CJ IS A CAPE VERDEAN TALENTED SOCCER PLAYER IN THE MAKING: FULL NAME: Carlos Joaquim Dos Santos NICKNAME: CJ DATE OF BIRTH: 08/24/2000 AGE: 13 HEIGHT: 61 WEIGHT: 140 Lbs POSITION: Goalkeeper CURRENT TEAM: U14 Philadelphia Union Team GRADE: 9th HIGH SCHOOL: YSC Soccer Academy: Carlos Joaquim Dos Santos, also known as CJ was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the son of a Cape Verdean father and a Portuguese mother. CJ joined the MLS (Major League Soccer) Philadelphia Union U14 team as a goalkeeper this past season. This past march, CJ was given an amazing opportunity, which was to represent the Philadelphia Union U14 team in a prestigious international youth soccer tournament at the world-renowned Aspire Football Academy in Doha, Qatar. This was a great learning experience for the young and aspiring professional soccer player, as he performed against competitive U14 sides such as Atlanta Bergamo and the Aspire Football Academy. According to his father, CJs goal for this upcoming season would be for him to transition to the U16 team, and he is very confident that his son will make that transition due to his impeccable soccer talent, maturity as well as his desire to make it to professional ranks. His father Carlos Dos Santos was born in Lisbon, Portugal. He is the son of both Cape Verdean parents from Mindelo. However, he grew-up in his parents homeland, more specifically in the neighborhood of Alto Mira Mar, City of Mindelo, Cape Verde. The father himself, immigrated to the US with his family when he was 11 years old and never looked back. He went on to obtain a BA (Baccalaureate of Arts) from Temple Univesity and a MA (Master of Arts) from La Salle University both located in the City of Philadelphia. Carlos is currently an educator and a linguist who teaches Spanish language and literature at Bodine High School for International Affairs in the City of Philadelphia. CJs mother, Anabela Dos Santos is Portuguese, as she was born in the City of Coimbra, Portugal. But, I must admit that she is also fluent in the Cape Verdean Creole. Like his father, his mother is also an educator and a linguist who teaches at a high school. The only difference between them two, is that he teaches Spanish and she teaches French. As a matter fact, both his father and mother teach at the same high school in Philadelphia. His father Carlos played division one collegiate soccer program at Temple University. He went on to play semi-professional soccer down in the City of Brotherly Love, for the Portuguese giant Futebol Clube do Portos affiliate called Philadelphia Porto right before the inception of MLS (Major League Soccer). After seeing him performed for the Philadelphia Porto during one of his trips to the US, the legendary Pinto Da Costa wanted to take him to Portugal for a trial with FC Portos professional side back in 1990. But, because he was on a full 4 year scholarship ride at Temple University, his father discouraged him from going to FC Porto. m.philadelphiaunion/academy/u14 Philadelphia Union U14 2014-2015 Schedule ussda.demosphere/teams/68797515/61517734-68797604/TEAM.html ussda.demosphere/teams/60852305/61517734-61445170/62785402.html https://facebook/pages/Carlos-Joaquim-1/575771069164060 During a conversation with his father, he expressed that for them it would be an honor and a privilege for his son to represent the colors of the Cape Verdean National Soccer Team one day. He stated that his son is currently in the process of obtaining both his Cape Verdean as well as his Portuguese passports. That would be fantastic for his son, as it would allow him to be eligible to play for both the Cape Verdean National Soccer Team as well as the Portuguese National Soccer Team, in addition to the USMNT (US Mens National Team). In essence, he will have plenty of options to choose from in terms of national team representation in the near future. From a soccers business perspective, since it is a global game, having multiple citizenships would only boast his marketability as well as his signability by the worlds leading European soccer clubs. However, at this point, they are not discarding the possibility of him representing the USMNT (US Mens National Team) one day in the near future. At this stage, they are waiting for him to establish himself with the US U14 National team. As a matter fact, he has trained with the regional market US youth development team, and has already awakened interest from the US Youth Soccer Development national scouts. Again, it is still premature to say if he will make it to one of the USMNT youth programs. But, make no mistake, he is both in the perfect place as well as the perfect path to achieve his goal of representing the USMNT team one day, as he is currently under the right program in the US soccer development ladder to continue to prepare for bigger and better things in his very promising soccer career. CJ started out with the Philadelphia Union Youth Soccer Academy at the age of 12 on the U14 team. When he first joined the team a year ago, he started out as a back-up goalkeeper and halfway through the season he began starting as a goalkeeper. He is currently in 9th grade and has already signed a commitment letter to attend the prestigious YSC Philadelphia Union academy school this fall. The YSC academy is part of the bigger development picture of the US Soccer Development Academy project. The YSC academy is run in a similar fashion to that, of the world-renowned La Masia youth academy at the Spanish and the world soccer giant FC Barcelona. All of the students/soccer athletes enrolled at the school attend the program on a full-time basis from 8 AM to 7 PM. Their daily routine starts with fitness/physical preparation as well tactical training in the morning. Then, academic lectures and soccer academy playing/training sessions in the afternoon. The academy currently has approximately 60 students enrolled in the program on a full-time basis. It is only a matter of time, before some European soccer clubs start showing interest in his promising soccer talent. But, his father once again has indicated that, at this point they are in no rush for him to move to Europe. He believes that his son is currently enrolled in one of the nations top youth soccer development academy programs. His father went on to elaborate a bit further by saying that, it is good to have all of these options available for him. But, I want my son to continue training with The Union before taking that big step forward on his soccer career... His father also emphasized the fact, that the Union project being in Philadelphia is a dream come true for his wife and him, because the alternative would have been, for them to take their son to Europe at an early age;and for that, they are extremely appreciative and happy to have Tommy Wilsons project in Philadelphia in order to help develop their son and possibly taking his skills to a world class level. The father also stated my boy was 58 in July of 2013, and he grew 5 inches, gained 15 pounds, toned-up because of the work of Bill Knowles, whom is a world-renowned in the field of sports reconditioning and athletic development. Bill is the same physical trainer who worked with Tiger Woods and Bolatellii during his knee rehabilitation therapy process. His physical training has worked wonders for him. He is a natural shot stopper, but his biggest attribute as a soccer player is his foot skills that sets him apart from other goalkeepers currently attending the Philadelphia Union Youth Soccer Academy. Since his father is 65, everyone expects him to be as tall or taller than me. Only time will tell what future lies ahead for CJ, whom is considered to be one of the best and most promising talented goalkeepers for his age group at The Union Youth Soccer Academy. He will turn 14 this August said his father Carlos, who is proud of his deep roots from Alto Mira Mar, Sao Vicente. The last time that CJ was in Cape Verde, he was 7 years old. He has already visited the country on two occasions and he was very impressed with the country and its people. He plans on visiting both Cape Verde and Portugal again sometime soon in the near future on a more extended stay, in order to fully immerse into the Portuguese/Capeverdean Creole languages as well as the respective culture of each country. CJ also has a 16 year old sister by the name of Ariana Rosalina. Both CJ and his sister Ariana speak English, Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. After all, both of their parents are linguists and educators and both of them are fluent in multiple languages. So, a transition to any of the top big 5 European professional soccer leagues including the Portuguese premier league, would not be a difficult transition for CJ because of his foreign language acumen. More information about the YSC Soccer Academy: YSC Academy ysacacademy YSC Academy combines world-class soccer training with a rigorous college preparatory program for grades 8 through 12. Their student athletes are committed to their sport and their learning with a passion to become the best they can be on the field and in the classroom.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 12:22:56 +0000
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