Sporting Kansas City Academy defender Cameron Duke helped the United States U-16 Boys’ National Team to a third-place finish at the 2016 Val-de-Marne Tournament in France last week.
Led by head coach Shaun Tsakiris, the United States opened the competition with a 2-1 win over England on Oct. 25 before falling 3-0 to Russia last Thursday. Duke and the U.S. ended their stay with a 2-0 defeat to tournament champion France on Saturday.
Duke earned starts against England and France to gain further international pedigree, having previously featured in eight U.S. BNT training camps at the U-14, U-15 and U-16 levels. A native of Olathe, Kansas, Duke first joined the United States U-16s in September for a training camp in Davis, California.
Duke, the younger brother of Swope Park Rangers captain Christian Duke, joined the Sporting KC Academy in 2012. He made 24 league appearances for the U-16s last season, helping the side qualify for the USSDA playoffs, and has started four USSDA matches in 2016-17.
Duke is one of seven current Sporting KC Academy players who have trained this fall with various U.S. youth national teams.
SKC ACADEMY: U.S. YNT PARTICIPATION - FALL 2016
<strong>U.S. YNT</strong> |
<strong>PLAYER</strong> |
<strong>POSITION</strong> |
<strong>HOMETOWN</strong> |
U-14s |
Tyler Freeman<br>
Tommy Williams |
Midfielder<br>
Goalkeeper |
Shawnee, KS<br>
Roeland Park, KS |
U-15s |
Gianluca Busio |
Midfielder |
Greensboro, NC |
U-16s |
Cameron Duke |
Defender |
Olathe, KS |
U-17s |
Jaylin Lindsey<br>
Mason Visconti |
Defender<br>
Forward |
Charlotte, NC<br>
Lee's Summit, MO |
U-19s |
Felipe Hernandez |
Midfielder |
Nashville, TN |