The Houston Dynamo Academy, presented by Statoil, will hold its annual Dynamo Academy Showcase on Saturday, December 19, at 10:30 a.m., it was announced today. Head coach Dominic Kinnear (and Chief Operating Officer Chris Canetti) will be on hand to evaluate players and will be made available to the media after the match.
The game will take place at the Carl Lewis Track & Field Complex at the University of Houston and will feature a team of college players on the Dynamo's home-grown player list against the Dynamo's U-18 squad, currently in second place in the Texas Division of the USSF Development Academy.
Parking is available in the parking lot on Elgin St., near the UH softball stadium.
Notable players competing in the event include:
College
FW Alex Dixon (Humble Atascocita H.S., University of North Carolina)
GK Fernando Piña (Challenge Early College H.S., U.S. U-17 national team)
MF Daniel Roberts (Fort Bend Clements H.S., UNC-Wilmington)
MF Josue Soto (PrepaTec (Mexico), SMU)
U-18
MF Sebastien Ibeagha (Fort Bend Hightower H.S., committed to Duke)
MF Francisco Navas (Houston Community College, U.S. U-20 national team)
DF C.J. Odenigwe (Fort Bend Travis H.S., committed to North Carolina)
GK Pat Wall (Strake Jesuit H.S., committed to Notre Dame)
The full roster for both teams is available at HoustonDynamo.com/Academy.
The Dynamo will open the 2010 season on Saturday, March 27, when they face FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The home opener in Houston will take place the following week against the Kansas City Wizards.
WHAT: Houston Dynamo Academy Showcase
WHEN: Saturday, December 19 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Carl Lewis Track & Field Complex University of Houston Houston, TX 77004
ABOUT THE HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo are a Major League Soccer franchise that has won two MLS Cup championships in its first four seasons and represented the United States in four consecutive regional championships. For more information, log on to www.HoustonDynamo.com or call (713) 276-7500.
ABOUT THE HOUSTON DYNAMO ACADEMY
The Houston Dynamo Academy, presented by Statoil, consists of the best youth players in the Houston area. The Academy U-18 and U-16 train four days per week in a professional environment and compete in the United States Soccer Development Academy league, the most competitive youth league in the country. The Academy also plays international games, including its first ever European trip in 2009 and regular trips to Mexico, and domestic tournaments such as the Dallas Cup, the SUM U-17 Cup, and the Dynamo Alliance Cup. Historically, the Academy's top players have been invited to train with the Dynamo first team as opportunities arise throughout the season. Successful Academy graduates can be designated as Dynamo home-grown players and can eventually be promoted directly to the Dynamo first team. The Dynamo Camps are the main source of identification and recruitment for the Dynamo Academy, with the next camp held December 27-30. Visit HoustonDynamo.com/Academy for more information.
