SLSG Metro Players Feature on National, Regional and International Stage

During the month of March, SLSG Metro Players, Jack Maher, Joseph Kinder and AJ Sullivan were selected to compete in regional, national and international identification programs.     

Maher ('99), a central midfielder for SLSG Metro 13 Pre-Academy who often appears with the 14 Pre-Academy, was 1 of 23 players selected to attend ODP Region II Camp in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  The camp was comprised of some of the top players from across the 14 Midwestern states that make up Region II.    

Kinder ('00), a left footed midfielder and striker from Belleville who also plays on the 13 Pre-Academy, was 1 of 50 players selected from across the entire United States to travel to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California for the US Club ID2 camp.  ID2 is a youth national team identification program which gathers the top players from across the country to train and compete under the watchful eye of youth national team scouts.  

Lastly, Austin (AJ) Sullivan ('00), a U12 central midfielder from Highland who plays on the 13 Pre-Academy, was 1 of 13 players selected from across the country in his age group to participate in an international training camp at De Toekomst (The Future), the legendary ground of the AJAX youth Academy.  The 10-day trip will see AJ and his American counterparts train under the direction of AJAX youth academy staff as well as compete in matches versus the AJAX youth Academy as well as several other youth Academies from Dutch Professional clubs.  

These three young men are tremendous examples of what is achievable for players in the Metro East and Southern Illinois who are committed to pushing themselves to improve to their maximum potential. While each is blessed with natural talent, to attribute these accomplishments purely to talent would be to completely miss the most important characteristic common to each of these players which is their insatiable appetite for self-improvement.  This commitment to doing the work to better themselves, a trait which is shared by all of their teammates, is the BIGGEST reason why SLSG Metro players are increasingly being recognized on the regional and national level.  

Stay tuned in April for more players competing in Regional and National identification programs.  The future is definitely very bright for players at SLSG Metro.