US Soccer Training Center

VSA is pleased to celebrate our players who were selected to go to the US Soccer Training Center. US Soccer Training Centers are specifically designed to replicate national team training. Our players work directly with US Soccer national staff and players from all over. The vision for the training center is to produce players that can go into the national pool system. This process leads directly to playing with the national teams.

We had 8 players that were identified and participated in this experience. We had the following girls in the 2003 and 2004 age groups: Isabella Cahall, Lilly Lovell, Lauren Gogal, Nenah Conners, and Sara Schmall. We also had the following boys represent VSA in the 2001 and 2002 age groups: Khatawut Kraiwan, William Wagner, and Charlie Kurz.  These players were picked through VSA’s connection with US Soccer; VSA recommends pools of players for US Soccer staff to look at and they are then picked based on the players’ performance in their age group. US Soccer training centers then set up a monitoring system to track a player’s progress. This will lead to them being invited back and also open the doors for more players to come through the channels.  In a span of 6 months, we have had two pool invitations to US Soccer training centers. Isabella Cahall has had the honor of being selected for both those opportunities.

The player, if selected, gets to train at the top-flight facility that puts on a national caliber session.  The training centers move all over the country, but the most recent one was located in Glen Allen, Virginia. 

This is a great experience for both our players and club in many facets. First, it is a special moment to be identified to play at that level and then to go train in front of national staff and players.  Second, it is a great way for the players to gauge themselves and where they stand on a large stage. Third, VSA benefits by having our players go out to these US Soccer training centers because it opens doors for more players. Also, with our players doing so well there, it speaks highly of our professionalism in training, professionalism in staff, and of course the standards our players hold.

Lauren Gogel, one of our invited girls had this to say, “ They pushed us very hard, and gave us a taste of what it would be like in the real National team training. The coaches really wanted to make us into leaders. They made me want to come back to my club and try even harder so that I can be invited back.”

Congratulations to all of our players that participated! We look forward to many more of our talented players being invited to this unique experience.