2012 Soccer Class

RSL-AZ Academy Soccer Teams are in the 2012 USSDA Playoffs

The United States Soccer Development Academy has released the draw set for the 2011-12 Development Academy soccer playoffs. The draw set contains 32 teams from the U15/16 and 32 teams from the U17/18 USSDA soccer clubs around the United States.

In only its second year of competition, the Grande Sports Academy’s soccer team, Real Salt Lake – Arizona, has again qualified for both the U15/16 and U17/18 USSDA playoffs. RSL-AZ teams ramp up for the playoffs as they begin to focus on playing in the June 25th tournament in Frisco, Texas.

The first round of Academy Playoff play contains 8 Groups of four teams. The winner of each group advances to the Development Academy Finals Week from July 16 -23 in Houston Texas.

RSL-AZ U17/18 garnered a third seed in Group 5 along with FC Dallas from Frisco Texas, Sockers FC from Palatine Illinois, and McLean Youth Soccer from McLean Virginia.

RSL-AZ U15/16 secured a second seed in Group 4 along with the Chicago Fire from Bridgeview Illinois, Seattle Sounders FC from Tukwila Washington, and the Clearwater Chargers from Clearwater Florida.

The U17/18 soccer squad finished the season in third place in the SoCal Division of the West Conference with 31 points.The team scoring leader Maikon Orrellana ended the season with 13 goals. Joining Orrellana is Danny Gavin and Jordan Allen with 7 goals, Etiandro Tavares with 6 goals, and Dylan Kelly with 5 goals.

The U15/16 team finished the season in second place with 34 points. Jose Navarro lead the team in goals this season with 15 goals. Andrew Brody contributed 9 goals and Trevor Hyman kicked in 7 goals for the season.

Game schedule:

U17/18 Team
June 25, 2012 – 8:00pm – Field 9 – Sockers FC (H) vs Real Salt Lake – AZ (A)
June 26, 2012 – 8:00pm – Field 11 – Real Salt Lake – AZ (H) vs FC Dallas (A)
June 28, 2012 – 11:00am – Field 7 – Real Salt Lake – AZ (H) vs McLean Youth Soccer (A)

U15/16 Team
June 26, 2012 – 4:00pm – Field 17 – Real Salt Lake – AZ (H) vs Seattle Sounders FC (A)
June 27, 2012 – 6:30pm – Field 14 – Clearwater Chargers (H) vs Real Salt Lake – AZ (A)
June 29, 2012 – 9:00am – Field 15 – Chicago Fire (H) vs Real Salt Lake – AZ (A)

Dylan Kelly – Soccer Opens Door to a Bright Future

Soccer Academy

My name is Dylan Kelly and I play Forward for the Real Salt Lake – Arizona U18 soccer academy. I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana but I grew up in Tucson, Arizona. I have played soccer my whole life and I am proud to be a part of the Real Salt Lake – Arizona Academy team. This is my second year in the academy and it has opened so many doors for me. If it weren’t for my team and the coaching staff, my future would not look as bright as it does right now. Because of this team I am able to continue my soccer career at the college level.

My experience at resident life at Grande Sports Academy was like no other! I got the chance to have all the access to soccer that anyone could possibly wish for. I could go out to the fields whenever I wanted (if I wasn’t at school or already practicing). I was provided with a nice cozy room with a roommate. Living on my own was a relief from all the stress back at home. I was also provided with good food in the lounge that never seemed to disappoint. The lounge was also equipped with two TVs and a ping pong table to use when I wanted to relax. All in all, living as a resident was good and a fun experience for me that I will never forget.

As a result from the program, the Real Salt Lake – Academy, my life and future have been changed for the better.

Real Salt Lake – Arizona Soccer Academy Split with Real So Cal

Soccer News

Real Salt Lake-Arizona’s U18 soccer academy team started with a bang versus Real So Cal. Etiandro Tavares score in the seventh minute lead the initial attack, but the RSL-AZ soccer academy boys could not hold on to the lead as they lost a heartbreaker 1-2 to the visiting Californian academy.

The morning game started brightly as Tavares knifed his way through the RSC’s defense, before combining with Ricardo Velasco, crashing the ball high into the net. RSL-AZ continued their tough attack of the Californian’s goal, but could not finish the attack and missed several good opportunities for goals.

