The new stage in Real Salt Lake’s system of player development will face its first test on Sunday when the Real Monarchs face LA Galaxy II in Carson, Calif., in the inaugural match for the newly-formed USL club. With a roster compiled of players from around the world and right in the club’s backyard in Utah, Head Coach Freddy Juarez has a group that is poised to compete in the USL and develop for RSL.
“We’re looking forward to playing. The guys have been working really hard,” Juarez said on the Claret and Cobalt Daily podcast. “
Highlights of the roster include three products of the Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy, established professionals looking to make their mark in Utah and one well-traveled Provo native.
Juarez had plenty of success while leading the RSL-AZ Academy and will bring with him three key contributors to that success. Coco Navarro, Eti Tavares and Ricardo Velazco all give the team attacking options that use different styles to reach the same target.
Navarro is a tenacious workhorse that makes up for his small stature with an unrelenting drive for goal. He played two seasons for Marquette before turning pro this season, totaling five goals and six assists in 39 matches.
Tavares is a speedy winger that thrives in 1v1 situations while Velazco is a classic playmaker. At Louisville, Velazco had 13 goals and 14 assists in two seasons, this after notching six goals and one assist for Cal State San Bernardino in just 14 matches as a freshman.
“I’m super excited about the players that have come out of the Academy,” Juarez said. “You’re getting good players, they’re open-minded and they continue to develop.”
In addition, former first round pick in the MLS SuperDraft Emery Welshman adds another dimension to the attack. A standout at Oregon State University, Welshman was picked 16th overall by Toronto FC in the 2013 SuperDraft. However, he struggled to find playing time and returned home to Ontrario, Canada, to play out the 2014 season with Sigma FC in League 1 Ontario. He was still able to earn a call-up to the Guyana National Team, where he earned his first cap and scored his first goal in February before joining RSL in preseason training camp.
“We love to attack. Our style is going to be to attack,” Juarez said. “He’s a player that has a personality that he wants to go forward. He wants to put the other team in crisis. But he’s also very intelligent. He knows how to create space for himself and his teammates.”
Also, Marvin Baumgartner and Lennon Celestino bring international backgrounds and experience at the professional level to provide some veteran savvy to the team while Alec Sundly played the 2014 season on loan from the New England Revolution to play with the Rochester Rhinos in the USL.
Add to that Garret Losee’s path that has taken him to BYU, Cal-State Fullerton and FC Tucson before landing with the Monarchs after an open tryout and the team has some local flavor as well.
The team will also be supplemented by players on loan from Real Salt Lake throughout the year, giving young players an opportunity to earn playing time while also allowing for injured players to work their way back to match fitness.
The first match in the club’s history kicks off Sunday at 6 p.m. MT and will be streamed live on YouTube.
