Soccer is simply in the bloodline for the Royds’ family. Goalkeeping to be exact. So when the Philadelphia Union were introduced to the MLS into 2010, Brian and Maureen Royds made sure to get their three children – Miranda, Martine and Jackson – down to PPL Park as often as possible.
“When the Union came, we went to one or two games in the inaugural season,” Maureen said. “Then it was additional one or two games the next season. Now it seems every year we just end up going to a few more each time.”
But taking in professional soccer hasn’t been the only advantage the Union have offered the Royds family. For each of the last two years, all three of their children have participated in the Union Summer Select program. All three as goalkeepers.
“Our oldest daughter [Miranda] actually told us about it a few years ago during the first year the program had started,” Maureen said. “So she went to the tryouts, made the team and our younger daughter [Martine] – at the time I said I wish we had gone to the tryouts with her, too – it turned out that the West team didn’t have a goalkeeper and she got to do it that year as well. Last year, both Martine and Jackson (who are twins) went to tryouts and made the U-11 team.
Click the graphic for more information and to register your child in the Union Summer Select program!
While Miranda has moved on (the Summer Select program offers sessions from U-9 to U-12 for boys and girls), Martine and Jackson are still eligible and plan on participating again this year for the U-12 teams.
“Aside from the really cool uniforms,” Maureen joked. “I know they like the training. I know that they enjoy different styles of coaching. The facilities are good, they never complain about the field or the type of competition. They’re definitely interested in going back next year.”
Last year, the select program had four locations: Dowingtown, Reading, Philadelphia, and Delaware. The teams were traditionally called by their geographical location, but that could change this year. In addition, there will be a fifth location this year in New Jersey, although the exact location is yet to be determined.
Within each group, there may be different teams based on skill level. The program stresses that in order to maximize each player’s ability, it’s important for every kid to be matched with other players of similar skill sets.
Last year, the program had 445 kids in the program (257 boys, 188 girls). Those numbers figure to grow with the addition of a new location in New Jersey. It’s not only great exposure of soccer, but also for the kids to meet and play with others in their age group.
“The greatest benefit is getting to play with kids from a bunch of different clubs,” Maureen said. “Because you see those kids over and over again at different games, and they always seems to know someone or have friends on different teams.”
Try-outs for the program will be in either late November or early December, with training beginning in the summer. In addition to the training sessions, the Union host a reunion for the program toward the end of the MLS season to bring back all of the players for free. There are also discounted tickets for the families.
In addition to adding a New Jersey location, the program is looking to bring in Union players, as well first team or academy staff, to talk with the kids. They’ll also be adding more women’s staff members for the all-girls teams.
“I would definitely recommend it for the supplemental training,” Maureen said. “The camaraderie among the players and the teams was very good. Probably the greatest thing that the kids enjoyed was making friends on other teams. We go to tournaments to soccer clubs and she sees girls that she would have otherwise never have met.”
Want to get your child involved in the Philadelphia Union Summer Select program? Click here or the graphic above for more information and to register in your area.
