During the week of July 8, the Academy staff from Scottish powerhouse Glasgow Rangers joined the RSL Youth Development Foundation in Herriman for a week-long training stint hosted at the state-of-the-art Zions Bank Real Academy.
Throughout the week, the RSL Youth Development Academy and Rangers Academy staffs ran training sessions for 48 youth players from the United States, Canada and Mexico for a full week of top-level training. With the RSL Youth Development Academy staff combining with the Rangers staff to showcase and share knowledge with one another to the players, the experience provided participants with one of the most unique training experiences in the United States.
“We were excited to host the Rangers Academy Staff at Zions Bank Training Academy to provide our first International Residential Camp experience in Utah,” Director of the RSL Youth Foundation Will Rader said. “Players had the opportunity to train here in the most professional training environment in the U.S. and elevate their game. Every day the players were challenged by the Academy Coaches to excel in multiple training sessions and through our Professional Workshops”.
The Professional Workshops provided to the camp’s participants included information on Sport Performance, Nutrition, Psychology and an RSL Academy Q&A session to teach the players what it takes to perform at the top level both on and off of the field.
In addition to the week-long camp, players and staffs had the opportunity to meet and greet the professional players and staffs of both Real Salt Lake and Real Monarchs SLC. On Friday, July 12, participants took in a wonderful attacking display by the Monarchs as it topped Tacoma Defiance 5-0 on what was a historical night for the club. The following day, July 20, the participants witnessed another dominant display, this time with RSL defeating the Philadelphia Union 4-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
The experience for the youth players throughout the week was surely a one-of-a-kind opportunity having learned from both RSL and Rangers as the mark of soccer in Utah continues to expand around the world.
