Good Sports: FC Fresno Academy

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- FC Fresno Academy likes to speech with its feet.

"There's a batch of endowment present successful the Valley," says manager Cris Solis.

Comprised of aggregate property group, the academy strives to make players up and down the Valley.

You'll find a big of medals astir the necks of the 2013 team.

"There's a batch successful my room. It's taking over," says Jordan Lugo.

After losing back-to-back NorCal State Cup championships successful the Premier Division, the 3rd clip was yet the charm for the club.

"They were hungry," Solis said.

In March, the boys bushed Central Valley Academy 3-0 to assertion their archetypal authorities cupful title.

"It conscionable felt truthful good," says Adam Maldonado. "Like winning a World Cup, but astatine a young level."

The club's laminitis is Ecuador autochthonal and erstwhile Fresno Pacific player, Carlos Velasco.

Five years ago, the bulk of the boys played for Kerman Revolution earlier they caught his eye.

"Not lone were they quality, but the passionateness that they play the game, truthful I was impressed," Velasco said.

Velasco's imaginativeness dates backmost much than a decade.

Back successful 2013, Velasco made a travel to Spain, determined to larn the ways of the soccer-crazed country's world-renowned academies.

"I wanted to spot what they were doing determination to bring present to the kids successful the Valley," helium said.

After virtually knocking connected doors and making connections, Velasco brought the European spirit backmost to the Valley.

It conscionable truthful happens that the radical calved successful the twelvemonth helium traveled to Spain has been the academy's top success.

"Do our champion to thatch the kids the game," Velasco said. "Teach them besides to beryllium a bully idiosyncratic and the abilities they person are going to dictate wherever they go."

"If they're capable to spell pro, past that's what we want," Solis said. "But if not, they tin get an education."

For immoderate of the boys, their goals spell beyond conscionable authorities cups and scholarships.

"To marque it pro and play for Barcelona," Maldonado said.

"I conscionable privation to spell pro and marque my parents proud," Lugo said.

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