What to expect from next week’s debut of a national Under 17 team?
The Sean O’Leary-coached outfit meets Portugal, Romania, and Canada in a five-day span beginning April 3, as part of an eight-team tournament staged at a swank private school in southwest England. France, Scotland, Wales, and England ‘A’ also will be on hand.
The concept is straightforward: international competition at an early age will improve the likelihood of individual and team success in future years. Additionally, the youngest age-grade team will serve as a shiningly immediate goal for newcomers to the game.
Soccer’s profile may aid in communicating the idea of ‘playing for your country,’ touted in USA Rugby’s strategic plan but largely unknown in mainstream sports. Olympic basketball’s ‘Dream Team’ does not quite equate.
More vexing is whether to pick the most accomplished youngsters, or those who project to senior representative honors: regardless of “pay to play” trial camps, most domestic-born test players take up rugby in college. Might that change, and to what end?
O’Leary’s first-year selections draw five players from one Indiana school and six from west of the Mississippi. Halfback (and Gainline.us contributor) Kyle Caravelli is the son of Eagle 7s coach Al. The team departed yesterday.
The Collegiate All-Americans will meet an ‘Ireland Colleges’ side as well as Canada Under 21 in June in Ontario, and play Oxford University in New York City in September. David Smyth of Brigham Young University will again serve as coach, USA Rugby announced.
United States Under 17 to England
Forwards: Joshua Alden (Woodlands), Cameron Dolan (Naples), Jeffrey Fell (Long Island), Zachary Grigg (Penn), Adam Howland (Brownsburg), Brian Hussey (Trojans), Daniel Ibarra (Chinese International), Joshua Levan (Penn), Kevin Kimball (New Rochelle), Jordan Maitland (Gonzaga), Michael Newkumet (Gonzaga), Tyler Salmon (Penn), Sage Winn (Frederick)
Backs: Johnson Bademosi (Gonzaga), Kyle Caravelli (Fairfield Prep), Curtis Chaffin (Katy), Dustin Croy (Regis Jesuit), Sean Conger (St. John’s Prep), Casey Cummings (Kansas City Blues), Brendan Gray (Trojans), Jeff Levasseur (Charlotte Catholic), Austen Mount (Loggers), CJ Oakley (Penn), Steven Sandefer (Penn), Stuart Tom Smith (Cowichan),
Management: Sean O’Leary (coach), Damian Dowling (assistant coach), Bart Bottorff (manager), John Graham (physician)
Just a quick note,
I had the pleasure of working with Sean O'Leary in placing a player on the team. He is top class guy who donates countless hours of his time.
What they are doing is fantastic and I believe this will have several long term benefits.
These kids will bring a tremendous amount of expierence in the Eagle U-19 program for the next two years, what will be interesting to see how many kids go from U-17 to U-19 to All American to Eagle.
I know Todd Clever went trough all of the age group teams, as did Mike McDonald. Seems like those guys turned out alright.
Also that All American Match vs. Oxford in NYC is going to be awesome
Posted by: Go the Eagles | 29 March 2007 at 07:10
Seems to me that Portugal has rocketed into respectability in the past 5-6 years. By becoming more active in international play at all levels. Of course it s much easier to do this when you can drive to 6-7 countries in an afternoons time, the format is there; more elite competition will result in more elite players.
Posted by: Old Beaver | 29 March 2007 at 14:30
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Posted by: ginc kayih | 02 March 2009 at 02:47