Academy

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2020 – Louisville City Youth Academy announced coaching assignments for each of its age group teams Monday, outlining a clear development path for the girls in the NWSL Louisville Academy and the boys in the LouCity Academy. 

“We are extremely excited and proud of the coaches who have joined our program,” Louisville City Youth Academy Director Mario Sanchez said. “We want to be at the forefront of developing the next generation of American talent, and we believe these coaches will help us achieve that goal.”

The girls’ and boys’ academy teams are expected to begin play this summer and start at U-8 (local youth born in 2013) through U-19 (local players born in 2002). Louisville City Youth Academy will field two teams per age group.

On the NWSL Louisville side, the youngest group (U8-U10 with birth dates in 2011, 2012 and 2013) will be coached by Brock Hickam, Jim Rairick, Kiley Polk, Shaun Francis, and Cory Weaver. The U11 (2010) and U12 (2009) will be coached by Tim Nowak, Alex Hoefler, and Cameron Bayse. The U13 group (2008) will be coached by Nowak and Chad Wozniak. 

The U14 (2007) girls will be coached by Jason Meurer and Bayse. The U15 (2006) girls will be coached by Mario Sanchez and Wozniak. Christian Lauria and Declan Doherty will coach the U16 (2005) group. Craig Jones and Lauria will coach the U17 (2004) girls with Hunter Norton and Meurer coaching the U18 (2003) and U19 (2002) group. 

“What a great group of coaches!” NWSL Louisville Academy Director Tim Nowak said. “I am so proud to have this collection of experienced coaches representing the NWSL Louisville Academy.  Each coach has been specifically selected to represent her/his age group and most importantly, the outstanding young women that will be participating, in accordance with our mission and the values that we represent.  As a group, I know that this staff will be able to raise the level of youth soccer in our community.” 

On the boys’ side, the youngest group (birth dates of 2011, 2012 and 2013) will be coached by Hickam, Nick Sarantis, Weaver, Francis, and Andrew Minnis. The U11 boys (2010) will be coached by Joe Jessop and Brian Davis. Brett Gregory and Jesse DiLuzio will coach the U12 (2009) boys. 

The U13 (2008 birth dates) will be coached by Simon Bird with Francis assisting. Jones and Michael Roman will be coaching the U14 (2007) boys. 

Hylton Dayes will coach the U15 (2006) group along with DiLuzio and the U16 (2005) group along with Luke Spencer. Bird and Spencer will coach the U17 (2004) group, and Sanchez and Thabane Sutu will lead the U18/U19 team (birthdays in 2002 or 2003).

“I’m so pleased to be able to welcome these coaches to Louisville City Academy,” LouCity Academy Director Simon Bird said. “We have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience within each of our development phases, and I am in no doubt at all that we have the best coaching staff in the region. We cannot wait to get started!”

Tryout dates for the new Youth Academy will be announced soon. Once players are selected for a youth academy team, the season will run from late July until mid-May for pre-high schoolers and late Fall through late May for high school players so that players will still be available to play for their local schools. Travel for the teams will be based on age-appropriate demands and league and tournament play.  

The academy teams will train and play at a new training center at Champions Park on River Road which will begin construction later this spring. 

For more information about Louisville City’s Youth Academy program, check out www.loucity.com/Academy. 

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 – As Louisville City FC prepares for its new Youth Academy this summer, Soccer Holdings Youth Academy Director Mario Sanchez and LouCity Academy Director Simon Bird announced new additions to the coaching staff Thursday.  

“We are thrilled that we are now able to offer the youth in the Kentuckiana area a clear pathway to the pros,” Sanchez said. “The coaching staff we have put together will create an environment and culture which will prepare each individual player for the mental, physical, technical and tactical challenges that come with being a professional soccer player.  This daily environment will give each player the best opportunity to pursue their dream.”

The new coaches will begin working for LouCity Academy to prepare for tryouts, which will be announced later this Spring.

“These are coaches we identified very early on in this process as guys we want part of our program,” Bird said. “Not only are they wonderful coaches, but they are great people that fit into our culture and the way we want to do things. Ultimately, we want to provide a platform for development that is bigger than what is out there. Our coaches provide a wealth of experience in the professional and college game, and we know that experience will be huge for our players.”

The Youth Academy will start at U-8 (local youth born in 2013) through U-19 (local players born in 2002), and the season is expected to run from late July until mid-May for pre-high schoolers and from late Fall through late May for high school players so that players will still be available to play for their local schools. LouCity Academy will be the first club in Kentucky to compete in the prestigious Boys ECNL, a league that includes many of the top clubs in America.

LouCity Academy will be coached by the following full-time staff:

James O’Connor, Executive Vice President of Development

The former coach at Louisville City from 2015-2018 and coach at Orlando City in 2018-2019, O’Connor brings a wealth of experience in soccer at all levels. O’Connor was crucial in the development of Louisville City when the club began in 2015, helping the club win its first USL Championship Title in 2017, knocking off the Swope Park Rangers in a historic match at Louisville Slugger Field. Prior to coaching Louisville City and Orlando City, the Dublin, Ireland, native played for the Irish Under-21s while beginning his career with Stoke City from 1996-2003. He was part of West Bromwich Albion from 2003-2005, playing on loan at Burnley from 2004-05 before becoming part of Burnley’s club from 2005-2008. After three seasons at Sheffield Wednesday, O’Connor moved to Orlando City in the MLS, working as a player-coach for Orlando City during his final season. Louisville City began as an affiliate of Orlando City, and when Orlando City sold their rights to their USL Pro team to Soccer Holdings in Louisville, O’Connor was tabbed to become Louisville City’s first head coach.

