SIMA Unites with Tampa Bay United in Strategic Partnership
March 23, 2021
In a strategic move to continue the mission of elite youth player development, the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA) and Tampa Bay United (TBU) have entered into an affiliation in order to share best practices and provide competitive opportunities for their athletes.
“Any time you consider entering into a partnership with another organization, it is paramount that the philosophies align and everyone involved has the same vision for long term sustainability,” SIMA Director and General Manager said. “I feel as though Tampa Bay United shares our values and believes in the exact same developmental concepts that we do here. A partnership makes sense and will only make both of us stronger moving forward.”
As a member of USL2, MLS Next, and ECNL platforms this partnership brings a certain international flavor to our overall player pool and adds to TBU’s tremendous capability and a wide variety of levels to service its athletes. “Anyone who has been around the game the last decade in Florida is well versed on the quality and standards of Mike Potempa’s players and the program he has built. Working closely with SIMA will raise the level of our players, coaches and staff while providing more opportunity for performance-based development,” says TBU Sporting Director Anthony Latronica.
A partnership between SIMA and TBU is no doubt an extremely powerful operating concept. Not only will TBU be able to provide more playing opportunities for SIMA athletes between the ages of 13 and 19, but this affiliation will also be able to provide playing opportunities for TBU and SIMA collegiate athletes during the summer months to continue their development and progression in USL League Two.
“We have already started working together and I believe we are finding this relationship to be one that can provide outstanding results for everyone involved in the short and long term,” SIMA Director of Methodology, Toni Hernandez said.
“We are fully committed to developing individual players within a team environment through the structure of our training and matches. Alongside SIMA’s staff and players, we will continue to teach our methodology and principles of play from the grassroots level through our college and professional bound players,” says TBU Boys Technical Director BJ Johnson.
“As the game continues to evolve in the United States, affiliations and partnerships will be extremely important to providing developmental opportunities for not only the athletes participating, but for the parents and staff members as well,” Potempa said. “We are really looking forward to this opportunity to work together and create the best product on and off the field we can to help the kids.”