The Minnesota United Development Academy U13 and U14 teams have hung up their boots for a well-deserved break from competition following the last matches of their fall phase last weekend. Over the course of 13 matches — both at home in Blaine and on the road —the young players have experienced ups and downs, but when it comes to developing young players, the experience counts more than the results.

The goal of the MNUFC DA is, according to Academy Director Tim Carter, to build “a developmental platform to help raise the level of the game in this country.” In a practical sense, that means the Academy is focused squarely on individual player development. The coaches’ main focus, then, is to develop players to play as individuals within the collective, maximizing the young athletes’ abilities while teaching them the context of the game.

“With the first phase of the Development Academy coming to a close, we have an opportunity to look back at the start up and reflect on the tremendous accomplishments achieved,” Carter said. “Beginning with tryouts in May and June to form the U13 and U14 DA teams as well as the pool of players who formed our U12 Pre-DA group, to the opening games at the National Sports Center where the Dark Clouds and True North Elite supporters cheered us on, we have achieved a great deal over the past several months.”

The season began on a positive note with both the U13 and U14 teams each winning their first matches against Campton United SC, 7-0 — with a great deal of verbal support from the Dark Clouds and True North Elite. In follow-the-leader fashion, both teams recorded the same score again versus Cincinnati United Premier, with each taking a point away from a 2-2 draw.

In weeks two and three, the teams recorded completely opposite results. The boys traveled to Michigan and fell short in both matches versus Crew SC Academy Wolves and Vardar. The U13 boys fared better in Illinois the following weekend, scraping out a 3-3 draw against Sockers FC with a brace from Micah Burton and a goal from Dominick Vargas. The U14 boys were not as lucky suffering a 0-5 loss at Olympic Park.

Week four prompted better results. The boys were back in Blaine, and walked off the field at the National Sports Center with some points in their pocket. The U13s fell to Crew SC Academy in their first match, but turned it around for their second game on Sunday. They netted six against Internationals for a 6-0 victory. The U14s mimicked the pattern, with a 2-2 draw against Crew SC Academy on Saturday, and a 3-0 victory over Internationals on Sunday.

In all, the first half of the season involved a lot of adjustment for young players to become accustomed to a heavy training schedule during the week and a higher level of competition and travel on the weekends.

“In preseason there was a ‘shiny new’ feeling for all of the players and training was high paced,” said Andy Seidel, Academy Coach of the U13 and U14 teams. “As the season wore on the players really started to realize they need to maintain their focus and come every day ready to compete with one another. The individual habits and decision making have improved and players are starting to play more freely within the system.”

The teams started the second half of the season eager to take points from a set of weekend matches where they played host to teams from Indiana and Illinois. The U13 boys played an intense game against Indiana Fire Academy that ended in a hard-fought 4-4 draw. They then fell to Chicago Fire Academy, 2-1. The U14 boys celebrated a 5-0 win over Indiana Fire Academy, with a goal from Perry Blay and braces from Daniel Lainsbury and Jacob Thao. Unfortunately for the U14s, Chicago Fire Academy’s U14s left with three points when they eked out a 2-1 victory the next day.

The MNUFC DA teams got their first chance to compete at a national level with the Central Conference Boys’ Regional Showcase in Frisco, Texas, in late October. Over the weekend, they would get a chance to test themselves against academy teams from fellow MLS clubs Houston, Sporting Kansas City and Orlando City.

Once the boys returned home from Texas, it was time to do a quick load of laundry and hit the road once again, soccer bag packed. They headed to Missouri to face off against St. Louis Scott Gallagher and St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois, where the U13s snagged points from both matches, leaving with a draw and a win. The U14s fell short in both of their tilts.

In their last road match of the fall phase, the U13s and U14s made the short trip to Minnesota Thunder Academy in Richfield and earned all six points on the table as both teams left with victories. In their final weekend of fall matches, the little Loons finished the phase the way they began it with a pair of wins over Indiana Fire Academy at the National Sports Center.

The U13 boys ended with a record of 3-5-5, and the U14 boys with a record of 4-6-3.

“The first half of year one was a success both on and off the field,” Seidel reflected. “On the field, we were very competitive in all games and got better as the season went on. We really want to improve our performances versus other MLS academies in the spring season. Off the field, the players learned how to travel and saw what it is like to play in a league that isn’t made up of only local teams.”

At the beginning of the season, the Academy was full of players who enjoyed being on the field and playing the game they love. After a dozen matches in a Minnesota United jersey, their understanding — both of the game and of themselves — has begun to grow. They’ve all developed in their own way through competing against each other in training sessions and alongside each other in matches.

“It is an exciting time within youth development in MLS as more and more teams work to add homegrown players to their first team rosters,” Carter said. “Going forward we are adding a U15 Development Academy team as well as expanding the Pre-Development Academy in the U11 and U10 age groups. In addition, we are currently scouting players within the Midwest as we look to bring the first players to our Academy from outside the state.”

Heading into a winter of indoor training and with an eye toward March, when matches start again, the Minnesota United Development Academy is expanding, both as more players come into the fold and as the players who’ve already gotten a taste of academy competition continue to grow.