Programs start in May and run through July

Locations:
West Metro - Hosterman Soccer Complex
7940 55th Ave N, New Hope, MN 55428

East Metro - West St Paul Regional Athletics Center
1655 Livingston Ave
West St Paul, MN 55118

Contacts:

West Metro - David Alberti - dalberti@mnthunderacademy.org

East Metro - Andy Kaasa - akaasa@mnthunderacademy.org

DinoMites
A Memorable Introduction to the Game of Soccer

• Story Telling
• Imagination 
• Play
• Full program description click here

Days & Times

West Metro - Tuesday’s 9:00-10:00am or 6:30-7:30pm

East Metro - Sunday’s and Wednesday’s 5:15-6:15pm (For our summer program players attend both days per week)

Ages 3, 4, and 5 year olds

West Metro Registration - 2013 Summer DinoMite information

East Metro - Register Online Now! 

Early ID Program (U6-U8): Building Your Soccer Skills in a Fun Environment

The Early ID program features skills training by professional coaches in a challenging and enjoyable environment. The Early ID program runs in the fall, winter and summer.

The goal of this program is to:

1) Give the players a solid skills foundation
2) Identify future Academy players
3) Help to build a love for the game of soccer. 

The Early ID Program Set Up:
30 minutes of skills training with a professional soccer trainer
30 minutes of 3v3/4v4 small sided games to ensure maximum touches of the ball

Each player receives an official Training Shirt.

Areas:
West - NW Metro (Plymouth, New Hope, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Maple Grove, etc) - 2013 Summer EarlyID information

East - Vadnais Heights, Woodbury

Skillzys® Summer Development League 

The Skillzys® Summer Development League is designed to teach proper technique through training activities and then provide a game like environment where kids can Show Their Skills!

Players will develop their skills for half of each session and play small sided games for the other half of the session.

East Metro - Register Online Now! 

Program Ages & Days 
All programs are held at 5:15pm or 6:30pm 

There is a difference between technique and skill. All the technical skill in the world doesn’t help players if they cannot put the technique to use under the pressures of actual game competition. Technique is learned, and that learning happens on the training fields. Skill is also learned, and the best way to develop skill is through practice in real game situations. Skillzys® facilitate parents and coaches to help their young players focus on this skill development, help encourage the attempt of this skill, and allow recognition of successful skill execution regardless of the final score in any youth soccer match. This focus, encouragement, and recognition help breed confidence, excitement, and passion for the game in all players, ensuring a positive youth soccer experience for all.

Think of Skillzys® as Boy or Girl Scout merit badges, but for sports.

With a similar size and feel of a typical credit card, Skillzys® are award-winning, high-quality, colorful, plastic bag tags depicting individual sports techniques, basic tactical ideas, or positive character traits. Young athletes earn Skillzys® by successfully executing a specific technique or tactic or by demonstrating a particular trait under the real-time pressures of match competition.

The Future! 
Summer Training & Tournaments

Our summer Future! program is designed for players who want to join the East Academy next year.  We will continue to train and for select Future! players they will play in local tournaments.

Days and Times: Sunday’s and Wednesday’s at 5:15-6:45pm

Costs: $120 
Tournament uniforms and expenses are separate and on a per event basis

East Metro - Register Online Now!

The Goal

• To develop each boy or girl to their full potential
• To develop better human beings
• To give players a solid skill based foundation
• To build a love for the game of soccer
• To Identify future Academy players
  

Substance (The curriculum)
We train twice per week so the kids can truly begin to learn and understand the following

• Players will learn how their body moves and focus on proper body movements
• Players will learn how to enjoy having the ball
• Players will learn how to keep the ball
• Players will learn what it takes to develop into the best player they can be

The U.S. is looking to qualify for its 15th straight FIFA U-17 World Cup, which runs from Oct. 17 to Nov. 8 in the United Arab Emirates. The four teams that advance to the CONCACAF U-17 Championship semifinals advance to the U-17 World Cup.

“We feel like we’ve got a great group of guys that have been able to gain great experience at an international level,” Williams said. “Now it comes down to the most important international tournament, and that’s the qualifying. Obviously this is where it all counts. Either you move on to the World Cup or you come back home. We feel like they’re ready and we’ll go out there and do our best.” (Q & A with Richie Williams)

U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position

GOALKEEPERS (2): Jeff Caldwell (North Carolina Fusion; Todd, N.C.), Evan Louro (New York Red Bulls; South River, N.J.)

