Red Bulls Gameday Feature

ACADEMY TEAMS BULL RUSH INTO SUCCESS

As the Red Bulls First Team season enters the final stretch, let's not forget to take a moment to look back at the seasons of the Red Bull Academy teams. The Red Bull Academy program, consisting of Under-14, Under-15, Under-16, Under-18, and Under-20 teams, is the building ground for future members of the First Team, and by developing homegrown talent, is something that is vital as the franchise continues to grow and become increasingly successful.

The five Academy coaches, Stan Lembryk (U14), Stan Matlak (U15), Antonio Meza (U16), Paul O'Donnell (U18) and Rob Elliot (U20), all under the direction of Director of Youth Programs Bob Montgomery, put together seasons that not only the teams could be proud of, but the organization and fans could be proud of.

Each of the sides put forth efforts that stand out from the rest. The U14s ended their first season together with a 14 match unbeaten streak. The U15s captured their fourth straight New Jersey State Cup while not allowing a goal, and lost just twice in 27 matches in all competitions. The U16s gave the U.S. U16 National Team all it could handle in a friendly and won two matches at the highly competitive Summer Showcase in North Carolina. The U18s opened their season with a 17 match unbeaten streak and pushed the U.S. U17 National Team to the brink in a hotly contested match. Finally, the U20s completed their season at the top of the table in the Super 20 League, qualifying for the Super 20 League North American Finals held in Virginia Beach, VA.

We shall begin our look back with the Red Bull U14s, led by head coach Stan Lembryk. The U14s are the youngest, and newest, of the Red Bull Academy programs. With such a young group, "growing pains" are expected, but Coach Lembryk helped mold his side into a cohesive, ever improving group, and the hard work of Coach Lembryk and the team proved itself as the U14s ended their season riding a 14 match unbeaten streak in all competitions and posted a 22-6-4 record in all competitions as well.

CLICK HERE to read the full recap for the U14s.

The Red Bull U15s, under the guidance of head coach Stan Matlak, had an impressive 2008 campaign, compiling a 24-2-1 record in all competitions and successfully defended their New Jersey State Cup championship. The New Jersey State Cup was the U15s fourth straight, and qualified the team for the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships, where they advanced to the semifinals. The U15s dominated in Super Y League play, posting a 14-0-1 record, and will play in the Super Y National Finals, which will be held in Tampa, FL in November.

CLICK HERE for the full recap for the U15s.

Head Coach Antonio Meza guided the U16s this season, and though the team struggled to find the consistency necessary to produce results on a regular basis, there were numerous bright spots for the young and talented side. Two players received US Soccer Development Academy Mid-Atlantic Division Starting XI recognition, and the team posted results against some of the top teams in the country, showing themselves particularly well at the Spring Showcase in Chicago, where the U16s battled the US National Team, Empire United, and FC Kendall.

CLICK HERE for the full recap of the U16s.

The U18s were able to come together quickly and produce an impressive season, posting a 17-5-8 overall record. Much like many of the other Red Bull Academy teams, the U18 Red Bull players had to work numerous new players in to the mix and try to form a cohesive unit with players that had not played together before. The team, under the guidance of head coach Paul O'Donnell, began their season with a 17 match unbeaten streak (11-0-6), and had four players receive US Soccer Development Academy Mid-Atlantic Division Starting XI honors. Two of those players were named to the US Soccer Development Academy Starting XI, which encompasses the entire country.

CLICK HERE for the full recap of the U18s.

The Red Bull U20s completed their Super 20 League schedule with an 8-1-0 record, and tied PDA at the top of the table with 24 points in the brief season (June - August). Coached by Rob Elliot, the U20s qualified for the Super 20 League North American Finals and proved themselves to be worthy opponents and a side to be reckoned with. After ending their regular season with three consecutive clean sheets, the U20s entered the Super 20 League North American Finals, and showed their mettle against the top U20 teams in the nation. Three members of the team represented their country at the U20 level, with two more being called into the country's U18s.

CLICK HERE for the full recap of the U20s.