The MNUFC Development Academy U13 and U14 teams are gearing up for a trip to Frisco, Texas, this weekend to compete in the Central Conference Boys’ Regional Showcase. The tournament, which runs from Friday, October 20 to Sunday, October 22, represents the teams’ first chance to compete at a national level against competition including other MLS Academy teams from Houston, Orlando City and Sporting Kansas City.

The tournament is organized to maximize the opportunities for players to see different kinds of competition, so the U13 and U14 teams will play a pair of matches with 25-minute halves on Friday and Saturday, respectively, as a warm up for a full 80-minute match the next day.

This Development Academy Showcase is managed and scouted by US Soccer with an eye toward finding players for our Youth National Teams Program. “This event provides our players with an opportunity to gain valuable game experience against teams from outside of our region of the country,” said Tim Carter, MNUFC Academy Director. “It is essential that the players experience different styles and concepts of play in order to facilitate their personal growth and development. This is a critical element found in a high-performance environment and one that our players need to consistently experience to improve.”

The MNUFC Development Academy’s fall schedule runs through Saturday, November 18 and then picks up again in late March. Check out the full schedule here.