I want to thank Asphalt Green, for being such gracious hosts for this episode. Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, at 555 East 90th Street this was the site of an old Asphalt Plant that was converted into an athletic facility that has most recently underwent a renovation and expansion.  Now it boasts the only Olympic size swimming pool in the city, as well as a state of art, soccer playing field and training facility. 

As a not for profit organization, Asphalt Green offers many free community programs throughout the city as well as hosts elite competitions for all ages and levels in various sports. Soccer is one such successful program. The soccer training program is headed up by Adam Perez.  Adam was raised in California and where he successfully coached high school soccer  winning 3 California State Championships before arriving in New York City, where he took on the job of Soccer Director and Head of Player Development at Asphalt Green. Since joining he has grown their soccer program to over 2,500 players while overseeing 80 coaches.  

Adam is the perfect person to talk to in regards to Developing the American Athlete. His work in soccer player development, and success at the local level is where it all starts. If it’s not done correctly at the grass root level, it won’t work on a larger national or international scale.  So please take a listen and enjoy our conversation with Adam Perez and get his insights on the current state of soccer and player development.