LAFC Chelsea’s reputation as a stepping-stone to top college programs continues to grow. Four players from the boys program have committed to play for Division I schools that traditionally rank among the best in college soccer. Two of the players, Bryce Gumpel and Brady Valashinas will attend highly selective Ivy League universities. Gumpel committed to Brown and Valashinas will play for Princeton. Brown and Princeton both qualified for the NCAA Championships with Brown winning a game before bowing out to eventual semifinalist North Carolina. Although Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships, they are known for their soccer prowess; this year, four Ivy League teams competed in the NCAA Championships.
Gumpel and Valashinas are strong, savvy central defenders who play for one of two LAFC teams in the Coast Soccer’s U-19 Premier League, arguably the country’s most challenging youth soccer league. They have both spent years with LAFC. Valashinas made the lengthy commute from Manhattan Beach for practices in the Pasadena/La Canada area.
Two highly recruited midfielders from the same team, Michael Gates and Giovanni Rollie, also selected their colleges. Gates, a high-energy central midfielder, will attend Santa Clara University, while Rollie, who plays on the outside, chose the University of New Mexico. “Michael is a very hard worker and blossomed on and off the field this year,” said Ted Chronopoulos, LAFC’s vice president of soccer operations. “Giovanni is a very dynamic, creative player who can change a game quickly.” Chronopoulos says that the latest commitments affirm LAFC’s approach to junior development. “When colleges and national teams want our players, it shows that we are about development,” Chronopoulos says. “We teach them fundamentals, we teach them how important it is to train at a high intensity and how to act on and off the field. College coaches have confidence that when they sign an LAFC player, that player will thrive with them and reflect well on their program.”
3 Comments ↓
You’re forgetting Carlos Alvarez who is a freshmen at UCONN.
OK…… THERE’S THIS FOWARD WHO PLAYS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HIS NAME IS CARLOS ALVAREZ. I BELIEVE HE PLAYED IN YOUR CLUB… OH YEAH HE’S AN ALL- FRESHMAN FIRST TEAM. YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK HIM OUT (HE WILL BECOME A PROFESSIONAL AND MIGHT GET DRAFTED IN THE MLS)
Any chance that efforts can be made to enhance the girls program at LAFC???
Leave a Comment