EL PASO, Texas (September 16, 2024) – El Paso Locomotive FC announced today that its USL Academy U20 team will play their league match vs Barca Residency Academy inside Southwest University Park on Saturday, October 5 at 7 pm MT. Tickets for the match are on sale now (click here) for fans to come out and support the next generation of talented El Paso soccer players.
“This match will be one of the most memorable events in Locomotive Youth Soccer history,” Academy Director Ivan Militar said. “We are grateful to the ownership and leadership of our organization that supported us in our planning and allowed us to make this event happen. It will be a special evening for our U20 team who will play in an environment like that of the senior squad and we invite everyone in the El Paso soccer community to come support our boys.”
Having hosted a USL Academy match for the first time last season, Southwest University Park will open concessions and the Locomotive team shop this time around to provide a greater matchday experience. The match itself is anticipated to showcase a lot of the quality talent being produced within El Paso and that of Barca Residencey Academy where notable Locomotive players like Diego Luna (2021-22) and Miles Lyons (2022-) got their starts.
Locomotive currently sits at the top of their USL Academy division with seven wins and one loss – outscoring their opponents 20-9 – and will hope by the end of the season to book a second consecutive trip to the USL Academy League Finals in Bradenton, Florida in December.
About the Locomotive Academy
Founded in 2020, the Locomotive Academy was created to provide unrivaled competitive opportunities for youth players in the Borderplex region. The Academy fields seven teams between 13-19, including a fully funded U-20 USL Academy program, and competes in three youth leagues: the Elite Club National League (ECNL), USL Academy League and the El Paso Premier League (EPPL). Through its league competitions and participation at various tournaments and showcases throughout the year, the Academy strives to provide players with direct exposure to numerous college and scouts while playing against some of the strongest youth teams in the country.
In addition to working with numerous colleges across the country, the Academy also grants players a pathway to train and play alongside the Locomotive senior team, giving the young athletes an opportunity to learn and develop alongside professional athletes and coaches through USL Academy contracts, the only youth soccer organization in El Paso to offer such opportunities. To learn more about the Locomotive Academy, head to eplocomotivefc.com/youth-soccer.