MLS FC Dallas

FC Dallas Juniors U-16 Travel to California for Development Academy Finals Week

Published on July 10, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


FRISCO, Texas (Friday, July 10, 2009) - The FC Dallas Juniors U-16 team departed Texas this morning for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. FC Dallas is one of eight teams competing for the national championship in the U-15/16 age group. Divided into two groups of four, each team will play three games in a round robin group play format beginning on July 11, with the two group winners facing off in the final on Friday, July 17.

"We couldn't be more proud of everything the FC Dallas Juniors program has accomplished in our first year," said FC Dallas General Manager Michael Hitchcock. "These young players and the coaching staff have worked hard all year long, and it's shown in their performances throughout the regular season, in the playoffs, and most recently in the SUM U-17 Cup. We wish them all the best out in California and hope the boys can return to Dallas with a trophy as their carry-on."

The FCD Juniors U-16s clinched a spot in Finals Week after winning their group with a perfect 3-0 record in the playoffs last month (June 26-29) in Greensboro, N.C. The impressive playoff showing came after the Juniors finished the Development Academy regular season as the top team in the Central Conference Texas Division with an 11-0-3 record (18-3-7 overall).

At Finals Week, the FCD Juniors will compete in Group 1 with the New York Red Bulls, Chicago Magic AS Monaco and Derby County Wolves. Group 2 is comprised of Greensboro Youth Soccer, Washington Premier FC, PDA and Cal Odyssey. FC Dallas' first match will take place on Saturday, July 11 against the Derby County Wolves at 9 p.m. CT. The full FC Dallas Juniors group schedule is outlined below.

The trip to California follows a week in Colorado, where the team competed in the third annual SUM U-17 Cup, eventually falling to D.C. United in the championship match on penalty kicks. With the second place finish, however, the team has automatically qualified to compete in the prestigious Super Group in the 2010 Dallas Cup youth tournament. Past clubs to compete in the Super Group include youth squads from AC Milan (Italy), Clube Atletico Paranaense and Sao Paulo FC (Brazil), Club Atletico River Plate (Argentina), Liverpool FC (England) and Tigres UANL (Mexico).

The FCD Juniors U-16 team is led by forward Ruben Luna and midfielder Bryan Leyva, who were both recently named to the Central Conference Starting XI team. Rounding out the FC Dallas Juniors program is the U-18 team, which also made the playoffs but did not advance to Finals Week. The U-18 team features Central Conference Starting XI selection London Woodberry and Conference Coach of the Year Oscar Pareja. All awards were voted upon by Development Academy clubs and national staff coaches. The Development Academy national Starting XI and Academy Players and Coaches of the Year will be announced next week.

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