AS Roma, Boston Bolts Announce Partnership
- Updated: January 28, 2015
FC Greater Boston Bolts Under-18 Development Team (Photo courtesy FC Greater Boston Bolts)
Italian Serie A club AS Roma and Massachusetts youth club FC Greater Boston Bolts today announced a partnership as Roma looks to expand its youth soccer academy program to the U.S. The Bolts partnership was one of seven with U.S. youth clubs that Roma announced today.
The FC Greater Boston Bolts, also known as FC Bolts Celtic, have helped produce several professionals including the New England Revolution’s Diego Fagundez, Charlie Davies and current Revolution Head Coach Jay Heaps, Philadelphia Union’s Sheanon Williams, San Jose Earthquake’s Mike Fucito, and Los Angeles Galaxy’s Charlie Rugg.
“I see this partnership with AS Roma as a great opportunity for our club on many fronts,” Said FC Greater Boston Executive Director of Coaching Brian Ainscough, who also serves as Head Coach of Northeastern University, in a statement from the club. “AS Roma has local ownership, which will provide all of our youth players and coaches the opportunity to be exposed to their coaching methods and philosophy. Our goal here is to give Bolts players training opportunities with some of the top international coaches in the world, and to give our elite players consideration for playing professionally for AS Roma. We believe this is an extraordinary opportunity for our players and one that sets us apart.”
AS Roma, owned by Boston native James Pallotta, also announced partnerships with Chargers (Clearwater, Fla.), Pateadores (Southern Calif.), Real Colorado (Denver, Colo.), Vardar (Detroit, Mich.) and yet to be named clubs in New York and the Pacific Northwest.
“We are very proud to launch our U.S. Academy program and to formalize our partnership with select top-flight U.S. clubs,” said Pallotta in a statement. “Player development in the United States continues to be a top priority for us. We are confident this initiative will be great for the country and club and produce many star players of tomorrow.”
Elements of the partnerships are expected to include ongoing coaching development and exchanges, tailored physical performance programs and team training and competition in both the United States and Italy.
“As someone who spent their youth living in both the U.S. and Italy, there’s a personal satisfaction that comes with seeing Roma investing significant resources to player development in the States,” said U.S. Women’s National Team legend Mia Hamm, who serves on AS Roma’s Board of Directors. “There’s a lot of talent here – and it’s great that the club continues to recognize that.”
AS Roma, founded in 1927, currently sits in second in Serie A. Their Italian academy teams currently feature 226 players and have produced 671 players that have competed for AS Roma’s first team with 23 players currently playing in Serie A. Notable Roma academy products include Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.
FC Greater Boston Bolts, founded in 1986, is the oldest soccer club in Massachusetts and features nearly 700 players from Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
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