Regional Training Center

What is the Fuego FC Regional Training Center Program?

The Regional Training Center program, run by the Central Valley Fuego FC Sporting Department and partnered with youth organizations throughout the North, Central and the South Valley corridor, is a developmental program created to identify and develop future Fuego FC Academy players. Commonly referred to as RTC, the program is beginning by being initially structured with 3 Regional Training Centers, located in Merced, Fresno and Bakersfield. The goal of the RTC program is to identify talented players across the state for players 15-19 years of age while offering additional training to these players with high-level coaching, sports psychology, performance training and nutrition. By having a regionalized program, travel and expenses are reduced for families while also creating good competition with high-level coaching in each part of the Valley for players to improve and develop. This process allows the Fuego FC and youth club supporting staff to then identify the top talent in all parts of the Valley for future play in the USL Academy Cup 2023 and other sanctioned USL events.

Fuego FC RTCs do not compete with, or replace, the current PDP and ODP programs. The program is designed to create player pools with birth years of 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004. From these pools a top tier squad will be selected to represent the first-ever Fuego FC Academy team. Note that this is just one team and all players representing will remain within their current youth clubs. These youth clubs will gain recognition by having their players being part of the Fuego FC Academy. This is a professional pathway that is being designed to limit travel time for families and allow elite level players a greater chance to succeed, and have time to complete schoolwork, whilst not being taken away from their home base or club.

As part of the effort, the Fuego FC Academy program is dedicated to helping to develop the highest level of youth soccer in the Valley corridor. This objective will be achieved in an atmosphere of integrity, fairness, and impartiality. The player’s talent with a ball, their physical and cognitive skills, together with their attitude will be the criteria for entry into the program.

Why should I participate in Fuego RTC?

Competition: You are competing with and against the top players in the state and against other USL Club Academies. The top 18-22 players will be offered the opportunity to represent at the USL Academy cup in late March of 2023. These events are attended by college coaches and both international and domestic professional scouts (EPL, EFL, MLS, USL, Liga MX, Ligue 1, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Seria A).

Coaching: Your staff is made up of top licensed Fuego FC, youth club and collegiate coaches.

Evaluation: Players are constantly being evaluated for Fuego FC Academy, Fuego FC 2 and Fuego FC as well as National team play and collegiate levels through the NCAA and NAIA structures.

Opportunities: Many current USL and MLS first-team, second-team and academy players all came through similar RTC programs. A lot of these players have also competed in ODP/PDP pools, national camps, and academy showcase events.

As a great example, back in 2013 Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer launched their first-ever RTC program. RTC and ODP Hall of Fame players: Rubio Rubin: Current Player for Real Salt Lake MLS. Steven Evans: Former Portland Timbers MLS Player. Brent Richards: Former Portland Timbers MLS Player and USL Championship Reno Aces/Sacramento Republic player. Marco Farfan: Former Portland Timbers MLS player and current FC Dallas MLS player. Blake Bodily: Current Portland Timbers MLS player. The list goes on…