Southern Soccer Academy, Atlantic Fire United Also In
TAMPA, Fla. – FC Nashville was the first club announced by the United Soccer Leagues (USL) to be accepted into the Next Generation Series, an exciting, new youth soccer initiative undertaken by USL and IMG Academy, established to provide players, coaches and clubs the opportunity to take part in an eight month, elite-level league.
The 2013 NGS format will consist of U12 and U14 boys and girls teams participating in an eight-month season beginning in August and culminating in April that will feature two evaluation/competition events at IMG. Top players will be identified through the NGS Player Tracking Program and invited to attend the NGS ID Training Camp at IMG.
The USL has also announced that the Knoxville Soccer Academy, Atlanta Fire United and Southern Soccer Academy from Georgia have been accepted into the program.
Led by former U.S Men’s National Team captain Desmond Armstrong, FC Nashville is seeking to find and develop talent and put players on a larger stage. The Knoxville Soccer Academy teams will be headed by Director of Coaching Derek Broadley.
“NGS provides my players and opportunity for greater exposure and competition beyond their traditional state league,” Armstrong said. “The long-term benefits of the NGS format are that there will be more training times in preparation for matches, which is vitally important at these ages, so that it lays the foundation for player success when they are older competing for spots at the next levels.”
Atlanta Fire United traces club history back 32 years. Over the past two season AFU has qualified eight teams for the Super Y-League North American finals, with two taking home championships.
“The emphasis at our younger age groups is to teach them how to play before we teach them to compete,” said AFU Director of Coaching Mark Mackain.
Southern Soccer Academy, based in Marietta, GA, is led by Director of Soccer Steve Gummer.
More than just another youth soccer league, NGS features a forward-looking, innovative, comprehensive, and unique development program designed to develop the complete elite youth soccer player through a defined regimen of training, competition, testing, and evaluation.
“We are excited to have accepted FC Nashville into the Next Generation Series,” NGS Director Abe Thompson said. “FC Nashville’s players (as will the players from the other clubs) will have the unique experience of being part of an elite competition while benefitting from the facilities and expertise available at IMG Academy.
Thompson played collegiate soccer at the University of Maryland, and enjoyed a eight-year professional career before joining the USL to head up the Next Generation Series. He played with Dallas, Houston and Kansas City in MLS, and has played the last three years with the NASL Ft. Lauderdale Strikers.
“The NGS will help players improve by offering them challenging games, as well as exposing them at a younger age to the type of evaluation and education they will see at higher levels, whether that be a youth national team, college, professional team, or full national team.”
According to the USL announcements, the inspiration for NGS was the repeated and consistent message received from top youth soccer clubs and coaches that they were seeking a fresh development initiative specifically geared toward younger teams and players. NGS was launched to fill the void by providing a comprehensive platform for clubs to best prepare their young players for the challenges which await them at the next level.
“My goal for joining NGS is to provide broader opportunities for my players, some of whom are refugees, who have a limited geographic range to display their talents,” Armstrong said.
The 2013-2014 NGS season will feature four conferences. Teams from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, will play in the South Conference.
The Florida Conference will include only teams from the Sun Shine State, while Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana will play in the Mid-South Conference. Clubs from Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania will comprise the Mid-Atlantic Conference.