ADIDAS AND MLS TO HOST NATION’S TOP YOUTH SOCCER PLAYERS FOR 2008 ADIDAS ELITE SOCCER PROGRAM AND SUM U-17 CUP
youth soccer events are aligning for the first time to provide an enhanced experience of US Soccer’s future stars.
The combined programs will host more than 350 of the nation’s top high school soccer players July 3-8 at Dick’s
Sporting Goods Park in Denver, Colorado.
Sanctioned by the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, adidas ESP was founded in 1997. ESP has
become the premier youth development program designed to identify America’s best high school soccer players
and provides a platform for them to showcase their individual skills. The program helps the participants prepare to
achieve their academic and athletic goals by supplementing a top level training program with a diverse off-field
educational curriculum. The adidas ESP event in July 2008 features MLS Player Development Director Alfonso
Mondelo as Technical Director and includes MLS Ambassador Mark Santel, former Men’s National Team and
MLS coach Bob Gansler and Former MLS and National Team standout Chris Henderson.
“Together, adidas and MLS are striving to elevate the status of soccer in North America by promoting the game
from the grassroots to the professional level,” said Antonio Zea, Director of Soccer, adidas America. “adidas ESP
has become an integral part of the development of the elite soccer player. The program has helped many of these
players realize their dreams of playing in a professional soccer league.”
2008 is the second year for the SUM U-17 Cup. The program features 14 MLS U-17 Youth Development teams,
each representing a Major League Soccer club. These elite youth players go head to head in tournament play and
are given the opportunity to interact and learn from MLS coaches, players and administrators. The SUM U-17
Cup champion will represent MLS at the Trofeo Quixote youth tournament in Madrid, Spain in 2009.
“We continue to work to develop the game through our partnership with adidas, and our collaboration on the
SUM U-17 and adidas ESP. Both organizations believe that our efforts in developing young players will form the
foundation for the game’s future success,” said Alfonso Mondelo, MLS Player Development Director. “We are
very excited to be part of the adidas family as we develop the process of identifying and developing the best
young players in North America.”
Past adidas ESP and MLS U-17 Cup participants have gone on to play at the collegiate, professional and World
Cup levels of soccer. Notable alumni include: Pat Noonan (New England Revolution, US Men’s National Team),
Josmer Alitdore (Villareal, US Men’s National Team), Chance Meyers (MLS #1 draft pick, Generation adidas,
KC Wizards), Michael Parkhurst (NE Revolution, 2007 Rookie of the Year) and Jonathan Spector (West Ham,
US Men’s National Team). In addition, nearly have of the top twenty draft picks at the 2006 MLS SuperDraft
attended ESP.
adidas
Portland, Oregon (June 12, 2008)- adidas and MLS are excited to announce their collaboration for the 2008
ADIDAS AND MLS TO HOST NATION’S TOP YOUTH SOCCER PLAYERS FOR 2008 ADIDAS ELITE SOCCER PROGRAM AND SUM U-17 CUP
ADIDAS® and MLS are excited to announce their collaboration for the 2008 adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP) and Soccer United Marketing’s second annual SUM U-17 Cup. These premier youth soccer events are aligning for the first time to provide an enhanced experience of US Soccer’s future stars. The combined programs will host more than 350 of the nation’s top high school soccer players July 3-8 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver, Colorado.
*Congratulations to Williams Nieto-Flores (BU16 Black), Sung Moon and Julio Velasquez (BU16 Blue) for being chosen to represent South Bay Force at the adidas ESP Camp. Good luck boys!
adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP) and Soccer United Marketing’s second annual SUM U-17 Cup. These premier
