Academy

Riverhounds Development Academy players Ben Feinstein and Anders Bordoy are set to make a big leap next year playing in college for Michigan and Memphis.

But if they have any questions about the path ahead of them, they each have some reliable guides back home with the Hounds.

Feinstein and Bordoy — both of whom trained this summer with the Hounds pro team as part of the Pathway Program — made their college decisions just days apart from each other last month. And it just so happens that Feinstein’s choice, Michigan, is the alma mater of current Hounds pros Robbie Mertz and Marc Ybarra, while Bordoy’s destination in Memphis is where Hounds pro Luke Biasi called home for four years.

In Feinstein’s case, Michigan was always the school at the top of the list, as he is following in his parents’ footsteps by heading to Ann Arbor. But going simply to attend school and going to join a major Division I soccer program are two different things, which is where the tips from the pros came in.

“Growing up, I’ve been a huge Michigan fan. Michigan is my dream school. … But this summer I went to camp there and got in touch with the coach, Coach (Chaka) Daley,” Feinstein said. “During the training period with the pro team, I did approach (Mertz and Ybarra), and I got to ask them questions about the soccer program and the business school. My parents went there, but it’s a little different world with the resources available to athletes, the academic center, different meals. They were able to give me insight on that.”

The Hounds’ two Michigan men were more than happy to share their experiences with Feinstein, and both sent their congratulations when he committed.

“It was funny, the morning I got here (from Atlanta), I met Ben. But I actually got a call from Chaka Daley when I was in the parking lot saying to look out for this kid, take care of him and let me know what you think,” Mertz said. “It’s nice if I have had any influence, but these kids are out blazing their own trails, finding their own way the same as I did.”

“(Feinstein) mentioned in the locker room that he had been emailing with Coach Daley, and he asked a few questions and reach out to me a couple times. I’m excited for him,” Ybarra said. “It’s a little bit of a connection, Michigan-to-Riverhounds, so it’s pretty cool to see the path go back, Academy-to-Michigan.”

Bordoy’s recruitment was a little more open. Unlike Feinstein at Michigan, there was no prior connection to Memphis or its program, and the Tigers really weren’t on the radar until last winter.

“We had an ECNL Showcase in December in South Carolina. I honestly didn’t know about the University of Memphis at that point, but they saw me play — my first game, I got an assist and had a good game — and they reached out to my coach,” Bordoy said.

Once contact was made, one of the next steps was visiting the campus, something Bordoy also did at Davidson and Robert Morris, two other schools with interest. 

Bordoy said Memphis’ athletic facilities, including both a top-of-the-line practice and game field, as well as the big but easy-to-navigate campus really appealed to him. But to learn more about the people in the program, he turned to his Memphis connection back with the Hounds.

“I was asking (Biasi) about the coaches and how they were, and he gave me the ins and outs of their coaching style, how they present themselves at practice and what they really enjoy seeing from their players,” Bordoy said. “I asked him simple stuff about playing there, making sure I was prepared for my visit.”

As it turned out, Bordoy wasn’t the only person connecting with Biasi about his recruitment.

“My assistant coach over at Memphis, Tony McManus, reached out to me and told me to put in a good word because they were really interested in having Anders on the team,” Biasi said. “I wasn’t hyping it up too much, but I wanted to give him what he needed to know about the program and kind of set him up for the future. I know he was deciding between a couple teams, and I’m happy for him.”

Both players still have a senior high school season to complete and their upcoming ECNL year with the RDA before they will head off to their new teams. They also could spend more time in training with the pros in 2023 as part of the Pathway Program, and the door remains open for the Hounds to add one or more of their top youth players to the First Team next year under USL Academy contracts.

The final goal, for both the club and players, remains to have the next generation of pros come from the academy. At some point soon, a player might be ready to make that jump directly, but until then, players like Feinstein and Bordoy will be able to continue their development toward the pro ranks by moving from the Hounds Academy to top Division I college teams.

“I definitely feel like playing with the Riverhounds put me in such a good position,” Bordoy said. “Playing with the pro team in the summer, I know what that level will be and how fast it will be, and it gives me a better sense of the physicality and when to play one- or two-touch.”

“The RDA and Hounds have exposed me to top competition, and I’m confident in myself at the next level,” Feinstein said. “But there’s still attention to detail I need in some spots. You don’t have to focus on some things in high school or your academy team, like runs, your movement off the ball, because you can get away with it. But to get the insight from Coach (Bob) Lilley and the pro players about how to think ahead on the field helps make you a much better player.”

