Louisville City FC has signed defender Hayden Stamps to a USL Academy contract ahead of this weekend’s home-opening game, the club announced Wednesday.
The deal, which is pending league and federation approval, allows the 16-year-old to train with and play for LouCity’s first team while maintaining his amateur status.
Stamps, a sophomore at Kentucky Country Day School, could also benefit from a new USL Championship rule for 2024 that allows clubs to dress up to two additional players under age 17 for home games without taking a spot on the standard 18-player team sheet.
“We are excited to be able to sign Hayden to a USL Academy contract,” said coach Danny Cruz. “This is another important step in his development, as he is now training with us every day. We also believe the new initiative from the league is going to allow our young academy players another opportunity for growth by experiencing everything that goes into a game day. We have seen throughout preseason Hayden’s personality come out with the group, and I am looking forward to continuing to see how he develops with the first team.”
Stamps joins LouCity off an impressive high school season in which he led KCD with 20 goals and was named to the KHSAA All-State Second Team. The midfielder also earned All-Region First Team honors for the ECNL Ohio Valley Region with his LouCity Academy team.
“I want to thank all my friends, my family, and most importantly God for getting me to where I am today,” Stamps said. “I’m extremely excited to start working toward lifting that cup at the end of the season, and I can’t think of a better club to work with than Louisville City.”
Off a season-opening win at El Paso Locomotive FC, LouCity hosts Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at 4 p.m. Saturday inside Lynn Family Stadium. Tickets for City’s 10th anniversary season home opener are on sale now at LouCity.com or by calling (502) LOU-CITY.
Should Stamps make the team sheet on Saturday, it would mark his second time dressing for a LouCity game at Lynn Family Stadium. Stamps also earned a spot on the bench for last year’s international friendly against Mexico’s Atlante FC.
