2 South Florida Elite Players (Giovanni Freitas and Fabian Bastidas) Selected to Super Y National West Ham Team
February 19, 2008 - -The United Soccer League named South Florida Elite FC’s Giovanni Freitas and Fabian Bastidas to the elite twelve-man Super Y League Select National team that will travel to England to train with the vaunted West Ham United Youth Academy. Freitas and Bastidas will meet their teammates in Atlanta, Georgia on March 28, 2008 for the London departure. The US youths will receive a week of intense training at the Academy, which will include on field and classroom sessions, and personalized attention from West Ham Academy staff and coaches. The boys will attend Premier League and Championship matches, and tour venerable football venues such as Wembley Stadium. They return to the United States on April 7, 2008.
Unlike other global professional teams that invite players and charge them a fee, West Ham United and the USL will cover 100% of the trip’s cost, after the boys arrive in Atlanta. Thus, this is truly an official selection to train with West Ham United Academy.
South Florida Elite’s Co-director of Coaching, Charles Freitas, commented, "This is a unique opportunity that only a few youth soccer players from North America experience. South Florida Elite is fortunate that USL is sending two of its players this year. Gio and Fabian have trained with us for many years, and have worked hard to refine their soccer skills. We are very proud of them. We hope that this is the start of bigger things for them, the boys and girls in our club, and other youth soccer players in South Florida. We are also very proud of Khori and his selection to the Super Y Select National Team. Congratulations also to other South Florida players, Jonathan DeValdivelso (defender-Miami Strike Force), Sekani Sinclair (forward-Schulz Academy), and Mauricio Valderruten (forward-Weston), who were chosen to the Super Y League Select National Team."
West Ham United youth academy is recognized as one of the most successful youth soccer programs in the world. It has spawned talent such as Joe Cole (Chelsea), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) and Michael Carrick (Manchester United). Jonathan Spector, a former USL Super Y-League and USL Premier Development League, and current U.S. National Team member, is a starting defender for the club. West Ham Academy Director Tony Carr will lead integration of the Super Y league players.
