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Sweet 16: FC Dallas signs Plano phenom Acosta
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
Last month, Plano native Kellyn Acosta was named to ESPN NEXT as one of the top 10 prep athletes in the country.
FC Dallas is the latest to support the hype as the Major League Soccer team has signed the 16-year-old phenom as part of the league's Hometown Player initiative.
"FC Dallas is excited to sign Kellyn Acosta to a professional contract," said Schellas Hyndman, FC Dallas head coach. "Kellyn is a very gifted player. He was the youngest member of the U.S. U17 National Team last year and he has played a lot of different positions during his time with the U.S. U17 Residency Program."
FC Dallas has seen Acosta closer to home too in the club's development program.
Playing for FC Dallas during academy season, Acosta started 27-of-28 games for the U16 team, scoring nine times and helping lead his side to the playoffs. Acosta also played up with FC Dallas' U18 squad eight times, logging 907 minutes. The 16 year old's toughest test may have come June 16 when he was on the pitch for the entirety of an MLS Reserve League match against the Houston Dynamo, scoring a goal in the 31st minute of a 3-2 loss.
Acosta tickled the twine as a midfielder, but the 5-foot-10, 150-pounder is also an adept defender.
"We see [Acosta] as a player that may start off as a defender, but eventually he will make his way into the midfield," Hyndman said. "He brings a lot of athleticism. He is a two-way player and he seems to be a very courageous player."
Acosta will be available for selection at the start of the 2013 MLS season.
Strikers win national title
The Metroplex-based United Strikers won the U16 boys title Sunday at the 2012 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup from the Cherry Island Soccer Complex in Sacramento.
The United Strikers beat LA Premier FC Black (California) in the finals, 3-2 (SO).
LA Premier took a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute and advanced that advantage to 2-0 just before halftime. The United Strikers leveled the match in a three-minute span with goals from Oscar Gudiel in the 61st minute and Alfredo Molina in the 64th minute.
The United Strikers converted all of their penalty kicks to claim the title, 3-2.
Texans fall in finals
While one Metroplex squad triumphed Sunday in Sacramento, another fell as the Dallas Texans 97 lost to GUSA Navy (North Carolina) in the U15 girls finals at the 2012 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup.
GUSA defeated the 97 Texans, 2-1 (OT).
The two teams had tied, 1-1, in pool play.
Sunday belonged to GUSA though, despite being down a player much of the match. The North Carolina squad took a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute before Connor MacKenzie leveled the match for the Texans three minutes later. In overtime, Allexis Taylor netted her fourth goal of the week to secure the 2-1 win and national title for GUSA.
Plano named No. 2 soccer city in U.S.
Plano has been named the No. 2 best soccer city in the country by Livability.com.
To determine criteria for the list, Livability.com editors followed the lead of US Youth Soccer.
Plano, the only Texas city in the top 10, finished behind Overland, Kan.
Editors looked for small to mid-size cities with the best soccer programs and facilities. Plano fits the bill. In addition to the aforementioned MLS signing of Acosta, US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup win and runner-up finishes, Plano ISD alums have captured NCAA Titles and the city has won more UIL State Soccer Championships than any other in the state.
More than 11,000 Plano children participate in youth soccer each year.
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