Soccer tennis is a highly contested event at the Grande Sports Academy. Bragging rights are always on the line and when a player challenged a coach the stakes are even higher. Today, Jonathan Stadler challenged coach Freddy Juarez. The video picks up with Stadler holding onto a slim 8-7 lead.
Weekend Soccer Preview – Final Regular Season Game
The 2012-2013 Real Sale Lake Academy season has come down to one game. The U18’s & U16’s have already qualified for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playoffs and need victories this weekend to secure the best possible seeding in the playoff draw.
U18′s
RSL U18’s are in a position to win the Southwest Division for the first time in history. Right now they are tied with LA Galaxy on points, 58 a piece, but are in second place due to goal differential. Galaxy have a +41 differential and RSL have a +32 differential. Third place in the division is Real So Cal who have 55 points.
RSL wins Southwest Division if…
Real So Cal defeats LA Galaxy and RSL defeats or draws Arsenal FC
Real So Cal draws LA Galaxy and RSL defeats Arsenal FC
If Real So Cal defeat LA Galaxy and RSL losses to Arsenal FC then nothing changes in the Division due to the goal differential. RSL needs to defeat Arsenal FC to pick up three more points to improve their playoff position in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playoffs. Currently they are #8 in the overall playoff positioning which puts them in pot #1. Below are the official rules for the Playoff group draw.
Once a team has qualified for the Playoffs, teams will be seeded into 4 pots based on overall points per game throughout the Academy season.
Pot #1: Teams seeded #1-#8
Pot #2: Teams seeded #9-#16
Pot #3: Teams seeded $17-#24
Pot #4: Teams seeded #25-#32Teams will be drawn from each pot and placed into a Playoff Group of four teams. Teams will be placed back in their respective pot if drawn into a Playoff Group with a division opponent. Each of the 8 Playoff Groups will contain 4 teams each. The same procedure applies to both age groups.
The rules above also apply for the U16’s.
U16′s
RSL U16′s are in second place, 55 points, in the Southwest Division and will not move up or down in the Division based on this weekend’s outcome vs Arsenal. Chivas USA, 1st place with 65 points, won the division a few weeks ago. Third place Real So Cal has 51 points on the season.
In the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playoffs, RSL is currently #13 and have no chance to move up into the top 8. RSL need to win so remain in pot #2.
For more in-depth coverage of the Academy team standings U18/U16 click here.
Saturday, June 1st, 2013
RSL U18 vs Arsenal FC – 11:00am at Grande Sports Academy
RSL U16 vs Arsenal FC – 1:30pm at Grande Sports Academy
Grande Sports Academy – RSL End Of The Year Video
Last week was the graduation party for the seniors at Vista Grande High School. Before they received their diplomas at the graduation ceremony a dinner was held at Fransisco Grande and a “End of the Year” video was shown.
The video has pictures of all the players, hilarious stories, interviews with the coaches and a few goals we were able to film this year. Enjoy the video below.
RSL U16 & U18 Academy Standings Update – May, 29th (Final Game This Saturday)
Once per week we will take a look at the current standings for our Real Salt Lake U18 and U16 Academy teams in the Southwest Division.
RSL U18 Academy Overview –U18′s have gone W8-D1-L3 in 2013 and have already qualified for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs. They are tied for first in the Southwest Division on points with LA Galaxy at 58 apiece.
Last Game – Defeated Pateadores, 4-1, on 5/18/13. Goals were scored by: Coco Navarro, Kostas Kotselas, Amer Sasivarevic and Aidan Tucker for his first on the year. Recap here and pictures here.
Right Now – RSL is W18-L5-D4 on the season and tied for first place in the Southwest Division on points, 58. LA Galaxy have the #1 spot due to goal differential. Galaxy are +41, RSL is +32. Real So Cal is in third place with 55 points and will face Galaxy on June 1st. If Real So Cal wins they will still finish in third place regardless of RSL’s result due to their lower goal differential +19.
RSL’s next game is important for playoff seedings in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs. Right now they are #8 in overall playoff positioning. If they finish out of top 8 they will have to face a top 8 team in the playoffs.
Up Next – U18′s play their final game this weekend against Arsenal FC. RSL defeated Arsenal 2-0 on March 10th.
For full standings click here.
RSL U16 Academy Overview – A bit of Déjà vu from the U18′s overview. U16′s have gone W9-D1-L3 in 2013 and have already qualified for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs.
Last Game – Defeated Pateadores, 4-0, on 5/18/13. Goals were scored by: Brooks Lennon, Bofo Saucedo, Damian German and Luis Lopez for his first on the year. Recap here and pictures here.
Right Now – RSL is now W17-L6-D4 and have already locked up the #2 spot in the Southwest Division. Leaders, Chivas USA, have 65 points and third place Real So Cal has 51 points.
Like the U18′s RSL’s next game is important however it might be a too late for a better seeding. Currently they are #13 in overall positioning and will be dropped into the second pot, teams 9-16, for the playoffs if they started now. Chances of them finishing top 8 are slim.
Up Next – U16′s play their final game this weekend against Arsenal FC. RSL defeated Arsenal 2-0 on March 10th.
RSL Academy Coaches Wrap Up Open Tryouts In Utah
Over Memorial Day Weekend, coaches at Grande Sports Academy traveled up to Utah and held open tryouts to identify the next generation of talent that may join the U16 & U18 academy teams.
Over 90 players attended the multiple tryout session’s on May 24 and May 25 and coaches at the academy came away pleased with the talent they saw.
The next step is for coaches to invite players down to the Grande Sports Academy for another look. If you were not able to attend the tryouts or any previous sessions we will be holding one more session in June 7-9th. Click here to sign up for these dates.
We will also have summer camps
Coaches also filmed this from the RSL vs Chicago Fire while in Utah.
Three Grande Sports Academy Players Called Up To U17 MNT For Caspian Cup
Grande Sports Academy home of Real Salt Lake Arizona Academy will be three players short this weekend as Sebastian “Bofo” Saucedo, Justen Glad and Brooks Lennon have all been called up to the U17 MNT to participate in the 2013 Caspian Cup in Azerbaijan.
Glad was in the Residency Program for US Soccer earlier this year and was on the U17 team that was unfortunately eliminated from the U17 World Cup when they lost, 3-1, to Honduras in the quarterfinals of the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship.
Bofo and Lennon were called into a U17 camp in March and clearly caught the eye of the coaches with their performances. In two exhibition games vs U15 MNT and Real So Cal, Lennon scored 2 goals and had 2 assists. Bofo scored 1 goal and drew rave reviews.
The Caspian Cup features 12 countries divided up into 4 groups of three teams.
Participating countries:
Group A: Azerbaijan, USA, Kyrgyzstan
Group B: Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Georgia
Group C: Turkey, Uzbekistan, Jordan
Group D: Uruguay, Japan, Tajikistan
The Cup will begin on May 29th and the U17 MNT will play the following day vs Kyrgyzstan. Two days later on April 1st, U17 MNT will play their final group game vs hosts Azerbaijan.
Only 1 team from each group can advance to the winners bracket that will be played on June 3rd. If USA wins their group they will play the winner of Group B. The winners in this round will then meet in the Championship game on June 5th.
The teams that finish in second and third place in their group will still be guaranteed 2 more games that will be played on June 2nd and 4th.
USA Group Game Schedule – (ALL TIMES ARE ARIZONA) Azerbaijan is also 12 hours ahead of Arizona.
Thursday, May 30th
U17 MNT vs Kyrgyzstan – Dalgha Arena at 5:00am
Saturday, June 1st
U17 MNT vs Azerbaijan – Bayil Stadium at 8:00am