SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that they have partnered with Ethos Soccer to help strengthen the presence of the team’s youth development system in the Sacramento region.

"This is an exciting partnership because of the commitment Ethos has made to youth player development," said San Jose Earthquakes technical director Chris Leitch. “Their organization 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, Ethos Soccer will become a Regional Development Partner in the Sacramento region and will be a feeder for the Quakes academy programs. The partnership will create a pathway to the PDL for all Ethos players, while helping Ethos position itself as the premier youth development program in its region for both boys and girls.

“This partnership makes sense for the San Jose Earthquakes academy,” said youth academy manager Fred Wilson. “As a newer club, Ethos has already established its commitment to the long-term development of its players not just on the field, but also in the classroom and in their local communities.”

Ethos will initially launch three Earthquakes programs in 2015, including a 5-12 year old development school for boys and girls, a U12 boys elite development program and a U14 boys pre-academy program. Ethos is also working with the Earthquakes organization and other Regional Development Schools to launch a girls academy program.

“We are very excited about our new partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes. The Sacramento region has an incredible amount of youth soccer talent and we are honored to be selected to host their Regional Development School," said Fritz Libby, President of Ethos Soccer. “We look forward to working with the Earthquakes to provide additional training/playing opportunities that will help our local players move to the next level.”

About Ethos Soccer

Ethos Soccer was founded in 2011 and is a 501c3 non-profit organization. The club’s motto is Character – Commitment – Community. Ethos aspires to be an outstanding educational-athletic and charitable organization that provides a high-quality experience, in which coaches, educators, volunteers, and parents:

• Unlock and maximize athletic potential in every player

• Emphasize the importance of scholar-athleticism and experiencing “life lessons” that have value beyond the playing field

• Develop character with a focus toward global citizenship and charity

• Open as many doors for players as possible, while giving them the tools to choose which ones to pass through