In August 2007, Western New York’s top soccer clubs, the Rochester Junior Rhinos, Syracuse Football Club and Buffalo United Soccer Club joined together to form the Empire United Soccer Academy.  In the Spring of 2009, Crown City FC from the Cortland/Homer area joined the Academy.  The unification of these clubs, acknowledges their strong working relationship and shared vision of the development of youth soccer.  This combined organization will enable soccer players at all levels to attain their individual goals and maximize their potential.  In fact, the strength of the new club was recognized when Empire USA received one of the sixty-four initial memberships in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution has formed a strategic partnership with New York-based Empire United, a youth development program that also plays in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Beginning with the 2012-13 season, Empire United will become “Revolution Empire, A New England Revolution Soccer Club.”
 
Revolution Empire will be the Revolution’s first affiliate youth club, allowing its Academy players, coaches and development-level players access and involvement in the Revolution Academy development and competition system, with the ultimate goal to produce Revolution Home Grown players.
 
“We’re very excited and eager to announce Empire United as our first youth development affiliate club,” New England Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said. “This year, we’ve already expanded our development model by adding an Under-14 team. Now with this partnership with Empire United, we’re expanding our geographic footprint. On top of the successful system we already have in place, we expect this new integrated organization will allow us to identify and develop more players who will one day represent the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.”
 
On the competitive side, the Revolution Academy and Revolution Empire youth teams will continue to compete as separate teams in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. However, both teams will train and develop under a similar system and Empire’s youth teams will be afforded the same training opportunities with the New England Revolution senior team as the Revs’ youth teams.
 
Empire’s elite youth team players will have the opportunity to train with the Revolution first team during the summer months. They can also earn call-ups to the Revolution Reserve team during its 10-game season and Empire’s players will get first-hand coaching from the Revolution Academy coaches at home in Western New York throughout the year.
 
“This promises to be an exciting and fruitful relationship for both Empire United and the New England Revolution,” Revolution Director of Youth Development Bryan Scales said. “When we started having conversations about affiliates, it was very important that we found the right people and the right development model to partner with. We feel we’ve found a perfect fit with Jim Mort, Chris Apple and the entire Empire United family.”
 
Empire’s coaches will have opportunities for ongoing coaching and personal development through the Revolution Academy, including training and education sessions with the Revolution first team and youth technical staffs. Additionally, the Revolution and Empire youth technical staffs will collaborate to introduce a consistent training system for both clubs’ development systems.
 
“Our New England Revolution partnership will provide an exceptional resource that will help Empire improve the standard of youth soccer in Central and Western New York,” Jim Mort, Executive Director of Empire United, said. “We want to be a primary asset to identify young players that have the potential of playing at a professional level and give them the training, facilities, resources and professional coaching in an extraordinary learning environment. We are dedicated to creating opportunities for our young players to excel.”
 
On the development side, the Revolution Academy Regional Development School will establish training programs – both week-long and residential, similar to its New England-based programs – in the Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo markets in partnership with Empire. These training and identification courses for all age groups provide young players the opportunity to get professional coaching and evaluation.
 
Additionally, the Empire Training Center (previously the Market Training Center) will expand with support from the Revolution Academy’s coaching staff. The ETC is an early identification program that allows elite players to be evaluated by Empire’s technical staff for consideration for the club’s Development Academy teams, similar to the Revolution Training Centers with the same mission.
 
“Partnering with the New England Revolution is an incredible opportunity for Empire United and I could not be more excited,” Chris Apple, Director of Coaching for Empire United, said. “Similar to a European club, our players and coaches will now have access to the knowledge, training program and innovation of a professional soccer team. This is a huge step forward for Empire and one that will keep us on the cutting edge of the game and enhance our ability to provide our players with the best developmental experience possible.”
 
For more information about the Revolution Academy - both the competitive youth teams (Under-18, Under-16 and Under-14) and Player Development Programs (including the Regional Development School and residential academy among other programs) – please visit revolutionsoccer.net/academy. For up-to-the-minute information on the Revolution, visit the team’s official web site at revolutionsoccer.net, or follow the team on Twitter at @NERevolution, or on Facebook at facebook.com/NERevolution. For more information about Revolution tickets, special packages and 2012 season tickets, call 1-877-GET-REVS or visit revolutionsoccer.net.
 
For more information about Empire United, please visit empireunitedsa.org.

