The spring semester in the 11th year of U.S. Soccer’s Full-Time Residency Program kicked off in early January 2009. With the next FIFA Under-17 World Cup quickly approaching, every player in Residency is age-eligible for the event, born on or after January 1, 1992.
With head coach Wilmer Cabrera taking the reins of the program in the fall of 2007, the Development Academy has provided the new coaching staff with a wider scouting program than ever before. While the U-17 coaching staff travels around the country to scout players, a full network of Development Academy scouts are around the country doing the same.
To supplement the Academy scouting process, a new program, geared toward the Under-17 Men’s National Team Residency Program and implemented by National Staff Coaches Juan Carlos Michia and Rene Miramontes, is trying to find other hidden gems
The U.S. has turned its attention toward player development, and along with that goal, the Under-17 MNT has eyes for World Cup qualifying, which will take place in April in Mexico. The U.S. is the only country that has qualified and competed in all 12 FIFA World Championships at this age group.
The 40 U.S. players live on campus at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and train daily under the guidance of Cabrera and assistant coaches Gerson Echeverry, Paul Grafer, Keith Fulk and Paul Caffrey. The team takes several foreign trips each year and also plays against top Development Academy sides in an exhibition setting, traveling across the country.
Started in 1999, the U.S. Soccer Residency Program has become a symbol of U.S. Soccer’s dedication to producing development opportunities for players and the success of the Youth National Teams. With the successes of the U.S. Under-17 MNT during the first few years, the number of players invited into the full-time Residency Program was doubled from 20 to 40, adding 10 additional players in both fall semesters of 2002 and 2003. U.S. Soccer has been able to increase the number of players enrolled in the program to provide greater opportunities for young players and increase its investment in player development. With 40 players in Residency, the program is able to field two full teams that train together during the week, and get the chance to compete against club, college and international teams on the weekends.
Since its inception, 170 players have been through the full-time Residency Program, and more than 40 of those players have moved on to Major League Soccer, or the professional leagues in Europe. Twelve players have also registered at least one cap with the full MNT: Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Bobby Convey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Gaven, Eddie Johnson, Chad Marshall, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta and Jonathan Spector. Beasley and Donovan both started in the 2002 FIFA World Cup as 20-year-olds, and were joined by Convey, Onyewu and Johnson in 2006.
In its first year of existence, the U.S. Soccer Residency Program enrolled 20 of the elite players in the country to train together in Bradenton and produced instant success as the Under-17s qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in New Zealand in November of 1999. On the world stage, the American teenagers rose to the occasion, winning their group and advancing to the semifinals before being ousted in a penalty shootout. The fourth-place finish tied for the best showing by a U.S. Men’s Youth National Team in a major international competition. Also, U.S. stars Donovan and Beasley were awarded the Gold and Silver Balls, respectively, as the top two players in the entire tournament.
After struggling in the “Group of Death” two years later, the U.S. rebounded with back-to-back fifth place finishes in the following two FIFA U-17 World Championships in 2003 and 2005. At the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, the U.S. went undefeated in group play to win their group for just the third time in 11 appearances, and the first time since 1999. In 2007, the squad advanced to the Round of 16 before a 2-1 defeat to Germany.
With head coach Wilmer Cabrera taking the reins of the program in the fall of 2007, the Development Academy has provided the new coaching staff with a wider scouting program than ever before. While the U-17 coaching staff travels around the country to scout players, a full network of Development Academy scouts are around the country doing the same.
To supplement the Academy scouting process, a new program, geared toward the Under-17 Men’s National Team Residency Program and implemented by National Staff Coaches Juan Carlos Michia and Rene Miramontes, is trying to find other hidden gems
The U.S. has turned its attention toward player development, and along with that goal, the Under-17 MNT has eyes for World Cup qualifying, which will take place in April in Mexico. The U.S. is the only country that has qualified and competed in all 12 FIFA World Championships at this age group.
The 40 U.S. players live on campus at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and train daily under the guidance of Cabrera and assistant coaches Gerson Echeverry, Paul Grafer, Keith Fulk and Paul Caffrey. The team takes several foreign trips each year and also plays against top Development Academy sides in an exhibition setting, traveling across the country.
Started in 1999, the U.S. Soccer Residency Program has become a symbol of U.S. Soccer’s dedication to producing development opportunities for players and the success of the Youth National Teams. With the successes of the U.S. Under-17 MNT during the first few years, the number of players invited into the full-time Residency Program was doubled from 20 to 40, adding 10 additional players in both fall semesters of 2002 and 2003. U.S. Soccer has been able to increase the number of players enrolled in the program to provide greater opportunities for young players and increase its investment in player development. With 40 players in Residency, the program is able to field two full teams that train together during the week, and get the chance to compete against club, college and international teams on the weekends.
Since its inception, 170 players have been through the full-time Residency Program, and more than 40 of those players have moved on to Major League Soccer, or the professional leagues in Europe. Twelve players have also registered at least one cap with the full MNT: Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Bobby Convey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Gaven, Eddie Johnson, Chad Marshall, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta and Jonathan Spector. Beasley and Donovan both started in the 2002 FIFA World Cup as 20-year-olds, and were joined by Convey, Onyewu and Johnson in 2006.
In its first year of existence, the U.S. Soccer Residency Program enrolled 20 of the elite players in the country to train together in Bradenton and produced instant success as the Under-17s qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in New Zealand in November of 1999. On the world stage, the American teenagers rose to the occasion, winning their group and advancing to the semifinals before being ousted in a penalty shootout. The fourth-place finish tied for the best showing by a U.S. Men’s Youth National Team in a major international competition. Also, U.S. stars Donovan and Beasley were awarded the Gold and Silver Balls, respectively, as the top two players in the entire tournament.
After struggling in the “Group of Death” two years later, the U.S. rebounded with back-to-back fifth place finishes in the following two FIFA U-17 World Championships in 2003 and 2005. At the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, the U.S. went undefeated in group play to win their group for just the third time in 11 appearances, and the first time since 1999. In 2007, the squad advanced to the Round of 16 before a 2-1 defeat to Germany.
