The changes to the Development Academy for the 2019/2020 season extend to the U15 age group, which will include 32 teams in the playoffs for this season after only including eight teams in last season’s playoffs.
Toronto FC is back to defend the title, but there will be a number of challengers to the top spot including newcomers Inter Miami CF, Real Salt Lake (which is fielding a U15 team for the first time),
Atlanta United, LAFC, and many others.
Check out a preview of every division in the Boys Development Academy U15 age group for the 2019/2020 season.
NORTHEAST
Teams: Beachside Soccer Club, Boston Bolts, BW Gottschee Academy, Cedar Stars Academy - Bergen, Empire United, FC Westchester, Met Oval, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Cosmos, New York Soccer Club, Oakwood Soccer Club, Seacoast United
The expanded playoff format for the U15 age group opens up a few more automatic qualifiers from each conference. Impact claimed the lone bid from the Northeast Division in 2018/2019. Impact utilized a few 2005s with last year’s group and looks like the favorite from the Northeast.
Cedar Stars Academy - Bergen came close to taking down Impact last season. The Stars had a talented 2004 group, but it remains to be seen if the 2005 group can be equal to the task.
Matiwos Rumley reportedly joined New England Revolution’s academy in the offseason. Rumley spent last season playing with the Oakwood U16/17 team, but he’s still eligible to play in the U15 age group for the 2019/2020 season if the MLS academy decides to follow that path. He could be a key player in this group if he rejoins his age level.
NYCFC, Boston Bolts, and Met Oval are the other teams to watch in this division.
ATLANTIC
Teams: Arlington Soccer Association, Baltimore Armour, Bethesda SC, Cedar Stars Academy - Monmouth, D.C. United, FC DELCO, New York Red Bulls, PA Classics, Philadelphia Union, Players Development Academy, Richmond United, Virginia Development Academy
Philadelphia Union won the Atlantic Division last season, and looks like the favorite to repeat that accomplishment in 2020. Union won the U13 Concacaf Champions League over the summer. Union will probably push some of the key players from that group up to this team for the season including Golden Ball winner Aaron Heard.
PDA, New York Red Bulls, and Bethesda all had strong seasons in this age group last year. They are all going to be fighting for one of the three automatic berths from the Atlantic Division.
SOUTHEAST
Teams: Armada FC Pro Academy,
Atlanta United FC, Chargers Soccer Club, Charlotte Independence, Charlotte Soccer Academy, Concorde Fire, IMG Academy, Inter Miami CF, Miami Rush Kendall SC, NC Fusion, North Carolina FC Youth, Orlando City SC, Queen City Mutiny, South Florida Football Academy, Tampa Bay Rowdies, United Futbol Academy, Weston FC
Atlanta United FC won the Man City Cup in 2019 in the U14 age group, which was a pretty clear announcement that this team has some of the best talent in the country in this age group.
Atlanta United reinforced the roster in the offseason and looks ready to contend for the National Championship in the U15 age group in 2020.
Danial Sebhatu, a 2005, played some games with the Atlanta U15 team last year and scored 10 goals in 19 games.
Inter Miami CF has made quite the splash in the South Florida soccer world. The new MLS academy recruited many of the top prospects in the area.
Felipe Valencia scored 24 goals for Kendall SC in 2018/2019. The new Inter Miami CF U15 coach, Victor Pastora, is the former academy technical director at Weston. Pastora brought over a number of the top players from his former club.
North Carolina FC Youth, Tampa Bay Rowdies, and Orlando City are some of the other teams to watch in this division.
MID-AMERICA
Teams: Chicago Fire Soccer Academy, Crew SC Academy, FC Cincinnati, FC United Soccer Club, Indiana Fire Academy, Internationals, Michigan Wolves, Minnesota United FC, Saint Louis FC, Shattuck-Saint Mary’s, Sockers FC, Toronto FC, Vardar
Toronto FC should be considered a perennial favorite in the Development Academy considering the success of the academy and the infrastructure in place there. Toronto FC rolled through the regular season unbeaten last year, but only a couple of 2005s received playing time so ti will be a completely different roster for the upcoming season. Joshua Gordon is one to watch for TFC.
Chicago Fire was the lone wildcard in the playoffs last season. Fire has some talent in the 2005 age group. Sergio Oregal has a promising future. The club has decided to play Dylan Borso, a 2006, up with the 2005s this season. Goalkeeper coach Igor Dimov has been churning out gems consistently for Fire, and he could have another one from this group.
One of Fire’s more promising young players, Bajung Darboe, transferred to Minnesota United FC in the offseason. Darboe, a 2006, is listed on the Minnesota U16/17 roster, but he is age-eligible for the U15 group, which could make Minnesota one of the teams to watch this season.
FRONTIER
Teams: Colorado Rapids, Dallas Texans, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Houston Dynamo Youth, Lonestar SC Academy, Real Colorado, RGV FC Toros Academy, Rise- Texans,
San Antonio FC, Solar Soccer Club, Sporting Kansas City
Colorado Rapids were the only team to go through the 2018/2019 U15 DA season and postseason without suffering a loss. The Rapids did not utilize many 2005s last season, but Tony Conybear, Nicholas Anzures,
Keith Chavarria, Eric Gonzalez, and Matthew McPherson all look like promising options for the team this season.
San Antonio FC was a bright spot in the Frontier Division last season. The academy has produced some first team players already and
Leo Torres looks to have a bright future there. FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo are other teams to watch this season.
