The Tucson Soccer Academy (TSA) is Southern Arizona’s premier youth soccer program. TSA was founded in 2000 as a joint venture between area soccer clubs and coaches to develop soccer in Southern Arizona and to provide committed, ambitious, and talented players with a superior training environment in the U-14 through U-18 age groups. In just three years of existence, TSA has won three state championships, had 46 alumni move on to play collegiate soccer, and had two players, Luis Robles and Miguel Guante, make the youth national team. In addition, Academy players Omid Aldaghi (2002) and Corey Sipos (2003) were selected as Arizona high school players of the year.

TSA’s greatest resource is its distinguished coaching staff, which is comprised of some of the top youth soccer coaches in the West. The staff includes four former regional staff coaches, three former Division One college coaches, two former state directors of coaching, accomplished former professional players, and the most successful high school coach in Arizona history, Wolfgang Weber. This extraordinary staff shares a commitment to developing young players for higher levels of play. This commitment extends beyond TSA to the entire soccer community in Southern Arizona. Since its inception, TSA coaches have worked tirelessly to improve coaching education in Southern Arizona by conducting state licensing courses and clinics, disseminating coaching manuals, assisting with the Olympic Development Program, and working with area clubs. The addition of a technical trainer (former professional star Ruben Astigarraga) and strength and conditioning coachs (Whitney Moore and Todd Vandergraaf) to the staff in 2004 has enhanced the Academy’s ability to provide a superior training environment.

TSA has set high standards for its staff and its players. Open tryouts are held each year in all age groups, and players are selected based on motivation and character in addition to their soccer playing abilities. Academy teams have a well-deserved reputation for outstanding sportsmanship in addition to the respect they have earned on the field.