USL News Release
Thursday, February 2, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Super-20 League announced today that the Knoxville Soccer Academy will join the league for the upcoming 2012 season. The Knoxville, Tennessee based club will field both a men’s and women’s team in the Super-20 League. The club will play and train out of the Johnny Long Training Facility in Knoxville.
“We feel the USL Super-20 League is a perfect fit at the moment as we develop our players and academy over the coming years,” Josh Scott, Knoxville Soccer Academy Assistant Academy Director and Super-20 men’s coach, said. “Entering into an established league like Super-20 is the first step for our academy with the hope to expand this throughout the ranks of the academy with professionalism and strong emphasis on player development.”
The club also announced its remaining coaching staff for the 2012 season. Derek Broadley will be the club’s Academy Director and Director of Coaching and Richard Moodie will coach the Super-20 women’s team.
Broadley brings a wealth of experience to Knoxville, as a former academy director of Crystal Palace Football Club. Derek was also previously the technical director of the Bermuda Football Association (BFA), where he introduced an international training academy for the BFA.
Scott, a former collegiate head coach and assistant coach, has a proven history of placing English and American players at some of the top universities throughout NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA.
“We’re looking to establish a European style academy here in Knoxville,” Scott said. “Obviously it’s important to have high-level games that supplement our coaching syllabus that has been put in place throughout the academy. We are hoping for the Super-20 League to provide us with a good environment of player development where players can improve their skills and develop in a regional league.”
Tryouts for the teams will be held on February 5 and 12 with women’s tryouts running 9-11 a.m. and men’s tryouts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. More information can be found by visiting www.knoxvillesocceracademy.com.