COLUMBUS, Ohio - Crew Juniors, the Columbus Crew's youth development club, and Cincinnati United Soccer Club announced plans today for a strategic partnership whereby Cincinnati United's premier level (Cincinnati United Premier - CUP) will become an official youth affiliate of Ohio's Major League Soccer club at the conclusion of the 2008 spring season.
The Crew, with a long history of firsts, has been considered one of the most creative and successful organizations in soccer for the last 13 years, while Cincinnati United is a new collaboration of three of Ohio South's most decorated youth clubs (Lakota United, Sycamore Arsenal, and CUP). CUP-affiliated teams won an unprecedented four Ohio South State Cup Championships in 2008 (U12 and U18 boys; U14 and U16 girls). CUP teams will be known as the CUP Crew Juniors in Cincinnati and will wear the Crew's familiar Black & Gold color scheme.
"We are very excited that Cincinnati United and the CUP Crew Juniors will join our soccer family," said Crew VP of Soccer Business Development Andrew Arthurs. "In addition to producing high-quality teams, they share our vision and passion for growing the sport and are committed to creating a special environment for player development in Ohio."
The Crew is committed to creating the premier youth player development program in Major League Soccer through its Crew Juniors and Crew Soccer Academy programs. The CUP partnership follows recent news that the Worthington Crew Juniors will become the central Ohio base of the club and that the PSA Crew Juniors (affiliated with Brad Friedel's Premier Soccer Academy) will be the Crew's youth affiliate in the Cleveland area.
Elements of the affiliate partnerships include a shared player-development philosophy, an age-specific curriculum, access to the Crew technical staff, senior coaches and players, the ability to train or play matches in Crew Stadium and the Crew Training Center at Obetz, as well as the opportunity to be selected for the MLS U-17 SUM Cup and the Crew Soccer Academy program. Crew Soccer Academy teams, the highest level in the Crew's youth pyramid, are fully funded and have enjoyed tremendous success in the inaugural season of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy league.
"We are very pleased that the Crew has recognized Cincinnati United and CUP as the outstanding youth soccer program in the greater-Cincinnati area and invited us to participate in this program after our 2008 spring season," said Bill Posey, Cincinnati United Chairman. "The Crew Juniors program is the wave of the future for outstanding soccer players."
Jerry Carstons, Cincinnati United President, added "The partnership with the Crew and its other youth affiliates will give our CUP boys and girls players tremendous opportunities to train, play and be recognized at the highest levels, both locally and nationally."
For more information on Crew Juniors and all Crew youth programs, please visit TheCrew.com and click 'Youth Development.'
