
When Max Dragich looks out over the practice field at the club’s state-of-the-art AHN Montour facility, he sees more than just young athletes running drills. He sees his younger self — a kid with big dreams who came up through the ranks of the Riverhounds Development Academy.
Now, as coach of the RDA’s 2011 and 2015 Boys teams, Dragich’s mission is clear: Pass on the lessons he learned during his own journey, showing young players that there’s more than one way to succeed in soccer. And the club’s Pathway Program is helping those players reach new heights.
The Riverhounds’ Pathway Program is designed to bridge the gap between the academy and professional soccer by identifying top talents and pushing them to reach their fullest potential. The program provides high-performing players with opportunities to train with older age groups, or, for the most supremely talented, alongside the pro First Team.
By placing players in environments where they might not always be the best — which they’re unaccustomed to at their own age levels — the club challenges them to step up, face struggles, but ultimately grow into stronger, more well-rounded athletes. This exposure to higher competition is intended to push players to the next level, preparing them for the challenges of collegiate or professional soccer.
As Dragich reflects on his time as a player in the academy, he can’t help but be amazed at how far it has come. A decade has passed since he first joined the RDA in 2014, and the club’s commitment to player development has completely evolved, offering young athletes a level of resources and support that was once unimaginable.
“I tell the kids that what you guys have now was unheard of 5-10 years ago,” Dragich said excitedly. “You guys have all of the best things — the best cleats, the best training facilities, the best coaches. That wasn’t a thing when I was growing up.”
While the core values of the academy have remained intact, the club has invested heavily in creating an environment where players can have the best opportunity to reach their potential. From picture-perfect training facilities to access to top-tier coaching, the resources available to today’s academy players go miles beyond what Dragich and his peers had at their disposal.
“If you were gonna be good (when I played), it was just because you were an athlete and you took it seriously,” he said. “Now, these kids have all the tools, and it’s so crazy to see how good they already are. That is something that I love watching.”
As much as Dragich is impressed by advancements in the academy, his true passion for coaching stems from a deeply personal experience that shaped his own love for soccer. When he was playing youth travel soccer for FC Wheeling United as a kid growing up, he looked up to his coach, Barry Christmas, who left a lasting impact on him, sparking a passion for the game that stayed with him throughout his life.
“Even to this day, I still talk about that coach I had when I was 10 years old,” Max said with a smile of gratitude. “So, if I could do that for a kid now, my job is done.”
Though coaching didn’t come along for him until his college years, after he realized he was done playing, Dragich always knew he wanted to remain in the sport. His goal was clear: Have the same kind of influence on young players as that coach had on him. The opportunity to coach in the academy now allows him to pass on that same love for the game to the next generation.
The Pathway Program’s impact has already been visible, with multiple academy players, such as Anders Bordoy and Pablo Linzoain, excelling in training alongside professional athletes and even making appearances for the Hounds’ First Team. But the RDA represents more than just a stepping stone to professional soccer, it provides a holistic approach to player development.
But the program’s success isn’t just about producing professional players; it’s about creating an environment where athletes can grow into well-rounded individuals. Dragich believes that by providing players with the right tools and mindset, they can reach their fullest potential, whether in soccer or otherwise.
In the end, the Pathway Program isn’t measured solely by how many players make it to the professional level. Its success is also defined by how much it shapes young athletes into stronger, more disciplined individuals, who are capable of succeeding in whatever they choose to pursue, whether that be a career at the next level, or, like Dragich, a transition into coaching the next generation of players.