West Ham Wrap-up
The Super Y-League’s best matched the most select scores handed out by the academy
 Wednesday, April 9
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues developmental initiative via the storied West Ham Academy in London, England concluded earlier this week when 10 of the 12 landed stateside in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The best players on the boys’ side of USL’s Super Y-League enjoyed their penultimate West Ham training session on Friday, April 4. The session was led by former West Ham United first teamer Paul Heffer. Following a short warm-up period, the players joined West Ham’s U18 team in preparation for their match with the U18’s of Leicester City Football Club. That match was played the following morning.
Following their training session on Friday, the players enjoyed a final historic tour of the city that included stops at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.
“I have been training a lot with West Ham’s Goalkeeper Coach Jerome John,” said Cody Cropper, who played with Bangu Tsunami in the Super Y-League during the 2007 season. “I like his coaching style. He will push you harder if you are not having a good day. He will correct something right away if you are doing something he does not like.”
The North American’s final training session and subsequent evaluations took place on Saturday morning. Of the 12 players who worked out with the academy coaches, West Ham United expressed an interest in having a second look at five of the players.
The academy, who evaluates all players, including their first-teamers on the same scale, handed out scores of three and four to USL’s invitees. West Ham’s first teamers are the only players who can receive scores of one or two on their evaluations.
“Gio [Freitas], Tony [Schneider] and I are the youngest players here,” said Fabian Bastidas, who played for Sunrise SC in the Super Y-League last season. “[At the West Ham Academy] we are 14’s playing against 18’s so I do not have a lot of time to react or play my game. I have seen their U14’s and U15’s play and I think the three of us would fit right into their group without much difficulty adjusting.”
Sunday, April 6 was an open day for the players to finally relax and enjoy their surroundings following their arduous but successful training. Players spent the day in downtown London at the city’s four-story Trocadero in the famous Piccadilly Circus shopping area.
One of the most successful aspects of the trip is the immeasurable impact the tour will have on the play of these fine young athletes and the diffusion of the structured English style among the more direct North American game.
“It was a dream of a lifetime for me,” said Atlanta Silverbacks Juniors goalkeeper, Cody Mizell via email. “I know how hard [USL and West Ham] worked to insure we had a great time. The tours, meeting new friends and all the West Ham staff and players were great.”
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