Met Oval Solidifies Role as Elite Talent Development Academy
The fall season has further established Met Oval and its Youth Center of Excellence as the regions leading elite talent development environment. With the addition of higher licensed coaches, the expansion of the USSF academy status and a growth in Met Oval’s affiliate program, the elite development environment has been strengthened and significant progress has been seen both on the individual and team levels.
Player News
USSF Youth National Team Call ups
Met Oval current and former players have impressed at the national level this Fall. In the first National Camp for the YNT U14 group, Met Oval player Jobany Garcia was invited for the week long camp at the US Soccer Training Center in Los Angeles. Jobany was one of only 3 players from our region invited. Pictured above second left back row. (Congrats also in order for Jack Mcglynn and Ryan Kipness)
http://www.ussoccerda.com/161114-peay-names-48-player-u14-bnt-roster-for-november-training-camp
In addition, congrats go out to former Met Oval players who have been called into Youth National Camps this past year. Veljko Petrovic, Balthazar Saunders, Justin Haak and Aziel Jackson.
MLS academy selections
This year, seven additional Met Oval players were selected to join the NYCFC academy. These on top of the five Met Oval players selected in the 2015 cycle further demonstrate the elite development acumen that lies at the core of Met Oval’s philosophy and Met Oval’s important role in NYCFC’s affiliate program. Currently 12 Met Oval players have been selected for NYCFC’s academy which equates to approximately 33% of the NYCFC academy roster. In addition congrats go out to former Met Oval players Balthazar Saunders and Jose Flores who lead the NYCFC U14 and U16 academy teams in goals this fall with 11 each.
2016 NYCFC Academy player selections:
2002 born players Manny Smalios, Pierro Elias, Omar Torres, Peter Dres and Niko Kapandaze, 2001 born player Victor Souza, and 2000 born player Jose Flores.
Team news
Met Oval’s Academy teams concluded a productive Fall with a tough slate of games against the NY Red Bulls and BW Gotchee. Met Oval academy teams went undefeated in our 4 game stand versus Gotchee on the weekend of November 12/13th. The U12 group played one of their most complete performances of the year winning the two games 4-1 and 7-0. The U13 and U14 group both tied 1-1 in competitive matches that highlighted our possession oriented style of play. On November 19th, Met Oval hosted the NY Red Bulls academy for a slate of games on a mild fall day. The U12 group split games with the red bulls wining and losing 3-1 while the U13 and U14 lost games that eventually got away from them in the 2nd half to a strong Red Bull’s group.
In other league play, the Met Oval 05, 06, 07 and 08 groups have shown strong performances over the fall implementing the individual technique and style of play worked on though out the weekly training sessions. The Met Oval curriculum is rooted in its approach to individual technical development in the Phase 1 development cycle and slowly injecting game cognition at the Phase 2 cycle.
Met Oval’s older teams continued their progression acclimating to new leagues and competition. The 03 and 04 EDP groups as well as the 2001 Pre Academy competed all Fall while the 2000 group will star their season shortly after winning their first State Cup game and going 4-1 at the Super Y championships in Florida.
Met Oval’s U18 won their 3rd consecutive National Championship at the IMG complex in Florida this month. Ivo Mohorovic’s men won the title at the Super Y Finals winning all games in the 5 day competition. Congrats on a very successful few years.
Club Updates
Met Oval has expanded its use of video analysis technology through affiliations with FieldVision and Hud’l. Investing in a full time analyst and related technology has allowed coaching staff to further expand players cognitive development. Academy players will continue to have weekly video review session with analysis of principles of play.
Met Oval’s U12 academy group have been invited to train at the Ajax Academy in April. The 10 day trip will see the group train at Ajax’s De Tokemost, play friendlies against Ajax Academy and other Dutch teams and compete in the Force Cup against academy teams from the leading professional clubs in Europe. Please help them fund raise via the donation link below and forwarding to your friends and family.
Remember all donations are tax deductible so now is the time to donate!
https://www.generosity.com/sports-fundraising/met-oval-u12-academy-team-trip-to-ajax
During the summer of 2017, a Met Oval 06/05 and 03/04 team have been invited to the inaugural Southampton Cup in the UK to play against Europe's finest academies including RSC Anderlecht, Dinamo Zagreb, Real Club Deportivo La Coruna and Southampton.
Affiliations
Met Oval’s affiliate network has grown stronger in the past year as we welcomed additional clubs as partners in the elite youth development pathway. With affiliate clubs in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island more youth now have an opportunity to develop to their full potential while best practices are shared across coaching staff.
Coaches
Met Oval is delighted to welcome Mark Van Lith to our coaching staff. Mark was a former coach at the Ajax Academy in the Netherlands and will assume the role of Asst Director of Coaching and the U13 USSF academy coach. Mark holds a UEFA B license and is in the midst of attaining his USSF B license.
Met Oval also welcomes James Francis and Eduardo Cruz who joined the staff this Fall. James is a UEFA B licensed coach from the UK who also manages our analytics department. Eduardo is a USSF B licensed coach who has coached through out the senior and youth ranks in his native Colombia as well as here in the USA for many years.
Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season from all of us at the Met Oval !!
For more info visit www.metropolitanoval.org
The Metropolitan Oval Foundation is a 501(3) Not for Profit dedicated to developing the regions elite players while offering youth of all backgrounds the opportunity to play in a committed environment. Met Oval is a USSF Development Academy member, a Nike Premier club and a NYCFC affiliate club and the only youth club in New York City to own its own field and related facilities.