With the recent announcement of bringing world-renowned soccer coach Troy Bingham to SPIRE Academy’s new soccer program, SPIRE is continuing its commitment to building a world class soccer program to develop the next generation of international talent. The next step for SPIRE comes in the form of the acquisition of FC Evolution, a club program based in Cleveland that offers players a chance to compete on a national stage. SPIRE will be rebranding the club as SPIRE FC.
Troy Bingham, SPIRE’s new Director of Soccer / Head Coach, says, “We are really pleased to make Pennine/FC Evolution our first soccer club acquisition. The culture of the club, the central Cleveland location, the quality of the leagues they are in and the quality of the teams and coaching staff all matched our vision at SPIRE FC.”
This acquisition will provide immediate opportunities for the Academy’s players to compete at the highest level while providing the club’s players the chance to join the elite team camps at SPIRE and to be a part of SPIRE’s athletic development processes and resources. Academically, the players will also have the chance to be a part of the Academy, where they can take full-time classes on campus throughout the day.
Bingham explains, “The opportunities afforded to players now for pre-season training camps, college showcases, international academy internships and the ability to play in our planned top-tier men’s team will be a big draw for any quality player in the region looking to take the next step to college or the professional level.”
With the acquisition of FC Evolution, SPIRE will continue to build its boarding Soccer Academy, along with an elite regional soccer club and player development camps. The goal of implementing this program is to receive top-tier men’s and women’s league licenses, allowing the athletes to play at the highest amateur level in the USA. As Bingham explains, “We believe that with the support of SPIRE’s world class facilities, soccer development knowledge and college coaching and international soccer connections, this will be a significant opportunity for the players and coaches as well.”
FC Evolution is located just 45 minutes away from the SPIRE campus, which will allow players to immediately benefit from highly competitive opportunities. While initially the program will be focused on the men’s teams, women’s opportunities are shortly to follow. Bingham sees further expansion of the soccer program, saying, “We will be announcing further club acquisitions in the near future as our planned growth of SPIRE Academy Soccer and SPIRE FC.”
