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Weekday notes are the newest feature to debut on the Grande Sports Academy website. Once per week we will be taking a look at all the happenings going on at the Academy, on and off the field.
Seven Academy Players Train With Real Salt Lake
On Monday night seven Academy players trained with Real Salt Lake. Each player shared their thoughts on the experience below.
Picture Gallery Of The Practice Here
Andrew Brody
“It was a great experience. Fun to be out there with the pros and see what their life is like in the training sessions and how it is different from us. Even though it was their fist day here the intensity was higher than what I was used to. Super fun to play with them out there and a great learning experience.”
Benji Lopez
“It was good. Level was high and everything was clean soccer. I felt good out there. I thought I would be a little behind but I fit in.”
Sebastian “Bofo” Saucedo
“On Sunday when I got the message from Freddy saying I was going to train with the first team I didn’t believe it. I was very happy and I didn’t know the chance was going to come this early at my age because I’m only 15. We had fun it was great knowing the players and a great experience. The coaches were really nice, everyone was friendly and the players helped us through every drill. We didn’t do everything correct but they were there for us. It was pretty fun.”
Jose “Coco” Navarro
“It was a good experience. I though it was nice to train with the first team. Getting to know the pros was easy. It was fun and everyone else was having fun. It was a good way to train”
Jose Hernandez
“It was awesome. It was a great experience being able to train with pro athletes at this age. It’s the best experience I have had.”
Jon Zabasajja
“It was a humbling experience. Training with the pros is a privilege. We’re down here every day training with the Academy team and it’s very nice to be called up and train with the pros. It’s a different experience. because it’s very fast and there are big guys out there. It’s not easy.”
Ive Burnett
“Training went really good. It is helping me get better for college. playing with the older guys, going in as a freshman I’m hoping to start right off the bat playing against older people as well. It is requiring me to think three plays ahead which sharpens the mind and helping me with a better touch.
Foreign Player Adjusts To New School Makes Honor Roll
Welcoming foreign-born players to the Academy is nothing new. But helping them adjust to a new culture and language is always something new. At times it can be difficult for a new player, however one of the most recent additions to the Academy has already immersed himself quite quickly and was named to the Honor Roll at Desert Hills High School
Patricio Cevallos, originally from Queretaro, Mexico, joined the Academy in August and has even impressed the tutors that are based at the Academy
“It was hard adjusting because of the language and some classes were different but I found it easy because I knew how to speak English and that helped me a lot.”
Like most players coming to the Academy for the high emphasis on schooling is just as important as playing soccer and Patricio is no different.
“For my mom and I that was the first thing we checked before I came here. Study hall helped me a lot to have my homework done.”
Congratulations Patricio!
