A quick spotlight on an academy doing it well - the Seattle Sounders academy.

Last year, they were the first American team to win the GA Champions division. They beat West Ham, Flamengo, River Plate, and Valencia to win the title. Those are serious youth teams.

Some argue winning isn’t the most important thing in youth development. Development is.

The truth is the best tend to do both. But ultimately any academy is graded on players developed, not trophies earned.

Many of the kids are working into pro soccer. Seattle tightly integrates its USL club - the Tacoma Defiance. Unlike many USL teams, Tacoma plays the kids. In their recent win over Timbers2, 10/11 starters were 23 or younger. It’s 4 attackers were 19 or younger.

The trick in youth player development is to develop quantity AND quality.

Quantity: When they signed Atencio, Dobbelaere, and Hopeau, they signed their 14th-16th players to Homegrown contracts.

Quality: Danny Leyva was a Sounders regular at 16.

The key is commitment from the top. There’s not a more committed GM in MLS than Garth Lagerway. Under Garth, the Sounders have revamped and recommitted to their timeline.

They hired Henry Brauner to run their academy this year, and they poached Gary Lewis from Philly in 2019.

It’s too early to say the Sounders Academy is a success. Like FC Dallas had in Pareja, the Sounders have in Brian Schmetzer a coach who is reluctant to play the kids. But the club absolutely expects their academy investment to result in first team minutes.

But this is an academy worth keeping an eye on. They’ve already proven they are winners. Can they also be producers of elite talent?

I think the signs are positive.