MLS D.C. United

Tryouts for D.C. United's U-16 Boys Team Postponed

Published on March 20, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
D.C. United News Release


CHANTILLY, VA (March 20, 2003) - For a third time due to inclement weather, the tryouts for D.C. United's U-16 boys team, originally scheduled for tonight, have been postponed indefinitely. As soon as weather permits, the club will reschedule the tryouts. More information will be provided on www.dcunited.com and www.dcunitedyouth.com as it becomes available.

The U-14 through U-18 clubs will play in the USL's Super Y League throughout the summer, while United plans to enter the U13 teams in the USYSA Summer League, which begins in late May. D.C. United's youth squads will also get the chance to compete against top domestic and international competition throughout the year in some of the country's most prestigious tournaments, including the Disney Soccer Showcase, the Dallas Cup and the Surf Cup.

Once a pool of up to 36 players in each age group is selected, there will be a minimum of 25 practices beginning in late May, leading up to the kick off of the SYL season on June 14. Age groups in 2003 are identical to WAGS and NCSL age divisions.

The D.C. United youth coaching staff will include some of the area's top youth coaches, including: Terry Foley, Mike Jordan, John Kenny, Jim Abt, Arturo Jimenez, T.J. White, Dave Nolan, Rob Drake and Alberto Starace with the Girls Program as well as Todd Hitt, Mike Volpe, Rich Lennon, Yuri Sagatov, Brian Blackburn, Dave Kelley, Lyle Yorks, Marcelo Valencia, Sam Franklin, Sean Lanigan, Irad Young, Steve Totten and Brian Casey with the Boys Program.

D.C. United's youth teams closed out the 2002 calendar year as a dominating force at the Disney Soccer Showcase, the most prestigious youth soccer tournament in the United States. The three teams that traveled to the tournament (U-14 girls, U-17 boys, and U-18 boys) all advanced to the semi-finals - a difficult feat in itself considering the tournament only includes the top 12 teams from around the country in each age group.

This past summer, all four of the D.C. United boys squads advanced to the SYL national championships. The U-14 squad won the SYL national title in 2001 and captured the prestigious Everton Cup, in England, playing against five of the English Premier League's FA Academy youth squads. In addition, two players have recently been named to U.S. youth national team pools directly from D.C. United's youth program.

In November, United Soccer Leagues named D.C. United its 2002 Super Y-League National Organization of the Year at the league's Annual Operation Meeting in Clearwater, FL. With the budding program only two years old, D.C. United is on the cutting edge of finding and shaping America's young soccer talent. The program's success in its first two years has been due in large part to the dedication of and input from the United coaching and technical staff.

Questions regarding the tryouts, coaching staff, or the youth academy program can be directed to Jeff Nesbit, at dcyleague@yahoo.com. The academy's new website is www.dcunitedyouth.com, and information about the program, players and coaching staff can be found there also.

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Major League Soccer Stories from March 20, 2003


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