DEFENDERS (6): Conor Donovan (NC Alliance; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake AZ; Tucson, Ariz.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Tommy Redding (FC America Premier; Oviedo, Fla.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Peter Schropp (Omaha FC; Omaha, Neb.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Corey Baird (San Diego Surf; Escondido, Calif.), Junior Flores (Unattached; Manassas Park, Va.), Angel Heredia (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Christopher Lema (New York Red Bulls; Ridgefield, N.J.), Elijah Martin (Unattached; Fresno, Calif.), Joel Soñora (Boca Juniors; Buenos Aires, Argentina), Tyler Turner (South Central Premier; West Haven, Conn.)

FORWARDS (5): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Sebastian Elney (Boca United; Lake Worth, Fla.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Ahinga Selemani (CSA Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Alan Winn (Solar Chelsea FC; Garland, Texas)

[read entire article] 

MTA will be hosting its annual Elite Girls Soccer Camp July 22-26, 2013 at Bloomington Jefferson High School. 

Camp Staff will include:

MTA Director’s and Division I College Coaches
 

The camp will provide players technical instruction, fitness, 1v1 to 4v4 small-sided game tactics and 8v8-11v11 large group game tactics.

The camp is open to all players (Non-MTA and MTA).

Camp Details

July 22-26, 2013 @ Bloomington Jefferson HS Turf Field

Current 2012-13 U11-U15 - 11am-1pm @ Bloomington Jefferson HS Turf Field

Current 2012-13 U16-U18 - 1pm-3pm @ Bloomington Jefferson HS Turf Field

Cost - $125 for Current U11-U12 MTA players or players that currently are not enrolled in MTA.

For more information or questions, contact Girls Elite Director Danny Storlien at dstorlien@mnthunderacademy.org 

Register Now By Clicking Here!

Girls Class of 2013

Front Row - left to right:
Melisse Chasse’ (Luther College), Annmarie Umland (MN State - Moorhead), Skye Finley (St. Cloud State University), Madison Yueill (South Dakota State University), Genna Joyce (North Dakota State University), Amy Yang (North Dakota State University), Mikayla Jacobson (North Dakota State University), Olivia Norman (North Dakota State University)

Middle Row - Left to right:
Simone Kolander (University  of Minnesota), Libby Nelson (Augustana), Anna Sivanich (Bemidji State University), Dana Buckhorn (University of Vermont), Jenna Roering (Santa Clara University), Ellie Crowell (Cornell), Kristi O’Brien (Houston Baptist University), Lauren Miller (North Dakota State University), Bailey Lervick (North Dakota State University), Tianna Khamvongsa (North Dakota State University), Kate Mallory (Concordia University, St. Paul)

Top Row - Left to right:
Ashley Pafko (University of Minnesota), Tarah Hobbs (University of Minnesota), Taylor Johnson (University of Minnesota - Duluth), Vanessa Johnston (University of Minnesota), Reilly Riordan (Northern Illinois University), Kyllie Schwartz (University of Wisconsin - Madison), Megan Nicklay (Washington University), Lauren Lawler (University of Nebraska - Omaha), Emma DeRubeis (University of Wisconsin - Stout)

Not Pictured: Morgan Taylor (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Boys Class of 2013

From left to right
Tyler Anderson - Michigan
Ben Bakke - Creighton
Ryan Herold - Long Island
Matthew Gweh - High Point
Getenet Tuji - Northwestern
John Patton - Valparaiso

Congratulations to all players!

[HOME DEPOT CENTER CAMP] U.S. under-14 boys head coach Hugo Perez named 35 players for an eight-day training camp beginning Saturday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The roster includes 34 of the 35 player born in 1999, plus Christopher Goslin, who was born in 2000. The New York Red Bulls lead all teams with four players in camp. For the complete roster ...

