Liam Sloan. (Courtesy photos)
Colin Grant.
Liam Sloan and Colin Grant, members of the Harvard Soccer Club, were selected to the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program for the 2011-12 Season. Sloan is a member of the Olympic Development ’98 team and Grant the ’99 team.
The National Olympic Development Program is an identification and development program for elite soccer players. Massachusetts Youth Olympic Development Program conducts open tryouts and scouts at major soccer tournaments to select players for the program. Players are evaluated on four basic components: technique (ball skills), tactical sense (decision-making ability), fitness and athletic ability, and attitude. The Olympic Development teams are currently in winter training with both classroom and on-field training.
Sloan began playing in the Harvard town soccer program at U6 and was a member of the Harvard Soccer Club U12 Massachusetts Tournament of Champions team.
Last week, Sloan traveled with his Olympic Development team to Portugal to take part in international competition, training, and touring. Sloan is also a member of the FC Stars of Massachusetts U14-United club soccer team. Twice he has received the Player Award from his Stars teammates, for his dedication to and focus on to his team and the game.
Grant began playing soccer in Harvard as a U6 and continued through U12 where he was most recently a member of the U12 Massachusetts Tournament of Champions team. In addition to playing for the Olympic Development team, he also plays for the FC Stars of Massachusetts U13-United club team and has been a recipient of the Player Award from his teammates. Recently, Grant joined his Olympic Development team at the US Youth Soccer National Conference, where they assisted nationally recognized coaches with on-the-field training sessions and demonstrations for the attending coaches from across the country.
In March, both Sloan and Grant will be heading with their Stars teams to New York City to participate in the Manhattan Kick-Off Tournament.