Mario Sanchez, Soccer Holdings Academy Director

Sanchez, a USSF ‘A’ license coach with 21 years of NCAA Div. I coaching experience as an Assistant and Head Coach, joined Louisville City FC in 2019 as the Director of Youth Development. The California native played collegiately at Fresno State before playing for three teams in professional soccer until 2001. An assistant at his alma mater from 1999-2003, Sanchez moved to Akron for three seasons before becoming the head coach at UNLV. An assistant at the University of Louisville from 2010-15, Sanchez was a part of UofL’s most-successful seasons before he became the head coach at SIUE in 2015. In addition to being the Academy Director for Louisville City, Sanchez will also coach the club’s U23 team which will compete in USL League Two. 

Simon Bird, Louisville City FC Academy Director

The Lincoln, England, native was a star at the University of Louisville from 2001-04, earning Conference USA Player of the Year in 2003, and had a six-year professional career in England before returning as a University of Louisville Assistant Coach from 2009-12. A fixture on the local soccer scene, Bird has worked as Oldham Soccer Club’s Director of Coaching and Kentucky Fire Juniors Boys Director. Bird holds an A License from the U.S. Soccer Federation and is a Qualified Teacher for High School Physical Education and Sports Science.

Brock Hickam, Junior Academy Director for Boys and Girls

The Murphysboro, Ill., native began coaching at his alma mater, Southwest Baptist University in 1994 and has been a youth or college coach ever since. Holding a B License from the U.S. Soccer Federation, Hickam has a National Youth License, a Grassroots Instructors License and has diplomas from the United Soccer Coaches Association in the Curriculum Development, Director of Coaching and Advanced National disciplines. Hickam has worked with the Chicago Fire ETP, Kentucky Fire Juniors, and Indy Premier Soccer at the youth level.  

Thabane Sutu, Academy Goalkeeping Director

The Maseru, Lesotho native, has coached goalkeepers at the top levels of American Soccer with Orlando City of MLS and Louisville City FC of the USL Championship. Sutu, who played professionally in Lesotho with Arsenal and in Egypt with the club Al Ahly, has been coaching top-level goalkeepers in the Louisville area for nearly two decades first. Sutu was inducted into the Kentucky Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018 for his work with Louisville City and his time with United 1996, winning Kentucky’s Coach of the Year in 2006 and a state title in 2009.

Craig Jones, Academy Director of Soccer Operations

A successful head coach at Hanover College and a longtime assistant coach at Bellarmine University, Jones has been working with elite local soccer players for nearly two decades. A native of Washington where he played for Western Washington University, Jones earned his Master’s in Sports Administration from Louisville in 2002. In addition to his experience coaching collegiate soccer, Jones has more than a decade of experience coaching at the youth level with United 1996 and Kentucky Fire Juniors. He holds a USSF A License and a National Youth Coaching License.

In addition to the full-time staff, LouCity Academy is proud to announce the following staff coaches.

NEW YOUTH ACADEMY COACHES:

Brian Davis, Academy Staff Coach

The Louisville native is one of the top scorers in Kentucky High School history, scoring 87 goals for Seneca High school from 1992-96, before playing at Spalding University. With over a decade of youth coaching experience, Davis coached with Javanon FC since 2014 and has also worked with Spencer County for the last two seasons. Davis holds a USSF C License and was named Kentucky Youth Soccer Competitive Coach of the Year in 2019. He also worked with the 2009 Boys as an Olympic Development Coach.

Hylton Dayes, Academy Staff Coach

The winningest men’s soccer coach in University of Cincinnati history, Dayes guided the Bearcats through transitions from Conference USA to the Big East and American Athletic Conference during his 19 seasons in Cincinnati. The Kingston, Jamaica, native is a Hall of Fame member at his alma mater, Wright State, has been a coach for more than two decades. The 2003 Conference USA Coach of the Year, Dayes led the Bearcats to league titles in 2003 and 2006, mentored three NSCAA All-Americans, three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 39 all-conference selections during his tenure. Dayes is married to University of Louisville coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes.

Jesse DiLuzio, Academy Staff Coach

A native of Long Island, NY, DiLuzio began his coaching career working with a non-profit organization called Coaches Across Continents. During his 6 months with the organization, he gained valuable coaching experience in Indonesia, India, Georgia, and Jordan where he learned the power of using soccer as a vehicle for social change. Following his arrival back in the United States, DiLuzio coached youth soccer in New York before coming to the University of Louisville as a Graduate Assistant. While working with UofL, DiLuzio also coached the ‘08 and ‘02 Boys teams for Kentucky Fire Juniors. DiLuzio played collegiately at Centre College, captaining the team for two seasons while receiving all-conference and all-region honors. He currently holds a USSF D License and plans on receiving his C License this summer. 

