The Sporting KC Academy will be one of eight teams vying for a national title in the U-14 boys division when the 2018 US Youth Soccer National Championships kick off July 24 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
The U-14s, led by head coach Declan Jogi, reached the Midwest Regional Championships final with four straight wins at Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield, Ind., and qualified for nationals despite falling 4-1 on Wednesday to Nationals Soccer Club, who had already secured a berth at the National Championships as National League Blue division champions.
2018 Midwest Regional Championships
June 22: SKC U-14s 3, Sporting Omaha FC 0
June 23: SKC U-14s 3, Alliance Cincinnati 0
June 24: SKC U-14s 3, Indy Premier 2
June 26: SKC U-14s 1, Des Moines Menace 0 (OT)
June 27: Nationals SC 4, SKC U-14s 1
The US Youth Soccer National Championships, first held in 1935, will welcome 96 of the nation's top boys and girls teams in the U-13 through U-19 brackets. Group play in the U-14 boys division will take place from July 24-26 with the top two teams in each group advancing to the semifinals on July 28 followed by the national championship on July 29 with the William J. "Billy" Goaziou Cup on the line.
The Sporting KC Academy last appeared at the US Youth Soccer National Championships in 2015 when the U-15's became the second team from the state of Kansas to win a US Youth Soccer national title.
Follow the Sporting KC Academy on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat (skcacademy) for updates throughout the tournament and for all the latest information on the club's youth development teams.