U.S. under-14 boys national team roster:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Carlos Avilez (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), Ethan Koehler (New York Red Bulls; Maplewood, N.J.), Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Westminster, Calif.), Carson Williams (Dallas Texans; Plano, Texas)
DEFENDERS (11): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Vincent Borden (Dinamo Zagreb, Ithaca N.Y.), Bekele Dowty (Blackhills FC; Olympia, Wash.), Christopher Grey (De Anza Force; San Jose, Calif.), Kyle Gruno (PDA; Saddle River, N.J.), Edwin Lara (Alliance SC; San Leandro, Calif.), Antonio Nava (De Anza Force; Redwood City, Calif.), Matthew Real (FC DELCO; Drexel Hill, Pa.), Ben Silverstein (New York Red Bulls; Weston, Conn.), Cody Sundquist (Placer United; Lincoln, Calif.), Samuel Vines (Pride SC; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
MIDFIELDERS (13): Ateno Ajeakwa (LA Galaxy; Gardena, Calif.), Paolo Belloni (Weston FC; Delray Beach, Fla.), Omar Beltran (Dallas Texans; Garland, Texas), Joseph Brito (Oakwood SC; Bolton, Conn.), Jose Carranza (NVSC; Manassas, Va.), Martin De Leon (MN Thunder Academy; Brooklyn Center, Minn.), Christopher Goslin (UFA Elite; Locust Grove, Ga.), Roberto Hernandez (Texas Rush; Houston, Texas), Milan Iloski (San Diego Surf, Escondido, Calif.), Jommar Reyes (Houston Dynamo; Houston, Texas) Jake Silverstein (New York Red Bulls; Weston, Conn.), Nicholas Taitague (FC Richmond Magic; Midlothian, Va.), Juan Torres (GSA; Lilburn, Ga.)
FORWARDS (7): Lucas Del Rosario (CASL; Durham, N.C.), Omir Fernandez (BW Gottschee; New York, N.Y.), Jonathan Gonzalez (Atletico Santa Rosa; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeanpaul Marin (Downtown United SC; Rego Park, N.Y.), Jose Ortiz (LA Galaxy; Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.), Daniel Sanchez (Tecos Hayward Club; Hayward, Calif.), Adolfo Trujillo (Ballistic United; Livermore, Calif.)

Martin's first call up:

CHICAGO (Nov. 14, 2012) – U.S. Under-14 Boys’ National Team head coach Hugo Perez has named a 36-player roster for the team’s upcoming training camp from Nov. 17-25 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

The training camp, the second of the year for the ‘99s age group, will feature four scrimmages against local opponents Pateadores, United FC and So Cal Select with back-to-back matches on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. PT and Saturday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. PT.

The inaugural camp for this age group was from Aug. 5-12 at The Home Depot Center, where Perez called together 50 players for the week-long event.

With numerous players in camp for the first time, the majority of the roster was born in 1999, but a few players were born in 2000. Defender Khai Brisco, forwards Ryan Palmbaum and Timothy Weah and midfielders Taylor Davila, Christopher Goslin and Ben Lederman are the six players born at the turn of the century.

Lederman is one of two notable Europe-based players on the roster. In 2011, the 12-year-old became the first American offered a spot in Spanish giant Barcelona’s famed youth academy, La Masia. Lederman played for the “Alevín A” side in 2011-12 and is now listed on the “Infantil B” roster, the next step up the ladder, for the 2012-13 season. This is Lederman’s first call-up to a U-14 BNT camp.

Vincent Borden returns to U-14 BNT camp for the second time after earning his first call in August. Borden, a native of Ithaca, N.Y., plays for the youth academy of Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb.

Four players on the roster are currently registered with U-15/16 teams in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Defender Antonio Nava and forward Adolfo Trujillo both represent De Anza Force as developmental players, while forward Jonathan Amon plays for South Carolina United Battery and midfielder Colin Brezniak is with Potomac. Brezniak, 13, has started all nine matches for Potomac and scored a goal against NJSA 04 on Sept. 23.

