Today, both the U17 and U19 Soccer Academy teams finished their MLS Next South Division League undefeated. The U19s had six wins and six ties, while the U17s are Season/Division Champions with 11 wins and one tie. The U17s have earned a berth to the MLS Cup National Championships in May 2026 in Salt Lake City.
Upon our return to school after Thanksgiving , the U17 and U19 boys will be given milkshakes at Tuesday's lunch to carry on our Soccer Academy tradition of "Milkshakes are for Winners."
Winning this league is a massive accomplishment! Every club we play has 5,000-10,000 players in their club. That is like the equivalent of playing high schools with 20,000-50,000 students. Our league includes top clubs from Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. Our U19 team will be in Arizona for the MLS Next Fest Dec. 3-7, where they are scheduled to play three games in front of over 1,000 college coaches, professional scouts, and U.S. Soccer, as well as over 20 other countries' national team staffs. The U17s will fly out to join Dec. 5-9. Both teams will be playing teams from the states of California, Missouri, Texas, Virginia and Washington, continuing to make Darlington Soccer Academy a nationally recognized residential program.
When you see a Soccer Academy player after Thanksgiving - please congratulate them and wish them luck! The showcases they are attending in the month of December are massive events watched by thousands of coaches. The Soccer Academy staff and I are very proud of what these young men have accomplished and the difficult path they've chosen to pursue.
