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In 2010, Real Salt Lake established a $20 million, year-long residential academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, 11 hours south of Salt Lake.
10 years later, the results are clear. Sebastian Soto is at Norwich, Richie Ledezma is at PSV, and plenty more are playing for U.S. youth teams.
10 years later, the results are clear. Sebastian Soto is at Norwich, Richie Ledezma is at PSV, and plenty more are playing for U.S. youth teams.
There were a few reasons why RSL moved operations to Casa Grande, which is midway between Tucson and Phoenix.
Unlike Utah, Arizona has an arid climate, plenty more youth players, and a much stronger Latino market.
Unlike Utah, Arizona has an arid climate, plenty more youth players, and a much stronger Latino market.
Most of the top stars that RSL's academy has produced did not come from Utah, but instead stronger Latino hotbeds like Southern California, New Mexico and Arizona.
Ledezma is from Phoenix, Aaron Herrera is from Las Cruces, David Ochoa, Sebastian Saucedo and Soto are from SoCal.
Ledezma is from Phoenix, Aaron Herrera is from Las Cruces, David Ochoa, Sebastian Saucedo and Soto are from SoCal.
All of those players have gone on to play for U.S. youth teams, and could play for the senior team in the near future.
One thing that made RSL's academy so innovative was they hired Latinos to call the shots -- Martin Vazquez as the academy director and Freddy Juarez as coach.
One thing that made RSL's academy so innovative was they hired Latinos to call the shots -- Martin Vazquez as the academy director and Freddy Juarez as coach.
Vazquez has played a massive role in scouting hotbeds like Los Angeles and Phoenix and finding promising young Latino youngsters.
Juarez, on the other hand, has helped develop them and bring them through the academy pipeline and into the first team fold.
Juarez, on the other hand, has helped develop them and bring them through the academy pipeline and into the first team fold.
In 2018, RSL relocated to a $78 million academy in Herriman, UT, 15 minutes outside of the stadium.
Barcelona, on the other hand, established an overseas academy in Casa Grande, RSL's old nesting ground.
Barcelona, on the other hand, established an overseas academy in Casa Grande, RSL's old nesting ground.
The location changed to incorporate the academy rather than make it a boarding school, but the focus hasn't changed.
RSL hired Jámison Olave, a native of Medellín, to coach their academy team, and he has brought in Julián Vázquez, Luis Arriaga etc. into the first team picture.
RSL hired Jámison Olave, a native of Medellín, to coach their academy team, and he has brought in Julián Vázquez, Luis Arriaga etc. into the first team picture.
The fact that Soto can score two goals against France in the U-20 World Cup, and then earn a move to one of the best 'development teams' in the Prem, under the eye of the shrewd Stuart Webber, is a testament to RSL's investment and work into their academy. https://twitter.com/ZachLowy/status/1207752829609398272?s=20
RSL have built one of the best academies in MLS alongside FC Dallas and New York Red Bulls because they invested heavily in it and trusted the right guys to run it.
In order for MLS to transition to a youth-focused, 'selling' approach, more teams need to follow RSL's example.
In order for MLS to transition to a youth-focused, 'selling' approach, more teams need to follow RSL's example.
