Minnesota United Announces New Youth Development Programming and Summer Coaches Symposium

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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Announces New Youth Development Programming and Summer Coaches Symposium

April 22, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota United FC today announced its new youth development programming which is free-of-cost, inclusive and community-focused. The objective of the new and innovative programming is to contribute to the growth of soccer at all levels across the region. With its official launch today, the programming is set to begin this summer at the Minnesota United Coaches Symposium.

"We have a rich soccer history here in Minnesota which spans across all levels and age groups - from professional clubs to youth soccer, and everything in between. There is an ever-growing landscape of the sport here, particularly on the youth side, where the game for both boys and girls continues to trend upwards in its evolution and quality," said MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer, Khaled El-Ahmad. "We are thrilled to see that growth and are enthusiastic in our belief that by providing top-level expertise, planning and guidance, our new youth programming will improve the player pathway at every level. Our club's goal is for these programs to prepare as many players as possible, to support their pursuit of their soccer dreams."

Starting this summer, Minnesota United will launch new programming tailored to serve youth soccer development across the entirety of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest region. Through different development pillars, the club will introduce a number of materials, educational tools and community engagements aiming to elevate the sport of soccer in all ways ahead of a monumental time for the sport in North America leading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"As we begin to share our resources with the community, we want to ensure there is not a 'one-size-fits-all' program: This programming is giving general guidelines about what we think are best practices, showing coaches what those look like inside of our spaces where elite young players are becoming future professionals," said MNUFC Head of Methodology, Justin Ferguson. "We recognize that there's no magic recipe for creating a professional soccer player; that journey is complex and non-linear. However, we want to ensure that, within the youth space, we are making sure the methodology is consistent. As we look at those individual journeys, our goal is that these resources and connections for the players, coaches and other key figures create a stronger soccer community and elevate the talent across our region."

Alliance Program

A first pillar is MNUFC's Alliance Program. The Alliance Program is a free, collaborative initiative that will provide a number of best practices, materials and resources to local youth clubs and organizations across the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota and Upper Midwest region. These resources - dedicated to providing high-quality guidance on overall soccer methodology - will be available for member clubs, at no cost to them. Some examples of those resources are the ability to observe First Team, Second Team and Academy practice sessions and the opportunity to have direct touchpoints with technical and coaching staff. More information, including a web page for clubs to submit inquiries on becoming a member of the Alliance Program, can be found at this web page HERE.

Free Clinics

Another pillar that builds on the success of the free local clinics the club already offers with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is free community soccer clinics programming. With an effort to reach as many young boys and girls as possible and increase access to the sport of soccer, the club's free soccer clinics programming will work through local organizations - both soccer-specific and non-soccer focused, such as initial hosts this summer, YMCA of the North and SOL of the Cities - to engage with communities across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest via free events and clinics. More information on the free clinics programming will be provided at a later date.

Coaches Symposium

On Saturday, June 7, Minnesota United will host for the very first time a Coaches Symposium inside the Grand Hall at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota. At a cost of only $25, MNUFC invites coaches of all levels, and anyone interested in the sport of soccer, to join the full-day symposium, where attendees will be able to learn from a multitude of experts and experiences throughout the day, including, but not limited to:

MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad

MNUFC Head Coach Eric Ramsay Q&A session

Observing a First Team training session

Keynote Speakers

Ian Leman - Formerly the Head of Performance Intelligence at Swansea City

Ben Bartlett - Pro License Educator with U.S. Soccer Federation

Coaches interested in attending the June 7 Coaches Symposium can register for the full-day event.

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