Shaun Francis, Academy Staff Coach

The Mandeville, Jamaica, native played at the top levels of North American soccer for more than a decade at the MLS, USL Championship levels. A gifted defender, Francis played with the Columbus Crew, Chicago Fire, San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact of MLS before coming to Louisville City FC in 2018. Prior to his impressive professional career, Francis helped Lindsey Wilson College win the 2009 NAIA title. In addition to his professional experience, Francis has been a frequent contributor to the Jamaican National Team since his first call-up in 2010.

Brett Gregory, Academy Staff Coach

The St. Louis native came to Louisville to play for Bellarmine University from 2007-2010 while playing for the St. Louis Lions in USL League Two. He also played with the Derby City Rovers in USL League Two. After graduation, Gregory began as the Director of Operations with the Kentucky Fire Juniors from 2011-2016 before coaching with the Louisville Soccer Alliance in 2017-18 and returned to Kentucky Fire Juniors in 2019. Gregory holds a USSF B License.

Joe Jessop, Academy Staff Coach

The Lincoln, England, native came to America to play collegiately at St. Catherine College. After play three seasons for Patriots, Jessop played his final season at Midway University in 2017. Currently an assistant coach at Bellarmine University, Jessop was the Academy Director at Oldham Soccer Club from 2017 until earlier this year. Jessop currently holds a USSF D License and will attain his C License in 2020.

Andrew Minnis, Academy Staff Coach

A native of Rineyville, Ky., Minnis played for Thabane Sutu with United 1996 FC and the Kentucky ODP and Region 2 teams as a prep star. He also earned 2016 KYSA Youth Soccer Player of the Year and was a U.S. Youth Soccer Player of the Month in April 2018 as well as 2018 Sporting Times Magazine Athlete of the Year. He captained the Kentucky team during games in Holland. Minnis played at the University of Cincinnati and is currently playing for Bellarmine University. Minnis’ previous coaching experience includes time with Athletico Flames in Elizabethtown and Ohio Elite in Louisville.

Michael Roman, Academy Staff Coach

A Southern California native, Roman was a prep star at Rio Mesa HS in Oxnard, Calif. A member of the Cal South Olympic Development Program, Region IV, and US Youth National Team (U15 & U18), Roman then played collegiately for UCLA and the University of Louisville. Roman played with Venture County Fusion of USL League Two for four seasons while he began his coaching career. Roman has worked with Ventura County Fusion (CA), Vienna Youth Soccer (VA), and Oldham County Soccer Club (KY) and is an Assistant Coach for Kentucky Country Day School’s Boys JV and Varsity programs. Roman holds his USSF D License, USYS National Youth License and is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Luke Spencer, Academy Staff Coach

The star of Louisville City’s 2018 USL Championship Final win, Spencer is a Louisville City legend. Born in Augsburg, Germany, Spencer played prep and collegiate soccer in the Cincinnati area at Xavier from 2009-12 before being drafted by the New England Revolution of MLS and then playing with FC Cincinnati. Spencer came to Louisville City in 2017 and immediately fit into the club’s competitive atmosphere. Spencer helped coach the club in 2018 during a coaching transition and is going to help coach the Youth Academy while playing for Louisville City this season.

For more information on the upcoming youth academies, please visit www.loucity.com/Academy.

MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2020 – NWSL Louisville’s new Youth Academy announced nine new coaches Monday.

“I want to welcome all the fantastic coaches and people who have decided to join us on this journey,” Soccer Holdings Executive Vice President of Development James O’Connor said. “We are thrilled to be able to announce this group of coaches. The NWSL academy is a key piece to our women’s program. As we develop and grow we envisage having multiple young women who will have played in this academy go on to represent the NWSL First team.”  

The NWSL Louisville Youth Academy will begin play this summer and start at U-8 (local youth born in 2013) through U-19 (local players born in 2002).

“We are extremely excited and proud of the coaches who have joined our program,” Soccer Holdings Youth Academy Director Mario Sanchez said. “We want to be at the forefront of developing the next generation of American talent, and we believe these coaches will help us achieve that goal.”

Led by Sanchez and NWSL Louisville Academy Director Tim Nowak, the group of new coaches will join Brock Hickam and Craig Jones as coaches for the elite young women in the program and Kristen Wallace, the Academy’s Executive Director.

“I am extremely excited to embark on the NWSL Louisville Academy with this outstanding group of coaches,” Nowak said. “Each has a history of successfully leading young women and they closely represent the values and goals of this organization.  Their overall combined knowledge of the game, the ability to inspire young people and experience coaching at all levels will allow us to focus on creating a positive developmental environment for many years to come.”

Tryout dates for the new Youth Academy will be announced in early April. Once players are selected for a youth academy team, the season will run from late July until mid-May for pre-high schoolers and late Fall through late May for high school players so that players will still be available to play for their local schools. Travel for the teams will be based on age-appropriate demands and league and tournament play.  

The academy teams will train and play at a new training center at Champions Park on River Road which will begin construction later this spring. The complex will include four turf fields and three natural grass fields.