On Friday, Sept. 9, the Riverhounds honored the career of coach, general manager and TV broadcaster Gene Klein with his induction as the sixth member of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony was held on the club level at Highmark Stadium, where friends, family and former players were able to reconnect and look back upon the litany of achievements in Klein’s remarkable career as a coach, educator and mentor. Among those in attendance were three of the Hall of Fame’s other members: Justin Evans, who served as emcee for the evening, David Flavius and John Kowalski.

Below are some of the images from Friday night’s celebration of the club’s history and one of its most influential figures.

Coming into the summer with a goal of continuing forward progress, the Hounds did exactly that in their second USL Academy League season in 2022.

The Academy League team, which draws from the Riverhounds Development Academy’s teams in the four oldest boys age groups, wrapped up its six-game schedule July 30 with an afternoon match against Indy Eleven before the pro team’s contest later that night.

And though that final match against Indy — the 2021 USL Academy League national champions — went the opposition’s way by a 5-0 score, the Hounds’ Academy League side ends with a 3-3-0 record and showed marked improvement on the field over the team’s 1-4-1 mark a year ago.

While the RDA’s age-group teams still focus on their play in the Elite Clubs National League for most of the year, the USL Academy League provides a different sort of challenge by matching up the best players from academy programs from the USL Championship, League One and League Two — all clubs with first teams who hope to be able to populate their senior roster with players making the final steps on the path to the professional game.

In some instances, that means squaring off against players already under amateur contracts with the First Team, which was the case against Indy and when the Hounds visited Louisville City FC earlier in the summer. But the Hounds’ players know facing the best youth players from other clubs is the best way to measure how close they are, individually and as a squad, to reaching the next level.

“Louisville had some guys on their pro team playing against us, and you just have to go out and play, no matter who you’re up against,” defender Johnny Dragisich said. “I think last year, we just weren’t there yet. We were always just one pass, one step too slow. I think this year, we took a big step, especially in those three games we won. We really showed what we can do on the field, and hopefully the younger generation can keep it going.”

“It’s definitely a noticeable improvement this year, and it’s no shame to lose to them (Louisville and Indy),” defender Severin Dengel said. “It’s heading in the right direction.”

The nature of the Academy League also works hand-in-hand with the Hounds’ recently restarted Pathway Program as a way to integrate some of the older academy boys with First Team-level competition.

While the RDA didn’t have a player with the pros on an Academy contract this summer as they did last year with Wyatt Borso, nearly a dozen RDA players — nearly all of whom featured in at least some of the Academy League matches — have had the opportunity to train with the pro team and face the faster speed of competition firsthand in practice.

“It really helped us because you got to see how high the level was. Those guys from Louisville and Indy play at that level, so we weren’t new to it,” midfielder DD Flowers said. “We got a chance to experience it before we had those tough games, and it helped playing against USL Academy teams who are used to playing with the First Team.”

While players like Flowers, Dengel and Dragisich have been part of the year-over-year progress, they are on the way out as graduating seniors. But for others with years left in the RDA, this summer’s performance will hopefully be a stepping stone to winning records in the summers to come, and perhaps it will be one of those returning players who will be next to land a spot with the First Team on a regular basis.

“To be honest, from last year, the first time in (the league), to this year, it’s been 10 times better,” said forward John Krug, who plays on the RDA’s 2006 Boys team. “I think throughout the (next) years, with the boys coming up, we’re only going to get better and better. I hope having been through it, I can be a good mentor for the boys as I’m getting older, just like how the older guys have taught me and helped me out. I hope to keep that going.”

Match recap: Indy Eleven 5, Riverhounds 0

The visitors and defending league champs showed their class, but Hounds goalkeeper Nick Cherry certainly turned in a first-half effort worthy of note.

Cherry made a series of good stops to keep the match scoreless through the first half-hour, none better than his penalty kick save in the 22nd minute on which he dove low and to his left to make the stop and leave no rebound.

“I came in feeling ready for a lot of shots today because we know they’re a very good team,” Cherry said. “At first (on the penalty), I just watched to see where his hips were facing. His hips showed right to that side, and I just trusted myself to get down there. … I love saving penalties. It’s always fun to hear the reaction when you save one.”

Indy finally got on the board with two goals in a five-minute stretch before halftime, both in quick transition moments on a big diagonal pass and a through ball. Indy made it 3-0 in the 68th minute and added two goals in the last four minutes to make the score a bit unflattering. 

