In the buildup to the inaugural USL Academy Cup – for which qualifying begins this fall – USL-Academy.com will shine a light on academies within the USL Championship, League One and League Two that go above and beyond in helping young players succeed. Starting our new series, we head to San Antonio, Texas, where young players are regularly earning a chance to shine at Toyota Field.

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San Antonio FC’s Pro Academy currently stands as one of the standard bearers in youth development in the United States, so much so that the club was selected to host the first USL Academy event when Western Conference regional qualifying for the inaugural Academy Cup takes place this October.

Since its foundation in 2016, the SAFC Pro Academy and its Elite Training Program have provided a well-structured path from the youth level to the First Team for elite full-time players from the greater San Antonio area. The club will bring multiple players who have featured for U.S. youth national teams to USL Academy Cup qualifying.

“Leo Torres, who has been with us since literal day one and is part of U15 U.S. [Boys’ National Team], signed with us as a professional earlier this year and 17-year-old Jose Gallegos has appeared in over 10 games with our first team this season,” said SAFC Managing Director Tim Holt. “In our exhibition match last month against Cardiff City FC, we fielded eight teenagers, including six academy players, who all acquitted themselves very well. The future is bright.”

Just this week, 18-year-old SAFC Pro Academy product Ethan Bryant signed with Belgian Second Division side K.S.V. Roeselare. Bryant joined the club as an Elite Training Program player in early 2017, and went on to make 16 USL Championship appearances, tallying two goals and three assists while highlighting his high-level potential.