For the first time in club history, all three Seattle Sounders Academy teams have qualified for the U.S. Soccer Development Playoffs, which begin on June 17 at the SoCal Sports Complex in Oceanside, Calif.
Only four other clubs in the country — Chicago Fire, Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and the Philadelphia Union — made the playoffs in every age bracket. In the U-17 and U-19 divisions, teams must win their group in order to advance to the quarterfinals.
While this is the third consecutive season that both the U-17s and U-19s have secured playoff berths, the U-15s booked passage to the inaugural U-15 DA Playoffs by finishing the regular season unbeaten atop the Northwest Division.
Also for the first time in club history, one of the youth teams has an opportunity to defend its title, as the U-17s won the 2018 USSDA national championship in resounding fashion.
U.S. Soccer announced the group pairings last week, with the U-15s placed in Group A alongside TFC, Montreal Impact and Florida-based club Weston FC.
Finishing the regular season with an 11-8-4 record, the Sounders U-17s secured the third and final playoff spot from the Northwest Division. Drawn into Group C, they’ll take on the Montreal Impact, Bethesda SC and Solar Soccer Club.
The U-19s qualified for the playoffs as one of the highest ranked wild card teams in the country. The oldest members of the Sounders youth system will take on Orlando City SC, FC Golden State and PDA in a stacked Group G.
You can find more information on the playoffs here.