Nova FC - USL2 Trial hosted by Elite US Academy a frosty success!

This past Sunday saw Elite US Academy host the first ever USL 2 trial on UK soil during a frosty Sunday afternoon in London, despite the freezing weather conditions.

Trialists had the opportunity to impress our scouts and the management team from Nova FC on the pitch in an 11 v 11 match. There was a lot of talent on show which will certainly give the Nova FC management plenty to think about.

Unfortunately due to illness Kareem Sheta was unable to travel to the UK, but the Nova FC Head Coach had this to say to boy's before the trial begun; "We are excited to be working with Tyrone & Ethan at the Elite US Academy to build these very real bridges and pathways for players like yourselves to have opportunities in the US and potentially beyond. As former players of ours they now the expectation and level required for a Nova and USL 2 player, so we are really looking forward to having the chance to look at you guys today and hopefully find some talent for our squad this upcoming season."

The USL 2 is the highest Semi-Professional division in the USA, with the league above, the USL 1, being the first Professional league. As such there is talent in abundance and the division is extremely competitive, with top US College prospects and internationals from around the world competing for an opportunity in the pro game. As such, the head coach had this to say in terms of expectations: "On our side we are looking for 3 things: Speed of body, Speed of mind, and Speed of play. Good players will have 1, maybe 2 of these, but great players will have all 3. That's what's required to be successful anywhere in Football, and particularly in the USL 2."

Looking ahead, the club and Elite US Academy hope to establish a strong link and pathway for players from the UK to have the chance to play in the US and pursue their Footballing goals, Kareem added "We want this to be a reoccurring, yearly thing where there are actual real opportunities and results for players. This isn't just a PR stunt or a one off, we have genuine intentions to expand our network and hopefully as players you can benefit from that. There are exciting opportunities internationally and sometimes it just takes having the chance to play in front of the right person to get it."

For more information on how Elite US Academy provides pathways for players to the US visit the website here.