Naples Elite SC Announces Exciting 4-Year Partnership with Adidas**

[NAPLES, FLORIDA, APRIL 2024] Naples Elite SC, is gearing up for an exhilarating Spring 2024 season with a groundbreaking announcement: the club has entered into a 4-year partnership with global sports brand adidas, set to commence from the 2024/2025 season onwards.

This strategic alliance with adidas will encompass comprehensive merchandise support, provision of full kits, and top-tier training resources for all teams within Naples Elite SC, including their USL programs such as the USL Youth, USL Academy, USL League Two, and USL W League.

The club is thrilled to welcome adidas, renowned for its iconic three stripes, into its extended family. Anticipation is high as the partnership promises to bring the adidas brand to life both on and off the pitch, enhancing the overall experience for players, staff, and supporters alike.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to embark on this journey with adidas," said Vincenzo Bernardo, President of Naples Elite SC. "This collaboration represents an exciting new chapter for our club, characterized by quality products, unparalleled soccer expertise, and a shared commitment to excellence. Adidas truly sets the standard for the sport, and we are proud to partner with such a prestigious brand."

“We are excited to announce a new partnership with Naples Elite Soccer Club." Said David Gubala, adidas Soccer Key Account Manager "This alliance brings together our shared commitment to the game of soccer through purposeful innovation and a boundary-pushing dedication to the future of the sport, both on and off the pitch.

As the official supplier of Naples Elite Soccer Club, adidas is driven by a mutual ambition to use soccer as a conduit to generate positivity for athletes everywhere. Innovation, purpose, and creativity intersect at the heart of everything we do as a brand, and this partnership is an extension of our belief that through sport, we have the power to change lives. We can’t wait to see Naples Elite Soccer Club and its membership to wear the 3-Stripes proudly.”

Naples Elite SC families and fans can look forward to a plethora of adidas branded content in the upcoming season, with the opportunity to purchase a diverse range of merchandise through the club's partnership with Soccer.com.

ABOUT NAPLES ELITE SOCCER CLUB: Naples Elite Soccer Club is a premier youth soccer club based in Naples, Florida. The club is committed to providing a positive and nurturing environment for young players to develop their skills and passion for the game.

ABOUT ADIDAS IN SOCCER: adidas is the global leader in soccer. It is the official supplier of the most important football tournaments in the world, such as the FIFA World Cup™, the UEFA European Championship & the UEFA Champions League. adidas also sponsors some of the world’s top clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, FC Bayern Munich & Juventus. adidas is also partner to some of the best athletes in the game including Vivianne Miedema, Lindsey Horan, Trinity Rodman, Ashley Sanchez, Wendie Renard, Leo Messi, Pedri, Julian Alvarez, Mohamed Salah, Paulo Dybala, Alessia Russo, Gabriel Jesus, Joao Felix, Serge Gnabry, Jude Bellingham, and Karim Benzema.

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Naples Elite Soccer Club Announces New Executive Director

[NAPLES, FLORIDA, March 2024] Naples Elite Soccer Club is proud to announce our New Executive Director, Stephen Basso.

My name is Stephen Basso, and I recently accepted the position as Executive Director here at Naples Elite Soccer Club. I wanted to reach out to introduce myself, let you all know a little bit about me, why I chose to come to Naples Elite, and how excited I am to be a part of this club.

I am an Italian/American dual citizen and grew up in Columbia, Maryland. Ever since I could remember soccer has been a huge part of my life, and I am extremely passionate about the game/sport. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to play professionally for 15 years, as well as coach and work as a director at some of the biggest clubs in the country. Most recently, the last three years I was the Executive Director of 6x USYS National Champions, Baltimore Celtic Soccer Club, a founding club member of Boy’s ECNL & the Girl’s Academy League, two of the top leagues in the nation. Prior to my role at Baltimore Celtic, I was a director at Wake Futbol Club in North Carolina, a member of MLS Next and the Girl’s Academy League. I believe this experience will greatly benefit the growth & development of Naples Elite players, teams, and the club as a whole.

The decision to accept this position, was an easy one, and I’m not just talking because of the location! I have known club president, Vincenzo Bernardo since 2011 when we became teammates playing professionally in Harrisburg, PA for the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL. We have kept in touch since then, and I watched the growth of Morris Elite from day one and admired the work that has he has done in a short time. This led to following the start and growth of Naples Elite and I immediately touched based with Vincenzo and expressed my interest in helping him build the top elite club in Southwest Florida.

In my very short time interacting with Vincenzo & the ownership group, it is clear that we share the same vision and mentality to create the best youth soccer club in Southwest Florida! The facilities are top notch, and the other directors & coaching are even better! I have been working with the staff remotely the last month and have participated in all leadership calls that way I am informed on operations prior to my first day.