Soccer Holdings has announced the following coaches who will be working with young women in NWSL Louisville’s Youth Academy:

Mario Sanchez, Soccer Holdings Youth Academy Director

Sanchez, a USSF ‘A’ license coach with 21 years of NCAA Div. I coaching experience as an Assistant and Head Coach, joined Louisville City FC in 2019 as the Director of Youth Development. The California native played collegiately at Fresno State before playing for three teams in professional soccer until 2001. An assistant at his alma mater from 1999-2003, Sanchez moved to Akron for three seasons before becoming the head coach at UNLV. An assistant at the University of Louisville from 2010-15, Sanchez was a part of UofL’s most-successful seasons before he became the head coach at SIUE in 2015. In addition to being the Academy Director for Louisville City, Sanchez will also coach the club’s U23 team which will compete in USL League Two. 

Tim Nowak, NWSL Louisville Academy Director

With over 20 years of coaching both girls’ youth and women’s collegiate soccer, including 17 years as an NCAA Division I and Division II head coach or assistant, Nowak brings a wealth of experience to the NWSL Louisville Academy. The St. Louis native and Western Illinois University alum arrived in Louisville in 2001 as an assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of Louisville.  Nowak has also coached collegiately at the University of Arkansas, Eastern Illinois University, Bellarmine University, and Western Illinois University.  Since 2010 he has been part of the girls’ youth program at Kentucky Fire Juniors and Mockingbird where he has been influential in helping to grow the game for local young women in the Louisville area. Nowak holds a USSF C License and a United Soccer Coaches Association Advanced National Diploma.

Brock Hickam, Junior Academy Director for Boys and Girls

The Murphysboro, Ill., native began coaching at his alma mater, Southwest Baptist University in 1994 and has been a youth or college coach ever since. Holding a B License from the U.S. Soccer Federation, Hickam has a National Youth License, a Grassroots Instructors License and has diplomas from the United Soccer Coaches Association in the Curriculum Development, Director of Coaching and Advanced National disciplines. Hickam has worked with the Chicago Fire ETP, Kentucky Fire Juniors, and Indy Premier Soccer at the youth level.  

Craig Jones, Academy Director of Soccer Operations

A successful head coach at Hanover College and a longtime assistant coach at Bellarmine University, Jones has been working with elite local soccer players for nearly two decades. A native of Washington where he played for Western Washington University, Jones earned his Master’s in Sports Administration from Louisville in 2002. In addition to his experience coaching collegiate soccer, Jones has more than a decade of experience coaching at the youth level with United 1996 and Kentucky Fire Juniors. He holds a USSF A License and a National Youth Coaching License.

New Youth Academy Coaches: 

Cameron Bayse, Academy Coach

The Louisville native has played and coached in the Louisville community for 20 years starting with his experience as a player at United 1996 FC and continuing as a youth coach. Bayse played soccer at Centre College in Danville, Ky., and returned to Louisville, starting his coaching career at United 1996 alongside fellow Academy coaches Thabane Sutu and Jason Meurer. Bayse has also worked with Kentucky Fire Juniors and was the operations coordinator with the Derby City Rovers PDL team, working with players like Andrew Farrell of the New England Revolution and Paolo DelPiccolo, Napo Matsoso and Chris Hubbard of Louisville City. Bayse holds a D License from the USSF.

Declan Doherty, Academy Coach

A native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, was the head coach of the Ulster University Jordanstown women’s team and an assistant with Queens University Belfast men’s team before coming to America, working with the Global Premier Soccer New York branch as its Head Coach and Marketing Director. Doherty helped coach the University of Buffalo to the MAC Championship in 2015 before joining the University of Evansville staff in 2016. While working as an assistant coach and Graduate Assistant, Doherty helped guide the Purple Aces to the 2016 MVC Championship game and a 2018 MVC Semifinals appearance. He joined the University of Louisville women’s soccer program as a performance analyst in 2019. 

Alexandria Hoefler, Academy Coach

After playing with United 1996 FC and Ballard High School locally, Hoefler played collegiate soccer at Western Kentucky University from 2014-2017 while working with SKY Soccer Club as Goalkeeper Director and Youth Academy coach. Hoefler returned to Louisville and became a Spalding University Grad Assistant and Kentucky Fire Juniors Academy coach in 2018. Hoefler holds a USSF C License.

Christian Lauria, Academy Coach

Originally from New York, Lauria began his career playing collegiately at St. Catherine College and Campbellsville University before transitioning into youth soccer as the General Manager of the Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club in 2009. Lauria has also worked with the Derby City Rovers of the PDL and the Kentucky Fire Juniors. The Girls Director of the Kentucky Players Academy since 2017, holds a USSF C License, a National Youth License and a Grassroots License. Lauria has also been the head coach at Louisville Male High School since 2014.

Jason Meurer, Academy Coach

A youth coach for nearly three decades, Meurer has been a fixture in the local youth soccer scene since beginnings his coaching career with Louisville Soccer Club in 1992. While working with Mockingbird Valley, United 1996 and Kentucky Fire Juniors, Meurer earned a reputation as one of the top youth coaches in the area. He was named KYSA Competitive Girls Coach of the Year in 2016. Meurer holds a USSF B License. After playing collegiate soccer at UNC Asheville and the University of Louisville, Meurer played in the USISL with the Chattanooga Express and Louisville Thoroughbreds.