The second half started in the same fashion as RSL-AZ continued its attack and Real So Cal stoutly defend their end of the pitch. Halfway through the second period, Jordan Allen, whose exploits down the left flank had caused RSC’s defense all kinds of problems, was pulled down as he cut into the penalty area for a penalty kick. Allen stepped up to the spot but although his effort beat the goalie, but the ball crashed off the upright and away from danger.

Real So Cal capitalized on the miscue catching Real Salt Lake-AZ’s goalkeeper in possession of the ball and forward Richard Martinez stole the ball and tied the game for Real So Cal at 1-1. With two minutes left in regulation RSC forward Lucas Reilly, scored off a corner kick as he arrived at the front post area, heading the ball home for the lead. As time expired, Real So Cal held on to take all three points.

The Real Salt Lake-AZ’s U16 squad fought a fierce battle against a resolute Real So Cal team determined to go home with at least a share of the spoils.

The first half went by with RSL-AZ having the advantage in territory and possession, but at the end the half, the score was still nil to nil.

The second half was a little different as RSL-AZ winger, Bay Kurtz, wrestled the ball away from a Real So Cal defender before finding Trevor Hyman at the top of the box. Hyman took a touch and then hammered the ball past the Real So Cal goalkeeper for a 1 to nil RSL-AZ lead.

Ten minutes later Real Salt Lake – Arizona soccer academy would go two up. This time it was Jose Navarro, who found space in the penalty area and made sure of his chance.

In the 57th minute Real So Cal pulled one back as Real Salt Lake-AZ defender Jon Zabasajja, in an attempt to clear the ball, deflected it into his own goal, giving the travelling team a glimmer of hope.

Determined not to throw away the game, RSL-AZ forward Jose Navarro took the game by the scruff of the neck, finding the net in the 73rd minute and closing out the game in a 3-1 win, giving RSL-AZ U16’s all three points.

Real Salt Lake-AZ U18 and U16 soccer academies return to the field at the Grande Sports World fields on Saturday, May 19 at 10:00am and 12:30 pm respectively.

Living on Campus Allows Us To Excel

Soccer Academy

Living here at Grande Sports Academy has been an amazing experience. From the coaching staff to the hotel staff, everyone here wants what is best for you, the athlete. I am so happy I made the decision to move down to “The Grande”. I believe that moving down here has truly helped me develop not only as a player, but also as a person. Living away from home is always a tough experience, but the caring and kind people who run things around here have been amazing.

I cannot say enough good things about the set up here at Grande Sports Academy. The facilities are extremely state of the art and the fields are unbelievably perfect. Grande Sports Academy is truly a desert oasis. It’s a place where a serious soccer player can hone in on their skills and make the step to either college or to professional soccer career. I do not believe I would have been able to land a soccer scholarship to UCLA without the help of the Real Salt Lake -Arizona Soccer Academy and GSA. I was able to move down here last August and put all life’s distractions behind me. By living here I am able to focus the majority of my time on soccer.

Cole Nagy in play - Real Salt Lake - Grande Sports Academy

I really wanted to keep my skills sharp and continue to develop before I head off to college in July. Grande Sports Academy is ideally set up so that all the players here can minimize off field distractions and maximize their soccer potential. The rest of the MLS clubs will hopefully be able to follow in the footsteps of Real Salt Lake – Arizona soccer academy/GSW and build residential programs in the future.

I am very thankful to the creators of Grande Sports Academy, Mr. Ron Burks and his partner Ms. Michael Saunders, for putting so much into the GSA/RSL-AZ Soccer Academy. They are truly a part of our family here in Casa Grande and it is amazing to see how they care so much about our players and our teams.

After only one year, our Real Salt Lake – Arizona academy has become a respected and well-known youth soccer academy in the United States. Without the hard work of our coaches, staff, and players, we would not be anywhere near where we are now. I am so thankful to be a part of such an amazing and innovative place. I am excited to be able to look back 10 or 15 years from now and say that I was a part of Grande Sports Academy and Real Salt Lake’s original academy team in Casa Grande. I know this place will just get better and better every year.

We have had so many MLS teams come to train for preseason and it’s an amazing experience to interact with and speak to professional players. It inspires me to hear them talk about how much they love the facilities at Grande Sports World. Hearing the way the pros talk about GSW pushes me to take full advantage of this place everyday.

Outside of the amazing soccer life style here, I find a little bit of peace and quiet out on the golf course. The golf staff has been great to me and I appreciate them letting me play countless rounds of golf and hit a countless amount of balls on the range. I believe it is important to get away from soccer a little bit. Maybe once a week I try to find time to play golf or play guitar and just relax my mind for a few hours.