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Miami Athletic Club Develops Pathway 2 Pro – Strategic Club Partnership Program

[MIAMI, FLORIDA, October 2023] Miami Athletic Club (MAC) has announced that they have created a new youth player pathway program designed to work with local soccer clubs to help promote player development, collaboration and an effort to develop a community friendly pathway into the pre-professional playing opportunity within the USL League Two and W League! The “Pathway 2 Pro” (P2P) program will allow Miami AC to join forces with top local youth clubs in Miami and throughout South Florida! The P2P program has planned to develop a program that creates a unique, progressive and authentic pathway for players looking to compete at an extremely high level opportunity within the US Soccer and United Soccer League (USL) ecosystem! Miami Athletic Club is excited to develop this program and believe that this community club program is built on the following pillars:

Player Development
Quality Competition
Player, Team, and Club Opportunities
Leadership and Professional Development
Professional Collaboration

We believe these pillars will provide players with great access to the most professional environments and also offer local soccer clubs great resources to be able to provide to their membership, but also support the local USL club developed to offer top level pre-professional soccer opportunities for the top players in the community!

“We would like to thank our local club partners for their collaboration in this exciting new program.” Mayowa Owolabi, Miami Athletic Club Founder & President, said. “We now have a true pathway for player development that will excite and motivate players to follow their dreams of professional soccer. Our goals are to identify top talent in South Florida, provide players with a supported development experience, and sign Homegrown players through to our USL League model opportunities with Miami Athletic Club and beyond!”

Miami Athletic Club has been able to develop great BRAND awareness and extremely competitive teams competing in the USL League Two and W League! The Miami AC P2P program will ensure that top players in the region will be identified at an early age and are supported in their development that begins with local recreational leagues and advances to Miami AC partner clubs, the Miami AC USL Academy team, and ultimately the USL League Two and W League first team rosters. These teams will have a variety of different opportunities, such as international competition (travel and hosting), exhibitions vs National Teams, combine and showcase opportunities, organized tournaments and friendlies, and exceptional college recruitment resources.

Through the partnership, players with affiliated clubs (Sunrise Sting Soccer Club, Hollywood FC, Miami International Academy of Football, and Naples Elite SC) participating in the Miami AC P2P program will work with top coaches on their journey to the professional ranks. They will train alongside some of the best players in the region and participate in elite youth tournaments like the Gothia Cup, Homestead Cup, Adidas National Cup, Disney Showcase, Florida College Showcase, and other top events and tournaments.

Based on performance with their individual clubs, players will be invited to specific training sessions with other high-performing players from other P2P clubs and the Miami AC USL Academy. They will get the opportunity to play with the best players in the area in order to compete at the highest levels of youth soccer through to pre-professional soccer.

The program will also serve as an opportunity for coaches in the area to collaborate with the Miami Athletic Club technical staff and guest coaches/educators in order to maximize their impact on the development of participating players in the P2P program. Area coaches will also gain increased access to Miami AC USL team training sessions along with coaching resources to aid in youth development.

In addition to these great player opportunities for all P2P clubs this Club Partnership program will also provide these clubs with other offerings such as; Director Sessions led by Miami AC Technical and Administrative Staff, invites into our Partner Club Network Discovery ID sessions for top players, assistance to develop unique club specific curriculums, coaching education sessions, season tickets to the USL League Two and W League seasons, opportunities to ball boy and girl, walk out with players for national anthem, halftime show games, autograph sessions, economics, any many other benefits.

See what Club Directors have to say about this new opportunity:

Caue Rodrigues, Sunrise Sting Soccer Club – Director:

“Sunrise Soccer Club and Miami Athletic Club have entered a partnership to align the two entities. This agreement strengthens the presence of the club in USL W and USL Academy. MAC operating out of Miami Dade-County , offers competitive programming for youth soccer players boys and girls. The aim of this partnership is focused on the development of young soccer players & to provide additional resources on and off the field. Both clubs share the same vision and we are thrilled to be able to secure an agreement that will see us working together to the benefit of the players”

Tom Tianich, Hollywood FC – Executive Director:

“Hollywood FC is thrilled to partner with Miami Athletic Club to provide an exciting new pathway for our players to advance to the highest level of soccer in the South Florida market. Hollywood FC players will gain a unique opportunity to develop and advance their careers as well as provide them with a valuable opportunity to play at a higher level and gain experience in a professional environment. Additionally, it will give Miami AC access to a pipeline of talented pool of players to continue to build a strong team and compete for championships in USL League Two. We are confident that this partnership will be beneficial for both of our clubs. Together we are committed to providing our players with the best possible opportunity to succeed, and we believe that this partnership will help us to do that. The partnership will begin immediately, and the first group of Hollywood FC players will begin trying out for the USL Academy Team in the coming weeks.”