The Blue team found their winning form on Saturday 3/24/12 with two games at Caledonia-Mumford’s Hamilton Field.  By playing to a 0-0 draw against Everton, NJ 94/95 and then posting a 2-0 shutout against Match Fit Chelsea, also from NJ.  The team is now 1-0-2 for the season.

Empire’s first game on Saturday began slowly, but the 0-0 score belied a very intense struggle.  Only a few scoring chances were to be had in the first half of a very even contest.  The second half found the two teams testing the keepers, yet no ball would find the net.  Coach Rene Tadal described this first game as a defensive game (our defense and goalkeeping saved the day).

Empire started the second game tentatively, but the offense would soon find their legs.  Christian Harris crossed a ball fed from Nenetzin Allen-Caballero to a streaking Jamie Alloco who promptly buried it to make it 1-0 Empire.  The offense kept up good forward pressure, but the half ended with the same score.  Play intensified in the second half and Miranda Colon’s powerful conversion of a direct kick from 30 yards out made it 2-0 midway through.  Alana collected 6 saves and again, the Empire defense could not be penetrated.

His soccer aspirations brought him to Empire United (then Jr. Rhinos) where Jonas helped his teammates and Coach Jeff Oliver capture the NYSW BU14 State Championships.

Hans Fundingsrud, (Jonas’ father) commented to Coach Oliver, “I definitely feel that his season with (Empire United) contributed a lot to his rapid progression. The need to adjust to a new soccer environment, new language, new teammates definitely brought him forward while in the US”.

Returning to Norway, Jonas continued his studies and development as a student of the Norwegian Top Athlete High School (NTG) in Tromsø, where he was signed by Norwegian professional soccer team Tromsø Idrettslag.  Tromsø currently play in the Norwegian Premier League, and holds the notoriety as the northernmost top-level football club in the world.

In the pre-season game try outs for the A-team, he presented himself so well that he was chosen for a spot on the national team roster.  Recently, Jonas has been chosen for The U18 national team roster which will meet Serbia in a double-header on March 27th and 29th.

We wish him good luck in this honorable task.

Congratulations to all the girls on a job well done!
 

Content to Send

• Images of players in action
• Team photos
• Relevant videos
• Self created article or blurb about team accomplishments
• Self created article or blurb about individual accomplishments
• Article found online or in print

Uses

• Facebook Posts
• Web Site Articles
• Email Blast Article / Notification from Demosphere
• Email Newsletter (Coming soon!)
• Twitter Tweets (Coming soon!)

* Not all content will be posted.  Empire United reserves the right to edit or exclude any content it receives!

That was the question posed to college athletes in a survey by Proactive Coaching. The overwhelming response was: "The ride home from games with my parents."

Children, not surprisingly, don’t enjoy a critique of their performance when they settle into the backseat. Who, no matter what age, would?

Imagine a rough day at the office -- an office that resembles a typical youth soccer game. Your boss screams instructions while you work and lectures you before and after. Then you ride home with your parents. They’ve witnessed your mistakes. So they offer you advice.

No matter how well-intentioned, their advice will likely register as admonishment. And they’re denying your desire – your right -- to wind down and contemplate your feelings on your own terms.

If a parent actually did have some advice for a young player that might help the child, after the game -- when the kids are physically and emotionally spent – is certainly not the time.

In that same survey, the athletes were asked what words from their parents they remembered most fondly. The by far most common response was, "I love to watch you play."

Photo Order Form.pdf

If you have any questions about the photos please contact the photographer (Jamie Germano) at:

• E-mail: jamiegermano@frontiernet.net, or
• Cell: (585) 261-6628

I have many of the teams pictures now.  I am at BSZ on Wed. nights at 8:15pm.  Or you can contact me to set up a time to get your teams pictures. 

Also, don’t forget that you can contact Jamie, and contract with him to come take action photos at any of your team’s home games.  Contact Jamie to set up a schedule for one of your home games.  Here is an example of just one of Jamies action shots.  Check out the following website to see more examples of his outstanding action sports photography:

Jamie Germano Sports Photography

If you have any questions about the team or individual photos, or the opportunity to get some action photos, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,

Jodi Ogden
227-3861

Empire USA – Rochester is pleased to announce that goalkeepers form clubs all over have the ability to train and participate in EUSA – Rochester Goalkeeper Training at All-Star Sports in Irondequoit.

By popular demand, goalkeepers, ages 10 to 17 from all clubs around the county and adjoining county, can now train with the best youth goalkeepers in Region I.

