For the first time, the Montreal Impact will have a third team in the Development Academy championship, as the Impact U15 will join the same league as the U17 and U19 teams, starting this season.
The team will face many challenges, the most important one being travelling.
“Other than our trip to France last year, Quebec City is the furthest we went,” said Impact U15 head coach Serge Dinkota. “We will need good habits and good off the field preparation to be ready for our trips. The players will share rooms and their preparation will need to be at its best, despite the excitement and all the new things they will live.”
The players will also need to get used to the pace of a regular season schedule. In the past, this age group was playing around three games a month, with some weekends off. Now, the competition will be more regular and the players will have to be able to repeat their good performances week in, week out, at home and away.
“As for objectives, winning is always important, as it is part of the formation, but we also want quality content and good performances,” added Dinkota. “If the players express themselves well individually, we will be able to express ourselves better collectively. We have to keep respecting our principles of play and apply them while adjusting to the opposition. This way, we will be able to win games and have positive results.”
Opportunity for revenge in September
If Serge Dinkota is excited about all the games they will play against other MLS teams, one has a special feel to it. On September 16, the Impact U15 will face the New England Revolution U15 team. On June 30, the same teams faced each other in the International U14 quarterfinal at Centre Nutrilait. The Impact lost 3-0 and they will want their revenge at 10am, at Centre Nutrilait.
Before that, the Impact U15 will start its season this Saturday, at 12:30pm, at Centre Nutrilait, against FC Westchester.
