Academy Adds Seven New Coaches; Tabs Three New Teams with U-21 Team to Play in United Premier Soccer League
After a highly successful inaugural season that saw both its U-16 and U-17 team qualify for the MLS NEXT Playoffs, St. Louis CITY SC will be expanding its academy scope as part of its commitment to operating a fully connected professional pathway to Major League Soccer (MLS). A new U-14 (Regional Training Group) and U-15 team will complement the U-16 and U-17 teams that competed in the club’s inaugural season in 2021 as well as a U-21 team that will compete in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL).
Following a rigorous hiring process, the team is excited to announce that Megan McCormick, Anthony Wallace, John Miglarese, Shea Whelan, Kyle Riebling, and Sean Reynolds will join the coaching staff for the upcoming academy season. These coaches will join David Critchley, Luis Swisher, Tim Kelly, Charles Renken, and Mark Pais in continuing to build one of the best soccer youth development programs in North America.
After an internal restructuring of roles within the academy coaching staff, David Critchley will now be the head coach of the U-17 team, making the jump after his successful MLS NEXT semifinal run with the U-16 team. Luis Swisher will be the assistant coach of the U-21 team that will compete in the UPSL. Academy Specialist Coach Charles Renken, goalkeeper coaches Tim Kelly and Mark Pais will have the same roles as they did during the club’s inaugural campaign. Andreas Schumacher and the club have agreed to mutually part ways ahead of the new season.
“We are thrilled to have assembled such an accomplished staff so early in our existence,” said Dale Schilly, St. Louis CITY’s Academy Director. “The club has been very diligent in identifying coaches who possess not only the expertise to teach the game model that we want to play as an organization but also possess the skillset to work with high-level players of various ages. With the experience and knowledge of our coaching staff, we believe our players will continue to develop into complete people on and off the field.”
St. Louis CITY SC’s Academy is a world-class boys professional development academy seeking to develop top soccer talent around the St. Louis region and beyond. The club is taking a holistic approach that not only focuses on growth as a player but also includes a strong emphasis on personal development – physically, socially, and academically – with the club’s academy teams acting as the first step on the pathway to professional soccer.
St Louis CITY SC Academy Staff 2022/2023
Dale Schilly – Academy Director
John Miglarese – U21 Head Coach
Luis Swisher – U21 Assistant Coach
David Critchley – U17 Head Coach
Sean Reynolds – U17 Assistant Coach
Kyle Riebling – U17 and U15 Assistant Coach
Shea Whelan – U16 and U14 Assistant Coach
Anthony Wallace – U15 Head Coach
Megan McCormick – U14 Head Coach
Tim Kelly – Academy Goalkeeper Coach
Mark Pais – Assistant Academy Goalkeeper Coach
Charles Renken – Academy Specialist Coach
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