Eleven players representing seven MLS youth academies have earned slots in US Soccer’s prestigious Bradenton Residency Program for the upcoming fall semester, with Chivas USA and the New York Red Bulls contributing a league-best three players each.
RBNY is represented by Evan Louro, Christopher Lema and Wesley Wade, all members of the Red Bulls U-15/16 team that won the US Soccer Federation Development Academy championship last month. Meanwhile, Chivas USA will send defenders Adonis Amaya (Westminster, Calif.) and Malcolm Jones (Chino Hills, Calif.), as well as striker Bradford Jamieson (Los Angeles), three of the 12 California products on the roster.
US Under-17 national team coach Richie Williams also selected players from the San Jose Earthquakes, New England Revolution, LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders academy setups.
Williams named 31 players in all, most of them 1996-born, with four ‘97s rounding out the group. The former D.C. United star is gearing up for the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, which takes place April 6-19 in Panama and will serve as the regional qualifying tournament for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
"We think we've assembled a very strong roster and we look forward to working with all the players coming back and the new players coming in this semester," Williams said in a press release. "We hope to continue to develop the players both individually and collectively so we can be successful on the field."
Launched in 1999, the Bradenton Residency Program offers a professional-style training environment for the nation’s top youth players. It has produced a long list of MLS and US national team stars, including Landon Donovan, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley and Freddy Adu. Overall, more than 100 Bradenton alumni have moved on to Major League Soccer or the professional leagues in Europe.
Players live at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., training in the morning and attending high school classes at a nearby prep school in the afternoon.
Full Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jeff Caldwell (North Carolina Fusion; Todd, N.C.), Paul Christensen (Seattle Sounders FC; Woodinville, Wash.), Evan Louro (New York Red Bulls; South River, N.J.)
DEFENDERS (12): Adonis Amaya (Chivas USA; Westminster, Calif.), Bryce Cregan (PA Classics; Dallastown, Pa.), Conor Donovan (North Carolina Alliance; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Malcolm Jones (Chivas USA; Chino Hills, Calif.), Elijah Martin (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Jorge Miranda (Real So Cal; Van Nuys, Calif.), Shaquell Moore (Cobb FC; Powder Springs, Ga.), Tommy Redding (FC America Premier; Oviedo, Fla.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Gonzalo Rolon (Central California Blues; Bakersfield, Calif.), Peter Schropp (Omaha FC; Omaha, Neb.), Tyler Turner (South Central Premier; West Haven, Conn.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis), Junior Flores (McLean Youth Soccer; Manassas Park, Va.), Angel Heredia (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Guyllain Kabala (New England Revolution; Manchester, N.H.), Christopher Lema (New York Red Bulls; Ridgefield, N.J.), Rolando Muñoz (LA Galaxy; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Ben Swanson (Columbus Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio)
FORWARDS (9): Corey Baird (San Diego Surf; Escondido, Calif.), Sebastian Elney (Boca United; Lake Worth, Fla.), Bradford Jamieson (Chivas USA; Los Angeles), Brian Pacheco (Pateadores; Anaheim, Calif.), Dalton Pando (San Juan Soccer Club; Shingle Springs, Calif.), Rubio Rubin (Westside Metros; Beaverton, Ore.), Ahinga Selemani (CSA Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Wesley Wade (New York Red Bulls; South Orange, N.J.), Alan Winn (Solar Chelsea FC; Garland, Texas)
