Last month, D.C. United sent Under-14 standouts Nelson Martinez and Everson Amaya to the Generation adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP) in San Jose, California. The event, which was in conjunction with MLS All-Star Week, allowed academy players the opportunity to meet MLS All-Stars and attend the All-Star game against Arsenal F.C. on July 28.
“It was a great experience and I was able to meet and learn from the best players from MLS and Arsenal,” said Martinez. “I'm thankful for being selected by D.C. United to attend such a world-class event.”
The ESP is the most prestigious and premier experience available for talented youth soccer players in the United States and Canada. It gives players born in 2001 and 2002 the opportunity to learn from world-class coaches while playing with the most elite academy players in MLS.
“It was an unbelievable and amazing experience. I learned what professionalism looks like and it's more of a glimpse into life as a professional soccer player,” said Amaya.
The program offers players a professional experience that impacts the academy standouts both on and off the field, from nutritional lessons to instructions on strengthening mental performance, Martinez and Amaya were given tools on how to become successful professionals in the future.
"Any time a player has an opportunity to experience a high-level event, it’s good for their development and growth as men and players,” Nolan Sheldon, United’s academy director, said. “We’re excited that Nelson [Martinez] and Everson [Amaya] were able to participate in the ESP event - it’s always an experience that players enjoy and benefit from."
