Eight Academy Affiliate Players Selected for U13 Sporting KC Academy Team

Recently, the Sporting Kansas City Academy announced rosters for the 2024-25 Academy season. Its newest team – for boys 13-and-under – includes eight players who joined directly from an Academy Affiliate club.

 

“Congratulations to the eight Academy Affiliate players that were selected to the U13 SKC Academy team,” Sporting KC Vice President of Youth Sports Properties Dan Popik said. “This is also a credit to our Academy Affiliate clubs, who year-over-year continue to develop players to represent the Sporting KC Academy teams.”

 

With teams for boys aged 13-18, the Sporting KC Academy features the top players from the Kansas City metro area and surrounding states.

 

Currently, 21% of all SKC Academy players came through an existing or former Academy Affiliate club.

 

Affiliate clubs represented include Sporting Blue Valley, Sporting City North, Sporting City West, Sporting City East, Sporting Columbia, Sporting Nebraska, Sporting Iowa, Sporting Kaw Valley, Sporting Springfield, and Sporting Wichita.

 

“Our Academy Affiliates play a significant role in our player development pathway here at the Academy,” said Jamie MacGregor, Academy Affiliate Director of Coaching. “It’s fantastic to see more young players taking the next steps, which demonstrates the continued effort of our local affiliate coaches in their environments to consistently propel players through the pipeline.”

 

Since 2007, the Sporting KC Academy has utilized MLS’s Homegrown initiative to identify and develop the top young players from around the Midwest. The Sporting KC Academy currently consists of five boys’ teams at the U19, U17, U15, U14, and U13 age levels. In the Academy’s 16-year history, it has produced a total of 18 Homegrown Players who have been signed to the Sporting KC First Team.

 

Established in 2011, the SKC Youth Academy Affiliate program has grown to include 15 youth soccer clubs across seven states. The Academy Affiliate program offers player development pathway opportunities, coaching education, specialized events and experiences and unparalleled access to the professional club to players of all ages and skill levels.

2024 Academy Affiliate Players Selected:

U13: Todimu (Oluwatodimu) Adewumi (Sporting City East), Liam Daniels (Sporting Blue Valley), Mason Hughes (Sporting Iowa), Henry Jacobs (Sporting Iowa), Porter Linhos (Sporting Blue Valley), Omari Macias (Sporting Arkansas)

U14: Brady Cowan (Sporting Blue Valley), Johnnie De Warabeck (Sporting City North), Josmain Delgado Diaz (Sporting Springfield), Brayden Drewing (Sporting Columbia), Youssef Ezzine (Sporting City West), Blake Hannagan (Sporting Blue Valley), Daniel Martinez (Sporting Wichita), Luca Pore (Sporting Blue Valley)

U15: Mason Duffy (Sporting Blue Valley), Emilio Jacinto-Lopez (Sporting Nebraska), Alfredo Velasquez Castro (Sporting Nebraska), Sam Worcester (Sporting Blue Valley)

U16: Eman Alicic (Sporting Iowa), Santino Barberena (Sporting Blue Valley), Colin Kyser (Sporting Blue Valley), Barron Williams (Sporting Blue Valley)

U18: Ronald Lozano Del Angel (Sporting Wichita)

For more information on the Academy Affiliate program, visit SportingKCYouth.com/AcademyAffiliates.