U-14 BNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Carlos Avilez (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), Xavier Kennedy-Reed (New York Red Bulls; Montclair, N.J.), Ethan Koehler (New York Red Bulls; Maplewood, N.J.), Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Westminster, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (11): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Vincent Borden (Ithaca, N.Y., Dinamo Zagreb), Khai Brisco (Highline Premier FC; Renton, Wash.), Bekele Dowty (Blackhills FC; Olympia, Wash.), Mckay Eves (Las Vegas Heat; Las Vegas, Nev.), Kyle Gruno (PDA; Saddle River, N.J.), Antonio Nava (De Anza Force; Redwood City, Calif.), Matthew Real (FC Delco; Drexel Hill, Pa.), Cody Sundquist (Placer United; Lincoln, Calif.), Samuel Vines (Pride SC; Colorado Springs, Colo.), Carson Vom Steeg (Santa Barbara SC; Santa Barbara, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (11): Ateno Ajeakwa (LA Galaxy; Gardena, Calif.), Colin Brezniak (Potomac; Hanover, Pa.), Jose Carranza (NVSC; Manassas, Va.), Taylor Davila (Real So Cal; Sherman Oaks, Calif.), Martin De Leon (MN Thunder Academy; Brooklyn Center, Minn.), Christopher Goslin (UFA Elite; Locust Grove, Ga.), Roberto Hernandez (Texas Rush; Houston, Texas), Milan Iloski (San Diego Surf, Escondido, Calif.), Ben Lederman (FC Barcelona; Barcelona, Spain), Nicholas Taitague (FC Richmond Magic; Midlothian, Va.), Juan Torres (GSA; Lilburn, Ga.)
FORWARDS (10): Jonathan Amon (SC United Battery; Summerville, S.C.), Lucas Del Rosario (CASL; Durham, N.C.), Omir Fernandez (BW Gottschee; New York, N.Y.), Jonathan Gonzalez (Atletico Santa Rosa; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeanpaul Marin (Downtown United SC; Rego Park, N.Y.), Jose Ortiz (LA Galaxy; Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.), Ryan Palmbaum (Estudiantes De La Plata; Roseville, Calif.), Daniel Sanchez (Tecos Hayward Club; Hayward, Calif.), Adolfo Trujillo (De Anza Force; Livermore, Calif.), Timothy Weah (BW Gottschee; Rosedale, N.Y.)
 

The Development Academy is a partnership between U.S. Soccer and 78 of the top youth clubs around the country to provide the best youth players in the U.S. with an every day environment designed to produce the next generation of National Team players. The Academy’s programming philosophy of increased training, less total games and more competitive games is based on U.S. Soccer’s Best Practices utilized by the U-17 U.S. National Team Residency program. 

(Learn More)

The roster features 14 players that currently play in professional environments. Six players are currently based in Mexico, four are in MLS, three play in Germany, and one in Norway.

Also on the roster are nine current Developmental Academy players and 15 NCAA players.

The most noteworthy names on the roster are MLS standout Luis Gil, Liverpool signee Villyan Bijev who is on loan to Fortuna Dusseldorf, and left back Sean Cunningham who plays for the defending Norwegian champions and who could see time in the Champions league in 2012.

Given that this is not an international window, some of the top US U20 players are not in attendance. The biggest omissions are the Hertha Berlin duo of Jerome Kiesewetter and John Anthony Brooks, West Ham United left back Danny Potts, injured goalkeeper Cody Cropper, and Liverpool reserve standout Marc Pelosi.

GOALKEEPERS
Guzman, Jesus (Santos Laguna)
Medina Meza, Daniel (UANL Tigres)
Miller, Tyler (Northwestern; Woodbury, N.J.)
Wolverton, Andrew (Pennsylvania State)

DEFENDERS
Akinyonde, Bolu (Seton Hall)
Ambrose, Mikey (FC Dallas Academy)
Cochran, AJ (Wisconsin)
Cunningham, Sean (Molde FK)
Kavita, Phanuel (Clemson)
Miller, Eric (Creighton, MN Thunder Academy)
Ocegueda, Juan Pablo (UANL Tigres)
Okwuonu, Boyd (North Carolina)
Robinson, Jalen (DC United Academy)
Wendelken, Jalen (Marist)
Yedlin, DeAndre (Akron)
Zimmerman, Walker (Furman)

MIDFIELDERS
Casiple, Seth (California)
Cuevas Granados, Daniel (Santos Laguna)
Delgado Cha, Hector (Club América)
Duarte, Christian (Texans SC)
Garcia, Daniel (FC Dallas Academy)
Gil, Luis (Real Salt Lake)
Guzman, Flavio (FC Dallas Academy)
Martin, Collin (DC United Academy)
McCargo, Tyrone (FC Nürnberg)
Stanko, Caleb (SC Freiburg)
Trapp, Wil (Akron)
Villarreal, Jose (LA Galaxy)

FORWARDS
Bijev, Villyan (Fortuna Düsseldorf)
Dia, Amadou (Clemson; Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
Koroma, Alfred (Solar Chelsea SC)
Lacroix, Duke (Pennsylvania)
Luna Martinez, Uvaldo (UANL Tigres)
McBean, Jack(LA Galaxy)
Okoli, Sean (Wake Forest)
Salgado, Omar (Vancouver Whitecaps)
 

New York Red Bulls send three players to Carson, while San Jose Earthquakes and Minnesota Thunder Academy send two each. It will be the first U-15 BNT camp for players born in 1997, which make up the next two-year U-17 World Cup cycle, along with players born 1996.

