It was announced last month that the Orlando City Development Academy will be moving to the club’s new training facility at Osceola Heritage Park. This is a big move both for the club and the Orlando soccer community. The DA will join the club’s First Team in this state-of-the-art facility.
Nationally the U.S. Development Academy is the top-tier of youth soccer. The league features youth clubs and academies from organizations like Major League Soccer, United Soccer Leagues, and qualifying local clubs. The DA serves to connect national league coaches with high level youth soccer players. The ultimate goal is to develop and identify the best Youth National Team in each age distinction. That in fact appears to be working, 87% of all Youth National Team call-ins are Development Academy players.
What Does This Mean For The Orlando Soccer Community?
The Orlando City Development Academy move is big news for the Orlando soccer community as a whole. It provides a more direct path to high level competition and serves to develop real homegrown talent. The benefit of this inclusive environment is truly something that can change a community and improve a team. The idea of playing at the highest level of competition this area has to offer now carries with it a little more weight. With this move, being in the DA does not just mean that an athlete has been identified as a top talent in their age group, what it has become is a real opportunity.
For the young athletes involved with the Orlando City Development Academy this opportunity is huge. They now get to train in the same facility as the pro club. The chance to observe professional athletes and see what it takes to compete at that level is a unique opportunity that is hard to truly value. In the long run this is sure to payoff for the club as well. They now can develop and evaluate the Central Florida area’s top youth soccer talent. You can look to Europe for countless examples of homegrown academy players growing into real contributors for the First Team.
Overall this is a good move and one that makes a lot of sense. For the club, it’s a step to insuring their long term success. For the Orlando soccer community, it will serve to develop local area talent. Sounds like a win-win to me.