Sporting Club and the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Friday that the two organizations have agreed to a memorandum of understanding to jointly explore bringing a new National Training and Coaching Development Center to Kansas City, Kan.
Together they are studying a proposed project that would be designed to develop a world-class soccer training facility and serve as the premier destination in the United States for player, coaching and referee innovation.
The three initiatives of the National Training and Coaching Development Center would be world-class infrastructure, education and youth development.
The mission is to vertically integrate a system of physiological, technical, scientific, psychological and information-driven development for players, coaches and referees of all ages.
"A national development center is a grand opportunity for us to build upon the great synergy and excitement we've experienced since the opening of Sporting Park," said Joe Reardon, Unified Government Mayor/CEO. "The partnership with U.S. Soccer and Sporting Club would help support our efforts to bring quality youth soccer programs across all of Kansas City, Kansas and further enhance our reputation as a city with world-class sports facilities."
There are more than 20,000 licensed soccer coaches in the United States and nearly 150,000 soccer officials across the country. U.S. Soccer, which is celebrating its 100 Year Anniversary today, is committed to providing education resources and courses to foster consistent and quality instruction.
"While it is certainly a great honor that the Federation is considering Kansas City, it is also a great recognition of the community's support of soccer. The National Training and Coaching Development Center would bring tens of thousands of hotel room nights and the futsal component has the potential to have a significant, long-term impact on youth development in our sport."
The state-of-the-art campus would be designed, developed and operated as a world-class training facility dedicated to the future of American soccer.
At a projected cost of $50 million, the National Training and Coaching Development Center would host U.S. National Team camps, coaching education and referee development programming.
U.S. Soccer will also explore the feasibility of establishing futsal and/or small-sided soccer programming to be managed out of the National Training and Coaching Development Center.
The first step in the realization of the National Training and Coaching Development Center is to identify a site.
By Monday, Sporting Club will issue a Request for Proposals to Wyandotte County land owners and real estate brokers in an effort to help identify the best available location for the National Training and Coaching Development Center.
