SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — About 2,000 young soccer players signed up for tryouts with San Diego FC for a chance to be part of the team’s Right to Dream Academy.
The model for the academy began 25 years ago in Ghana, offering an education, room and board and soccer training to young men and children from humble beginnings.
Students who don’t become professional soccer players are guaranteed college scholarships.
The Right to Dream System also has academies in Egypt and Denmark.
The academies are funded by San Diego FC majority owner Mohamed Mansour, a British-Egyptian businessman.
When he acquired ownership of the team from Major League Soccer, he promised to bring a Right to Dream Academy to San Diego.
The Sycuan Tribal Government, another of the primary owners, is building the campus and training facility on its land near El Cajon, California, in eastern San Diego County.
“The Right to Dream philosophy encompasses elite football training with world-class education and character development, allowing student-athletes to develop not just as elite footballers, but as leaders and changemakers,” its website says.
Joaquin Escoto, who will be in charge of the San Diego campus, is also overseeing this week’s tryouts.
“We know every kid is not going to be a pro, but right to dream believes the holistic approach of the human being,” he said.
He says the opportunity to be part of the academy will be made available to young boys and girls from both sides of the border including the city of Tijuana.
“We’re lucky enough to be within 50 kilometers of the border, our training complex, and that allows us by FIFA rules, to scout and actually be able to take out 13 and 14-year-olds, otherwise it would be 18.”
Escoto said the kids that are selected from Mexico will be given every opportunity to succeed on and off the field just like players from north of the border.
“We’re building a program for those type of players as well so they catch up on the English side, kids from poor families in Mexico will get the same education as the kids from San Diego, they will be here on a student visas and go the school, be part of the residential environment and play fútbol.”
The academy provides living quarters for the players who must live on-site almost year-round.
They will be given middle- and high school educations at the facility, and players who don’t become professionals will have their college educations completely paid for if they choose to pursue formal educations.
“We will have more tryouts in the future,” Escoto said.
A round of tryouts in Tijuana is scheduled for Monday, and 1,000 players have registered for that event.
The Right to Dream campus will also have a program for girls who dream of playing professional soccer.
The academy itself will open in August 2025. Escoto said.
San Diego FC begins play in the MLS in March.