FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Four years after launching its successful youth development program, the New England Revolution will expand the program for the 2012-13 season. The Revolution will add an Under-14 team to train and compete alongside the Revs’ current Under-18 and Under-16 teams.
The Revolution’s youth development program, which U.S. Soccer rated among the nation’s top eight youth programs last year, is the only fully-funded youth soccer program in New England, and competes in the prestigious U.S. Soccer Development Academy at the U16 and U18 age levels. Qualified and talented players are accepted into the program without regard to their financial situation. All players’ needs and expenses related to soccer activities – training, facilities, equipment, uniforms, travel associated with competitions – are provided by the Revolution at no cost to the players or their families.
The addition of the Revolution’s Under-14 squad will allow the top teenage players in Eastern New England the opportunity to continue their soccer development through one consistent development system. The Revolution Under-14s will compete in U.S. Club Soccer’s Northeast Pre-Academy League in 2012-13 as U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy currently only has Under-15/16 and Under-17/18 age groups.
“Launching our Under-14 team continues the on-going vertical integration of all of our competitive teams into one streamlined system, from our youth teams to the reserve squad and on to our first team you see every weekend in MLS,” Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said. “Expanding our youth teams deepens our commitment to developing the top youth players in our region, players who we hope will be the Revolution’s professionals in coming years. We’re very much looking forward to growing our development program and seeing the U14s on the field next fall.”
The new 10-month Development Academy season, mandated by U.S. Soccer this winter, also means players who play on clubs which play in the Development Academy must forgo playing high school soccer. With the addition of the Revolution’s U14 squad, highly-talented youth players will have the opportunity to develop and train in the Revolution’s system for the entirety of their high school years.
"This is another critical step for the New England Revolution and for soccer in this region,” Revolution Director of Youth Development Bryan Scales said. “A cost-free U14 program, along with our fully-funded U16s and U18s, further enhances our development model and helps us continue to prepare the area’s best players for soccer careers at the highest level."
Current Revolution Under-16s assistant coach Gary Hall will be the new head coach of the Under-14 squad.
Revolution youth players are afforded unique playing opportunities not available to players at other regional clubs. Top performers have the opportunity to train with the Revolution first team during school breaks, and also are eligible to be called up to play against professionals in the MLS Reserve League alongside first-team players. Additionally, the Revolution’s youth team receives invitations to play internationally, and most recently competed in the prestigious 2012 Future Champions Guateng tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the team earned a sixth-place finish – the highest finish by an American club in tournament history.
The Revolution Youth Development Program will conduct a series of free Revolution Training Centers (RTC) for players born in 1998 and 1999 throughout the spring for players interested in being seen by the Revs’ youth development staff. Additionally, open try-outs will be conducted in early summer.
For more information about either the Regional Training Centers, including the upcoming one on Friday, April 27, at Gillette Stadium, or the try-out process for the club’s youth teams, please email revolutionacademy@revolutionsoccer.net.
Families can also indicate their interest in attending an RTC by filling out the form here.