Of the 36 players, 26 have participated in a U.S. Soccer Training Center. Training Centers are single day, invitational training sessions run by U.S. Soccer staff for elite players in key soccer markets. Training Centers are open to the top players from any team, club or organization at no cost to the player. The purpose of the Training Center program is to identify the best players for the U.S. Soccer Youth National Team program.

U.S. U-15 Boys’ National Team Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (4): Cameron Keys (Philadelphia Union; Whitehill, Pa.), Jonathan Klinsmann (Strikers FC; Newport Beach, Calif.), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; Alamo, Calif), Parker Siegfried (Newark Area SA; Granville, Ohio)

DEFENDERS (10): Billy Abdallah (Fullerton Rangers; Monterey Park, Calif.), Guillermo Bermudez (Albion SC; San Diego, Calif.), David Chavez (Juventus Forza; Redwood City, Calif.), Yosimar Hernandez (South Bay Gunners; Huntington Park, Calif.), Malcolm Jones (Chivas USA; Chino Hills, Calif.), Jean Orvil Jr. (West Pines United; Miramar, Fla.), Pablo Pelaez (Albion SC; San Diego, Calif.), Tommy Redding (FC America Premier; Oviedo, Fla.), Peter Schropp (Omaha FC; Omaha, Neb.), Max Stiegwardt (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Maple Grove, Minn.)

MIDFIELDERS (10): Amir Bashti (San Jose Earthquakes; Cupertino, Calif.), Ivan Canales (West Coast FC; Santa Ana, Calif.), Chet Castellaw (Real So Cal; Hidden Hills, Calif.), Cameron Lindley (Indiana United Fire Academy; Carmel, Ind.), Martin Salas (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), Orestis Sousonis (New York Red Bulls; Dover, N.J.), Benny Swanson (Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio), David Villegas (Elk Grove Everton; Sacramento, Calif.), Sean Wilson (PDA; Bethlehem, Pa.), Gedion Zelalem (Olney Rangers; Bethesda, Md.)

FORWARDS (12): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Minneapolis, Minn.), Marc Calderon (South Bay Gunners; Huntington Park, Calif.), Coy Craft (Fusion FC; Glade Springs, Va.), Malcolm Dixon (New York Red Bulls; Glenridge, N.J.), Stephen Elias (New York Red Bulls; Rye, N.Y.), Collin Fernandez (Chicago Fire; Downers Gove, Ill.), Jacob Hernandez (Solar Chelsea SC; Mesquite, Texas), Nicholas Hinds (Plantation FC; Plantation, Fla.), Rey Ortiz (Carlsbad Lightning; San Diego, Calif.), Remington Pimm (IMG Academy; Tarpon Springs, Fla.), Amirgy Pineda (Fullerton Rangers; Santa Ana, Calif.), Alejandro Vergara (LA Galaxy; Long Beach, Calif.)

CHICAGO (Jan. 24, 2012) – The roster for the U-17 Residency Program was finalized for the 2012 Spring Semester, with 31 players selected to train full-time in Bradenton, Fla. The players are in the second semester of the two-year cycle in preparation for the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship and are under the guidance of recently named head coach Richie Williams.

Nine players join the roster in the Spring of 2012, including three players born in 1997: Mukwelle Akale, Cameron Lindley and Tommy Redding. The remaining 28 players were born in 1996, and 22 of them return after the 2011 Fall Semester roster.

The new crop of athletes includes five players who were chosen to train with the U.S. U-17 MNT in December after their participation on Academy Select teams at the 2011 Nike International Friendlies. Several players also have recent U.S. U-15 Boys’ National Team experience, with Akale, Lindley and Redding participating in camps under U-15 BNT head coach Tony Lepore in October and December 2011.

There are 26 players representing 19 Development Academy clubs, with New York Red Bulls sending six players and Chivas USA and Concorde Fire providing two each. NC Alliance is the only other club to send two players.

The U.S. players live on campus at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., and train in the morning under the guidance of Williams and his coaching staff. In the afternoon, the players attend classes at St. Stephens Episcopal School.

While in the full-time residency program, the U.S. team not only trains daily, but also has access to the IMG Academies facilities. The team regularly uses the state-of-the-art strength-training facilities, as well as brand new dormitories and meal rooms.