Hunter Norton, Academy Coach

An assistant coach with the University of Louisville women’s program since 2014, Norton became a full-time coach with the ACC program in 2017. In addition to his NCAA coaching experience, Norton has coached various age groups with the Kentucky Fire Juniors program since 2014. He holds a USSF D License and an NCSAA Premier License. The Evans, Ga., native is the son of former George Southern men’s and women’s soccer coach Tom Norton. Norton played soccer at Georgia Southern from 2010-2013 and was an All-SoCon selection as a midfielder.

Kiley Polk, Academy Coach

A Louisville native, Polk was one of the top young players in Louisville, playing with Mockingbird and Kentucky Fire Juniors locally and Ohio Elite in the ECNL during her club years. She was also part of Kentucky’s ODP team for three years. After graduating from Sacred Heart Academy in 2018, Polk signed with the University of Louisville where she will be a junior on the women’s soccer team this fall. Polk already has two seasons of youth coaching experience and has earned her Grassroots License.

Jim Rairick, Academy Coach

A Michigan native, Rairick started coaching youth soccer nearly 20 years ago and has coached in both Michigan and Kentucky. After moving to the Louisville area in 2005, Rairick continued working in youth soccer, completing his USSF D License and Grassroots courses with the U.S. Soccer Federation. Rairick has worked with Kentucky Fire Juniors since 2015 and has helped grow the girls’ U9 and U10 programs from single digits at tryouts to more than 40 players.

Chad Wozniak, Academy Coach

A fixture on the Louisville youth soccer scene for more than two decades, Wozniak has worked with Javanon, Mockingbird, Kentucky Fire Juniors and LSA during his time in club coaching. The boys’ coach at Louisville Collegiate High School, Wozniak has led the Titans to four consecutive All “A” State Championships while claiming Kentucky Coach of the Year honors in all four of those years. Holding a USSF D License, Wozniak was named Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year in 2016. Wozniak played collegiately at Bellarmine from 1994-1998 where he was team MVP and a two-time team captain. He also played with the Cincinnati River Hawks after college.

For more information on the upcoming youth academies, please visit www.loucity.com/Academy.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 – The Louisville City Football Club Academy has been accepted as a new member of the Elite Clubs National League, a collection of many of the premier boys’ soccer clubs in America. 

“This is a historic day for youth soccer in Kentucky and our region,” Soccer Holdings Youth Academy Director Mario Sanchez said. “We are very proud that the ECNL has chosen us to be the first club in all of Kentucky to fly the ECNL flag.”

The ECNL Boys was founded to improve the daily environment for boys’ youth soccer players through a collaborative club-based development program featuring competition, player identification, and coaching and club development platforms. LouCity Academy will compete in regular-season conference games, cross-conference events, and ECNL national events while trying to qualify for the ECNL Playoffs.

“ECNL has proven itself to be a leader in youth development competition,” Sanchez said. “The standards that each club must have to be a part of the ECNL organization will enable it to continue to be a leader in youth development.  We are looking forward to our future players being tested both regionally and nationally against some of the best youth players on a regular basis.”

LouCity Academy is the first club in Kentucky invited to join the ECNL Boys.

“Everyone in and around the game has taken notice of the incredible growth and success at Louisville City Football Club over just a few years,” said ECNL Boys Commissioner, Jason Kutney.  “With the support of excellent club leadership and major investments in facilities, staffing, and other associated resources, the LouCity Academy will become a preeminent youth developmental model in Kentucky, and we are excited to welcome them into the ECNL Boys.”

The ECNL Boys boasts some of the top clubs in America including St. Louis Scott Gallagher (MO), Vardar (MI), Pittsburgh Riverhounds (PA), Ohio Premier (OH), Minnesota Thunder (MN). LouCity will be in the Midwest Division alongside teams from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. 

The LouCity Academy will start at U-8 (local youth born in 2013) through U-19 (local players born in 2002) and will train and play at a new training center at Champions Park on River Road which will begin construction later this spring. The complex will include four turf fields and three natural grass fields. The LouCity Academy will be led by Simon Bird.

“The ECNL Boys is an incredible opportunity for our top local players,” Bird said. “The ECNL provides showcase events and post-season playoffs which attract college coaches from across the country. The extra opportunities and exposure provided by the ECNL National Training Camp and the ECNL Conference Selection Program set our new league apart from any other in American soccer.”

Tryouts for LouCity Academy will be announced in early April. Once selected for a youth academy team, the season will run from late July until mid-May for pre-high schoolers and late Fall through late May for high school players so that players will still be available to play for their local schools. Travel for the teams will be based on age-appropriate demands and league and tournament play.

“One of the great benefits of the ECNL Boys is the ability for our players to continue to play high school soccer,” Sanchez said. “In other development leagues, the players aren’t able to participate with their local high schools. We felt it was crucial that our local players be able to compete alongside their classmates each Fall.”

For more information on LouCity Academy, please visit www.loucity.com/Academy.

LOUISVILLE CITY SE CONVIERTE EN EL PRIMER CLUB ECNL BOYS DE KENTUCKY

MIÉRCOLES, 25 DE MARZO DE 2020 – La Louisville City Football Club Academy ha sido aceptada como un nuevo miembro de la Liga Nacional de Clubes Elite, una colección de muchos de los principales clubes de fútbol de niños en Estados Unidos.

