Some promotions for a couple of coaches at the club on the academy side of things. Let’s hope the next MLS stars will shine through. This is the clubs statement on the matter.
The D.C. United Academy have announced that Dave Sanford and Gus Teren have been promoted to Academy Director and Technical Director, respectively. They will work directly with Dave Kasper, General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations, with the goal of producing Homegrown players to represent the first team.
“Both Dave and Gus care greatly about the club and the academy, having served as coaches for over 10 years between the two of them,” Dave Kasper, D.C. United General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations, said. “They know the club intimately and are well-prepared to move the academy forward. Gus and Dave have complimentary skill sets and will work side-by-side in both the technical and administrative efforts of our Academy – with a commitment to identify, develop and advance players through our club model.”
Dave Sanford joined the D.C. United Academy in 2009 as an assistant coach and has worked with the U-12, U-13, U-15 and U-19 levels during his tenure. For the last five years, Sanford has been the Academy Manager and Head coach at the club. In addition to his work in the academy, Sanford has worked closely with the D.C. United First Team in training sessions. He holds his National USSF A License and earned his prestigious Elite Formation Coaching License in 2018.
The Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) is a world-class training course that gives MLS coaches an opportunity to learn under the French Football Federation. It’s an intensive 14-month youth development course that includes on-field training sessions, classroom instruction, and development of strategic academy growth through seminars with academy directors and coaches from the various international clubs and federations participating.
“I’m excited and eager to take on the challenge of being the Academy Director for D.C. United,” Dave Sanford, D.C. United Academy Director, said. “I have been a part of the organization for over a decade and I’m committed to continuing our progress towards becoming one of the best academies in the United States. Our goal is to keep producing well-rounded players that eventually make the jump up to contributing to our first team. I want to thank Dave Kasper and the rest of the club for this great opportunity.”
Teren initially joined the D.C. United Academy as an Assistant Coach for the U-13’s and U-14’s in 2014. Since then, Teren has been a head academy coach at a variety of age levels including the U-13, U-14 and U-15 teams in the Development Academy and has worked closely with the Black-and-Red first team. Teren was also an assistant coach for Loudoun United FC under Richie Williams in their inaugural season. He currently holds his National USSF A License and is a candidate to start the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) course in 2020.
“This is a great opportunity to continue improving our academy as we take aim at becoming one of the leading clubs in youth development in the country,” Gus Teren, D.C. United Academy Technical Director, said. “I’ve seen a lot of growth at the club in the last year with the new stadium and the introduction of our USL Championship affiliate team, Loudoun United FC. We have all the tools necessary for success and our goal is to produce more Homegrown Players in one of the most talented regions in the US. I want to thank Dave Kasper and the club for entrusting Dave and myself to propel the Academy forward in the next chapter.”
Both Sanford and Teren have worked extensively with Homegrown Players like Griffin Yow, Donovan Pines, Antonio Bustamante, Chris Durkin among others.