After six days of high-level competition, the fourth annual MLS NEXT Fest has come to a close in Indio, California. That means our returning Academy teams will be trading the palms for pines, the sun for snow, and the grind of the MLS NEXT season for a short winter break in action.

With more than 400 teams from across North America competing in a total of over 600 matches, this tournament serves as the premier winter showcase event in the MLS NEXT calendar. Coaches from both colleges and national teams, as well as professional scouts frequent this event, giving the nearly 7,000 players participating a chance to show that they’re a cut above the rest of the field. Your Loons sent all three Academy teams to this year’s tournament, and while none of them came away with a spotless record, each group showed the kind of resilience and fight that will serve them well when the season resumes in 2025.

U15

The U15s opened the tournament with their toughest matchup, a showdown with LAFC. While they lost the opener 2-0, Head Coach Amin Qasim’s team was undeterred by the defeat, following it up with a resounding 4-1 win over Inter Miami in game two. A difficult 3-0 loss to Orlando City rounded out a frustrating week for this talented group. While they would have liked to come away with three wins from three, the experience gained by this young group is by far the most valuable part of this experience.

• 0-2 Loss to LAFC
• 4-1 Win over Inter Miami
• 0-3 Loss to Orlando City

U16

In the next bracket up, Head Coach Jamie Carroll-Rolfes’s U16s found themselves with the toughest schedule of the group, facing off against some of the nation’s best U16 opposition. A close 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution opened the proceedings, before a 6-1 loss to Philadelphia served as a wake-up call for the boys. They managed to close the tournament out with a 1-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls, completing their tour of the east coast’s best U16 programs with a bit of grit.

• 1-1 Draw with Revs

• 1-6 Loss to Philly

• 1-2 Loss to NYRB

U18

While Head Coach Alex Morawiecki and the U18s were unable to earn a positive result this week, they fought hard in several close contests. Slow starts saw them go down early in the opening two games, and despite solid second halves, they were unable to flip either script. A three-goal loss on the final day sent the group home wanting more, but not without valuable lessons against quality opposition.

• 1-2 Loss to Timbers
• 2-3 Loss to Toronto
• 1-4 Loss to Vancouver

All three teams will be off until February 22, when they’ll play host to St. Louis Scott Gallagher in their return fixtures. Across every level, it’s been a year of tremendous growth for the young Loons, between the results on the field and the opportunities to gain valuable experience at higher levels. Here’s to an even better 2025: onward and upward!