CARSON, Calif. (Friday, August 24, 2012) – Rolando Muñoz, the captain of the LA Galaxy U-16 Academy Team, was one of 31 players selected to train full-time as part of the U.S. Under-17 National Team Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. U.S. Under-17 National Team head coach Richie Williams included the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. native in his squad for the 2012 Fall Semester of the Residency Program in preparation for the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, which is being held in April 2013 in Panama.
Muñoz, who turns 17 in October, was named to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-16 Western Conference Starting XI after helping the Galaxy U-16’s win the SoCal Division title with a record of 18-3-9. He scored four times in the 21 games that he played, serving as the team’s captain while also spending time with the U-17 National Team.
In June, Muñoz was one of 24 players that traveled to Costa Rica with the U.S. U-17’s for the Copa Saprissa International tournament, scoring a team-high three goals to lead the U.S. to a second place finish in the competition. Following the tournament, he was one of 40 players selected to participate in a training camp that was held at The Home Depot Center in late July.
Since its inception, more than 300 players have been through the full-time Residency Program, and more than 100 of those players have moved on to Major League Soccer or the professional leagues in Europe. Twenty-four of those players have also registered at least one cap with the full U.S. National Team, including LA Galaxy players Landon Donovan and Omar Gonzalez. To learn more about the U.S. Under-17 National Team Residency Program, please click here.
