academy

USSDA announces changes to 2013-14 Development Academy Postseason

Grande News, Soccer Academy, Soccer News

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – U.S. Soccer Development Academy has announced an elimination format for the 2013-14 Academy postseason in the U-15/16 and U-17/18 age groups.

In a change from the previous format that included a Final Weeks of four matches in seven days, the new rules will consist of a knockout round, semifinals and final.

The 2013-14 postseason will be held at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, located just north Indianapolis from June 23-27 and will include the same Academy Playoffs and Showcase format as in previous years. The top 32 teams will be placed into eight groups of four teams. Academy teams that do not qualify for the Academy Playoffs will be placed in the Showcase bracket and will play three matches.

CLICK HERE: Register for Grande Sports Academy 2014 Soccer Camps

At the conclusion of the Academy Playoffs, the winning team from each group will be seeded based on their regular-season points-per-game average. The higher-seeded teams will host a knockout-round game on July 7th or 9th. Winners will advance to the semifinals and final round which will be held July 17th and 19th at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center in Carson, California.

As of March 26, 2014, Real Salt Lake – Arizona U-17/18 is the current leader in the Southwest Division and is the fifth overall seed based on points per game. Real Salt Lake – Arizona U-15/16 is the Southwest Division leader and is the second overall seed.

Since the inception of the Grande Sports Academy in 2010, the U-15/16 and U-17/18 Real Salt Lake – Arizona Academy teams have qualified for the Academy playoffs in every season. In 2010, RSL-AZ U-15/16 finished third at Finals Week and in 2013 RSL-AZ U-15/16 were crowned national champions after they defeated Solar Chelsea in the 2013 USSDA National Championship match in Houston, Texas.

For the latest Development Academy results and standings, visit academy.demosphere.com.

By the Numbers: Real Salt Lake-AZ vs Seattle Sounders

Grande News, Performance News

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Real Salt Lake – AZ U-15/16 & U-17/18 went undefeated against rival Major League Soccer academy Seattle Sounders U-15/16 & U-17/18 in United State Soccer Development Academy league play on Saturday, March 22nd, at the Grande Sports World.

Here are a few interesting numbers from the match:

Sam Gleadle scored 1 goal in the match, which has increased his total number of goals scored in the 2014 calendar year to 9. He has the second highest number of goals for the RSL-AZ U-17/18 team, trailing Eric Carbajal who has notched 12 goals.

55-14 / 57-11

RSL-AZ U-17/18’s 55 goals scored is tied for second and 14 goals conceded is tied for third best in the U-17/18 age group. RSL-AZ U-15/16’s 57 goals is the highest total and 11 goals conceded in the third best in the U-15/16 age group.

.874%

Combined winning percentage at home for the RSL-AZ U-15/16 & U-17/18 Academy teams through 16 homes matches in which they have yet to lose in 16 matches.

Number of goals RSL-AZ U-15/16 have conceded at at home this season. RSL-AZ U-15/16’s have earned six clean sheets and hold a +24 goal differential at the Grande Sports World this year.

Undefeated match streak for the RSL-AZ U-17/18 squad that dates back to December 14, 2013, which is one match shy of the U-17/18 undefeated streak set in 2010-11 season.

Jose Hernandez, RSL-AZ U-17/18, Evan Waldrep, RSL-AZ U-15/16, are the only two players to be named to the starting XI in every match.

Grande Sports Academy - Real Salt Lake vs. Nomads SC U-18 - Jose Hernandez (2)

Weekend Soccer Preview: Real Salt Lake – Arizona Academy face tough challenge in Seattle Sounders Academy

Grande News, Match Previews

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Real Salt Lake – Arizona U-15/16 & U-17/18 Academy teams are set to play host to Seattle Sounders U-15/16 & U-17/18 Academy teams this Saturday at the Grande Sports World. This will be the lone United States Soccer Development Academy league matchup between the two Major League Soccer Academies. The U-17/18 match is set to kick off at 11:00 AM PST and will be followed by the U-15/16 match at 1:30 PM PST.

The RSL-AZ U-17/18 Academy team, ranked #2 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer, is the current leader in the Southwest Division with a 13-1-3 record. They have yet to drop any points in 2014, winning all seven-league matches played. On the season, RSL-AZ U-17/18 have conceded 12 goals, tied for second in the U-17/18 age group, and are averaging over 3 goals scored per match for a total of 53 goals scored. RSL-AZ U-17/18 team has dominated the opposition at the Grande Sports World through seven matches, winning six and drawing one. At home, the Claret-and-Cobalt has outscored opponents 30-3 and is currently riding a four match clean-sheet streak.

