Youth Development Is The 'Future Of the Club' For Fort Lauderdale

This year will be the first time the Fort Lauderdale Strikers have a reserve team. Announced in December, Fort Lauderdale Strikers U-23 will participate in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).

The club is looking to build a base so that in the future these players can join the first team and compete at the professional level. The Strikers U-23 roster will be comprised entirely of amateur players. The focus: player development.

Last Thursday, the Strikers announced a partnership with competitive youth soccer program Fort Lauderdale FC. The partnership creates a youth development pyramid from U-5 to U-18 to Strikers U-23, and with the professional team at the top.

Strikers U-23 will be coached by Olaf Henke, the long-time director of Fort Lauderdale FC. Strikers assistant general manager and head of scouting, Bruno Costa, believes in the partnership and the importance of player development.

“Our main goal [for Strikers U-23] is to develop players," he said. "We don’t have to worry about winning titles, we don’t have to be the best team in the league, we have to build good players that can one day play in the NASL.

“We are looking for the players with the technical ability we need, to not only play for the NPSL but to improve and play for the NASL in the future.

“Youth development is the future for the club. There is no way you can have a success if you do not have good youth development.”