NewlyRetired
Footballguy
you guys have probably seen the haunting images of what poor Lockhart Stadium has turned into after it was abandoned. Is that a shrubbery?I have mentioned before how soccer is lagging in producing players from Florida. So today's news from Inter Miami is very welcomed.
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Another pressing order of business is the summer launch of the youth academy, which will be a fully funded program for 160 hand-selected players — U12 through U19 boys’ teams with 20 players per squad.
Former Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas star Javier “El Maestro” Morales, a native of Argentina, will be named an Inter Miami Academy coach in the next few days.
Meanwhile, McDonough, technical director Kurt Schmid (son of recently deceased MLS coach Sigi Schmid), and director of soccer operations Niki Budalic have been scouring local fields in search of talent.
“Our academy is going to be all South Florida kids,” McDonough said. “We are not going to import kids to take spots from the local kids. I have been out at Kendall, Weston, Lauderhill and other places, and there is so much talent down here, it’s crazy. It’s one of the deeper areas of the country.
“It’s just finding all the right pieces and putting those kids in the right environment. Some kids are super talented, but haven’t played in a structure like ours. The jump will be big, but we want to give that opportunity to those kids. Nobody will be excluded based on money. We will pay for everything.”
Inter Miami just sent a detailed proposal to Ft Lauderdale to take over the Lockhart Stadium site and turn into their training facility.