Pathway to U.S. U-14 national team expands for New England’s players

Credit: Nathan Rogers

As U.S. Soccer director of talent identification, Farmington, Conn., native Tony Lepore is often at the center of the national body's most important youth decisions.

That was again the case last week, when U.S. Soccer announced a new platform designed to expand and improve the men's national team player pool. The program recently started on the boys side, while a similar one will begin on the girls side for 2019-20.

The pathway starts with YNT Identification Centers, formerly known as Training Centers, in 25 key markets across the country. In New England, they'll be held in Boston two or three times each year.

After that process, 80 players from the East Region will come together as four, 20-player teams for scrimmages over the course of four-and-a-half days.