The San Antonio FC Pro Academy will take on the Houston Dynamo Academy this Saturday. The match will be the second time the two teams meet this year, however this time around, the U-12 boys will have the opportunity to play at Toyota Field for the first time in SAFC Pro Academy history. The opportunity to play in a full-sized stadium is designed to familiarize the players with a professional atmosphere so that they are prepared to take the next steps in their career when the time comes.
Since the academy’s inception in April 2016, the SAFC boys have represented the club against quality clubs throughout all of Texas. Now, the team is excited to host an MLS academy in a professional environment, which will prove to be a milestone in the players’ growth with the club.
“The team’s first reaction was excitement, giddiness, and joy,” SAFC Pro Academy Director Nick Evans. “The boys were ball boys during USL games throughout the season, so being next to the field watching the first team play has been great for their development.
“Now they get the opportunity to play on the field and inside the stadium where they normally watch the first team play, and that’s very exciting for them. They are still young players in the U-12 age group, so giving them a feel for the bigger picture is something that excites the coaching staff as well.”
Playing at a venue like Toyota Field at such a young age plays a more important role than being just a ‘cool’ privilege. The opportunity to experience competitive play in a pro stadium can also be a huge motivation for young players, inspiring them to continue to aspire to reach their full potential as they progress through their soccer careers.
“This will be a day both sets of players remember for a very long time,” Evans said. “When working with young players on their journey, having that moment to remember can be a very powerful motivating moment for them as they move day-to-day towards their goals and ambitions. We want this experience to be one of many for them at Toyota Field.”
Along with Evans, San Antonio FC continues to strive to create a learning atmosphere for the academy players, ensuring to provide them the best resources available to push them towards success. A crucial part in shaping their mindset and attitude is providing top-class first-time experiences, such as allowing them to play in a full professional venue.
“We have said from the beginning that one of our main developmental objectives is to provide experiences and opportunities for the players that provide a unique development journey for them,” Evans said. “Allowing them to play inside the stadium presents a first time experience, such as having a changing room to prepare in, walking down the tunnel side by side to their opponent, playing on an immaculate surface inside a 8,500 seated soccer-specific stadium, and having family and friends watching in the stands.
We have a clear pathway for our players to the first team and our commitment as an organization to develop homegrown players for SAFC is significant. If we can have one of our academy players play for the first team someday, we want to ensure that the first time they get called in isn’t their first experience of being in the changing room and playing on the field.”
The Houston Dynamo Academy was established in 2007 and has been one of the leading youth programs in American soccer. Their U-12 team recently traveled to Spain, where they reached the quarter finals of the Arousa Football 7 tournament after facing academies from academies such as FC Porto, FC Barcelona and Ajax, among others.
“The Houston Dynamo are a very competitive program and that’s what we continually want for our players to have to experience playing against,” Evans said. “This weekend the players will have to make decisions quicker and execute actions quicker against a top-level opponent, as well as adjust to the new experience of playing inside the stadium. I am really excited for both programs’ players.”
The match against the Dynamo Academy will be a great learning experience for the SAFC Pro Academy players. The opportunity to play at Toyota Field will be a milestone in their careers, and the experience will be one they will surely remember and cherish as the boys continue to develop under the wing of San Antonio FC. The teams will play two matches, with kickoffs set for 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Both games will be open to the public.
The San Antonio FC Pro Academy will take on the Houston Dynamo Academy this Saturday. The match will be the second time the two teams meet this year, however this time around, the U-12 boys will have the opportunity to play at Toyota Field for the first time in SAFC Pro Academy history. The opportunity to play in a full-sized stadium is designed to familiarize the players with a professional atmosphere so that they are prepared to take the next steps in their career when the time comes.
Since the academy’s inception in April 2016, the SAFC boys have represented the club against quality clubs throughout all of Texas. Now, the team is excited to host an MLS academy in a professional environment, which will prove to be a milestone in the players’ growth with the club.
“The team’s first reaction was excitement, giddiness, and joy,” SAFC Pro Academy Director Nick Evans. “The boys were ball boys during USL games throughout the season, so being next to the field watching the first team play has been great for their development.
“Now they get the opportunity to play on the field and inside the stadium where they normally watch the first team play, and that’s very exciting for them. They are still young players in the U-12 age group, so giving them a feel for the bigger picture is something that excites the coaching staff as well.”
Playing at a venue like Toyota Field at such a young age plays a more important role than being just a ‘cool’ privilege. The opportunity to experience competitive play in a pro stadium can also be a huge motivation for young players, inspiring them to continue to aspire to reach their full potential as they progress through their soccer careers.
“This will be a day both sets of players remember for a very long time,” Evans said. “When working with young players on their journey, having that moment to remember can be a very powerful motivating moment for them as they move day-to-day towards their goals and ambitions. We want this experience to be one of many for them at Toyota Field.”
Along with Evans, San Antonio FC continues to strive to create a learning atmosphere for the academy players, ensuring to provide them the best resources available to push them towards success. A crucial part in shaping their mindset and attitude is providing top-class first-time experiences, such as allowing them to play in a full professional venue.
“We have said from the beginning that one of our main developmental objectives is to provide experiences and opportunities for the players that provide a unique development journey for them,” Evans said. “Allowing them to play inside the stadium presents a first time experience, such as having a changing room to prepare in, walking down the tunnel side by side to their opponent, playing on an immaculate surface inside a 8,500 seated soccer-specific stadium, and having family and friends watching in the stands.
We have a clear pathway for our players to the first team and our commitment as an organization to develop homegrown players for SAFC is significant. If we can have one of our academy players play for the first team someday, we want to ensure that the first time they get called in isn’t their first experience of being in the changing room and playing on the field.”
The Houston Dynamo Academy was established in 2007 and has been one of the leading youth programs in American soccer. Their U-12 team recently traveled to Spain, where they reached the quarter finals of the Arousa Football 7 tournament after facing academies from academies such as FC Porto, FC Barcelona and Ajax, among others.
“The Houston Dynamo are a very competitive program and that’s what we continually want for our players to have to experience playing against,” Evans said. “This weekend the players will have to make decisions quicker and execute actions quicker against a top-level opponent, as well as adjust to the new experience of playing inside the stadium. I am really excited for both programs’ players.”
The match against the Dynamo Academy will be a great learning experience for the SAFC Pro Academy players. The opportunity to play at Toyota Field will be a milestone in their careers, and the experience will be one they will surely remember and cherish as the boys continue to develop under the wing of San Antonio FC. The teams will play two matches, with kickoffs set for 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Both games will be open to the public.
