After a busy off-season that included a trip to Seattle for the Generation adidas Cup and a trip to Chicago for the National Premier League Champions Cup, the Dynamo Academy, presented by Statoil, has officially kicked off its 2012 pre-season campaign. But before they begin division play, the Academy will prepare to start a new tradition, with the first edition of the Dynamo Academy Cup.
The inaugural tournament will be played August 24-26 at the Houston Amateur Sports Park, the official training facility of the Dynamo Academy and Dynamo first team.
"We are thrilled to host the Dynamo Academy Cup," said James Clarkson, Dynamo Director of Youth Development. "This is the start of what we hope to be a growing tradition in Houston."
Famed Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara has confirmed participation in the tournament as well as Academy and club teams throughout Texas and Mexico.
The tournament set-up will be similar to that of the famous Eurovoetbal tournament in the Netherlands, which the Dynamo Academy competed in during the summer of 2011. Teams will play five games with two twenty-minute halves, which will allow for a more attacking style of play.
"This tournament is another great opportunity for Dynamo Academy players to showcase themselves against top players from around the country and even world," Clarkson said. "We expect to field very strong teams heading into the Academy season, and this will provide us a good test to see where we stand two weeks before the season kicks off."
Applications are still be accepted for the tournament. For more information or to register your team visit HoustonDynamo.com/DynamoAcademyCup.
