The rise of the MLS youth development setup has posed a challenged to those youth clubs in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy that are independent of MLS.

The professionally-funded youth structures offer much to the future of the player on and off the field, but there are a few clubs outside the MLS orbit that have continued to prosper despite the changing lancscape.

Northern California club De Anza Force, a USSF Development Academy Finals Week participant in two of the last three seasons, is enjoying another strong start to the year particularly in the younger age group. Force’s U16 team is 5-0-0 through the first month and already with a five-point lead at the top of the division standings.

“It is a combination of adding some good players and the returning kids who have done very well,” De Anza Force U16 head coach Shaun Tsakiris told TopDrawerSoccer.com about the start of the season. “It is a credit to what our club is starting to do with integrating the U14 and U15 teams into the structure so they are able to contribute right away.”

Force has a stable of players born in 1996 who regularly start but also a few younger standouts who are already playing significant minutes including Brian Zelaya and U.S. U15 Boys National Team forward Jonathan Navarro. Both were born in 1998.

“No hesitation if I feel like they can step in,” Tsakiris said about playing ‘98s with the ‘96s. “Their age is irrelevant if I feel like they can step in and contribute.”

Zelaya, who appeared with the U14 Boys National Team in August, has started three of the games this season already. Tsakiris said Matthew Powell and Zelaya have done exceptionally well as the center midfield pairing.

Powell’s two goals on the season tie him with Aravind Sivakumar for the top scoring honors.

Sivakumar is a standout attacking midfielder that Tsakiris highlighted for his smarts both on and off the field. The high school junior has a 4.0 grade point average, which has made the list of colleges recruiting him rather lengthy.

The coach also highlighted the play of Brandon Gillingham who started nearly every game for the Force U16 last season in the Development Academy. Tsakaris said Gillingham’s play at center back this season has been outstanding.

Even though he is optimistic with this group of players, the coach was cautious not to get too far ahead of himself with projections.

“It’s a long season,” Tsakaris said about making another run at Finals Week. “We have a long way to go.”

It is a long season without any breaks as Force and the rest of the Academies in the West Conference enter their second year without high school soccer.

“Without high school soccer, it is a true season,” the coach said. “There is no question that it is the right thing for a soccer player. The hardest part was the initial year, but there has been a lot less push back this season.”

Avoiding the push back from high school soccer supporters goes along with Force circumventing the allure of the local MLS Academy for its players. When asked how his club remained successful, Tsakaris attributed it to a number of ideas.

“I think it is a combination of a lot of things. The coaching staff, not just saying me, but all of working together has definitely helped. Also, like I mentioned before, what we started with our young guys in the U12, U13, U14, and U15 age groups getting them ready for this level. We have been able to keep those kids.”

Despite Tsakiris modesty, a lot of De Anza Force’s success comes down to Technical Director Eric Yamamoto and the rest of the coaching staff, which continues to produce high-level players year after year. This U16 Force is no different.