D.C. United and McLean Youth Soccer have reached an agreement to partner on youth soccer initiatives focused on player identification and development. McLean Youth Soccer and D.C. United are members of US Soccer’s Development Academy, with McLean fielding two Under-12 teams in 2016/2017.
McLean becomes the third Development Academy club in Northern Virginia to align with D.C. United to provide a defined pathway for top players to remain within the Development Academy while creating a direct connection to the MLS Academy. When players move on from the Under-12 age group, top players within McLean soccer will now have an opportunity to transition directly to D.C. United and/or Arlington Soccer to compete in the Under-13 and Under-14 age group the following season.
"McLean Youth Soccer is excited to partner with D.C. United. Providing our elite players with opportunities for appropriate pathways is a fundamental aspect of our club,’ said McLean Youth Soccer’s Director of Soccer, Keith Tabatznik. “Partnering with D.C. United and supporting our local professional team makes perfect sense. We look forward to working with the staff at D.C. United to help develop our most talented players."
In addition, McLean's top U-12 players will have the opportunity to participate in elite training sessions, MLS competitions, and international competitions with D.C. United, while representing McLean Youth Soccer in the Development Academy. In an effort to place the area's top players on a pathway to professional soccer and encourage development, the clubs will work together to identify and select players through D.C. United’s Development Academy Talent Centers throughout the spring and summer.
"We are pleased and excited to work with McLean Youth Soccer to offer top players within the club a defined progression to continue their development within the Development Academy and progress into D.C. United's Academy." said Nolan Sheldon, D.C. United's Academy Director. "We are already working closely with McLean Youth Soccer's club leadership and coaches to identify opportunities to add development opportunities for the club's top players"
McLean soccer will host a series of D.C. United Development Academy Talent Centers in the spring of 2017, which will act as the primary identification opportunity for aspiring youth players for the 2017/2018 Academy season.
