Three Weston FC US Soccer Development Academy Players Players
Selected For The U18 Mens National Team Training Camp
Weston FC midfielder Brian James, forward Xavi Silva, and defender Verneri Valimaa are part of the final 36 player roster for the U18 U.S. Mens National Team Training Camp. The trio will travel to the Home Depot Center in California for the 8 day training camp at the end of November, which will be the final training camp before the team is selected to play in Israel in December. Weston FC will be well represented by these young men.
CONGRATULATIONS and GOOD LUCK to
Brian James, Xavi Silva, and Verneri Valimaa!
MATKOVICH NAMES 36 FOR TRAINING CAMP AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team head coach Mike Matkovich has finalized a 36-player roster for a training camp at The Home Depot Center from Nov. 20-28. The training camp will include friendly games against local men’s teams, including Ventura County Fusion, FC Hasental, Hollywood United and Orange County Blue Star. The roster includes 31 players who are currently part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, plus a former Academy player in Victor Pineda who signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Chicago Fire earlier this year. Midfielder Caleb Stanko played up last season with the U-17/18 Vardar squad that captured the 2009-10 championship. Four players – Miguel Lopez (Classics Elite), Daniel Metzger (New York Red Bulls), Jalen Robinson (D.C. United) and Will Trapp (Crew Soccer Academy) – earned U-15/16 Development Academy Starting XI honors last season. This will be the final training camp before Matkovich selects his team to travel to Tel Aviv, Israel, in December.
Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Andrew Harris (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Baltimore, Md.), Tyler Miller (Pittsgrove Premier; Woodbury, N.J.), Andrew Wolverton (Concorde Fire; Snellville, Ga.)
DEFENDERS (12): Michael Ambrose (FC Dallas Academy; Frisco, Texas), Jonathan Campbell (North Carolina Fusion; Greensboro, N.C.), Alec Cochran (St. Louis Scott Gallagher MO; St. Louis, Mo.), Bryan Gallego (NY Red Bulls Academy; Kinnelon, N.J.), Malcolm Harris (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Damascus, Md.), Vlad Lekarev (Internationals; Strongsville, Ohio.), Jordan McCrary (Concorde Fire; Marietta, Ga.), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (UANL Tigres; Riverside, Calif.), Boyd Okwuonu (FC Dallas Academy; Edmund, Okla.), Grant Silvester (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Verneri Valimaa (Weston FC; Coral Springs, Fla.), Walker Zimmerman (GSA Phoenix; Lawrenceville, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (15): Amadou Dia (Real Colorado; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Connor Hallisey (CDA; Granite Bay, Calif.), Brian James (Weston FC; Sunrise, Fla.), Miguel Lopez (Classics Elite; Alton, Texas), Daniel Metzger (NY Red Bulls Academy; Holmdel, N.J.), Seth Moses (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Essex, Md.), Sean Okoli (Seattle Sounders Academy; Federal Way, Wash.), Mike Paye (CASL; Raleigh, N.C.), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bolingbrook, Ill.), Jalen Robinson (DC United Academy; Cantonsville, Md.), Marcus Salandy-Defour (DC United Academy; Kensington, Md.), Caleb Stanko (Vardar; Holly, Mich.), Will Trapp (Columbus Crew Academy; Gahanna, Ohio), Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler (CASL Chelsea; Cary, N.C.)
FORWARDS (6): Robbie Kristo (St. Louis Scott Gallagher MO; St. Louis, Mo.), Uvaldo Luna Martinez (UANL Tigres; Houston, Texas ), Luis Rendon (FC Richmond Magic; Chesterfield, Va.), Khiry Shelton (Lonestar SC Academy; Leander, Texas); Xavi Silva (Weston FC; Boca Raton, Fla.), Jonathon Top (FC Dallas Academy; Fort Worth, Texas)