The Hounds had their opportunities, and the Indy goalkeeper needed to make a big early save resulting from a Ben Feinstein free kick. An early second-half corner kick led to a scramble in the box, and JJ Simms poked the ball toward goal and off the crossbar for the Hounds’ best chance after halftime.

“It was a fun way to end it. Disappointing result, but great conditions, a great venue. … I had a lot of friends and family here today, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to finish playing here,” Dengel said.

Scoring summary

IND — Rudesill 33’
IND — Elmquist 38’
IND — Amaya 68’
IND — Chavarria 86’
IND — Paz 88’

Discipline summary

PIT — Johnny Dragisich 43’ (caution)
PIT — Ben Feinstein 76’ (caution)
IND — Chavarria 81’ (caution)

Academy players getting the chance to train with the pros might sound like a fun opportunity. But now that the Riverhounds Pathway Program is back and running, the players taking part have found out quickly that there’s a lot of hard work involved, too.

So far this year, seven academy players have been selected to take part in training with the Hounds’ pro team, and another four players are scheduled to get their chance in late July. For each of them, it is a chance to see everything that it takes to compete at that level and see what is necessary to reach their dream of making it on a professional roster. 

The most recent set of players who trained with the team in June, Oliver Daboo, Alex Hauskrecht, Josh Jashinski and Nathan Katari, share the common thread of having at least another full year of high school, putting them in the ideal age range for players who could be signed to a USL Academy contract. And while it has been hard work, the player have been enjoying their time working with the pro team.

“It’s been pretty surreal, honestly. Growing up a Riverhounds fan and having been in the academy my whole life, and now to be actually here with the guys and playing with them, it feels special,” Daboo said. 

“It’s been awesome. I’ve been at the Riverhounds for a really long time. To see the players and what they can do on the field, and then to be able to do it with them in training, it’s just awesome they get to live this life.” said Hauskrecht, a teammate of Daboo’s on the 2005 Boys academy team. 

The boys have been challenged day-in and day-out in practice with the team. Not only have they contended with being 15- to 17-year-olds playing against grown men, but they have also been subjected to extremely hot conditions. And the demands of head coach Bob Lilley remain high on all his players in training, whether you’re a high schooler or a veteran like Kenardo Forbes or Dane Kelly.

“That’s been the toughest part. These guys are stronger and tougher than anyone we have ever played against. I think we are adapting well, but it’s definitely a massive change in pace.” Hauskrecht said. 

“The first day was rough,” said Josh Jashinski, another member of the 05 Boys team. “You know the first day at it is just learning, but as the weeks go on, you can see as a group how we’ve been able to step up and try to keep up with them” 

“When I go back and train with my normal team, it feels much easier, you know exactly what you are doing and how to compete,” said Katari, the youngest of the academy players to take part coming from the 2007 team.

But while he presses them in training, Lilley enjoys having the academy players in training and loves seeing the talent the academy has to offer in hopes of one day — perhaps soon — signing a homegrown player to his First Team.

“It’s good to have them out. We get to see where they are at in their development,” Lilley said. “The last couple years with Covid, it’s been hard to see them and how they can do with our guys. It’s a big jump, the speed of play, and that sometimes shows up, but they’re quite capable.”

Lilley knows how important it is to develop talent through an academy and how beneficial that is to an organization.

For example, look at fellow USL Championship club Orange County SC, which earlier this month reached a transfer deal with Stade de Reims for 18-year-old defender Kobi Henry. The deal, which ESPN reported as being for $700,000 with incentives and a sell-on clause that could push the total well over $1 million, was the largest in USL history.

“We want to help prepare them for this level down the road, potentially, and give them an idea of what they have to do to chase this particular dream. It also helps them to see the higher levels that will prepare them when they go off to college,” Lilley said. “The first couple days, they were shaking in their boots a little bit. They relaxed, though. The (pro) guys know their names and definitely see improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. The longer time and more opportunity players get to play at higher levels helps. They’ve worked hard; our academy coaches do a good job with them.”

And while the Pathway Program is a huge step in that direction, it is the year-round mission of the Riverhounds Development Academy to develop and groom its locally raised players, so they can ultimately be in positions to receive contracts with the First Team. 

“It’s the connection for us. We know there will be players sooner rather than later that are ready to make the jump,” Lilley said. “We need to be constantly looking and giving them opportunities, and hopefully in the not too distant future, we’ll see a younger academy kid really start to turn the corner. We had (Chicago-area native) Wyatt Borso before, he’s going to Notre Dame but was able to play (with the First Team) on an academy contract. We’re making a lot of progress in that area.”

Story written by Riverhounds staff intern Dante DeBaldo.