SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that they have partnered with local club San Mateo County Star to help strengthen the presence of the team’s youth development system on the Bay Area Peninsula.



"I am most excited about this partnership because of the quality of people SMC Star have within their club,” said San Jose Earthquakes technical director Chris Leitch. “From their directors to the coaches and the young men and women who compete on the field, the SMC Star is composed of quality people that work extremely well together toward the common goal of developing elite young men and women both on and off the field.”



Through the partnership, San Mateo County Star will become a Regional Development Partner in San Mateo County and will be a feeder for the Quakes academy programs, while also providing support for the Burlingame Dragons, the Earthquakes’ local Premier Development League affiliate. The partnership will create a pathway to the PDL for all SMC Star players, while helping SMC Star position itself as the premier youth development program on the peninsula for both boys and girls.



“This partnership makes sense for the San Jose Earthquakes academy,” said youth academy manager Fred Wilson. “SMC Star looks to help all kids academically, athletically and across all areas of life skills.”



SMC Star is also looking to add a girls academy program and its efforts have generated a great deal of support.



"The San Mateo County Sheriff's Activities League is very excited about partnering with the San Jose Earthquakes to provide additional opportunities to the youth of San Mateo through our SMC STAR soccer program,” said Barbara Bonilla, Director of Community Services, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. “The partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes will further our use of soccer as a vehicle to provide comprehensive services to the youth that we serve to make them successful on and off the field. We couldn't have asked for a better partner than the Earthquakes. On top of having a highly respected staff, the Earthquakes also share the same values as SMC Star and believe in developing players to their full potential."



SMC Star is also looking to add a girl’s academy program for the Earthquakes and its efforts have generated a great deal of support with the Earthquake’s other Regional Development Partners.



"SMC Star is excited by this new partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes,” said SMC Star's Director of Football Brian Mansell. “We are looking forward to working with the Quakes and their staff and helping to develop their vision for soccer in our region. We believe that this partnership will increase opportunities for our players and coaches and take our program to the next level."



About San Mateo County Sheriff’s Activities League

The mission of San Mateo County Star soccer program is to utilize the sport of soccer as a vehicle through which to promote academic excellence, healthy choices, youth leadership and community involvement amongst youth in San Mateo County, targeting the economically disadvantaged, disconnected and underserved. The San Mateo County Star soccer program was started in 2009 by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Activities League (SAL), not just as a soccer club, but a community strategy to use soccer as a vehicle to provide comprehensive services to it’s members and families that include community service, academic support, leadership training and nutrition education. The program has grown and is now called "More than Soccer." An additional program, Life After Star, has been added to address college preparedness and parent education around college topics.