The Sporting Kansas City Academy learned its schedule this week for the 2016-17 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season. Both teams will open the season on the road against Texans SC and Texas Rush on September 10 and September 11, respectively.

The Sporting KC Academy is coming off its most successful season to date with both teams having qualified for the USSDA playoffs. Last year’s U-18 squad became the first in Academy history to advance out of its playoff group, losing to eventual national champion FC Dallas 1-0 in the quarterfinals. The U-16s finished in second place in their group with six points, narrowly missing out on advancement to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

With weather conditions making it difficult to play home games in late Fall in Kansas City, the SKC Academy will open the season with four straight road matches before playing a home match against Dallas Texans in Tulsa on Saturday, September 24. The teams will not play a home match at Children’s Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village until Saturday, October 22 against Texas Rush and then not again until March

Eight players on the SKC Academy U-18 team have signed Academy contracts with Sporting KC’s USL side Swope Park Rangers: Christian Albelo, Ezra Armstrong, Felipe Hernandez, Jaylin Lindsey, Will Little, Steven Tekesky, Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal and Patrick Wilkinson. Four of those players have featured for the Rangers this season: Armstrong, Lindsey, Little and Wilkinson.

All SKC Academy home matches played at Children’s Mercy Victory Field are free and open to the public. Follow SKC Academy on Twitter and Instagram throughout the season for updates.

SKC Academy U-16 and U-18 Schedule