Top-Ranked Club Teams to Compete at Disney’s Soccer Showcase presented by AS Roma

Filed in: Disney Soccer, Youth Sports

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to host more than 660 teams until Jan. 3; Nation’s top college coaches in attendance to scout.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Dec. 27, 2013) – America’s best youth soccer clubs, featuring some of the country’s elite high school players, will take the field during Disney’s Soccer Showcase presented by A.S. Roma through Jan. 3, 2013 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Rated as the country’s top youth soccer tournament by a Soccer America survey, this year’s showcase features 336 boys teams and 328 girls teams.  There will be teams from Canada, Brazil, Japan, and Guatemala in attendance. Three divisions of US Soccer Federation Developmental Academy Clubs will participate, along with the US Youth Soccer National League, which has divisions in both boys and girls Showcase tournaments.

The eight-day event is expected to draw nearly 30,000 athletes, college coaches and fans to the complex, making it the leading college recruiting event in the country. About 800 college coaches, including Bobby Clark, head coach of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Soccer National Champions University of Notre Dame will be in attendance to scout. Other top schools attending include Maryland, Duke, North Carolina, Creighton, Furman, Penn State, and UCF among others.

“The Disney’s Soccer Showcase has become the premier college recruitment tournament in the country,” Mike Millay, Director of Business Development at Disney Sports said. “The tournament encompasses all of the best elements teams, players and coaches are looking for including world class facilities, elite competition and fantastic weather—and all at the world’s No. 1 destination for family vacations and youth sports.”

The boys showcase (Dec. 27-30) includes teams from the No. 2 ranked FC Dallas and the No. 4 ranked Chicago Fire; while the girls showcase (Dec. 31-Jan.3) features teams from the No.1 ranked PDA (New Jersey) and the No. 3 ranked Eclipse Select (Chicago, IL). In all, over half of the top 30 clubs will have teams represented at the Showcase. The rankings are according to SoccerAmerica.com.

Disney’s Soccer Showcase began in 2000 with 68 teams and eight fields and has now grown to accommodate 664 teams on 29 fields including 15 at ESPN Wide World of Sports, six fields at Northeast Regional Park and eight at Austin-Tindall Regional Park.

Some of the country’s best youth soccer talent has competed in Disney’s Soccer Showcase including Jozy Altidore (Sunderland, England), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC, England) and Oguchi Onyewu (Queens Park Rangers, England).

For a list of teams and complete schedule, visit www.espnwwos.com.