HAMPTON, NH - Seacoast United Sports Club is proud to announce that Benfica USA, MA has become a regional partner, joining Seacoast United Mariners and Seacoast United Blackbear of Maine, Seacoast United Storm, Seacoast Express United, Seacoast United Mountaineers and Manchester Soccer Club of NH.
Benfica USA, formed in 2006, will join forces with Seacoast United Soccer Club (SUSC) to offer a greater level of opportunities for their current players and to other soccer enthusiasts within the region. Benfica USA, based out of the Merrimack Valley and metro/Boston areas, currently fields close to 20 elite teams that compete in MAPLE, MASC and Region 1 leagues. Benfica USA has assembled a professional coaching staff and developed players that have made ODP, Regional and National pools.
The partnership will begin with a combined Junior Academy development program that will mirror the successful SUSC program, which currently has over 1000 participants. This program will begin in January 2013 with evaluation dates taking place in early December 2012. For more information on the Junior Academy Program, click here.
Seacoast United, which currently fields close to 200 teams, is one of the only clubs in New England to cater to for every level of play. This includes community/grassroots programs, competitive travel and elite teams at every age level, college showcase teams (u15 through u18 girls) and the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program (U14, U16, U18 boys). The Club is also involved in the USA’s minor league system at the adult level as a member of the Premier Development League (PDL), National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Through the partnership, more opportunities for player development within the Benfica USA Club system will occur, highlighting the relationship between both Clubs.
Iain Scott, SUSC’s Director of Soccer and Arthur Dimitrakopoulos, Benfica USA’s Executive Director, will be organizing training sessions late winter and early spring for both clubs to come together. Players from Benfica USA will be given opportunities to train and play within the US Development Academy and the same effort will be made for the girls within Seacoast United’s Showcase program. For further information on the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program, please
click here.
Paul Willis, SUSC’s Founder and President, is relishing the chance for both Clubs to work together.
“Over the last few months, we have had many discussions at the administrative and soccer levels of the two organizations. We feel both clubs share a similar philosophy about developing players and providing quality opportunities. It was an easy decision to join forces and both of us work together in an effort to make an even big difference within the sport of soccer in the region. Everyone is looking forward to getting started this winter in preparation of the spring 2013 season”, said Willis.
Arthur Dimitrakopoulos agrees on the outlook heading into 2013.
“Benfica USA has always been about player development and therefore encouraged upward movement to players that needed the challenge. Now we can still follow the same philosophy but keeping it in-house and making it more convenient and easier transition to our families,” adds Dimitrakopoulos.
About Seacoast United
Seacoast United was founded in 1992 and is based in Hampton, NH. The Club is proud to be a Nike Premier Club and has been so since 1998. It operates facilities in Hampton, Epping and Kingston in New Hampshire, as well as Topsham, Portland and York in Maine. Seacoast United’s sister Club in the UK is Oxford United, who compete in England’s Division 2. Oxford United has conducted their last two pre-season tours at Seacoast United. The Club is a member of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, Northeast Pre-Academy League, New England Premiership, Granite State League, USYSA, US Club Soccer, USL’s PDL and Super Y League, NPSL and WPSL. Information on Seacoast United Soccer Club can be found online at
www.seacoastunited.com.