About
The Academy
For aspiring professional soccer players who refuse to accept a structurally flawed development system.
The Problem We Intend to Solve.
In women's soccer, the National Women's Soccer League ("NWSL") is currently the only professional soccer league in the U.S. And college soccer – primarily, universities that have NCAA Division I soccer programs – is the predominant development pathway to play professional soccer in the NWSL.
The problem, which is highlighted by a controversial blog-article written in 2018 by the Academy's founder, is that a three-(3)-month competitive season (including preseason) is structurally inadequate and inefficient as a platform for the development of our best women soccer players.
According to the Academy's founder, the NCAA College Soccer platform only "produces athletic players whose technical skill and tactical knowledge leave much to be desired due to a comparative dearth of consistent training and competitive game-experience." In contrast, the European soccer player is lightyears ahead of her American counterpart – technically and, especially, tactically – since the competitive season in Europe is eleven (11) months (including preseason).
As a result, a Division I college-soccer player places herself in a competitive disadvantage compared to her European counterpart by going to a university to play college soccer instead of going to Europe to play professional soccer. This ought to be priceless insight for those elite, female-soccer-players in the U.S. whose sole objective is to become professional women-soccer-players.
The College-Defection Trend
The College-Defection Trend is in-vogue and will continue to grow in numbers, especially due to the increased investment by corporates in the global sport of women's soccer, which has had positive effects on such sport (i.e., augmented salaries, more professionalism in the operation of European soccer clubs, upgrades to professional facilities, and improvements in coaching and training, etc.).
In the history of women's soccer in the U.S., the following players have turned professional – skipping college – after finishing high school:
Lindsey Horan
H.S. to Europe (France – Paris Saint-Germain) in 2012
Age: 18
Mallory Pugh (Swanson)
H.S. to NWSL (Wash. Spirit) in 2017
Age: 18**
Olivia Moultrie
H.S. to NWSL (Portland Thorns) in 2021
Age: 15***
Trinity Rodman
H.S. to NWSL (Wash. Spirit) in 2021
Age: 18
Jaedyn Shaw
H.S. to NWSL (San Diego Wave) in 2022
Age: 17
Alyssa Thompson
H.S. to NWSL (Angel City) in 2023
Age: 18
Chloe Ricketts
H.S. to NWSL (Wash. Spirit) in 2022
Age: 15
Melanie Barcenas
H.S. to NWSL (San Diego Wave) in 2023
Age: 15
Onyeka Gamero
H.S. to Europe (Barcelona B-Team) in 2023
Age: 17
Kennedy Fuller
H.S. to NWSL (Angel City) in 2024
Age: 18
Alexandra Pfeiffer
H.S. to NWSL (KC Current) in 2024
Age: 17
** Mallory attended UCLA early but did not play in the fall, choosing instead the NWSL pathway to professional soccer.
*** Olivia turned professional at age 13 when she sued the NWSL based on antitrust violations to allow her to play in that league.
Links to Articles Demonstrating the College-Defection Trend
We Offer A Development Pathway To Play Pro-Soccer In Europe.
The Academy's First 12 Players
The O.R.T.A. Professional Soccer Academy ("Academy") is a sophisticated "development academy" for aspiring professional soccer players. Ideally, the Academy will provide a "Pathway to Play Pro-Soccer in Europe" for female youth-soccer players - ages 16 to 22 - whom are aspiring professionals and wish to play professional soccer in Europe in lieu of playing NCAA College Soccer.
If your sole objective is to become a professional soccer player as your trade or career, come join us at the Academy. Our fitness training, technical training, and tactical instruction is par excellence. We will not only train you and prepare you for the adversity, the challenges, and the obstacles that you will face in Year 1 of your professional career, but also obtain a contract for you in a European soccer club that is a good fit for you, one in which you will continue to develop technically and tactically.
Our Academy is the sole "Pathway to Play Professional Soccer in Europe" for elite-level, youth, female-soccer players who wish to turn professional and by-pass becoming an NCAA Division I college soccer student-athlete. And we guarantee placement on a top-level professional soccer club in Europe after completing one of our two development programs (a 3-month program or a 6-month program).
The Academy's First 12 Players
Top Row (L→R): Natalie Muth, Jess Johnson, Gabriella Cuevas, Annie Williams & Karsyn Hasch
Bottom Row (L→R): Gianna Milaro, Taryn Jakubowski, Ashley Dozier, Julia Camp, Toni Malone, Steph. Budrock & Katie Pingel
Sophie
Castro
Our own youth trainee, Sophie Castro, a 2004 ODP National Pool player and ODP East Region (Top 18) player (2016-19), finished H.S. in 2022 and skipped college soccer. She completed high school early – finishing 11th Grade and 12th Grade simultaneously – in order to play professional soccer in Europe upon turning 18 years of age.
She did trials in Europe with Real Madrid's B-Team, Levante's B-Team, Deportivo Alavés' 1st Team (Div. 1 in 2021), Osasuna's A-Team and B-Team, and Atletico de Madrid's U-20s, when she was 17 and 18 years old. She received oral contract offers from each of these European soccer clubs. Despite two operations in her calves for chronic exertional compartment syndrome, she recovered and currently plays professional soccer in Spain for Deportivo Alavés during the 2024-25 season.
Sophie is the first asset of the Academy to play professional soccer in Europe — signed with Deportivo Alavés for the 2024-25 season.
We seek top-level NCAA players
& elite youth who desire to go pro.
Open to any elite-level youth (female) player ready to compete in top European leagues.