I cannot say enough good things about this place. GSA is professional, extremely state of the art, and just an overall great place to develop as a soccer player. It has been amazing to train under Martin Vasquez, as he is a very successful coach and was once a very successful player. Martin only enhances the professionalism of GSA. I am excited to check in every year and see how much this place develops in the future. The sky is the limit for the hard working people here in Casa Grande at the Francisco Grande Resort. My experience here at GSA for the last few years has been nothing less than perfection. I look forward to finishing off my time here with a great end to our academy season hopefully as national champions! It would be my greatest honor to bring back a national championship to the GSA/RSL –AZ academy!

RSL- AZ Soccer Academy’s Miguel Salazar Commits to Elon University

soccer-college-commitments

Grande Sports Academy – Miguel Salazar makes a commitment to continue his academic studies and playing college soccer at Elon University. Salazar is a Forward for the 2011-12 U18 Real Salt Lake – Arizona Soccer Academy team. Salazar started 14 of the 20 games this season with RSL-AZ, as the team continues to challenge the top teams in the USSDA SoCal division. Salazar’s hard work and dedication at RSL-AZ Soccer Academy is ready to take on the challenges at Elon University.

The Elon University Phoenix men’s soccer team is a member of the Southern Conference and is located in Elon, North Carolina. The Phoenix captured the 2011 SoCon tournament title and was invited to the 2011 NCAA Soccer Tournament. Elon University men’s 2010-11 soccer team was recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as a NSCAA Team Academic Award recipient.

Grande Sports Academy is the home to Real Salt Lake – Arizona Soccer Academy. RSL-AZ is the only full-time residential soccer academy that participates in match play in the US Soccer Development Academy and is affiliated with Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake.

Etiandro Tavares – Soccer Presents More Opportunities in Life

Soccer Academy

I was born in Guinea Bissau, West Africa in a town called Bunkulen. I moved to the United States in 2004 when I was ten to get away from the residual violence from the Civil War. When the war started in 1998 I was four, and my family and I moved several of times to get away from the violence and into safer areas. We moved from our home town of Bunkulen to a town called Mansoua because we thought we would be safer there. In Mansoua we would still hear gunshots every day, but we were not in the middle of the firefight that was going on in Bunkulen. When the fighting slowed down, I was excited to go home. I could not wait to sleep in my own bed and play with my favorite toy, a wooden soccer ball that I would play with before going to sleep. However, when we got back to Bunkulen, I was devastated. Our house was destroyed. I remember looking at the house with tears in my eyes as a part of me had been taken away.

I came to the United States when I was ten years old. The first time I sat next to a white man was on the plane. The whole time I was on the plane I was just trying to figure out how the plane worked and who made it. It just seemed so unreal to me. Although it took me two to three years to become confortable in English, I soon loved my American life. In the U.S. there was less violence, no firefights, less theft, no police beatings, no public humiliations, and teachers would not beat you. But despite all the bad memories from Guinea Bissau, it’s also easy to get nostalgic. I miss the animals that were a part of my life – monkeys, snakes and porcupines. I miss going to the forbidden lake in the jungle with my friends to go “swimming,” which really meant climbing trees, collecting mango’s and running around because none of us could swim and there were alligators in the lake. I even miss collecting wood for the “candero,” an outdoor stove, which at the time I did not like doing because it was a chore. I miss the nights when the neighborhood would gather around a tree and we would all sing and tell stories.

In Guinea Bissau, soccer was our only form of recreation. My friends and I would make soccer balls by stuffing paper and trash in plastic bags and then wrapping plastic bags tight around the ball of trash. We would play with the best ball first, and then when that one was destroyed we would move to the second best ball. Once in California, my step-dad put me on a recreational team, but the coach quickly moved me to a better club. From there, I moved from club to club until a soccer coach recommended me for a tryout with Real Salt Lake – Arizona soccer academy at Grande Sports Academy. The academy is the residential youth academy of Real Salt Lake, a professional team in Major League Soccer. When I found out I made the team there was no question in my mind that I wanted to move to Arizona. I had to sacrifice a lot by leaving my mom, siblings, and friends. However, I was presented with an incredible opportunity to achieve my dream of becoming a professional soccer player.

After high school, I want to go to college to get a degree, and then hopefully play professionally in Major League Soccer. After moving from Africa to the United States, I learned that I have incredible opportunities here in America, both athletically and academically. With my hard work ethic, perseverance, and supportive people guiding me along the way, there is nothing that I cannot accomplish.