BRIANNA CALIX
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APRIL 27, 2017 5:41 PM
This weekend has a lot in store for Merced Atlas Soccer Academy.
Representatives from the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders will be in Merced to close a deal with the Merced youth soccer academy, a Sounders representative confirmed to the Sun-Star. Details of the contract will be available after it is final.
The deal will be signed on Sunday, the same day Merced’s soccer academy will celebrate Día del Niño, or “Children’s Day,” which is widely celebrated in Latin America.
“This will bring a lot of opportunities for the community,” said Fernando Aguilera, president of the Merced soccer academy.
Established about 16 years ago, the soccer academy has more than 1,000 children enrolled in programs and operates a community center at Stephen Leonard Park. The group also uses soccer fields at McNamara Park.
The academy has been affiliated with the Club Atlas team of Guadalajara, Mexico, but its red-and-black colors and branding will be replaced with the Sounders’ green-and-blue when the deal is finalized.
Aguilera said a partnership with the Sounders will offer more realistic opportunities for Merced players since they won’t have to travel to another country and speak a different language to play professional soccer. “It’s real hard to switch countries when they’re young and leave the family,” Aguilera said.
The Sounders’ youth academy has six teams that range in age from under 12 to under 18.
Last summer, a Merced teen signed an all-inclusive contract with the Sounders, joining their academy. Alfonso Ocampo Chavez currently is on the roster for the U-15 Boys’ National Team for the U.S. as a forward.
But the 15-year-old won’t be in Merced for Sunday’s celebration. He’s currently playing in a tournament in Europe, where he was the first goal-scorer in Tuesday’s 4-0 over Slovenia.
“Right now, he’s representing the whole Valley on the national team,” Aguilera said. “He’s just great.”
One of the Sounders Academy’s affiliates is the Central California Aztecs, which includes 45 teams and a competitive academy program from the U-12 level through U-18. The Aztecs’ region stretches from Lancaster to Bakersfield to Fresno. Adding Merced as an affiliate or partner would further expand the Sounders’ reach in California.
Representatives from the Sounders visited Merced earlier this year to see all that the academy offers the community.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy said the deal with the Sounders is another “great success” for Merced.
“The Seattle Sounders are a winning team, and Merced is lucky to be affiliated with them,” Murphy said. “The Merced Soccer Academy has been a top-notch organization with a solid reputation for emphasizing player character and integrity. The coaches have made sure that players have skills on the field and in school. Clearly, the Sounders saw that devotion with the players and the coaches and decided that this was the team they wanted to join their organization.”
The academy’s Día del Niño celebration kicks off Saturday night with Luche Libre, Mexican-style wrestling that will feature Jack Black’s stunt double from the film “Nacho Libre,” among other wrestlers at Merced Indoor Sports, 115 Hernon Way in Merced. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. Adult tickets are $15, and children can attend for free. For more information, call 707-657-8032.
On Sunday, the Día del Niño festivities go from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McNamara Park. The events will include soccer games, bounce houses, food, prizes and more.
Aguilera encourages the public to attend to learn more about the Seattle Sounders.
Brianna Calix: 209-385-2477