Academy and Sounders FC 2 goalkeeper Trey Muse (U-18) was called up to the U.S. U-18s for the Slovakia Cup, while forward Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (U-14) and Josh Atencio (U-14) travelled to Gradisca d’Isonzo, Italy, for the Torneo Delle Nazioni after impressing the staff back in the January camp. Both Ocampo-Chavez and Atencio play two-years up with the Sounders U-16s, where they are regular starters.
With both tournaments still in the group phase, the young Sounders are already beginning to turn some heads on the international stage. Muse, who has been a fixture of U.S. U-18 camps in recent months, earned his first cap for the Stars and Stripes in a 2-1 win over Belarus. An excellent shot-stopper, Muse helped keep the scoreline close before the USA scored two goals in the final 25-minutes of the match.
Ocampo-Chavez and Atencio have started both group-stage matches so far, a 4-0 win against Slovenia and a 2-1 victory over Russia, and have drawn rave reviews for their performances. Ocampo-Chavez, a versatile No. 9 capable of holding the ball up and running in behind, registered a goal and an assist against a Slovenia. Atencio, a highly-technical and intelligent No. 8, earned plenty of plaudits for his ability to keep possession and link play going forward.
While all three prospects have participated in numerous USYNT camps in the past, the young Sounders’ ability to cement their places and earn significant minutes has been an exciting development for the Academy staff.
“It’s one thing to get called up for a [USYNT] camp, it’s another thing to get called in for an international trip,” said Academy Technical Director Marc Nicholls. “It’s really good that the boys were able to not only get those call ups, but to start matches for their country.
“To get in the initial call is great,” he continued, “but to make the final squad, to start and affect the game, shows how competitive our club has become.”
The success of Muse, Ocampo-Chavez and Atencio is just the latest example in an 18-month trend in which Sounders Academy has developed dozens of national team prospects. The Rave Green youth system’s burgeoning reputation on the international stage will open the door for other young Sounders in the pipeline, while also serving as motivation for players on the cusp of an international call up.
Two major keys of Sounders Academy’s philosophy are to provide elite prospects with unique developmental opportunities, and to test them in difficult environments. Representing the United States in high-quality international tournaments is a perfect way to fulfill both mandates.
“Each experience is different, but there’s a reason that the national teams travel overseas,” said Nicholls. “You get better competition and a certain discomfort [to push players out of their comfort zones], so it’s great to see the boys are performing so well.”
The young Sounders have certainly taken their chances so far. The U-18 MNT plays its final match today against host-nation Slovakia, while the U-15s square off against England. For the U-18s, a victory will send them directly to the final of the tournament, while three points for the U-15s will see them advance to the semi-finals.
