Grande Sports World provides a professional learning environment where soccer athletes sleep, eat and live soccer, while training and learning from the very best.
Grande Sports Academy
Grande Sports Academy is located on the campus of the new $20 million Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, AZ, just 45 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Grande Sports World has quickly become one of the finest soccer training facilities in the country, and serves as a training destination for the top youth, professional and national teams from around the globe.
Grande Sports Academy is home of the nationally recognized, Real Salt Lake – Arizona Academy teams and is the only full time residential academy in the United States that is affiliated with a MLS team – Real Salt Lake. Grande Sports Academy concentrates on developing highly competitive soccer players and enabling young athletes to become outstanding soccer players and citizens.
Grande Sports Academy offers focused residential camps throughout the year where campers play on professionally manicured fields, train in the 58,000 state of the art performance center and are challenged each day to improve technically, tactically, physically and mentally.
Train the Real Salt Lake Way
The Grande Sports Academy coaching staff embraces the unique Real Salt Lake philosophy of training, and is recognized nationally and internationally for their professional playing and coaching experience and is led by Martin Vasquez, US Mens National Team First Assistant Coach and Director of Soccer for Grande Sports Academy. All coaches have played and coached at the highest levels – international, national teams, MLS and collegiate. The total commitment and dedication is to youth development, training and coaching.
Grande Sports Academy Facts
- 100 % of GSA graduating seniors in the 2010-2011 academic year were offered college scholarships
- One senior signed a professional contract with Real Salt Lake
- One senior signed a professional contract with “Club Atletico Penarol” a First Division team in Uruguay, which is considered Uruguay’s best club and considered by many as the most successful South American Club of the twentieth century.
- Six RSL-AZ Academy players played on the Real Salt Lake Reserve Team during the past year.
- The US Soccer Federation selected two RSL-AZ team members to the Starting XI teams from among the 78 Development Academy teams.
- Real Salt Lake – AZ is one of two Development Academies to receive US Soccer Federation’s highest evaluation for style of play.
- U-16 team placed third among the 78 Development Academy teams in the national championship tournament, and was undefeated in the play-offs and the national championship tournament.
- U-18 team was among the top 16 teams of the 78 Development Academy teams in its age group.
