In a sport/business with so much ambiguity, moves and mergers in youth soccer rarely make a ripple beyond the local gossip level. 

Chivas USA is proving that perhaps more attention should have been paid to its move last summer. 

The upper management of the club effectively decided to start over with its youth academy in August of 2011. 

After a few seasons under the control of Sacha van der Most, who was beloved by players and families alike, Chivas USA cut ties with the Dutch coach and brought in a new staff headlined by Teddy Chronopoulos.

Previously, the former MLS player was running the Cosmos Academy West, but the New York Cosmos cut funding to its auxiliary youth program and Chivas USA seized Chronopoulos in a merger between the two entities. 

The affable Chronopoulos had his work cut out for him. 

While Van der Most helped two players [Cesar Zamora and Bryan de la Fuente] earn Home Grown contracts with the first team [neither is still with the team], Los Angeles Galaxy was making major strides in the competitive Southern California youth soccer scene. 

In 2011, Galaxy won the Development Academy U16 National Championship, captured the Generation adidas U17 Cup, and signed two players [Jack McBean and Jose Villarreal] to Home Grown deals.

It was clear as day. LA Galaxy had firm control of the best talent in the area.

Chronopoulos and his staff including U18 head coach Dan Calichman and U16 head coach Mike Munoz, who was hired from Real Salt Lake’s youth residency program in Arizona, immediately set out to change that perception. 

Last Thursday was a major step in the shift of public opinion for Chivas USA with its U18 squad booking a place at Finals Week over New York Red Bulls, Charlotte Soccer Academy, and New England Revolution. 

Meanwhile, the more acclaimed LA Galaxy U18 team, which featured both McBean and Villarreal, went crashing out of the playoffs in a shocking defeat to De Anza Force. 

“I think it is huge,” Chronopoulos told TopDrawerSoccer.com about what it meant for his club to make Finals Week. “I thought our guys deserved it. They fought hard and played hard in some very difficult conditions.”

It is the first ever appearance for Chivas USA at Finals Week for either age group, but the club will not be heading into Finals Week with a completely inexperienced roster. 

Defenders Stephen Copley and Eric Gonzalez left Galaxy after last season and joined Chivas USA; both were members of the U16 National Championship squad. 

Striker Ben Spencer followed Munoz (and Chivas USA first team assistant coach Greg Vanney) from RSL-AZ to Chivas USA. Spencer’s RSL-AZ U16 squad finished third at Finals Week last year. 

“I know what to expect now,” Spencer told TopDrawerSoccer.com about returning to Finals Week. “We came up a little short last year, but now I want to win it all. I kind of have a little chip on my shoulder.”

The tall striker has become a symbol for the Chivas USA Academy. The New Mexico-native has given up plenty in the pursuit of his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. 

From moving away from home to join RSL-AZ’s residency last year to heading even father away from his family to live in Southern California this year, Spencer has made the sacrifices. 

“It makes it all worth it,” Spencer said about what Finals Week meant. “The sacrifice and hard work are worth it – it is a great feeling.”

Chronopoulos believed that Spencer’s commitment to Chivas USA revealed a lot about the club.

“It shows that we are good at developing players,” Chronopoulos added. “He has done well this year and he has gotten the opportunity to train with the first team.

“That is what we are about – giving the kids the opportunity. All credit goes to [first team head coach] Robin Fraser and Greg Vanney for allowing that to happen – and for believing in youth development.”

The road has not always been easy though for the Goats. Earlier this year, the club lost out on signing prized prospect Stevie Rodriguez. The Southern California native decided to sign with Club Tijuana instead of waiting for a contract from MLS. 

Months later, the club did ink its first Home Grown signing under the Chronoplous/Vanney/Fraser regime with Marky Delgado joining the professional ranks. 

With players like Spencer, Malcolm Jones, Bradford Jamieson IV, and Joshua Perez coming up the pipeline, Delgado is likely the first of many to make the leap from youth team to first team.

 

J.R. Eskilson is a staff reporter at TopDrawerSoccer.com. Send him an email.