As one of the chosen 64 clubs to take part in the new US Academy Development League, the Richmond Strikers academy teams recently participated in the Academy Fall Showcase out in California.

The Strikers have both a U-16 and a U-18 team in this new exciting format coached by Erwan Le Crom and assisted by Trevor Spencer. Both teams played at the Home Depot Center to kick off the season and I had a chance to speak to the captains and ask them about the trip to the west coast.

Nathan Shiffman plays center midfield for the U-16 Academy team and is the team captain. I sat down with the midfield general and asked him about the trip to California.

Tell me about the trip Nathan?

“I have never been to a tournament like this before. The organization and the facility were amazing and it was very exciting to be involved. Playing at the Home Depot center in front off all the college coaches and scouts was the best thing about the whole trip”

How was the flight and all that travelling?

“All my friends are on the team so it was a lot of fun travelling with them. We try to represent the club the best we can on and off the field”

What did you do off the field?

“It was fun hanging out in the players lounge. They did a great job with the set up with all the big screen TV’s and the video games. It was a fun environment”

In general, what has the academy experience been like so far?

“It’s been great. It is very competitive and we get the chance to play a t a high level every game. It would be a lot better if we could just put some of our chances away!”

Ben Anderson also plays center midfield, but for the U-18 team. Ben has been with the club for four years and has been an integral part of all the Striker teams he has played on. Ben is the team captain of the U-18 team.

So how was it Ben?

“It was a great experience. Playing that level of competition on that surface was amazing. The whole organization of the event was like nothing I had ever seen before. It’s the first time I felt I was in a truly professional environment. The travelling was a new experience for all of us. Going across the country and dealing with the time change was a different experience. It would have been nice to do some more stuff off the field but we had to recover and rest and go back to the hotel so we didn’t have much time. ”

What was your favorite part of the trip?

“It was really cool when we got to go into the main stadium at the Home Depot Center and eat in the player’s restaurant and get a feel for what it would be like having a pre game meal for the US National team. The meal was prepared by the US Soccer nutritionist so it was good to be treated so well. It was pretty neat.

How is the group coming along, and how’s the Academy experience so far?

“It has been very enjoyable and we are all working very hard. We are playing some good stuff at times. We are learning a lot from the coaches and it’s nice to have everything so organized and planned out. It’s great that we have combined the team to increase the talent level so we can compete on a national level week in and week out”.

Who is the biggest joker on the team?

“That would be Will Bates. His whole make up is just funny and he cracks me up!”

The Academy set up is going very well and both teams are finding their feet in the new format. The Academy teams played their first regular season games last weekend with two wins against VA Rush and I caught up with Head Coach, Erwan LeCrom, to get his thoughts on how things are going so far.

“The best thing about the US Academy set up is that we are able to prepare properly and thoroughly for games”, said Le Crom.  “As coaches, it is great that we can specifically train the guys according to their positions. The showcase out in California was first class. It was a fantastic opportunity for all the teams to play in a superb environment. It was nice to see all the academy teams playing to win, but more importantly, attempting to play good quality soccer the right way.”

Erwan and Trevor really worked the boys hard in pre-season to make sure they were physically ready for the season. Trevor took the lead with the fitness component and was very detailed and organized to make sure both teams were in top condition come the first game of the season.

The US Development Academy marks the beginning of a new and exciting era in US Soccer and everyone at the club is delighted to be involved.

The Academy team’s next game is on Saturday October 20th in Charleston, SC where they play Bridge FA.

Keep up to date with all the Academy news and latest scores here on the website!

Ben, Nathan and Erwan were interviewed by the assistant Director of Coaching, Matt Kirkpatrick.