The Union had the opportunity to show off the club\u2019s new WSFS Bank Sportsplex facility to teams from a wide range of nations last week, as it hosted the inaugural \u201cSnow Bowl,\u201d a tournament showcasing some of the world\u2019s best youth academies.<\/p>\n
Clubs from across Europe and North America were represented in the tournament, which included divisions for under-15, under-16, and under-18 teams. The tournament drew in 10 major soccer clubs, including England\u2019s Manchester United and Newcastle United, and Germany\u2019s Borussia Dortmund and Borussia M\u00f6nchengladbach. <\/p>\n
Jon Scheer, the Union\u2019s director of academy and professional development, said the Union\u2019s ability to draw in European clubs of this caliber speaks to the club\u2019s global reputation. . <\/p>\n
\u201cTo get Manchester United, PSV, Dortmund, some of the best European clubs, to come, I think it says something about the brand of the Philadelphia Union now,\u201d Scheer said. \u201cCertainly our facility was a big reason why they agreed to come, but also because of the level of competition that we brought in.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Union also invited the Netherlands\u2019 PSV Eindhoven, Mexico\u2019s Monterrey, Denmark\u2019s Lyngby, Portugal\u2019s Benfica, and Major League Soccer\u2019s Chicago Fire academies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really wanted to target clubs that we felt would bring over academy-level talent that would really push ourselves,\u201d Scheer said. \u201cAnd they would, in turn, benefit from the opportunity for their players.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Generation Adidas Cup, which started as MLS\u2019s top academy tournament in 2007 and expanded to include clubs from outside MLS in 2014, served as a common meeting place for many of the academies that attended this year\u2019s Snow Bowl in Chester. <\/p>\n
The Union\u2019s U-17 team won the GA Cup in 2023 and 2024. PSV, Monterrey, and Manchester United have also competed in the tournament, hosted in the spring at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough things like Aspire Conference and through our relationship with U.S. Soccer and success at the GA Cup level and success at the MLS level, I think that\u2019s starting to make our reputation a bit stronger globally,\u201d Scheer said.<\/p>\n
While the Union\u2019s reputation convinced teams to come, the WSFS Bank Sportsplex made hosting the tournament a possibility. Teams competed on the indoor turf field at the facility, which the club opened last July.<\/p>\n
Scheer said the visiting clubs were surprised by the quality of the facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they came over here, they said this is truly a world-class facility,\u201d Scheer said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing like this in Europe, from what they\u2019ve talked about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aloys Wijnker, the academy head at PSV Eindhoven, was particularly impressed with the Union\u2019s campus. Wijnker, who worked for U.S. Soccer from 2016-18 before returning to his native Netherlands, remembered when the club\u2019s first team, second team and academy were spread apart. Now, the Union hosts all of its operations on the waterfront in Chester.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is amazing,\u201d Wijnker said. \u201cWe heard about the dome, but then you see, oh, what kind of dome is it? This is a real building with all the facilities inside, with the gym. I [haven\u2019t seen] everything so far, but it\u2019s impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the Union, hosting the Snow Bowl not only gives academy players an opportunity to play against high-level talent from Europe and North America, it also allows the Union\u2019s academy staff to compare notes on development with their counterparts from around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have such a growth mindset and a passion for learning,\u201d Scheer said. \u201cWe want to get better. We think we do a good job but we know we can get better. And if we can take one piece of information here or there, selfishly, by interacting with some of the best clubs in the world, we\u2019re certainly going to be able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wijnker, who served as director of the U.S. Soccer Boys\u2019 Development Academy for three years, said he was impressed with the Union\u2019s focus on developing first-team players from their academy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they are on top in the U.S., top three with the academy,\u201d Wijnker said. \u201cThey do a big investment with money, but also with resources, with the energy they put in. Also the whole philosophy in the club, not buying expensive players, they\u2019ve really invested in the youth. If you ask me the question, I think that this is what every club should do.\u201d<\/p>\n