Two 15-year-old players — midfielder Rodrigo Hidalgo of Atlantis, Fla., and striker Robbie Rogers of Rolling Hills Estate, Calif. — joined the U.S. under-17 boys national team residency program in Bradenton, Fla.
Both Rogers and Hidalgo played with the U-17s in 2002. Hidalgo scored two goals in a 3-0 win over the Region II '86 team last month at the Disney Showcase. Rogers made nine appearances, earning three caps, and scored one goal. They replace Eric Vogl and Brandon Oot in the 30-player program.
The U-17s played six games in Florida after Christmas. They beat youth teams from Fulham and AC Milan and lost to Japan's U-17 national team in addition to splitting three games against regional opponents who used U-17 residents.
Several players are in their fourth month in residency: co-captain and central defender Brandon Owens, and the attacking trio of Eddie Gaven (12 goals, 8 assists in 48 games), Guillermo Gonzalez (26 goals, 11 assists in 56 games) and co-captain Corey Ashe (14 goals, 11 assists in 49 games). Gaven and Gonzalez have signed with MLS.
Freddy Adu, recently featured in Newsweek magazine, finished 2002 second on the team in scoring with 22 goals and 11 assists in 35 games. Adu, 13, will be beginning his third semester in the program.
The fifth year of U.S. Soccer's residency program kicked off Monday, less than two months before the Under-17s are scheduled to kick off CONCACAF qualifying for the 2003 Under-17 World Cup in March. They face host Guatemala, Jamaica and El Salvador.