Forward Eric Carbajal has been white-hot in the 2014 calendar year, scoring 8 goals in six matches, and is the team leader in goals scored with 12. He is followed by Sam Gleadle who has notched 8 goals and Corey Baird who has found the back of the net 7 times. Carbajal, Gleadle and Jose Hernandez are all tied for the team lead in assists with 5 each.

In the U-17/18s most recent matches, they defeated Santa Cruz Breakers Academy, 6-1, on Saturday, March 15th, and San Jose Earthquakes, 2-1, on Sunday, March 16th. Against Santa Cruz, six different players scored for the Claret-and-Cobalt, which included Luis Lopez and Luke Novick, who scored their first USSDA goals on the season for RSL-AZ. The following day against San Jose, RSL-AZ rallied from an early deficit and scored two goals in the final twenty minutes of action. Baird scored the match equalizer in the 70th-minute that was followed by Lopez’s match-winning goal in the 82nd-minute.

Seattle Sounders U-17/18 is currently second in the Northwest Division with an 11-3-4 record through eighteen league matches. David Olsen is the team leader with 9 goals scored.

Grande-Sports-Academy-Real-Salt-Lake-vs-San-Diego-Surf-U-18-Moises-Rodriguez-3-1024x965 The RSL-AZ U-15/16 Academy team, ranked #3 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer, is setting the pace in the Southwest Division with a 13-2-2 record. Through seventeen USSDA league matches, RSL-AZ U-15/16 have conceded 10 goals, tied for third best in the U-15/16 age group, and have scored league high 54 goals. At the Grande Sports World, RSL-AZ U-15/16 have won all seven matches played and have outscored opponents 23-1.

Forward Sebastian Saucedo is the top goal scorer in the U-15/16 age group with 17 goals scored. Josh Doughty and Tate Schmitt have scored 6 goals each, while Diego “Diablo” Silva has recorded 5. Newcomer D.J. Villegas has scored 3 goals in RSL’s previous three matches.

In the U-15/16s most recent matches, they defeated Santa Cruz Breakers Academy 5-0 for their tenth clean sheet all season on Saturday, March 15th. Saucedo was unstoppable, scoring four goals in the first 38 minutes of play. The following day against San Jose, the Claret-and-Cobalt jumped out to a three goal lead in the first half, but conceded a season high four goals in the second half; ending their thirteen match undefeated streak.

Seattle Sounders U-15/16 is the current leaders in the Northwest Division with 12-3-3 record through eighteen league matches. Victor Mansaray is the team leader with 12 goals scored.

Date	Time	Team		Team	Location
Saturday, March 22nd	11:00 AM	Real Salt Lake U-17/18	vs	Seattle Sounders U-17/18	Grande Sports World
Saturday, March 22ns	:30 PM	Real Salt Lake U-15/16	vs	Seattle Sounders U-15/16	Grande Sports World

Weekend Soccer Preview: Academy in Northern California, Elite in Las Vegas

Match Previews

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – All four teams at the Grande Sports Academy are on the road this weekend, as the Real Salt Lake – Arizona U-15/16 & U-17/18 Academy teams will travel to Northern California for United States Soccer Development Academy league matches against Santa Cruz Breakers Academy on Saturday and San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday. The RSL-AZ U-16 & U-18 Elite teams are set to participate in the 2014 Players College Showcase, which is being held in Las Vegas from Friday to Sunday.

Academy

The RSL U-17/18 Academy team, ranked #2 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer, is leading the pack in the Southwest Division with an 11-1-3 record. They have conceded a U-17/18 league best 10 goals and are averaging 3 goals scored per match for a total of 45 goals scored in fifteen league matches. Through seven matches on the road, RSL U-17/18’s have posted a 4-1-2 record and have scored 14 goals while conceding 7. Eric Carbajal has been white-hot in the 2014 calendar year, scoring 7 goals in his past four matches, and is the team leader in goals scored with 11. He is followed by Sam Gleadle who has notched 7 goals. Jose Hernandez and Corey Baird have tallied 5 goals each. Carbajal, Gleadle and Hernandez are all tied for the team lead in assists with 5 aside.

In the U-17/18s most recent match, they defeated Chivas USA 4-0 at the Grande Sports World on Saturday, March 8th. Carbajal added a first half brace with Te Wihongi scoring moments after the halftime break. Adam Ferguson scored the final goal for the Claret-and-Cobalt, which was his first career academy goal. This is the first and only time the RSL U-17/18 Academy team will face Santa Cruz Breakers Academy and San Jose Earthquakes in USSDA league play. Santa Cruz is winless in seventeen league matches and has conceded 52 goals. San Jose is holding fourth place in the Northwest Division with a 9-5-4 record.

