Patrick Jean-Gilles, Hamza Monawer and Christophe Gerlach are all current D.C. United players, but they all come from the same ASA roots.
“ASA helped us get recognized by D.C. United,” said Jean-Gilles. “We now have opportunities we wouldn’t have had without this connection.”
The Arlington Impact Red U16 boys and Arlington Strikers Red U17 boys have also had success alongside Jean-Gilles, Monawer and Gerlach. Both teams were crowned Virginia State Cup Champions after winning in a competitive finals weekend on Oct. 27.
“I’m really proud of them,” said Gerlach. “The three of us here at D.C. United just want to say congratulations. It’s a big accomplishment.”
The affiliation between the Arlington Soccer Association and D.C. United could be a shining example for other soccer communities,” said ASA Director of Travel Coaching German Peri. “The relationship allows ASA access to D.C. United’s professional coaching curricula and methodologies, while allowing D.C. United to benefit from ASA’s talented player pool and youth developmental program."
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