It is with great pleasure that the Fusion FC announces that Atsou Ayah accepts his invitation to attend US Soccer U17 Men’s National Team Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida.
Atsou has been an outstanding five year player for the Fusion FC and the former Black Watch SC. Astou has been an integral member of his club team in numerous League, Tournament and State Cup Final Four championships and accomplishments.
"Atsou has represented his Club, Coaches and Team with the highest level of play, leadership and sportsmanship. I feel strongly under the guidance of Coach Roland Moldovan that we have been able to create a strong soccer environment for Atsou’s soccer and personal development. Now, it is with our very best wishes that he goes on to the US Soccer u17MNT Residency Program" said the Director of Soccer Operations, Coach Jim DiNobile.
Astou will begin the US Soccer u17 Residency Program on August 22, 2009. GOOD LUCK ATSOU!!
Everyone is Atsou’s soccer family joined his family in purchasing the school and living items he would need for the US Men’s National Team Residency program. We were able to cover most of what was needed and greatly thank Best Buy (the Wesley Chapel store) for providing the notebook computer and software required by Atsou’s new school. We could not have done it without the help of Best Buy!!!
U.S. SOCCER RESIDENCY PROGRAM
Here is an excerpt from the U.S. Soccer Website (click here to read the full article)
"Started in 1999, the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Residency Program has become a symbol of U.S. Soccer’s dedication to increasing the development opportunities for players and the success of the Youth National Teams.
With the recent successes of the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team, the full-time Residency Program has doubled in the number of players from 20 to 40, adding 10 additional players in both the fall semester of 2002 and 2003. U.S. Soccer has been able to increase the number of players enrolled in the program to provide greater opportunities for young players and increase its investment in player development.
With 40 players in Residency, the U.S. now has two teams competing under the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team moniker: the U-17 ’90s and the U-17 ’91s, representing the birth year of a majority of the players from the senior and junior class in the residency program. With 40 players in residency, the program is able to field two full teams that train together during the week, and get the chance to compete against club, college and international teams on the weekends. There will, obviously, be times in which players cross over from the two sides, but the teams will be designated as one or the other in most competitions.
Wilmer Cabrera was appointed as head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team on Oct. 25, 2007, joining the team from BW Gottschee in New York. He also served as the spokesperson for MLS Futbolito and Verano MLS, two programs aimed at grassroots development of soccer in the United States. The two-time FIFA World Cup veteran has been charged with preparing his players for the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
The U.S. players live on campus at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and train in the morning under the guidance of Cabrera and assistant coaches Paul Caffrey, Gerson Echeverry, Keith Fulk and Paul Grafer. In the afternoon, the players attend classes at Bradenton Preparatory Academy. While in the full-time residency program, the U.S. not only trains daily under Cabrera, but also has access to the IMG Academy’s spacious facilities. The team regularly uses IMG’s state-of-the-art strength-training facilities, as well as some of the nation’s best sports psychologists that work at the Academy. The IMG Academy includes top-of-the-line soccer equipment, three Bermuda grass fields, an indoor dome with artificial turf, two swimming pools, newly renovated student housing and dining facilities.
Since its inception, 170 players have been through the full-time Residency Program, and more than 60 of those players have moved on to Major League Soccer, or the professional leagues in Europe. Fifteen players have also registered at least one cap with the full MNT: Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Bobby Convey, Eddie Johnson, Justin Mapp, Oguchi Onyewu, Santino Quaranta, Chad Marshall, Eddie Gaven, Jonathan Spector, Heath Pearce and Josmer Altidore."
