FRISCO – It’s well-documented how effective and prestigious FC Dallas’ academy system is. This time last season, the current U-18 academy players were lifting the 2015 USSDA National Championship trophy as U-16 players. The current U-16 players lifted the U-15 title last season as well.
Going into this year’s USSDA playoffs, which FC Dallas is hosting, there’s plenty on the line as many of the academy players try to repeat as champions.
The U-16 team is trying to become the first-ever USSDA academy side to win back-to-back national titles while the U-18 team is vying for its second-ever national championship, joining its 2012 title.
It won’t be easy to accomplish these feats, but the well-prepared academy teams are feeling confident and composed.
“The practices are where it all starts,” U-18 midfielder Devin Vega said, “and we’re preparing well for it. It’s a thing we’ve been through together and it’s going to be the second year going into it and we’re ready.”
For these players, their resume of success won’t have them folding in the limelight, in fact, it has them chasing that feeling only winning can provide.
“I mean we won it last year and the feeling was amazing,” Vega said, reflecting on last year’s title. “We got back to the hotel and we had a little party. We had an amazing time up there and that feeling was just unbelievable and we’re ready to do it again.”
More than diligent training, education and conditioning, an aspect of academy life that helps the team gain confidence and on-field cohesion is that during a player’s time with FC Dallas, they’re essentially inseparable.
“We're a family, a really big family,” U-18 midfielder Weston McKinnie said. “It's a brotherhood that we have here. We practice together everyday. Every morning we come out here you can never see us without a smile because we're together and I think that's a really big part of going into the playoffs and looking forward to the national championship because we're together and we always back each other up.
McKinnie knows that having spent so much time together sets this team apart and there’s no question in his mind that it transfers onto the field.
“I mean you can't really take players off the streets, put them together and have them perform as well as we do,” McKinnie said. “We've been together for such a long time so that chemistry together really connects with us on the field.”
For the U-16 team, who is attempting to become become repeat champions, a bonus of this year’s playoffs is playing in the friendly confines of the Toyota Soccer Center. Over the coming weeks, the world-class facility will become the ultimate soccer haven, especially for the academy players.
“I think it's an advantage for us cause there's people who come out and see us in their support, so we want to make them feel that we're winners,” U-16 forward Jesus Ferreira, son of FC Dallas legend and 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira, said.
With Frisco, of course, comes the mid-summer heat. And while FC Dallas players will have to endure it, the high temperatures are something these players are used to –– unlike sides coming in from further north.
“I think the heat would be more of advantage for us because we've been used to it,” Ferreira said. “We play on turf every year and with this heat, it's going to be even hotter but I think the other teams will not be able to hang with us in this type of heat.”
Playoff competition ramps up Wednesday evening as both the U-16’s and U-18’s will start their championship runs at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively, at the Toyota Soccer Center. For a complete schedule of every FC Dallas team in action, visit our USSDA Playoff Central page.