It’s no secret that the Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of soccer talent. The Sounders FC Academy strives to provide an opportunity for the area’s youngest players to grow and develop in a competitive environment. With the arrival of Seattle Sounders FC 2, the organization’s USL team, Technical Director Marc Nicholls sees nothing but benefits for his teams moving forward.
“S2 provides the opportunity for our players to participate in professional matches, which is great for their development,” notes Nicholls ahead of this weekend’s inaugural S2 match. “The First Team can feel a bit out of reach, but this gives our players an excellent segue into the professional experience.”
The Sounders FC Academy system currently includes U-14, U-16 and U-18 squads, as well as a development program that recruits younger players. Next year, the staff plans to also field a U-15 team. The addition of S2 will afford older players a chance to grow in their professional careers before making their next move.
“We’re already working with some of our high school seniors who have flexibility with their schedules and can attend S2 training,” says Nicholls.
S2 isn’t just a benefit for the organization’s senior players. Nicholls says that the capacity to move players up and down through the system will also push younger players to perform better.
“The players that are performing well will now have the opportunity to be challenged at the next level throughout the whole club,” he notes.
Although the team is in its infancy, S2 is already making waves through the Sounders academy program, and Nicholls is pleased.
“We can already see the impact it’s having on our players. Even those who aren’t participating as part of team are influenced, because they’re able to see the excitement and preparation that goes into matchday,” Nicholls says.
With many Homegrown Players like Aaron Kovar, Darwin Jones and Victor Mansaray, Nicholls knows that the next standout player is already in his ranks, waiting to be challenged.
“We need to have a unified club outlook on development. This is the next step.”
