November Academy Affiliate Club Spotlight: Sporting Blue Valley

CLUB BIO

The mission of Sporting Blue Valley is to introduce the game of soccer to youth of all ages and skill levels with the purpose of providing the opportunity for each player to develop to their full potential. Sporting Blue Valley strives to maintain an environment that embodies the core values of integrity, leadership, perseverance, respect and teamwork while enhancing self-esteem, promoting self-confidence and cultivating a lifelong passion for the game.

Sporting Blue Valley’s recreational program is the largest program at the club, involving thousands of players and hundreds of volunteers in the roles of coaches, assistant coaches and administrators. Teams are formed for Pre-K through High School aged players.

The premier program has grown to over 100 teams from ages U8-U19.  These teams participate in the Heartland Soccer Association (HSA), National Premier League (NPL), the Girls Academy, and the Heartland Futsal League. All teams train at our home location – the Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex.

In the Spring 2011, Blue Valley Soccer Club became a Sporting KC Academy Affiliate club and one of the founding members of the Sporting Club Network (SCN). With the merger between BVSC and KCFC in the Spring 2012, this association continued with the re-branding as Sporting Blue Valley.

CLUB RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Sporting Blue Valley is proud of our complete player pathway that starts from the Pre-K recreational league through competitive teams and culminating up to Sporting Kansas City’s first team. Cameron Duke, who recently made his debut for the SKC first team, is an example of a player who started in our recreational program and progressed all the way through to the professional level.

COACH SPOTLIGHT

CAMILO BENITEZ
2013, 2012, 2011 & 2009 Boys Coach

Coach Camilo is new to club this year and is off to a great after joining the SBV staff from Swope Park Rangers (now SKC II). Camilo has made an immediate and positive impact on the young players he is working with.

HAILEY LACROIX
2013 & 2011 Girls Coach

Hailey is also a new coach to the SBV staff this year. She is doing a great job with our youngest girls teams; providing them an awesome foundation for future development.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

GRANT PETERS
Academy 2003 Boys Player

Grant has committed to Bradley University to play soccer. He started playing for Sporting Blue Valley in 3rd grade on team 5 under Gabe Thompson. Over time Grant progressed to be selected for the SBV Academy team and eventually he was chosen for the Sporting KC Academy team. Grant credits his current coach, Shawn Forcellini, with helping him finalize his commitment to attend Bradley.

EVIE VITALI
U19 Girls Academy Player

Evie has committed to Oklahoma State to play soccer next fall. Evie started playing for Sporting Blue Valley in 2011 for Max Lattiner on the 7th team in the age group. Over the years Evie moved up through the team to join the second team in 2016 and then the DA program beginning in 2017. She’s played under Tom Knox for the last two years.

For more information on Sporting Blue Valley please visit sportingbvsoccer.org and follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.