“Este es un día histórico para el fútbol juvenil en Kentucky y nuestra región”, dijo el director de la Academia Juvenil de Soccer Holdings, Mario Sánchez. “Estamos muy orgullosos de que la ECNL nos haya elegido para ser el primer club en todo Kentucky en enarbolar la bandera de la ECNL”.

ECNL Boys se fundó para mejorar el entorno diario de los jugadores de fútbol juvenil de los niños a través de un programa de desarrollo colaborativo basado en clubes que incluye competencia, identificación de jugadores y plataformas de entrenamiento y desarrollo de clubes. LouCity Academy competirá tanto en juegos de conferencia de temporada regular como en eventos de conferencia cruzada mientras trata de clasificarse para los playoffs de la Liga Nacional Elite Elite (ENPL) de postemporada.

“ECNL ha demostrado ser un líder en la competencia de desarrollo juvenil”, dijo Sánchez. “Los estándares que cada club debe tener para ser parte de la organización ECNL le permitirán continuar siendo un líder en el desarrollo juvenil. Esperamos que nuestros futuros jugadores sean probados tanto a nivel regional como nacional contra algunos de los mejores jugadores juveniles de forma regular “.

LouCity Academy es el primer club en Kentucky invitado a unirse a los ECNL Boys.

“Todos en el juego y sus alrededores se han dado cuenta del increíble crecimiento y éxito en el Louisville City Football Club en solo unos años”, dijo el comisionado de ECNL Boys, Jason Kutney. “Con el apoyo del excelente liderazgo del club y las grandes inversiones en instalaciones, personal y otros recursos asociados, la Academia LouCity se convertirá en un modelo de desarrollo juvenil preeminente en Kentucky, y estamos encantados de darles la bienvenida a los ECNL Boys”.

ECNL Boys cuenta con algunos de los mejores clubes de Estados Unidos, incluidos St. Louis Scott Gallagher (MO), Vardar (MI), Pittsburgh Riverhounds (PA), Ohio Premier (OH), Minnesota Thunder (MN). LouCity estará en la División del Medio Oeste junto con equipos de Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pensilvania y Nueva York.

La Academia LouCity comenzará en U-8 (jóvenes locales nacidos en 2013) hasta U-19 (jugadores locales nacidos en 2002) y entrenará y jugará en un nuevo centro de entrenamiento en Champions Park en River Road, que comenzará a construirse más adelante esta primavera. . El complejo incluirá cuatro campos de césped y tres campos de césped natural. La Academia LouCity estará dirigida por Simon Bird.

“El ECNL Boys es una oportunidad increíble para nuestros mejores jugadores locales”, dijo Bird. “El ECNL ofrece eventos de exhibición y playoffs de postemporada que atraen a entrenadores universitarios de todo el país. Las oportunidades adicionales y la exposición que brinda el Campamento Nacional de Entrenamiento ECNL y el Programa de Selección de Conferencia ECNL distinguen a nuestra nueva liga de cualquier otra en el fútbol americano ”

Las pruebas para LouCity Academy se anunciarán a principios de abril. Una vez seleccionado para un equipo de academia juvenil, la temporada se extenderá desde finales de julio hasta mediados de mayo para los estudiantes de preescolar y desde finales de otoño hasta finales de mayo para los jugadores de la escuela secundaria, de modo que los jugadores aún estarán disponibles para jugar en sus escuelas locales. Los viajes para los equipos se basarán en las demandas apropiadas para la edad y el juego de liga y torneo.

“Uno de los grandes beneficios de ECNL Boys es la capacidad de nuestros jugadores de seguir jugando fútbol en la escuela secundaria”, dijo Sánchez. “En otras ligas de desarrollo, los jugadores no pueden participar con sus escuelas secundarias locales. Sentimos que era crucial que nuestros jugadores locales pudieran competir junto a sus compañeros de clase cada otoño “.

Para obtener más información sobre LouCity Academy, visite www.loucity.com/Academy.

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020 – As Louisville City FC and NWSL Louisville prepare for their new Youth Academies this summer, Soccer Holdings’ Executive Vice President for Development James O’Connor and Youth Academy Director Mario Sanchez announced major additions to the coaching staff Monday.

“I’m thrilled by the team that we are building, every individual has had so much professional success,” O’Connor said. “They all share a very wide range of experiences which will help shape and grow our young talented players. It is such an exciting time for all of us to be involved in this project and I can promise every parent that your child will be in the very best hands when it comes to developing your child and their soccer talent.”

Soccer Holdings announced five new full-time staff members and three staff coaches on Monday. The new hires join O’Connor, Sanchez and Kristen Wallace, the Academy’s Executive Director, as the new Youth Academies prepare for tryouts coming up later this Spring.

“We are extremely excited and proud of the coaches who have joined our program,” Sanchez said. “Each of these coaches has vast experience in youth and collegiate soccer and most importantly they are great people.  We understand the importance of having great coaches who will not only be teaching the game at a high level but who are great role models.  Each of these coaches understands what it takes to make it to the next level, whether that is for the collegiate game or for the professional game.”

