While Sporting Kansas City's senior team sent six representatives -- most of any MLS club -- to Portland, Oregon during MLS All-Star Week, there were also two members of the club's youth development Academy in the Rose City representing the MLS Cup champions on the field.
Under-16 players Absalom Solorio (Oak Park H.S.) and Steve Tekesky (Raymore Peculiar H.S.) were among 54 players selected from MLS academies for the 2014 Generation adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP) Showcase from July 31 through Aug. 5. The duo were part of the Central All-Stars squad that participated in a four-team, round robin tournament featuring FC Bayern Munich's U16 Academy Team.
CENTRAL ALL-STARS
FC Dallas
: Mark Salas, Carlos Avilez, Lamar Batista, Damian Hernandez
Houston Dynamo
: Christian Molina, Cameron Walker, Gianluca Natera
Real Salt Lake
: Terrell Lowe, Erik Virgen, Aristotle Zarris, Mckay Ward Eves
Colorado Rapids
: Gregory Tracey, Sam Vines
Sporting Kansas City
: Steve Tekesky, Absolom Solorio
Chicago Fire
: David Portugal, Adrian Ortega, Manny Cerritos
The Central All-Stars were coached throughout the week by Chris Hayden (FC Dallas), Freddy Juarez (Real Salt Lake) and Brian Crookham (Colorado Rapids). The team also had the opportunity to participate in a training session led by FC Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola.
Playing inside Providence Park -- home to the Portland Timbers -- the Central All-Stars opened the showcase with an impressive 2-2 draw against FC Bayern Munich U16's. Chicago Fire Academy U16 David Portugal scored the opening goal (video below) and Houston Dynamo Academy U16 Christian Molina added the second.
Solorio's play caught the eye of at least one spectator in attendance, based on the tweet below, and also earned him an invite to join the FC Bayern Munich U16's as a guest player in their subsequent match. He made the most of the opportunity, scoring in the second half of a 2-0 victory over the East.
In addition to playing alongside and against the best players in their age level, Solorio and Tekesky will return to Kansas City with numerous off-the-field soccer memories.
The trip began with an opening ceremony attended by Portland Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe, a 2010 NCAA champion and Hermann Trophy winner before turning pro in 2011 as a Generation adidas signing, and the festivities will conclude with tickets to the MLS All-Star Game to cheer on Sporting KC's four representatives later tonight.
In the days between, both players had inside access to watch Monday's inaugural Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game featuring Sporting KC Academy products Jon Kempin -- who was named the match MVP -- and Erik Palmer-Brown, as well as two FC Bayern Munich first team training sessions. The latter included 19-year-old U.S. Men's National Team forward Julian Green, who scored in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and posed for a picture with Solorio (at right).
"This past week has really shown me what I need to do and how I can improve to make it to the next level," said Solorio, who was second on the Sporting KC U16's with six goals in 25 appearances during the 2013-14 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season. "Overall, it was a very cool experience."
