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Seattle Reign FC

Seattle Reign Academy to Join U.S. Soccer Girls' Development Academy

June 30, 2016 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Seattle Reign FC News Release


SEATTLE - U.S. Soccer today announced that the Seattle Reign Academy has been selected as one of the founding members of the U.S. Soccer Girls' Development Academy. The Seattle Reign Academy is one of twenty-five clubs across the United States and one of only two clubs in Washington State accepted by the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for its inaugural 2017-2018 season.

Through a partnership with Seattle United, the Seattle Reign Academy was launched as an initiative to develop female youth soccer players in the Pacific Northwest and to provide support for the next generation of NWSL and U.S. National Team players.

"Part of our mission is to be recognized as one of the best academies in the United States in the way we train our players and the philosophies we teach," said Seattle Reign Academy Technical Director Tracey Kevins. "Joining the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will allow us to enhance and expand our ability to develop world-class players in the region."

The Seattle Reign Academy was selected from a pool of applicants from across the United States. Selection criteria was based upon the leadership of the club and quality of the coaching staff, the infrastructure of the club and the resources currently being invested, as well as the club's history of player production for the Youth National Teams, the senior Women's National Team, and professional leagues.

Announced earlier this year, the U.S. Soccer Girls' Development Academy will launch in 2017 and provide an elite player development model similar to that of U.S. Soccer's Development Academy for boys, which was founded in 2007.

"Launching a Girls' Development Academy is part of an unprecedented commitment to elevating the women's game," said U.S. Soccer Women's Technical Director April Heinrichs. "The Development Academy program will offer clubs support and education to positively impact the development of players and coaches throughout the country."

The Academy will feature advanced training requirements and fewer matches in order to prioritize training and player development within the team concept.

The program will have teams at three combined age groups including the U-14/15, U-16/17, and U-18/19 levels. The Seattle Reign Academy will field teams at all three age groups. The club season will run for ten months, from September through July.

"The Seattle Reign Academy allows us to show what the club is about from the top all the way down," says Seattle Reign Academy Executive Director Laura Harvey. "We want to provide the best education pathway for players to make that step up and get a college scholarship, a professional contract, or recognition by a national team."

Details for tryouts for the Reign FC Academy will be provided in the coming months. For more information on the Reign FC academy, contact Seattle Reign Academy Technical Director Tracey Kevins at tracey@reignfc.com or visit www.seattlereignacademy.com.

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