August 2, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release
There’s a soccer pipeline growing in Green Country.
As athletes ages 9-23 gather for FC Tulsa’s Elite Identifier Camps on Tuesday – they’ll be playing for much more than your traditional camp. With training sessions in front of FC Tulsa players and personnel, a special week of development and opportunity lies on the line. These opportunities stem from the growth of FC Tulsa’s Training Academy and its mission to forge local pathways to pro opportunities in the sport.
In partnership with SCHEELS, the Training Academy’s Camps & Clinics has served as a premier training and development program for youth, collegiate and PRO-AM players.
Look no further than Breyden Brumbaugh.
Brumbaugh, age 19, was called up to train with the club this season after making the most of his spring identifier camp. A center-back and centermid, he earned his shot after coming across the club’s Elite Development Program after spending time in England and Belgium.
“Going through the EDP program and training with the guys was really good,” Brumbaugh said. “They’re great people – coaches, staff – who want to help you become a better player.
“Playing with these professionals is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Now playing for Brooke House FC of USL League Two, Brumbraugh and defender Anthony Harper – an Academy Contract signee and rising senior at Riverfield Country Day – help exemplify the talent pool both discoverable through the FC Tulsa Training Academy and in Green Country as a whole.
Behind the curtain, Alex McLaurin, FC Tulsa Training Academy and EDP Director, has built the program into a premier platform for players of all skill levels. With camps and training sessions starting as young as six, the programs have strived to provide player-centered environments for those looking to learn the game and pushing for the pros.
“We want everyone to bring the best out of each other, push for their dreams and have fun every day,” McLaurin said. “Our camps are geared more toward the traditional sense of the joy of the game, but it also brings out some structure. Our clinics are more geared toward a certain topic, whether that’s becoming a better goal scorer or a better goalkeeper, while also serving all skill levels.”
Among the avenues, McLaurin has helped build out the club’s Player Development Program, which provides those ages 6-16 an environment to focus and grow upon their individual skills, and clinics for players…