The Sounders Academy U-15 and U-17 squads are heading down to Carson, Calif., this weekend for the Generation adidas Cup, which will be held at the StubHub Center from Feb. 16-19.
Billed as a showcase for the future stars of MLS, GA Cup is a tournament that prioritizes the development of the brightest talents across the United States. Every MLS academy is divided into three regions, with three sides from each bracket qualifying for the Championship Division and the rest advancing to the Premier Division.
“We’ll face some very strong teams we don’t usually play, so those will be really good tests for our younger players,” said Sounders FC Director of Player Development and Academy Director Marc Nicholls. “For the U-17s, they put in some quality performances in the first round of qualification, but the results didn’t line up so they have some catching up to do.”
While the U-17s seek to secure qualification for the Championship Division, the U-15s will use the event to expose some of the brightest prospects in the pipeline to a higher level of competition, immersing them in an unfamiliar environment and accelerating their development.
“We try to push the boys out of their comfort zone with different events and opportunities, whether that’s a foreign trip or an MLS event or an international event here in the U.S.,” said Nicholls. “So we’re excited to see how they adapt and play in a new, challenging environment.”
In recent years, Sounders Academy has used the GA Cup as an opportunity to evaluate some of the top players in the youth system against the future stars of MLS and the international game. And with plenty of USYNT scouts in attendance, the showcase is the perfect environment for the young Sounders to elevate their standing for both club and country.
Players such as Sam Rogers, Azriel Gonzalez and Ray Serrano fast-tracked their own progression through the professional pathway with a string of impressive performances while playing above their age group. Serrano, who recently inked his first professional contract with Sounders FC 2, will travel with the U-17s and feature in the matches this weekend.
This weekend, two standouts from the U-15 squad, midfielders Sota Kitahara and Danny Leyva, will suit up for the U-17s, providing them with a crucial developmental experience.
The full description for GA Cup can be found here, and the full schedule for this weekend is provided below.
February 16
Sounders FC U-15 vs. Sporting KC U-15 | 2:00 p.m. PT, StubHub Center (Field 5)
Sounders FC U-17 vs. San Jose Earthquakes U-17 | 2:00 p.m. PT, StubHub Center (Field 4)
February 17
Sounders FC U-15 vs. Real Salt Lake U-15 | 12:00 p.m. PT, StubHub Center (Field 4)
Sounders FC U-17 vs. Real Salt Lake U-17 | 6:00 p.m. PT, StubHub Center, (Field 4)
February 19
Sounders FC U-15 vs. LA Galaxy U-15 | 11:00 a.m. PT, StubHub Center (Field 5)
Sounders FC U-17 vs. Sporting KC U-17 | 9:00 a.m. PT, StubHub Center (Field 4)
