After a year of challenges, the Academy U-15 and U-17 teams are headed to the first annual MLSNext Cup Playoffs and Showcase in Dallas, Texas. “As we look to complete the Academy season, we are delighted for our teams to head to Dallas for this event,” said Academy Director Gary Lewis. “It will be competitive and will give our players the opportunity to represent the Sounders
Seattle Sounders FC announced the signing of Tacoma Defiance midfielder Reed Baker-Whiting as a Homegrown Player on Wednesday.
Baker-Whiting, 16, has long been viewed as one of the top talents coming through Sounders Academy’s revamped player development pipeline. During the 2020 MLS season, the Seattle native began training regularly with the First Team, playing alongside the likes of Nicolás Lodeiro, Cristian Roldan and Raúl Ruidíaz, on a daily basis.
“Puts a smile on my face,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “The kid has earned it, he deserves it. He was a smaller kid, and when fans first see him they will see a tall, lanky kid. He has good size. In his first game for Defiance he covered like 13 kilometers in the game, he has good range. We’ve been tracking him since we brought him into First Team training last year. He stayed with us through MLS Cup, and he’s done well enough to earn a contract.”
Defiance add two Academy products
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Sounders FC Digital // Lindsey Wasson
The youth movement in the Seattle Sounders organization is obviously not limited to the First Team. Tacoma Defiance has been one of the youngest teams in the USL Championship throughout its existence, and that won’t be changing any time soon. Following the addition of four more veteran players, Defiance announced on Friday that Academy players Juan Alvarez and Obed Vargas had signed with the team.
Alvarez, a 16 year-old attacking midfielder, has spent time in First Team training during 2021 and made his presence noted when he scored the lone goal in one of the two preseason friendlies with San Diego Loyal. He’s yet another example of the full player development pipeline, first having joined the Sounders Discovery Program at the age of 12 before becoming a full-time Academy player at 14. Alvarez trained with Tacoma in 2020 with the Academy season canceled due to the pandemic.
TACOMA, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance today announced that it has signed midfielders Juan Alvarez and Obed Vargas. The Sounders FC Academy products officially join the club before the team opens the 2021 season on the road at Los Angeles Galaxy II (5:00 p.m. PT / ESPN+, ESPN Deportes). The pair of signings bring Defiance to 19 players with USL Championship contracts ahead of 2021 campaign.
“We’ve been excited with Juan’s progression during preseason. After Head Coach Brian Schmetzer observed him in Academy sessions, the decision was made to integrate him into First Team training for 2021 preseason as he’s adapted very well to the environment, improving every day with the guidance and coaching from the staff,” said Sounders FC Director of Player Development Henry Brauner. “Obed has exceeded expectations since joining the Academy from his home club in Alaska a couple years ago, and we’re looking forward to seeing his development on and off the field as he evolves into the
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