CHICAGO – Grande Sports Academy and its players have earned six different honors for the 2013-14 US Soccer Development Academy season.
Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy was named U-15/16 West Conference Best Style of Play while Grande Sports World was recognized as the Best Training Facility throughout all age groups in the West Conference.
Justen Glad and Sebastian Saucedo were named to the U-15/16 West Conference Starting XI while Jose Hernandez received the same honor at the U-17/18 level. In addition, Saucedo was named the U-15/16 West Conference Player of the Year.
RSL-AZ U-15/16 finished in first place in both the Southwest Division and West Conference in 2013-14 with a regular season record of 21 wins, 4 losses and 2 ties. Finishing as the second overall seed in the country, RSL-AZ U-15/16 advanced to the Development Academy Playoff Finals before falling 2-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy U-15/16 in the Championship game.
Completed in 2010 at a cost of $20 million, Grande Sports World is truly an athlete’s dream. The 58,000 square foot sports performance center is one of the finest complexes in the United States. The fully equipped Performance Center includes: state of the art strength and conditioning equipment, stadium quality locker rooms and coaching offices, 16 classrooms with multimedia capabilities, physical therapy and rehabilitation areas, hot and cold plunge pools, equipment rooms, training aids and more.
Justen Glad played in 26 games this season for RSL-AZ U-15/16, leading the team to a Southwest Division and West Conference best 20 goals allowed during the regular season while adding five goals scored of his own. In April, Glad signed a Homegrown Player contract with Real Salt Lake, becoming the tenth player from Grande Sports Academy to sign a professional contract. Glad was also named to the U-15/16 West Conference Starting XI for the 2012-13 USSDA season.
Sebastian Saucedo scored 31 goals in 29 games for RSL-AZ U-15/16 in the 2013-14 season, leading the entire Development Academy in total goals scored. Saucedo’s 31 goals lead RSL-AZ U-15/16 to a Southwest Division and West Conference best 76 goals during the regular season, a mark that lead the entire Development Academy in goals scored per game.
Jose Hernandez scored 9 goals in 28 games for RSL-AZ U-17/18 this season. RSL-AZ U-17/18 finished the regular season with a record of 18 wins, 4 losses and 5 ties, claiming second place in the Southwest Division and West Conference. Hernandez’s performance earned him call-ups to the Real Salt Lake reserves where he played in three of four RSL Reserve League matches this season. Hernandez was also named to the U-15/16 West Conference Starting XI for the 2012-13 USSDA season.