It’s hard to get noticed without access to the right platform, but the brightest soccer prospects from diverse backgrounds are getting their chance to shine at two world class showcases this fall.
For high school soccer players from underserved communities, talent can seem meaningless if it doesn’t have the platform it deserves. Luckily, players aren’t chasing their dreams in the dark: Some are getting the chance to take their player journeys to the next level at two separate national soccer showcases this October and November.
The soccer marketing, media, and experiences company For Soccer, through its owned and operated brands, Alianza de Futbol and Black Star, are partnering with Allstate to provide two world class showcases for emerging soccer players from Hispanic and Black communities from across the U.S. Think of each event as a talent incubator, personal development clinic and full-on immersion into the demands of a professional athlete’s life, complete with college and career preparation resources and mental health courses.
It’s already underway: The Allstate Sueño Alianza National Showcase featured the nation’s top Hispanic soccer recruits at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL from October 19-23. And Black Star's Allstate Next Wave National Showcase, produced in conjunction with the Black Women’s Player Collective, is next on the calendar, taking place from November 22-25 at Prairie View A&M University. It provides a platform for Black female soccer players to grab the attention of top college coaches and scouts from the National Women’s Soccer League. Notably, this event marks the first-ever national showcase of female soccer talent from the Black community.
The details of each event vary to a certain degree, but the impetus for the showcases springs from the same dilemma: Underserved communities have a severe lack of access when it comes to courting college recruiters, MLS NEXT scouts, and Liga MX academies. “Players leave knowing they matter—that their background and story have value. That’s something they carry home, and it’s what Alianza is ultimately about: developing people, not just players,” Daina Lecuona, Director of Alianza de Futbol and Cultural Marketing, tells Sports Illustrated.
Furthermore, these events connect the next generation to professional players who are invested in paying it forward. “Through our partnership with the Black Women’s Player Collective, players selected for the Allstate Next Wave National Showcase will have access to learn from BWPC members from the NWSL who will be on site at the showcase,” says Patrick Rose, Director, Black Star & Cultural Marketing at For Soccer. “This level of engagement with professional players paired with visibility in front of scouts, coaches, and agents is key to unlocking future pathways for the next generation.”
Let’s dive into the details of each event and what players, scouts and coaches can look forward to.
Allstate Sueño Alianza National Showcase
The event played host to 64 players total, across four groups—Girls from the U15–U18 level, and Boys from U15, U17, and U20. “Every player earned their spot by standing out among hundreds at one of our eight regional Sueño Alianza events, which are part of the broader Alianza de Futbol national tour that draws more than 25,000 attendees per market,” Lecuona says.
The event oozes prestige, having played host to many players who went on to achieve great things at the professional level. Former attendees include Sporting Kansas City forward Santiago Muñoz, midfielder Jonathan González of Bravos de Juárez, and the Liga MX Femenil stars Amalia López of Chivas Femenil and Yaneisi Rodríguez of Cruz Azul Femenil.
“Many of these players come from modest households where the traditional pay-to-play system or expensive college showcases are out of reach. On the other side, many colleges and pro clubs simply don’t have the budgets to scout deeply within Hispanic-dominant communities,” Lecuona says.
Scouts from U.S. Soccer, the Mexican Football Federation, Liga MX, and MLS were present, hoping to spot the next generation of budding talent.
Off-field programming included workshops on leadership, mental health, and college pathways, affording attendees exposure to a wider breadth of educational resources.
And while this event may have passed, there is still time to tune in for the Allstate Next Wave Showcase…
Allstate Next Wave National Showcase
The first event of its kind, the Allstate Next Wave National Showcase will bring together 20-30 of the most elite, Black, female high school soccer players from across the nation. They’ll spend four days together at Texas’ Prairie View A&M University, a Historically Black College deeply rooted in advancing opportunities for the Black community since its founding in 1876.
In the U.S., women’s soccer is an undeniable powerhouse sport: The USWNT has won four World Cup titles, but public awareness around soccer, especially among Black Americans, remains low.
“This sport is surging in popularity, but it has not yet reached the levels of mainstay sports, like football or basketball. That's due in part to the significant cost burden to play soccer at the highest-levels in America, our country still developing our identity as a soccer nation, and the lack of cultural relevance of soccer for our community. In a lot of ways, the ecosystem has still not fully welcomed and embraced Black culture and representation within the game, Rose tells Sports Illustrated.
But instead of leaving these girls in the lurch, the Allstate Next Wave National Showcase will see athletes play in front of top-tier coaches and scouts from across a spectrum of leagues and associations, with a primary focus on collegiate programs.
There will also be ample off-field programming for the group, in an effort to broaden their understanding of where a life in soccer can take them—even if it’s not the pros. Athletes can expect college prep sessions, career planning panels, nutrition and mental health sessions, and meet-and-greets with current professional players.
“We want to provide holistic programming where we're not only providing athletes with the tools to get seen by colleges, but answering questions like: ‘what does it take to apply to colleges? What does it look like to prepare for SATs,’” Rose says.
While those questions will be answered off-field, some of the best Black female players in the country are poised to light up the pitch for everyone at the event.
For Soccer's Alianza and Black Star brands are just getting started. To support future initiatives and catch the past action, visit www.alianzadefutbol.com and www.blackstarsoccer.com.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Black and Hispanic Soccer Stars of The Future Given Boost by Allstate and For Soccer Showcases .
