There is a lot asked of players when called into U.S. national team camps. Coaches need to squeeze as much as they can out of the week that they are together.

Hugo Perez put his group, U14 Boys National Team, through the paces during the last week, which was the last camp this summer for the age group. The next scheduled camp is for late October.

The goal for the U14s and Perez are to develop and indentify players for the U17 Men’s National Team, which begins it first semester for the next World Cup cycle on August 31.

Three players for this age group, the 1999s, played recently with the 1998s at Copa Mexico de Naciones – a youth tournament held annually in Mexico City.

Perez talked to TopDrawerSoccer.com on Saturday about pushing players up an age group, filling needs for the U17 squad, and why he schedules games against older competition at these camps.