The RSL U-15/16 Academy team, ranked #3 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer, is setting the pace in the Southwest Division with a 12-1-2 record. They have conceded 6 goals, tied for second best in the U-15/16 age group, and have scored 46 goals through fifteen league matches. Through seven matches of the road, RSL U-15/16’s have posted a 4-1-2 record and have scored 14 goals while conceding seven. They are currently on a five match unbeaten road streak, which dates back to December 12th. Sebastian Saucedo leads the team in scoring with 12 goals and is followed by Josh Doughty who has notched 6. Diego “Diablo” Silva and Tate Schmitt have scored 5 each.

In the U-15/16s most recent match, they defeated Chivas USA 3-0 at the Grande Sports World on Saturday, March 8th. Silva and Doughty scored first half goals for the Claret-and-Cobalt. D.J. Villegas scored a late goal for RSL, which was his first career academy goal. This is the first and only time the RSL U-15/16 Academy team will face Santa Cruz Breakers Academy and San Jose Earthquakes in USSDA league play. Santa Cruz is holding seventh place in the Northwest Division with a 2-9-6 record in seventeen league matches. San Jose has fared better with an 11-4-3 record, good for third in the division.

Elite

The RSL-AZ U-16 & U-18 Elite teams traveled to Las Vegas on Thursday night in preparation for the 2014 Players College Showcase, which has over 500 teams participating in their year’s edition with over 400 college coaches and scouts on hand to evaluate talent.

The RS-AZ U-16 & U-18 Elite teams have been slotted into Bracket A of the Boys U-16 Bellagio and Mens U-19 Showcase groups, respectively. Each team has been put into a group that totals four teams. Each team will play each other once in a round-robin format. The winner on the group for the U-16 & U-18 age groups will advance to the semifinal round. The U-16 semifinal round will be played on Sunday morning, which will then be followed by the championship match hours later. The U-18 semifinal round will be played on Saturday night with the championship match on Sunday afternoon. If a team does not win their group they will advance to a one-match consolation game, which will be held on Sunday for the U-16 & U-18 age groups.

Matches on Saturday for both age groups will be two 40-minute halves. Sunday matches with shorter with two 35-minute halves. Three points will be awarded for a win, one point for a draw and zero for a loss.

Date	Time	Team		Team	Location
Friday, March 14th	12:30 PM	RSL U-16 Elite	vs	San Diego FA SDFA B97/98A	Heritage Park #9
Friday, March 14th	2:00 PM	RSL U-18 Elite	vs	LVSA 96 Boys White	Heritage Park #13
Friday, March 14th	6:30 PM	RSL U-16 Elite	vs	West Coast FC – Kirsch	Heritage Park #6
Friday, March 14th	8:00 PM	RSL U-18 Elite	vs	Crossfire Oregon B95 Green	Heritage Park #8

Saturday, March 15th	12:30 PM	Real Salt Lake U-18	vs	Santa Cruz Breakers Academy	Cabrillo College
Saturday, March 15th	2:00 PM	RSL U-18 Elite	vs	San Diego Football Academy SDFA B95	Heritage Park #7
Saturday, March 15th	3:00 PM	Real Salt Lake U-16	vs	Santa Cruz Breakers Academy	Cabrillo College
Saturday, March 15th	3:30 PM	RSL U-16 Elite	vs	International SC St. Tomas	Heritage Park #8

Sunday, March 17th	11:00 AM	Real Salt Lake U-18	vs	San Jose Earthquakes	Mustang Soccer Complex
Sunday, March 17th	1:30 PM	Real Salt Lake U-16	vs	San Jose Earthquakes	Mustang Soccer Complex

Weekend Soccer Preview: No Matches

Grande News

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – A weekend without a matche is a rare occurrence at the Grande Sports Academy home of the Real Salt Lake Academy, and for the first time in three weeks the RSL-AZ Elite and Real Salt Lake Academy will enjoy a weekend of rest.

The weekend will still be filled with soccer however, as the RSL Academy players will travel to Tucson to watch the senior team in their final 2014 preseason match against Chivas USA. The match will be streamed here at 1:00 PM. Be sure to look our for our Academy!

If you are traveling home, have a safe weekend and see you on Sunday night!

Photo Gallery: Real Salt Lake Arizona U-18 vs. Real Salt Lake

Grande News, Performance News, Real Salt Lake, Soccer Academy

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – The Real Salt Lake – Arizona U-18 Academy team played Real Salt Lake to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday morning at the Grande Sports World.

Javier Morales convereted a 52nd minute penalty kick for the senior team, while Academy MF Josh Doughty scored the equalizer in the 80th minute from a Sam Gleadle flick. For a full match recap click here.

NOTE: Click on one picture and a slider gallery will form.