Former Bolt Starts for UNC

Williams One of Many Development Academy Players in College Cup

December 18, 2008

CHICAGO � Last year, Sheanon Williams was playing matches with the US Under-17 National Team. Last Sunday, Williams, who was born in Boston and played with the FC Greater Boston Bolts, started as a freshman for North Carolina in the College Cup.

Alas, the Tar Heels fell to the Terrapins, 1-0, in the national title game at Pizza Hut Park in Texas, but Williams and a slew of others in the title game shared one trait: they all played for US Development Academy clubs.

Maryland�s Matt Kassel (Red Bulss U17/18), along with Zac MacMath (Clearwater Chargers) and Matthew Oduaran (D.C. United), all suited up for Maryland.

Maryland�s trio of Academy alumni were not the only former Academy players to participate in last weekend�s Final Four. UNC�s roster included four former Academy players and Wake Forest and St. John�s featured another nine Academy alumni. In total, 16 underclassmen played a role in the four college programs participating in last weekend�s College Cup weekend.

�The Academy does a great job of getting good teams into the Academy program,� said Kassel. �With playing, the biggest thing is playing with good players around you. That�s the only thing that�s going to make you better, the environment that you�re in. The Academy does a great job of that.

�When we travel to all the different Showcases and the league games, day in and day out, one a week or twice a week you get those games, that�s only going to prepare you for the next level and it definitely did for me.�

North Carolina midfielder Kirk Urso was also a part of College Cup weekend as part of a Tar Heel team also featuring Jarrett Davis (CASL), Billy Schuler (Matchfit and US Under-17 National Team) and Williams. Urso grew up as part of Sockers FC, a Chicagoland club with a long tradition and a member of the inaugural year of the Development Academy program.

�Within our club, the Sockers, they offered a lot of opportunities,� said Urso. �The club aided in my development and helped me gain experience through training. They always offered training. I would go as many times a week as I could with my own team or with one of the teams, and playing in games, whether it was in tournaments, just playing was a huge thing.�

Urso eventually joined U.S. Soccer�s Residency Program. A path similar to 19 other players from Academy clubs who currently make up the 40 player Residency roster.

�In Residency, just being in an environment where you know that you�re playing at a good level every day and have the opportunity to play with other people, touching the ball, in a real soccer environment, it just helps so much,� Urso said. �When I went to college, it was more of a physical adjustment than a mental adjustment. I knew I could play with them, it was just a matter of growing and maturing and just getting ready physically to compete.�

In local Development Academy action, Oakwood SC (Connecticut) went 1-3 over the weekend, while South Central Premier (Conn.) went 0-4.

Return from Former Bolt Starts for UNC to Youth Soccer

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