One year out of college FC Milwaukee alumnus (of over 10 years) Shannon Smyth can not kick the soccer habit. After finishing a successful 4 year run at the University of Louisville, Shannon continued in the game by playing with FC Indiana (in the W League), is vying for a permanent position on the Irish National team, and worked as a volunteer assistant with the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee women’s team. This year she will be traveling to Norway to play with FK Donn. FC Milwaukee Alumni Director Chris McCreary recently interviewed Shannon about her soccer journey up to now and going forward. Follow Shannon's Journey on her Blog.

A mixed age-group FC Milwaukee team consisting of eight Under-16 players and seven Under-17 players won a championship title at the Disney Showcase in Orlando, FL on January 3 in the Copa flight, with a 3-0-1 record. The team, co-coached by Christian Lavers and Rob Lestina, outscored its opponents 12-3 over its four games, with wins against Gulf Coast United (MS), Sonesoccer Training Academy (NJ), Eden Prairie SC (MN), and a tie against Norcross 93 (GA) in the opening game.

Academy Update from the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Staff – Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Midyear Grades:
Academy clubs that started play in September and October will receive their midyear grades this week from their Technical Advisors. A written report will follow in early January.

The U-20 Men’s National Team Starts End of Year Camp:
Head Coach Thomas Rongen has called in 36 players for a camp that began on December 16th and will end tomorrow, December 23rd. The camp is the first for Rongen that is made up exclusively of players born in 1991 or later. The roster for the camp includes 14 Academy alums.

The post-event recap of the ECNL Division games at the Final Four Showcase in College Station, TX has been released, with standings in all age groups and flights, and details on the new ECNL Player Identification Program. The ECNL Player Identification Program will provide another avenue for FC Milwaukee players to be identified for participation in the US Youth Soccer National Teams through scouting of their performances in ECNL competition. "The ECNL Player Identification Program will allow those FC Milwaukee players with potential to participate in youth national teams to be identified without additional expense of other try-outs or camps, and without adding to their already busy calendar," said FC Milwaukee U17 girls coach Christian Lavers. The ECNL Player Identification Program will be sponsoring its first National Camp in conjunction with US Club Soccer's id2 program in February in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where the ECNL will be paying all expenses (except travel) of 30 ECNL players.

On December 11, 2009 the Elite Clubs National League announced the "All-Event Teams" from the games played at the ECNL Divisions at the Final Four Showcase in College Station, TX last weekend. Thirty-two clubs in each age group of the ECNL (U15, U16, and U17) each played 3 games over 3 days against opponents in their division. An "All-Event Team" of 11 players has been selected at each age group based on nominations from ECNL coaches and scouting by the ECNL Player Identification Program.

Phoenix, AZ - FC Milwaukee opened the 2009-2010 Academy Season at the Winter Showcase in Phoenix Arizona. The U18 and U16 teams finished with identical 1-2 records after games against the Baltimore Bays, La Jolla Nomads and Atlanta Fire.

Check out Patrick Hodan's game winning goal in the Atlanta Fire Game at the USSDA Winter Showcase.

FC Milwaukee's U15, U16, and U17 girls teams competed in the ECNL Divisions at the Final Four Showcase in College Station, TX from December 4 - 6. Each team played 3 games in the ECNL (Elite Clubs National League) as part of the 9-game regular season. The event was hosted in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Final Four, and hundreds of Division I, II, and III college coaches were in attendance to recruit players for their future teams.