The EUSA – Rochester Goalkeeper Academy has taken an innovative and unique approach in helping goalkeepers become the best that they can be at the position.  The program was created to assist goalkeepers reach their maximum potential as a player and assist them in reaching the next level of play.  The program will offer concepts that are innovative with the sole purpose of generating a complete education of the position for not only goalkeepers, but also for their parents and coaches.  The program will provide opportunities for a complete education of the position by offering the following programs:

• Technical development
• Tactical development
• Strength and Fitness aspects
• Psychological development

What is included:

• 30+ goalkeeper training sessions (1 1/2 hours per session)
• Empire USA Training T-Shirt
• GK Evaluations from Coaching Staff 

• Ages 10 and Younger: TBD
• Ages 11 to 14: Sundays: Various times
• Ages 15 to 18: Wednesdays: 7:00 to 8:30 PM (in November) and 8:30-10 PM (December-March)
  

Full Season Schedule:

• Click here to download the full sseason training schedule.

Locations: 

• Indoor - Brighton Sports Zone & All-Star Sports
• Outdoors - TSE in Gates

Cost: 

• $475.00 covers both indoor and outdoor training sessions

If you have any questions please e-mail Peter L’Abbate at pclabbate@rochester.rr.com or call at 585-755-5608

All coaches working with each team are selected by the Director of Coaching. Managers or parents are not permitted to train or coach any team without board approval.    

The coaching assignments could change before the start of tryouts for head coaches.  Assistant coaches are all tentative and will likely change based on tryout numbers and which age groups will demand multiple coaches.   

Now with 14 seasons as the head coach of the Cavaliers under his belt, Gelnovatch has seen his player selection process undergo a major overhaul since the inception of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

“I think the Academy program is still relatively young, but already I think there are some benefits,” said Gelnovatch, who won his first NCAA College Cup championship in 2009. “The standards that have been set by U.S. Soccer for these clubs are good standards, but the biggest change I have seen is in the identification process.”

With Development Academy scouts in attendance at a majority of regular season games and every game during Showcase events, players are identified and tracked more closely and consistently than in the past.

The coaching staff at Virginia takes advantage of both the Richmond Strikers and the Richmond Kickers proximity to Charlottesville. Not only does Gelnovatch keep a close eye on local talent, but he has a full slate of quality teams coming in from across the country on a weekly basis.

Gelnovatch and his staff are also among nearly 300 college coaches in attendance at every Development Academy Showcase.

“For college programs, those Showcase events make it easier to get into a four-day environment and watch all of the Academy teams,” he said. “To come out to three events a year and see all these players shouldn’t be an issue for any major program.”

Keeping a close eye on the Academy talent, Gelnovatch has definitely seen a change in the type of players coming out of the member clubs.

In 2009, the Cavaliers brought in Will Bates from the Richmond Strikers, D.C. United’s Marcus Douglas, Sean Murnane and Shane Cooke, and BW Gottschee NYC’s Ahkeel Rodney, meaning all but one freshman on the team hailed from an Academy club. On Feb. 3, three more Academy players signed National Letters of Intent to play for Virginia as they attempt to defend their national championship.

The 2007 NCAA Champion Wake Forest will add no fewer than six former Academy players to the Demon Deacons squad for 2010. The 2008 and 2005 NCAA Champion University of Maryland also continues to bring Academy players into its highly-regarded program, building on six first-year Academy alums who helped the Terrapins advance to the tournament quarterfinals in 2009.

“The impact of the level of play in the Academy has been tremendous for our program,” said Sasho Cirovski, head coach at Maryland. “Every time you see a game, it’s highly competitive, good spirited and played a very high level with a great deal of accountability. That’s something you want to see as a college coach, how players deal with that kind of environment and it’s more clear when you watch an Academy game than maybe another youth game that isn’t as meaningful.”

In addition, the structure of the program, which includes training at least three times per week and playing games on the weekend, mirrors that of a college season.

“The regimen of playing other Academy teams and traveling with some consistency has definitely added some structure and development that makes the transition from a youth club to a high-level college soccer team a little bit easier,” said Gelnovatch.

As college programs continue spring training in preparation for the 2010 season, Development Academy players continue to train with their respective clubs, hoping for a taste of the NCAA tournament. The current Academy season will conclude at Finals Weeks at The Home Depot Center in July.

-ussoccer.com-

U.S. Soccer Federation
1801 S. Prairie Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616