Soccer Holdings has announced the following full-time staff:

Simon Bird, Louisville City FC Academy Director

The Lincoln, England, native was a star at the University of Louisville from 2001-04, earning Conference USA Player of the Year in 2003, and had a six-year professional career in England before returning as a University of Louisville Assistant Coach from 2009-12. A fixture on the local soccer scene, Bird has worked as Oldham Soccer Club’s Director of Coaching and Kentucky Fire Juniors Boys Director. Bird holds an A License from the U.S. Soccer Federation and is a Qualified Teacher for High School Physical Education and Sports Science.

Tim Nowak, NWSL Louisville Academy Director

With over 20 years of coaching both girls’ youth and women’s collegiate soccer, including 17 years as an NCAA Division I and Division II head coach or assistant, Nowak brings a wealth of experience to the NWSL Louisville Academy. The St. Louis native and Western Illinois University alum arrived in Louisville in 2001 as an assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of Louisville.  Nowak has also coached collegiately at the University of Arkansas, Eastern Illinois University, Bellarmine University, and Western Illinois University.  Since 2010 he has been part of the girls’ youth program at Kentucky Fire Juniors and Mockingbird where he has been influential in helping to grow the game for local young women in the Louisville area. Nowak holds a USSF C License and a United Soccer Coaches Association Advanced National Diploma.

Brock Hickam, Junior Academy Director for Boys and Girls

The Murphysboro, Ill., native began coaching at his alma mater, Southwest Baptist University in 1994 and has been a youth or college coach ever since. Holding a B License from the U.S. Soccer Federation, Hickam has a National Youth License, a Grassroots Instructors License and has diplomas from the United Soccer Coaches Association in the Curriculum Development, Director of Coaching and Advanced National disciplines. Hickam has worked with the Chicago Fire ETP, Kentucky Fire Juniors, and Indy Premier Soccer at the youth level.  

Thabane Sutu, Academy Goalkeeping Director

The Maseru, Lesotho native, has coached goalkeepers at the top levels of American Soccer with Orlando City of MLS and Louisville City FC of the USL Championship. Sutu, who played professionally in Lesotho with Arsenal and in Egypt with the club Al Ahly, has been coaching top-level goalkeepers in the Louisville area for nearly two decades first. Sutu was inducted into the Kentucky Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018 for his work with Louisville City and his time with United 1996, winning Kentucky’s Coach of the Year in 2006 and a state title in 2009.

Craig Jones, Academy Director of Soccer Operations

A successful head coach at Hanover College and a longtime assistant coach at Bellarmine University, Jones has been working with elite local soccer players for nearly two decades. A native of Washington where he played for Western Washington University, Jones earned his Master’s in Sports Administration from Louisville in 2002. In addition to his experience coaching collegiate soccer, Jones has more than a decade of experience coaching at the youth level with United 1996 and Kentucky Fire Juniors. He holds a USSF A License and a National Youth Coaching License.

In addition to the full-time staff, the new Youth Academies have announced Hylton Dayes, Luke Spencer and Shaun Francis as staff coaches.

“Adding in coaches like Hylton, Luke, and Shaun will give our future players and families even greater resources to help them reach their dreams and aspirations,” Sanchez said

Hylton Dayes, Academy Staff Coach

The winningest men’s soccer coach in University of Cincinnati history, Dayes guided the Bearcats through transitions from Conference USA to the Big East and American Athletic Conference during his 19 seasons in Cincinnati. The Kingston, Jamaica, native is a Hall of Fame member at his alma mater, Wright State, has been a coach for more than two decades. The 2003 Conference USA Coach of the Year, Dayes led the Bearcats to league titles in 2003 and 2006, mentored three NSCAA All-Americans, three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, and 39 all-conference selections during his tenure. Dayes is married to University of Louisville coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes.

Luke Spencer, Academy Staff Coach

The star of Louisville City’s 2018 USL Championship Final win, Spencer is a Louisville City legend. Born in Augsburg, Germany, Spencer played prep and collegiate soccer in the Cincinnati area at Xavier from 2009-12 before being drafted by the New England Revolution of MLS and then playing with FC Cincinnati. Spencer came to Louisville City in 2017 and immediately fit into the club’s competitive atmosphere. Spencer helped coach the club in 2018 during a coaching transition and is going to help coach the Youth Academy while playing for Louisville City this season.

Shaun Francis, Academy Staff Coach

The Mandeville, Jamaica, native played at the top levels of North American soccer for more than a decade at the MLS, USL Championship levels. A gifted defender, Francis played with the Columbus Crew, Chicago Fire, San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact of MLS before coming to Louisville City FC in 2018. Prior to his impressive professional career, Francis helped Lindsey Wilson College win the 2009 NAIA title. In addition to his professional experience, Francis has been a frequent contributor to the Jamaican National Team since his first call-up in 2010.

The new coaches will begin working for Soccer Holdings immediately preparing for tryouts, which will be announced by the end of March.

The Youth Academy will start at U-8 (local youth born in 2013) through U-19 (local players born in 2002) in both boys and girls. Each gender and age will have a coaching staff vetted to properly teach the group to reach their full potential.

