Timbers Academy teams to join U.S. Soccer Development Academy, Timbers’ U-16 and U-18 Academy teams set to begin play in 2012-13 season http://academy.demosphere.com/Schedules/index_E.html PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Timbers, Montreal Impact, and U.S. Soccer announced today that the they have been selected to join the U.S. Soccer Development Academy starting in the 2012-13 season. Entrance into the U.S. Soccer Development Academy is a significant step in the development of the Timbers’ comprehensive academy and youth development system. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy provides elite youth soccer players from across North America with the best development opportunities to achieve their potential on the field. The Timbers will field teams at the U-15/U-16 and U-17/U-18 levels, playing a 10-month season and competing in the Northwest Division against other academy sides from Major League Soccer clubs, including Northwest rivals Seattle Sounders FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, as well as other elite youth clubs. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy also connects National Team coaches directly with academy teams to help develop and identify players and coaches for future Youth National Teams http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2012/04/timbers-academy-teams-join-us-soccer-development-academy
US Soccer Development Academy shifts to int'l calendar one US league that’s shifting to the international calendar. On Friday the US Soccer Development Academy, the elite competition for youth players around the country, announced it will be moving to a September-June season beginning with the 2012-2013 campaign, spreading matches across 10 months. “This is the model that the best countries around the world use for their programs, and I think it makes perfect sense that we do as well,” said US national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann in a US Soccer statement. “The Development Academy 10-month season is the right formula and provides a good balance between training time and playing competitive matches.” There are 15 MLS academies currently participating in the US Soccer Development Academy program: Frontier Division: Colorado Rapids, Sporting Kansas City Great Lakes Division: Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew Texas Division: FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo Liberty Division: New York Red Bulls Mid-Atlantic Division: D.C. United Northeast Division: New England Revolution Northwest Division: Seattle Sounders, Vancouver 'Caps, San Jose 'Quakes SoCal Division: Chivas USA, LA Galaxy, RSL Arizona http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/02/10/us-soccer-development-academy-shifts-intl-calendar