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Louisville City FC

Sanchez Expects 'A Big Jump' in Youth Talent with New Training Facility

August 5, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Benefits of Soccer Holdings' training facility and the fields that will circle it are obvious for the USL Championship's Louisville City FC and NWSL's Racing Louisville FC, with both clubs able to base their operations under one roof next season.

Mario Sanchez, the organization's director of youth development, expects a high impact as well on local kids with aspirations of becoming professional soccer players themselves.

"I think you're going to see a big jump in youth soccer in general in this area," Sanchez said after helping break dirt on the new facility Tuesday at Champions Park, with the site about two miles east of the new Lynn Family Stadium.

"In a few years, you'll see quite a few boys and girls, whether it's with LouCity or Racing, that will come out of the greater Louisville area and move into professional sports."

Sanchez and his LouCity/Racing Louisville FC academy staff have already assembled the first wave of elite local talent comprised of approximately 700 kids - 350 girls and 350 boys - making up 44 academy teams.

"We're full," Sanchez said. "The feedback's been amazing. We just this week - Monday - started full-team training while navigating through COVID-19. We're doing our best by following the guidelines while providing kids an opportunity."

As soon as October, the academy sides could hit new turf fields on the training facility site. The rest of the facility and its natural grass fields are expected to be ready by spring of 2021.

The whole concept has Sanchez feeling "like a kid in a candy shop - super excited and thankful." It is, after all, his ideal vision for reaching a goal of making kids better.

"It's having kids show up and be able to see pro women and pro men and then the facility," said Sanchez, who holds a USSF A license and boasts more than 20 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience. "The facility allows us to train essentially year round thanks to the turf and will help all kids in Louisville."

Sanchez, a member of the University of Louisville's staff from 2010-2015, most recently held the head coaching role with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville before signing on with Soccer Holdings for 2019. In edition to leading the academy, he will coach the club's U23 team once USL League Two launches and helps out with LouCity's first team.

All the while, academy staff are looking forward to a series of competitions this fall. The youth teams will essentially play across four spheres, with pre-high school kids having a spring and fall season; older girls and boys competing in the Elite Clubs National League circuit; the USL Academy Cup; and an NWSL academy circuit should it form.

"It's something that, from day one, it's a challenge when you try something new getting people in the community to realize we're not trying to destroy other clubs," Sanchez said. "We're not trying to say hey, we're the greatest thing ever. We all have ideas how to do things.

"Thankfully we have an organization that's backing us. With the women's and men's pro teams, I think it gives kids something to aspire to - to show they're truly apart of it is unique."

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