San Jose Earthquakes is a professional soccer club based in San Jose, California, USA. The club was founded in 1994 and has a strong youth development program, which includes a youth academy and multiple teams across various age groups.
About San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy
The San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy is dedicated to developing young soccer players to become top-level athletes and contributing members of society. The academy is open to players from ages seven to 18 and provides a comprehensive training program designed to develop players’ technical, tactical, physical, and psychological abilities.
Facilities
The San Jose Earthquakes’ training facility is located at the Earthquakes Stadium in San Jose, California. The facility features multiple grass fields, a turf field, and an indoor training area. Additionally, the club has access to other facilities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Teams and Leagues
The San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy has teams that compete in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Next Pro Development League, as well as other leagues and tournaments at various age levels. The club also participates in the United Soccer League Academy, which is designed to provide a high level of competition for youth players.
Players Who Have Gone on to Play College or Pro Soccer
The San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy has produced several players who have gone on to play at the college and professional levels. Some of the notable players who have played for the club and achieved success at the next level include:
- Tommy Thompson: Thompson played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before signing with the club’s first team in 2014. He has since played in over 80 MLS games for the Earthquakes.
- JT Marcinkowski: Marcinkowski played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at Georgetown University and later signing with the Earthquakes’ first team in 2018.
- Nick Lima: Lima played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at California State University, Fullerton, and later signing with the Earthquakes’ first team in 2017. He has since played in over 100 MLS games for the Earthquakes.
- Paul Marie: Marie played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at Florida International University. He was then selected by the Earthquakes in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft and has played in over 50 games for the team.
- Jackson Yueill: Yueill played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at UCLA. He was then selected by Minnesota United FC in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, but was traded to the Earthquakes in 2018. He has since played in over 70 games for the team and has earned several call-ups to the US Men’s National Team.
- Guram Kashia: Kashia played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy during his time in the United States as a foreign exchange student. He later returned to his home country of Georgia to play professionally, where he became the captain of the national team and played for teams such as Vitesse in the Netherlands and KAA Gent in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.
- Adam Jahn: Jahn played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at Stanford University. He was then selected by the Earthquakes in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft and played for the team for four seasons. He later played for teams such as Atlanta United FC, Columbus Crew SC, and Phoenix Rising FC.
- Josh Morton: Morton played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at California Polytechnic State University. He was then selected by the Seattle Sounders FC in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft and played for the team for one season.
- Amir Bashti: Bashti played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at Stanford University. He was then selected by the Chicago Fire in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and played for the team for one season before being waived.
- Justin Fiddes: Fiddes played for the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy before playing collegiately at the University of Washington. He was then selected by the New England Revolution in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and played for the team for one season.
Conclusion
The San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy is a highly respected youth soccer club with a strong commitment to player development. With top-notch facilities, experienced coaches, and a comprehensive program designed to develop players’ technical, tactical, physical, and psychological abilities, the San Jose Earthquakes Youth Academy is dedicated to helping young players achieve their full potential on and off the field.
