Nelson Castro, 14, of Houston, TX, wins SUEÃO MLS 2010 â Built by The Home Depot
Published on May 9, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
CARSON, Calif. (Sunday, May 9, 2010) - Nelson Castro, a talented 14-year-old defender from Houston, TX, has won the nationally-televised player search Sueño MLS 2010 - built by The Home Depot. The high school freshman of Salvadorian descent becomes the program's youngest winner ever. In addition to being named the Sueño MLS 2010 Champion, Castro will receive an invitation to join one of the Dynamo Academy youth teams.
Castro was one of 15 national finalists who emerged from the 2,000 aspiring players that participated in regional tryouts in Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles (LA Galaxy). The "Final 15" gathered on May 5 in Los Angeles for four days of intense pro-style training sessions, scrimmages against the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA Under-16 teams and various media activities - all under the leadership of two-time MLS head coach and current MLS Technical Director, Alfonso Mondelo.
Assisting Mondelo as "celebrity scouts" were Peruvian World Cup legend Teofilo "Nene" Cubillas and U.S. Men's National Team all-time great and World Cup veteran Marcelo Balboa.
"Nelson showed a lot of consistency over the four days in Los Angeles," said Mondelo. "For his age, he has a great sense of positioning and maturity. He organized the defense during games and was very vocal. We loved his tenacity and the way he defends. He has great anticipation and reads the game well."
Castro was officially presented as the winner today, Sunday, May 9, live (EST) on "República Deportiva" (Sports Republic), the popular weekly Spanish-language sports show on Univision that chronicles the tryouts in a "reality show within a show" format.
"I'm really happy that I won out of so many players," said Castro. "I never thought I'd even get to the final two." Of his performance during the week, he said, "I could have done better, but I felt good. I gave it all yesterday on the field, so I think that maybe helped me out."
Since its inception in 2007, Sueño MLS has given thousands of talented young dreamers a chance to showcase their skills and impress youth development scouts. The original winner, forward Jorge Flores of Anaheim, Cal., is now entering his fourth year with MLS' Chivas USA. The Mexican-American player recently represented the United States Under-20 National Team at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt. The 2008 FC Dallas Sueño MLS winner, Gabriel Funes, played with the FC Dallas Juniors U-18 team before moving on to Argentina's legendary side River Plate, where he regularly appears with the first team.
MLS sponsors participating in Sueño MLS 2010 - Built by The Home Depot include The Home Depot, Volkswagen and Degree Men.
ABOUT Nelson Castro:
AGE: 14
POSITION: Defender
HOMETOWN: Houston, TX
HERITAGE: Salvadorian-American
REGIONAL TRIAL: Houston Dynamo
HIGH SCHOOL: Eastwood Academy
FAVORITE PLAYER: Oguchi Onyewu
NOTES: According to the Dynamo Academy scouts, Nelson is a very smart player who made a tremendous impression on the coaches on the first day of the Houston tryouts. The young Salvadorian-American is smart with the ball when he is on the offensive, and made it difficult for players to get by him on the defensive side. The 9th grader at Eastwood Academy lists Oguchi Onyewu of the U.S. National Team as his favorite player, "because of his height and strength and because he plays my position."
Photos of Nelson Castro and the Sueño MLS 2010 official logo will be available later today at the MLS FTP: ftp://ftp.mlsnet.com
User name: mlsphoto
Password: ml$ph@t@.
2010 TIMELINE
April 3-4 Local market tryouts (Houston Dynamo @ USA Park)
April 10-11 Local market tryouts (Chicago Fire @ Montrose Park)
April 17-18 Local market tryouts (LA Galaxy @ Glendale Sports Complex)
April 18 Houston trials featured and Top 5 announced on "República Deportiva"
April 25 Chicago trials featured and Top 5 announced on "República Deportiva"
May 2 Los Angeles trials featured and Top 5 announced on "República Deportiva"
May 5-9 Final Event in LA
May 9 Announcement of winner on "República Deportiva"
PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY:
Eligible players must be between the ages of 14 and 18 years old (with appropriate identification) and retain their amateur status. Current collegiate student athletes will not be permitted to attend the final event in Los Angeles. Sueño MLS participants are responsible for all personal expenses associated with the local market tryout, including travel to local tryouts, lodging, food, soccer equipment (shoes, training gear, etc.), etc. Program sponsors cover all expenses for fifteen (15) participants selected to attend the final event in Los Angeles, CA. Participation in the event is free.
Major League Soccer Stories from May 9, 2010
- Sounders FC Issues Credit to Season Ticket Holders Following Loss - Seattle Sounders FC
- Nelson Castro, 14, of Houston, TX, wins SUEÃO MLS 2010 â Built by The Home Depot - MLS
- Shorthanded Red Bulls Dropped By Earthquakes, 4-0 - Red Bull New York
- Two early goals punish Red-and-White - Club Deportivo Chivas USA
- Earthquakes Take Down Eastern Conference Leading Red Bulls 4-0 - San Jose Earthquakes
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