MLS and the world-famous Tahuichi Soccer Academy, based in Bolivia, have established a relationship to give some of the finest young talent in the world a home in the United States. Tahuichi traditionally signs approximately 10 players each year to professional contracts, when the players reach the age of 16-17 years old. Under the new agreement, MLS will have first rights to sign up to three of the professional Tahuichi players. “This is the first of several compacts we hope to establish on an international basis,” said MLS commissioner Doug Logan. “This is a great starting point to getting our complement of players to begin their careers in MLS.” In exchange for tapping into this extraordinary talent pipeline, MLS is offering Tahuichi financial guarantees and support on several of the soccer academy’s initiatives, including anti-drug campaigns in Bolivia and Tahuichi’s Mundialito, a youth tournament involving some of the finest teams across the world. “Our agreement with Tahuichi enables us to spread our net wider than just for young American players,” said MLS Executive Vice President Ivan Gazidis. “Their pipeline of talent is the model we hope to develop with several other countries.” MLS and Tahuichi have a three-year agreement, with two MLS options for an extra three years each, possibly extending the partnership until 2008. This announcement was made concurrently with Major League Soccer’s first Tahuichi signee, Joselito Vaca. Vaca, who turns 17 next month, is already a Bolivian national team pool player and the captain of Bolivia’s Olympic Team, which competes in November to qualify for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Vaca will be seen stateside when he leads Tahuichi’s Under-19 team during the Friendship Cup tournament in Newark, N.J., from July 28 through August 1. The young midfielder/forward will stay with his Bolivian First Division team, Oriente Petrolero, for the remainder of this season and most likely the 2000 season before reporting to MLS.