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El Paso Locomotive FC Academy Announces First College-Bound Graduating Class

By EP Locomotive FC, 08/18/22, 2:45PM MDT

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El Paso Locomotive FC achieves a milestone in announcing the first graduating class from the Locomotive Youth Soccer Academy with 10 college-bound student-athletes. This monumental accomplishment highlights El Paso Locomotive Youth Soccer’s unwavering dedication to offering the most comprehensive and successful player development environment for soccer in the Borderplex / El Paso del Norte region.

 

“The Academy program has been more fruitful after one full year than I could have imagined.  I honestly didn’t think we would get to the point where we were competing in national leagues, major tournaments, and big-time friendlies in one year; I thought we could get there in five years,” said Andrew Forrest, General Manager Business & Technical Operations for El Paso Locomotive FC.  “What the players, coaches and parents have put in is nothing short of amazing.  I wish these boys going to play college soccer all the best and there are going to be more and more of these stories every year as we get better and continue growing.”

The Locomotive Academy provides opportunities for young players who may have gone unrecruited in the region to have the visibility and resources necessary to be discovered by collegiate coaches—further highlighting the wealth of soccer talent El Paso has to offer on the national stage. Six of the 10 graduating members signed USL Academy contracts allowing them to gain first team professional experience while also maintaining their collegiate eligibility. Two graduating Academy players also made their professional debut with the senior team this season—Noe Coutino and Venancio Calderon.

“This is a testament to the hard work and sacrifice that each one of these players and their families have committed over the years. These players joined our Academy from many different clubs from around the area to achieve their goals. Without the foundation that they developed in their early years, this would not have been possible.” Commented Ivan Militar who serves as the Academy Director for Locomotive Youth Soccer. “Our ultimate goal as an Academy is to inspire and empower each of our players to reach the highest level possible within the game and in life, while fostering leaders and individuals who will inspire others to do the same.”

 

Since its founding in 2020, El Paso Locomotive Youth Soccer’s title partnership with Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso presented in part by GECU has excelled in its mission to provide the El Paso community a platform for success through competitive soccer. By providing El Paso youth soccer hopefuls a supportive and competitive environment, the Locomotive Youth Academy paves the way for its players to reach success in either professional and/or collegiate levels.

For more information on El Paso Locomotive FC Youth Soccer and/or Academy programs, visit eplocomotivefcyouthsoccer.com.

FULL LIST OF GRADUATING LOCOMOTIVE ACADEMY PLAYERS:

Noe Coutino – University of Vermont

Venancio Calderon – West Texas A&M University

Arath Uvina – UT Tyler

Oscar Sosa – UT Tyler

Julian Maud – UT Tyler

Felix Casas – Tyler Junior College

Jaime Villagomez – Tyler Junior College

Alex Sanchez – UT Tyler

Leo Aguirre – UT Tyler

Rene Vasquez – UTEP