El Paso Locomotive aims to cultivate local talent
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso Locomotive FC is composed of players from around the country and different parts of the globe.
The director of the club's Under 20 Academy told ABC-7, he'd love to see more El Pasoans on the roster.
"I always say I have the best kids, and I've been coaching for 10 years now, in the U.S.," said Ivan Militar. "They are hungry, they are motivated, they are humble, they don't care what kind of field they are playing on, if the field is a little bit bumpy: 'Okay, no problem.'"
Militar directs the Locomotive's academy for players under the age of 20, otherwise known as U-20.
Typically, U-20 athletes pay to play.
But not in El Paso.
"Our owners made a decision, which is a unique and gracious decision, that they're gonna cover the costs for all the U-20. Whether we are traveling, playing, the jerseys, coaches' salaries, are all covered by club," said Militar.
U-20 is one level below the Locomotive, and Militar said there is plenty of interaction between the players.
"Some of them train with (the Locomotive players)," Militar said. "They train in the morning, the U-20 side-to-side with the professional team."
The goal, Militar said, is for all the players on U-20 to get an offer, whether that's to go pro, or to play at the college level.
Militar, who is originally from Hungary and came to the United States on a college soccer scholarship in 2011, knows what it means to have an opportunity to play at a higher level.
"It changed my life," Militar told ABC-7. "I'll never forget when my mom gave me $200 when I left Hungary, and we didn't know when I'd come back. There was a man who told me, 'You're gonna get a full scholarship and you don't have to pay for anything,' and we were like, 'I hope that's true,' and I'm here for 14 years."
The academy just announced it's joining the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), one of the most prominent youth leagues in the nation.
Militar said this will expose El Paso players to hundreds of college coaches and scouts throughout the year.
"I don't want to use big words, but I think our owners really caused an earthquake when it comes to youth soccer here in El Paso," he added. "The college recruiting opportunities are changing lives, the professional pathway is creating something that is very unique. Not a lot of people can start somewhere in a sport and end up on a professional level, oftentimes you have to go away."
The Locomotive U-20 Academy just won a tournament a few weeks ago in Arizona against two dozen teams from across the nation.
Learn more about the academy, along with the other youth camps offered to kids of all ages, gender, and skillsets, on the Locomotive website.
