Welcome to this week's Chivas USA Youth Development Update, a roundup of Chivas USA's pioneering youth development program, including the Chivas USA Under-18 and U-16 teams - where the region's best talent compete, funded fully by the club and free of cost to the players, in the prestigious U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy - and the Chivas and Chivas USA Soccer Academies. For more information on Chivas USA's youth development program, please visit www.cdchivasusa.com.
JORGE FLORES HELPS U.S. U-20 NATIONAL TEAM TO TWO WINS IN ENGLAND
Chivas USA midfielder Jorge Flores played a big part in the United States Under-20 National Team's victories in the first two of three friendlies the team is playing in England this week. Flores scored the game-winner on a penalty kick in the 50th minute as the U.S. U-20's earned a 2-0 win over the Bolton Reserves on Wednesday, May 7. A day later, Flores notched an assist on the U.S.'s first goal as the team won again, beating the Manchester United Reserves by a score of 2-1. The team has one match left to play in England, squaring off against the Liverpool Reserves on Saturday. This trip is the third foreign training camp, and fifth overall, for Rongen's squad as they prepare for the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt. So far in 2008, Flores has played in more games and logged more minutes than any other U.S. U-20 player. For further updates on the team, visit the U.S. U-20's official website by following this link.
CHIVAS USA DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY TEAMS FACE PATEADORES THIS WEEKEND
The Chivas USA U-18 and U-16 Teams will both face off against Pateadores in away games this Saturday at Cal-State Fullerton. The U-16 team, coming off two consecutive wins against conference opponents, will have their work cut out against the first-place Pateadores team. The match is also important for the U-18 squad, currently in fourth place in the division, just four points behind Pateadores. The U-16's start their match at noon, while the U-18 match will follow at 2:30.
CURRENT CHIVAS USA U-18 AND U-16 ROSTERS
The rosters for Chivas USA's U-18 and U-16 Teams in the Development Academy were fixed on April 1 and will not undergo changes until after the end of the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy's 2007-08 season this summer. Full team rosters are listed below:
Chivas USA Under-18 Team Roster (As of April 1, 2008)
Number Name Position Birthdate Hometown
3 Nikolas Acosta MD 4/26/1989 Temecula, CA
12 Gildardo Aguirre GK 2/19/1989 Northridge, CA
4 Omar Becera DF 9/20/1990 San Diego, CA
5 Jose Diaz DF 1/25/1991 Fontana, CA
2 Omar Elmasri DF 9/5/1990 Arcadia, CA
18 Erick Escobedo MD 7/16/1990 Bell Gardens, CA
19 Rod Fahmian DF 4/26/1990 Riverside, CA
11 Mario Ledezma FW 12/17/1990 Sylmar, CA
8 Hector Molina MD 11/5/1990 Van Nuys, CA
7 Leopoldo Morales FW 3/6/1990 Bellflower, CA
16 Michael Muniz DF 1/12/1990 El Monte, CA
14 Jesse Paredes MD 4/1/1990 Los Angeles, CA
1 Juan Quiroz GK 3/4/1990 Inglewood, CA
10 Armando Rocha FW 4/14/1989 Huntington Beach, CA
9 Arnaldo Salazar FW 10/16/1989 Norwalk, CA
13 Hugo Sanchez DF 9/10/1990 Los Angeles, CA
17 Victor Sanchez FW 8/23/1990 Huntington Park, CA
6 Cesar Zamora MD 5/27/1991 Sylmar, CA
Head Coach: Sacha van der Most van Spijk
Assistant Coach: Refugio Mancilla
Chivas USA Under-16 Team Roster (As of April 1, 2008)
Number Name Position Birthdate Hometown
3 Cesar Arenas DF 9/5/1991 Fontana, CA
5 Jaime Cano MF 5/26/1992 Inglewood, CA
10 Carlo Chueca MF 3/23/1993 Palm Sprigs,CA
6 Clayton Eaton MF 5/24/1991 Norco, CA
1 Antonio Flores GK 1/4/1992 Paramount, CA
17 Brian De La Fuente FW 7/1/1992 Lynwood, CA
12 Mario Gonzales GK 3/8/1991 Huntington Park, CA
9 Yohel de Jesus FW 8/28/1992 Santa Ana, CA
16 Brian Llamas FW 9/10/1991 Wilmington, CA
7 Andy Lopez FW 12/21/1991 Los Angeles,CA
8 Oliquer Olivar MF 2/10/1991 Winnetka, CA
2 Kelsy Paredes DF 4/12/1991 Los Angeles, CA
11 Jorge Ramirez FW 5/23/1991 Upland, CA
4 Briant Reyes DF 3/6/1991 Downey, CA
13 Angel Rodriquez MF 3/2/1992 Moreno Valley, CA
20 Roberto Romo FW 5/21/1991 Paramount, CA
14 Carlos Torres, Jr. DF 8/27/1992 Compton, CA
15 Steve Torres DF 1/2/1991 Pomona, CA
18 Alberto Velazquez FW 4/30/1992
Head Coach: Samuel Rivas
Assistant Coach: Miguel Ramos
DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY OVERVIEW
The U.S Soccer Development Academy is a nationwide youth development initiative, organized by the U.S. Soccer Federation, featuring 63 of the top youth teams in the country competing in a league system at both the U-18 and U-16 levels. The first part of the season ran from October to November, and after a winter break the league has resumed play and will continue through the end of June. The 63 youth programs, including one U.S. Youth National Team in each age group, are divided into eight regions, each of which will send a single qualifier to the national finals to be held at The Home Depot Center after the regular season concludes in late June. For more information on the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy, please visit www.ussoccer.com.
