THE NEW YORK Red Bulls Academy hired Sean McCafferty at the end of July 29^th 2019 with a massive task. It was no secret that the academy had fallen behind some of its nearest competitors. While clubs like Philly were innovating Red Bulls were leaderless and treading water.

After over a year with out an academy director the Red Bulls hired Sean McCafferty and in a little under 2 years the results are noticeable. However, Sean will be the first to tell you he did not do it alone as Ryan Brooks was hired only a few weeks after him. Together they form the leadership team with Sean focused on what happens on the field and Ryan on the business and operations off it.

It’s a unique set up that has paid dividends with success on and off the field and put the academy on a trajectory for massive success in the future.

“Listen I think the club recognized that we didn’t keep up with some of the other clubs and some of the innovative things that were being done,” Sean McCafferty said. “That’s why they invested in myself and Ryan, split the role which is hugely important. And we are on a really good trajectory.”


(Photo by @John_Perd)

Ryan Brooks joined the Red Bulls from Minnesota where he was the academy GM however, getting back to New Jersey was always a goal for the Roxbury native. It was the ability to work on similar goals as he did with Minnesota but on larger scale and as a part of a bigger organization that made the decision to join an easy one. Upon arrival in New York Ryan Brooks got right to work focusing on 3 major goals. These were homestay, education, and transportation.

Homestay

The homestay was the first priority that the academy moved on. Currently they are working on expanding the program by recruiting more families and kids. The ability to recruit players from out of the region is an important element in the current and future plans of the academy. Right now, the recruitment is focused on the top 1% usually at the older age groups.

However, a common theme among many of the initiatives Brooks is working on is that this is just the first rung in the ladder. Currently the vision is still being worked out but the first step to a bigger goal is in place.

“Do we want to have just our 17th and 19th to live there from Monday to Friday and, and then be home, on the weekends, you know, is it you know for the more local guys?” Brooks said. “I don't have an answer to that but it's definitely like topic number one and two and three on our on our minds. What's the best route is it to take the kids away from their homes right now, so they can fully concentrate on their soccer. What are they missing out on what are the pros and cons?”

In such densely populated area, a full residency set up may not be necessary. One of the big reasons to have it outside of the recruitment benefits is the ease of transitioning players to a more professional setup. Professional is a word that is thrown around a lot however it boils down to a schedule more in line with the first and second team. In order to accomplish this finding a way to balance education and soccer is crucial.

Education

In October the Red Bulls announced that Scholar Athletes Leadership Academy better known as SALA would be the preferred academic partner of the club. The partnership started first as a transactional relationship providing the needed one on one attention for certain athletes who required that be it via online school or being enrolled in SALA. The partnership will bring teachers to the facility to tutor kids who need extra help or are doing sat prep as well as to work on life skills and leadership.

However, SALA will also provide educators to work with the coaching staff to better understand players learning styles and how to adapt how they coach to better serve each athlete. Right now, the red bulls are starting small but it is just a start.

“I think that the first couple years this school is coming in to us once a week than the next year that’s twice a week,” Brooks said. “Then all of a sudden now it becomes the school is with the soccer and the soccer is with the school. That will have added benefits and ultimately more support for the kids”

Transportation

The final major goal is transportation. When Brooks and McCafferty first joined the Red Bulls only on Wednesday did the top 15’s to 19’s leave school early to partake in extra training. For Sean and Ryan this was not enough.

“Sean and I were like it’s not a big enough impact,” Brooks said. “We want all of our kids to leave school early.”

Starting in January of 2020 the U-19’s left school at 12:30 every day with the team working out arrangement with each players school. Players would arrive at the facility between 1:30 and 2. This allowed coaches who normally would be with other teams to join the session allowing more focus to be given to individual players. It also allowed the team to provide a nutritious meal and focused gym and film sessions.

The success of that lead Brooks and Sean to look into how to add the U-17’s to that program. This is where the ride along program began. While most of the u-19’s are capable of transporting themselves, the u-17’s are reliant on parents to bring them where they need to go. Doing this every afternoon is not a realistic expectation for working parents.  The partnership with ride along to provide safe rides for U-17 and U-19’s makes this initiative possible as well as something that can be highlighted when recruiting top tri state prospects.

“We missed out on a kid that we wanted, but that was before we had the ride along service,” Brooks said. “So this is the first part of perfecting the routes. Currently we have nine different routes for kids and each route there’s a tremendous logistical matrix that goes on a daily basis…As we look to expand does it become U-15’s also is that where we want to put our investment.”

With Ryan Brooks leading the operations and Sean McCafferty leading the soccer side it is clear as day that the Red Bulls have the leadership and vision to become not just a top local soccer academy but a hub for elite player development in the future.