Marlon Aguilar, Miami International Academy of Football – Director:

“The Pathway 2 Pro program will be integral to our player development program in the South Florida marketplace and we are excited to push this type of Player Development Model. The program will be an essential tool in helping us identify and develop top talent in the Homestead, Florida City, Miami and surrounding geographies which is one of the most talented regions in the country.”

Vincenzo Bernardo, Naples Elite SC – Founder:

“Having a relationship with Miami AC is paramount for our players, coaches, and families. It will unlock unparalleled opportunities for our players and coaches to immerse themselves in high level soccer environments. Our focus is to elevate our club’s offerings, and we firmly believe that aligning locally with Miami AC with the pathway to pro through an organization like USL will empower us to achieve precisely that. Today Naples Elite has taken a step forward and we are excited for what the future holds!”

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

• Increase the incentive for players to show up and train/compete on a daily basis to be pushed into a P2P session/camp.
• Push players out of their comfort zones to compete with and against other local players for spots in elite events.
• Extra training and match opportunities with and against the best players in the region throughout the year.
• Having top local coaches from the P2P working with the players throughout the year.
• Opportunity for top players to be on the professional track without the player leaving the club until 15-years-old.
• Opportunity for coaching staff to run sessions and lead trips in the P2P.
• Access to Miami Athletic Club USL Two and W League training sessions and matches.
• Social media and club promotion possibilities.
• Increased access and conversations for coaching development.
• Talented Players interested in joining the P2P program must come from one of the six affiliated clubs.

For more information please visit the Miami Athletic Club website at www.MiamiAC.org and more information about the P2P Program HERE

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Naples Elite Soccer Club Announces Official Club Partnership with Inter Miami CF

[NAPLES, FLORIDA, October 2023] Naples Elite Soccer Club is proud to announce its official Club Partnership with Inter Miami CF. This partnership marks an exciting milestone in the development and advancement of youth soccer in southwest Florida.

As part of this partnership, Naples Elite Soccer Club is committed to acting in the best interest of its players by prioritizing their development and advancement. The club will actively facilitate and support the promotion of its top talents to the renowned Inter Miami CF Academy. Transparency will be a key element, as the Partner Club will recommend their top talents and inform Inter Miami CF if a player considers an offer from another professional club.

Furthermore, Naples Elite Soccer Club will provide Inter Miami CF with the contact information of its members, allowing Inter Miami CF to utilize it for marketing purposes and outreach. It is essential for the Partner Club to maintain a good standing with all USSF affiliations, ensuring a strong and reputable partnership.

Vincenzo Bernardo, President of Naples Elite Soccer Club, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "We are thrilled to enter into this official club partnership with Inter Miami CF! This is great news for the development of local talent in Southwest Florida. Our club aligns itself with true player development and the growth of the overall sport of soccer. Partnering with Inter Miami CF will provide our players with unparalleled opportunities to learn, grow, and showcase their skills at the highest level."

The partnership between Naples Elite Soccer Club and Inter Miami CF represents a unique opportunity to promote the growth of soccer in Southwest Florida and cultivate a thriving soccer community. By joining forces, both clubs are dedicated to providing young players with the necessary resources, training, and exposure to reach their full potential.

The partnership will also feature community club education events, anticipated to take place twice per season. Naples Elite Soccer Club will have exclusive access to Inter Miami CF Academy training sessions and games, offering its players and coaches invaluable exposure to top-level training and competition.

In addition, Naples Elite Soccer Club directors will receive invitations to attend MLS home matches. This opportunity allows club directors to witness the excitement and skill displayed by professional players in a competitive environment, fostering a deeper understanding of the game.

Inter Miami CF is dedicated to the comprehensive development of players in all positions. As part of the partnership, Naples Elite Soccer Club will have access to Inter Miami CF's player talent identification and development program, providing specialized training and support to aspiring players.

Naples Elite Soccer Club will have the privilege of participating in Inter Miami CF tournaments and events, offering its players the chance to showcase their skills on a larger stage and compete against other talented teams.

Naples Elite Soccer Club is thrilled about the potential of this partnership to shape the future of youth soccer in our region. The collaboration between both organizations will create a clear pathway for young players to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams of playing at the highest level.

About Naples Elite Soccer Club: Naples Elite Soccer Club is a premier youth soccer club based in Naples, Florida. The club is committed to providing a positive and nurturing environment for young players to develop their skills and passion for the game.

About Inter Miami CF: Inter Miami CF, commonly known as Inter Miami, is a professional soccer club based in Miami, Florida. The club was founded in 2018 and began playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2020 as an expansion team. Inter Miami is owned by a group of investors led by David Beckham, a former professional soccer player.

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