Two years ago this month, two of the most successful clubs in Kansas City, Blue Valley Soccer Club and Kansas City Football Club, completed a major merger that saw both clubs’ membership come together to form
Sporting Blue Valley
. This was the first instance of an Academy Affiliate in the
Sporting Club Network
taking on the “Sporting” name and for some time it was considered one of the main local feeder clubs for the Sporting KC Academy teams. Times have changed since then with the Academy Affiliate program growing immensely, now including 11 different affiliates across the Midwest, spanning as far as Minneapolis, Minnesota to Nashville, Tennessee.
As Sporting KC Academy tryouts returned this May, the influence of these Academy Affiliates was certainly apparent with trialists coming from at least seven different cities and five different states. Among the represented affiliates were
Omaha FC
,
Sporting Wichita Rojos
,
Sporting StL Rangers
,
Sporting Nashville Heroes
,
Sporting Kaw Valley
,
Sporting Iowa
,
Sporting Columbia SC
, and
Sporting Blue Valley
, with a number of these players receiving roster or developmental player spots across the four Academy age groups for the 2014-15 season.
A major goal of the Sporting Club Network and its Academy Affiliate program is to better scout and develop the youth talent throughout this region in hopes of providing a clear path for these players to strive for a place on the Sporting KC senior team. Seeing growth like this is a testament to this program and hopefully a sign of the club getting closer to having its first Academy Affiliate player starting in a competitive match at Sporting Park.
To keep up with the Sporting Club Network and the Academy Affiliate program, be sure to follow on
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.
