D.C. United announced today full details for the club’s 2011-2012 Youth Academy staffand schedule. Each of United’s Youth Development teams will train Mondaythrough Friday. The Black-and-Red will kickoff the 2011-2012 U.S. Soccer Development Academy League in two months, withthe U-18’s taking on Seacoast United on November 19 and the U-16’s facingEmpire United on November 20.
“We have set the bar for having the best Academy in MLS and we look forward tocontinued success in 2012,” said United General Manager Dave Kasper.
D.C. United legend Jaime Moreno will continue to serve as Academy Technical TrainingCoach while D.C. United Assistant Coach Sonny Silooy will offer his expertiseto Academy players and coaches.
“We look forward to building off of last season,” said Moreno. “We will start earlywith the U14’s and U15’s, to give them the next steps of the program as theymature. We have a good U-18 group, with a lot of talent, and the same is trueof the U-16’s.”
“We’re establishing a new program at United, one that I have experience with in thepast as a former player at Ajax,” said Silooy. “I have also worked with thissystem as a coach in the Academy for Ajax. I know it takes a long time to implement, it’s a process, but I lookforward to lending my knowledge to the players and staff at the club”.
In preparation for the U.S. Soccer Winter Showcase, D.C. United’s Academy willhost a friendly tournament in Maryland over Thanksgiving weekend for U-14,U-15, U-16 and U-18 sides. The tournament will take place at Cedar Lane Park inHoward County, Md. and Covenant Park in Ellicott City, Md. from November 25through November 27. This will be an invitation-only event, with competingteams to be announced at a later date.
United Academy players Michael Seaton and Jorge Calix have joined the U.S. Soccer U-17Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. Beginning in 1999, the Residency Programhas provided an opportunity for the best players in the country to cometogether and train in a professional environment. The Residency program hasproduced several individuals that have thrived in Major League Soccer, foreigndomestic leagues and the U.S. National Team.
D.C. United’s finalized Academy rosters will be unveiled in mid-September. Below isa full listing of the club’s 2011-2012 Youth Development staff.
FONT OFFICE STAFF
- Academy Technical Training Coach: Jaime Moreno
- D.C. United Assistant Coach: Sonny Silooy
- Academy Coordinator: Junior Castro
- Head Youth Scout: Tom Torres
U-18 ACADEMY TEAM
- Head Coach: Nolan Sheldon
- Assistant Coach: Tom Torres
- Assistant Coach: Kris Ward
U-16 ACADEMY TEAM
- Head Coach: Roberto Da Silva
- Assistant Coach: Jaime Moreno
- Pre-Academy Coordinator: Tom Torres
U-15 PRE-ACADEMY TEAM
- Head Coach: Tom Torres
- Assistant Coach: Ronald Cerritos
U-14 PRE-ACADEMY TEAM
- Head Coach: Micah Cooks
- Assistant Coach: Kris Ward
- Assistant Coach: Roberto Da Silva