“We are still in the process of evaluating and meeting with other coaches who are interested in joining the club,” Sanchez said. “In the near future, we will be making further announcements on our entire coaching staff and specifically which age group each coach will be responsible for during the 2020-21 season.”

Once players are selected for a youth academy team, the season will run from late July until mid-May for pre-high schoolers and late Fall through late May for high school players so that players will still be available to play for their local schools. Travel for the teams will be based on age-appropriate demands and league and tournament play.  

The academy teams will train and play at a new training center at Champions Park on River Road which will begin construction later this spring. On Thursday, March 5, the Louisville Metro Council approved plans to lease a portion of Champions Park to Soccer Holdings as part of a public-private partnership to rejuvenate the property into usable practice fields. The complex will include four turf fields and three natural grass fields.

For more information on the upcoming youth academies, please visit www.loucity.com.

On Monday, Louisville City FC and NWSL Louisville announced the formation of new Youth Academies starting in the summer of 2020. The new Youth Academy programs will start with athletes U-8 through U-19 in open tryouts later this spring. 

Louisville City Academy Director Mario Sanchez said the early response to Monday’s announcement has been tremendous.

“It’s been extremely positive,” Sanchez said. “People are excited about the opportunities that local kids will have to pursue their dreams on both the boys’ and girls’ sides.”

Now that the Youth Academies have been announced, Sanchez and Louisville City’s Executive Vice President of Development James O’Connor are working on the next phase of the academy roll-out plan.

“Our next step will be to announce our full-time coaching staff in the near future,” Sanchez said. “And then we’ll be announcing our upcoming tryout dates after that.”

Sanchez said he’s heard from many members of the local soccer community since the announcement. Sanchez noted that he has four children, two boys and two girls, and to be able to have Youth Academies for both genders was a key for Soccer Holdings from the beginning.  

“We have heard from a lot of people saying ‘Congratulations,’” Sanchez said. “The soccer community understands how exciting this is for our local kids. It is good to show people how important the NWSL is for our local young women and women’s sports in general. To be on the forefront of women’s soccer in this country is exciting for the city of Louisville.”

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 – Soccer Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Louisville City FC, Lynn Family Stadium, and NWSL Louisville, announced a new vision for youth soccer in the Louisville community Monday. The organization will launch Youth Academy programs for both boys and girls starting in the Summer of 2020.

“We are excited to announce the next natural step for our organization,” President Brad Estes said. “Launching youth academies for boys and girls is an important next step in both the USL and the NWSL. As we continue to grow as a club with a focus on improving quality, being able to develop the next generation of stars in our hometown is paramount.”

Louisville City FC and Louisville’s NWSL team will each have a youth academy associated with its first team. Young players will have the opportunity to develop his/her full potential in a positive, player-centered learning environment. 

“We will create a pathway to professional or collegiate soccer for local youth players,” Mario Sanchez said. “The USL and NWSL have both presented a vision of future youth development which includes each local team launching an academy system. We are excited about this next step in our growth as a club.”

The Youth Academy will start at U-8 (local youth born in 2013) through U-19 (local players born in 2002) in both boys and girls. Each gender and age will have a coaching staff vetted to properly teach the group to reach their full potential. 

Louisville City’s first entry into the Academy structure was last month’s USL Academy Cup. A group of 17 local stars came together as an All-Star team and had a successful run during the 2020 USL Academy Eastern Conference event, turning heads of scouts and other long-established clubs.

“Today is another important step in the growth of our club,” Louisville City Head Coach and Sporting Director John Hackworth said. “Player development and creating a pathway to becoming a professional is vital for all of us in this organization.”

Soccer Holdings will launch its NWSL franchise for the 2021 season. It is important to build a youth development system to help identify and train the next generation of American soccer stars.  

“With the success of our men’s program and the ambition we have for our NWSL team, it is the next step for us,” Soccer Holdings Executive Vice President James O’Connor said. “It’s a natural progression and a program we are thrilled to offer our local community. We have already had a number of local players represent our USL team and as we look to the future we endeavor to have more local talent representing us in both our USL and NWSL teams.”

Tryouts for each of the teams will be announced by the end of March. Louisville City FC and NWSL Louisville are committed to an open tryout process for each of its teams.

“It is important for us to have an open selection process,” Sanchez said. “We want to work with the top talent in our area. We want this to be as inclusive as possible because we understand how important it is that our sport be available to all.”

Once selected for a youth academy team, the season will run from late July until mid-May for pre-high schoolers and late Fall through late May for high school players so that players will still be available to play for their local schools. Travel for the teams will be based on age-appropriate demands and league and tournament play.

Sanchez said the club is currently working to identify coaching candidates for each of the teams.

“We will have an open process to field the top coaches in each age category,” Sanchez explained. “Any coach who is interested in coaching with us can email me their interested and resume.”

The academy teams will train and play at a new training center at Champions Park on River Road which will begin construction later this spring. On Thursday, March 5, the Louisville Metro Council approved plans to lease a portion of Champions Park to Soccer Holdings as part of a public-private partnership to rejuvenate the property into usable practice fields. The complex will include four turf fields and three natural grass fields.

For more information on the upcoming youth academies, please visit www.loucity.com/academy. For questions, email: academyinfo@https://www.www.loucity.com