From National Signing Day to clinics with professional team players, the Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) had an eventful February. Here is a look at this month’s achievements and the road ahead.
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
A combined 20 players on both our girl’s and boy’s side signed their letters of intent on National Signing Day (Feb. 1). Further commitments have followed as well for the RDA Boys, with Jacob Rice committing to Malone University and Jack Shearer to Fairleigh Dickinson University this month.
Colleges our players will attend include the University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University and the University of Notre Dame, among other schools.
Congratulations to all our signees so far. For further information on the Academy’s Signing Day class, click here.
TOURNAMENT RECAP
The RDA girl’s side faced an exceptional level of competition this month, participating in the Ohio Elite Showcase (1998-2003 age divisions) and the Richmond Ultimate Cup (2006 age division).
Grappling with high-level Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) competition and a few lightning cancelations, our ladies had an excellent showing as they ready for their spring events. The 2003 Girls team finished in first place at the Ohio Elite Showcase.
“Coming out of a rigorous winter training schedule where these players are battling with teammates more than three times per week, it’s fun to watch them take to the field for competitive matches against different opponents,” Academy/Youth Development Director Jason Kutney said.
Other highlights from this weekend include the 1999 Girls team not allowing a goal in both of its games and the 2000 Girls squad winning its final game, 2-1, to close out its tournament schedule.
TRAINING PROGRAMS
Riverhounds professional team players Corey Hertzog and Ryan Adeleye teamed with our RDA to lead a Finishing Clinic and a Defensive Principles Clinic, respectively.
“These clinics provide our players with additional, hyper-specific instruction in areas of the game that are not always easy to focus upon, fully, in the normal team training environment,” Kutney said.
In the Finishing and Defensive Principles Clinics, players learn proper body positioning, approach to a ball and defensive tactics, among other skills.
Program Director Niko Katic and Director of Coaching Scott Gibson also have led a High-Intensity Technical Clinic, allowing younger players to receive extra touches and grow comfortable with the soccer ball.
ROAD AHEAD
RDA tryouts will be held in May. Exact dates, times and locations for tryouts will be released in the near future.
Our Academy has multiple tournaments scheduled for March, traveling from Las Vegas to Cincinnati. These tournaments include the Ohio Elite Showcase, Richmond Ultimate Cup, Vegas Players Showcase and Jefferson Cup Tournament on the boy’s side. Our girl’s side also will participate in the Vegas Players Showcase and Jefferson Cup Tournament, as well as the Jefferson Cup Showcase.
“There’s been a lot of training in the winter months,” Gibson said. “These groups are hungry to get out and they put in a lot of work and preparation for these tournaments.”
As the RDA travels outside of Pittsburgh, our experienced players will receive more exposure to college scouts across the country, which helps athletes who plan to make the next step in their playing careers.
“The spring events see our older players competing in front of a wide array of college coaches across the entire country,” Kutney said. “So much of the winter preparation is designed to prepare players for these identification opportunities.”
