The Philadelphia Union Youth Academy continues to be the most promising aspect of the organization, now sending seven players from its ranks off to a National Team Talent Identification camp starting today and running through September 23rd in Chula Vista, California.
Defenders Dante Huckaby and Anthony Sorensen, midfielders Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn, and Nicholas Pariano, and forwards Patrick Bohui and Selmir Miscic are the Union Academy players invited to the USMNT U-16 ID camp in California. All seven will try to outlast their competition in hopes of boosting their own individual stocks within the national team system.
Of the seven, three have made appearances with the Philadelphia Union’s USL affiliate, Bethlehem Steel FC. Forward Patrick Bohui, age 15, set a club record for Steel FC when he became the youngest player to ever play in a match on March 16th and the youngest to start a match back on September 1st.
Dante Huckaby and Selmir Miscic have each made two appearances, both as substitutes.
The announcement is nothing new for the Union organization. For the past several years, Philadelphia has sent a handful of youth players through the national team system, most recently sending four Homegrown players out on international duty with the USMNT U-23 team, tying only Real Salt Lake for the team with the most invitees.
For players like Miscic and Bohui, the ID camp in California is yet another opportunity to hasten their development if the circumstances allow it. To have professional soccer experience under their belts before age 17 is one thing, but to represent your nation’s crest at such a young age is another.
For the players without professional experience, it’s an opportunity to build on their progress. It’s only a matter of time for them until they suit up with Steel FC as a part of their pro-development.
But for now, Philadelphia soccer fans should be proud. Of the 56 players across the country invited to the prestigious week-long camp, seven hail from the Union’s Academy system. That’s a healthy proportion and another significant piece of evidence supporting the claim that the Philadelphia Union’s Academy system may be the best nationwide.
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Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union