Beginning in 1999, the Residency Program has given players an opportunity to grow and move up the ladder in the world of soccer and become professionals in Major League Soccer, some of the biggest clubs in Europe and even make an impact on the full U.S. Men’s National Team. The program in Bradenton provides players with an environment where they can prosper as individual players and come together as a team ahead of regional and world competition.

Since its inception, more than 300 players have been through the full-time Residency Program, and more than 100 of those players have moved on to Major League Soccer or the professional leagues in Europe. Twenty-four players have also registered at least one cap with the full MNT: Freddy Adu, Gale Agbossoumonde, Juan Agudelo, Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Bobby Convey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Gaven, Omar Gonzalez, Eddie Johnson, Eric Lichaj, Justin Mapp, Chad Marshall, Dax McCarty, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta, Robbie Rogers, Brek Shea, Jonathan Spector, Danny Szetela and Anthony Wallace.

U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team Residency Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (4): Paul Christensen (Seattle Sounders; Woodinville, Wash.), Aleks Gogic (New York Red Bulls; Fort Lee, N.J.), Marius Heislitz (Georgia United; Cumming, Ga.), Evan Louro (New York Red Bulls; South River, N.J.)

DEFENDERS (10): Adonis Amaya (Chivas USA; Westminster, Calif.), Conor Donovan (NC Alliance; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Caleb Duvernay (CASL Chelsea FC; Cary, N.C.), Elijah Martin (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Jorge Miranda (Real So Cal; Van Nuys, Calif.), Shaquell Moore (Cobb FC; Powder Springs Ga.), Kevin Politz (New York Red Bulls; Morganville, N.J.), Tommy Redding (FC America Premier; Oviedo, Fla.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Tyler Turner (South Central Premier; West Haven, Conn.)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Jorge Calix (D.C. United; Alexandria, Va.), Steven Echevarria (New York Red Bulls; Slate Hill, N.Y.), Junior Flores (McLean Youth Soccer; Manassas Park, Va.), Angel Heredia (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Guyllain Kabala (New England Revolution; Manchester, N.H.), Christopher Lema (New York Red Bulls; Ridgefield, N.J.), Cameron Lindley (Indiana United Fire Academy; Carmel, Ind.), Aaron Meyer (FC Dallas; Carrollton, Texas)

FORWARDS (9): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Corey Baird (San Diego Surf; Escondido, Calif.), Bradford Jamieson (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), DeAndre Robinson (Concorde Fire; Atlanta, Ga.), Rubio Rubin (Westside Metros; Beaverton, Ore.), Ahinga Selemani (CSA Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Lawrence Taiwo (NC Alliance; Raleigh, N.C.), Wesley Wade (New York Red Bulls; South Orange, N.J.), Dembakwi Yomba (Concorde Fire Academy; Lithonia, Ga.)

Jenna Roering will be training with the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team during the next domestic training camp in Carson, California. This event will take place from October 23-30, 2011 and is for ’94, ’93, and ’92 players (only) that are not currently playing in college. All 30 players will participate in training sessions and matches throughout the week.

The U.S., which beat Morocco 2-1 in the opening match of the tournament on Saturday, converted two second-half penalty kicks in the win. Forward Mukwelle Akale put the USA in front 1-0 in the 44th minute and defender Shaquell Moore doubled the lead 16 minutes later with another spot kick in the 60th minute.

(Read full story)

The U.S., two-time winner of the competition, faces Denmark at 7 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET) on Saturday, July 21, at Scroggy Road in Limavady. Two days later, the U.S. faces Turkey on July 23 at 8 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET) at the Showgrounds in Ballymena.

Also participating in the six-team tournament are hosts Northern Ireland, Chile and Mexico. The playoff games to determine final placement in the event, including the championship, will take place on Thursday, July 26.

Q & A with U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team Head Coach Tab Ramos
The U.S. U-20 MNT squad is composed of four first-time selections and 10 players from the team’s South American tour in early June when the U.S. played matches against Uruguay and Chile.

The USA has been a consistent presence at the invitation-only tournament and won the Milk Cup for the first time in 2005, led by Golden Boot-winner Charlie Davies’ hat trick in a 4-2 win against Northern Ireland in the final. In 2010, the U.S. lifted the trophy for a second time, benefitting from goals by Gale Agbossoumonde, Juan Agudelo and Adrian Ruelas for a 3-0 win against Northern Ireland. Last year, the U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team took third place after beating Israel 2-0 and tying Mexico 1-1 in its first two matches. In the third-place match, the U.S. beat Georgia 2-1.

Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Cody Cropper (Unattached; Athens, Ga.), 18-Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara; Santa Clara, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): 5-AJ Cochran (Wisconsin; St. Louis, Mo.), 14-Holden Fender (Concorde Fire; Marietta, Ga.), 4-Eric Miller (Creighton; Woodbury, Minn.), 3-Juan Pablo Ocegueda (UANL Tigres; Riverside, Calif.), 2-Boyd Okwuonu (North Carolina; Edmund, Okla.), 15-Walker Zimmerman (Furman; Lawrenceville, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 8-Benji Joya (Santos Laguna; San Jose, Calif.), 12-Mikey Lopez (North Carolina; Mission, Texas), 10-Collin Martin (D.C. United Academy; Chevy Chase, Md.), 16-Daniel Metzger (Maryland; Staten Island, N.Y.), 13-Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy; Brighton, Colo.), 6-Wil Trapp (Akron; Gahanna, Ohio)
FORWARDS (4): 11-Daniel Cuevas (Santos Laguna; Sacramento, Calif.), 9-Alfred Koroma (Solar Chelsea SC; Southlake, Texas), 7-Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bolingbrook, Ill.), 17-Mario Rodriguez (1. FC Kaiserslautern; North Hollywood, Calif.)

Roster Notes

•Holden Fender, Kendall McIntosh, Mario Rodriguez and Dillon Serna are all first-time selections for the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team.
•Fender (Concorde Fire), Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire Homegrown player), Collin Martin (D.C. United Academy) and Alfred Koroma (Solar Chelsea SC) are all products of U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs.
•Five players (Cody Cropper, Juan Pablo Ocegueda, Boyd Okwuonu, Walker Zimmerman and Victor Pineda) were part of the U.S. U-18 MNT side that took third place in the 2011 Milk Cup.
•Serna, McIntosh, Rodriguez and Alfred Koroma all played with the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team during the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.
•Cropper, Ocegueda, Okwuonu, Pineda, AJ Cochran, Eric Miller, Benji Joya, Mikey Lopez, Wil Trapp and Daniel Cuevas were all part of the team’s South American tour in June.
•Six of the 18 players selected were born in 1994. Of those, midfielder Collin Martin, who was born on Nov. 9, 1994, is the youngest.
•California is the most well-represented state, claiming five players as homegrown talent.

Two players on the roster will come from the professional ranks, with Victor Pineda representing the Chicago Fire and Jon Kempin representing Sporting Kansas City. Both players signed Home Grown player contracts with their respective clubs after spending time in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. A third Academy alumnus, Walker Zimmerman, currently plays at Furman University, while 20 other players are current Academy players representing 17 different clubs.

There will be 14 players traveling to Portland who were part of Matkovich’s last training camp in Phoenix in February. The roster is made up entirely of players born in 1993.

U.S. U-18 MNT Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Jeff Gal (Sockers FC; Bartlett, Ill.), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City; Leawood, Kans.)

DEFENDERS (8): Jonathan Campbell (NC Fusion; Greensboro, N.C.), Matt Jeffery (PDA; Freehold, N.J.), Mitchell Lurie (Concorde Fire; Alpharetta, Ga.), Timothy Parker (Albertson SC; Hicksville, N.Y.), Grant Silvester (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Scott Thomsen (New York Red Bulls Academy; Brick, N.J.), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders Academy; Seattle, Wash.), Walker Zimmerman (Furman University; Lawrenceville, Ga.)

MIDFIELDERS (10): Stefano Bonomo (De Anza Force; Hillsborough, Calif.), Seth Casiple (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Daniel Cuevas Granados (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Miguel Lopez, Jr. (Classics Elite; Alton, Texas), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bollingbrook, Ill.), Marcus Salandy-Defour (D.C. United Academy; Kensington, Md.), Christopher Somerville (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; West Chester, Pa.), Gabe Stauber (FC Westchester; Waccabuc, N.Y.), Will Trapp (Crew Soccer Academy; Gahanna, Ohio), Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler (CASL Chelsea SC; Cary, N.C.)

FORWARDS (4): Villyan Bijev (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Isaac Kannah (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Plymouth Minn.), Luis Rendon (FC Richmond Magic; Chesterfield, Va.), Khiry Shelton (Lonestar SC; Leander, Texas)