One of the key focuses of both the League and individual teams is the development of future professional players - youth systems.Later this week, Hitch will provide more details on the entire FCD Youth structure and system, but we wanted to give you an advance. One important element was that each piece of the pyramid (see above) had to have cross-over; the goal is to make sure each step is connected, giving players an opportunity to advance from the academy teams to the professional side...
In May, we launched the FC Dallas Juniors Program, consisting of a U-16 and U-18 team that will compete in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. These teams will supply the pro team with players...
This week, we're finalizing the rest of the FCD Youth Teams, with at least one team in every age category...these will be feeder teams for the Juniors...
Next is the Academy teams, which will consist of multiple teams in the young age groups -developing players from the initial stages.
John Ellinger, who is the top assistant on the first team, will be the Executive Director of the FC Dallas Youth Program. John was the U.S. U-17 coach that spearheaded the launch of the U.S. Soccer U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida back in 1999.
Next, we've been able to bring Oscar Pareja back - he played, captained, and then became assistant coach for us from 1999-2007; then became the assistant coach of the U.S. U-17s until this past week. Oscar will be the Director of Player Development, the head coach of the FCD Jrs U-18 team, and the co-head coach of FCD Jrs. U-16 team.
Chris Hayden will continue his role as the Director of Coaching for FC Dallas Youth, and co-head coach of the FCD Jrs. U-16 team (with Oscar). Chris has been with us for some time; he'd worked closely with Chris Clarke (below) during the Sueno MLS tryouts, and then oversaw the launch of the FC Dallas Juniors program.
Finally, Chris Clarke will be the Director of FCD Academy Development and FCD Soccer Camps. As many know, Chris - or 'Clarkie' - has also been with us for a while. He's run the School of Excellence camps, youth camps and clinics, and has often been called in to assist the first team.
Stay tuned for more details later this week...
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18 comments:
NICE!
papi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like a real program!
Go Clarkie!!!
Beautiful to hear that Oscar is coming back, and I'm elated that Ellinger will be heading youth development. This will really pay off on a lot of levels 5-10 years down the line.
All good news - what a delight to read about this kind of positive progress towards developing our youth.
Papi - el hombre es el corazon de FCD!
This is wonderful news and can only be good for the morale of the first team, the fans, and the dreams of our youth. Applause to the FO for bringing in this key talent.
Papi - beinvenidos a Dallas!
so my little junior can start playing now at age 5 and eventually work his way to the first team? What a selling point for FC Dallas Youth clubs! They'll have kids lining up!
a good start in building the club . . .
this is how you build up your team,you start building from the root. that why i said in my prvious blog that this business of getting partners from other countries to get loans realy does not help look at the Mina situation... Hitch needs to get his soocer business knowllege. look at teams like Everton,PSG,ManU. they have the best youth systems in this world and most of their players come from there. Kenny C is just an example the man we call our best player on this team. if we want to be sucessfull we need to copy others.i'm happy Oscar is back!
My family is new to the area and heard about the FC Dallas Youth activity at the stadium, so took my 12 year old son today and was shocked and some what insulted what I endured. GM, Michael Hitchcock and FC Dallas Youth Director, Chris Hayden no where to be found and when I asked, 2 very nice, what I would call volunteers, said they hadn't seen them, today or yesterday, WHAT? With my shock, asked who was in charge and was directed to an extremely rude lady, named Rebecah, who said she voluntered to run the weekend as direction from her boss, who I believe she said was the CFO. There was an inflatable on the concourse, as it was described to me as a "time killer" and the coach on the field as the same. Know there is alot of positive feedback on this blog, but since there was no one of authority at the stadium today, I'm posting here. Please tell me that this is not the norm or was I lied to when talking to people about moving to Frisco and FC Dallas.
i have no idea what you're talking about
Two posts above...my friend has a kid in the club. The event this weekend at the stadium was for jersey fittings and was not an open house for the public. Why are you so upset that the higher-ups were not around to watch kids try on clothes?
I don't think you know what you're talking about (3 posts above this one). This weekend's event was for youth club uniform fittings, and was an event ONLY for players who had been offered contracts at tryouts last week--not for any member of the general public who happens to wander onto the field. The "time killer" was for the players to have something to do while the parents and managers worked through the uniform payments and club paperwork once the fittings were done. And Sunday's event (which you said you attended) was solely for GIRLS' teams. By the way, senior management has better things to do instead of watch boys and girls try on jerseys over the weekend! Get your facts straight before posting ridiculous comments on this blog.
The event this weekend was not open to the public, and believe me our GM had much more important things to do - he was probably out scouting a tractor pull or something to put in the stadium and move a soccer game.
BTW these changes to the youth program sound like a demotion for Chris Clarke - thats unfortunate.
demotion?
Director of FCD Academy Development and FCD Soccer Camps sounds like a huge task...
Dear NEW TO THE AREA -
First of all, please ignore the tone of the anonymous posters, they are not thinking about how they may sound to someone not accustomed to their "style" of posting comments.
There are many truly great things going on with youth development at FCD. My suggestion would be for you to contact the front office via email or phone (Ask for Chris Clarke) asking for information about the program and when you could visit the park.
Good luck to your son in his pursuit of the beautiful game!
Miss Charlie
All will be good as long as Hitch stays out of it.
Stay tuned for more details later this week...
Nothing new has yet been announced. Is there a planned announcement expected?
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