What the Parents are Saying

Dallas Surf Accepted Into MLS NEXT Academy Division

 

A New Chapter for Dallas Surf Boys

Dallas Surf has officially been accepted into the MLS NEXT Academy Division, marking an important step forward for the boys program and the continued growth of the club.

MLS NEXT is widely recognized as the premier youth development platform in North America, bringing together top academies and leading clubs in an environment focused on elite competition, professional standards, and long-term player development.

 

The Journey to MLS NEXT

The opportunity to join MLS NEXT Academy Division is the result of years of steady progress within the Dallas Surf boys program.

Over time, the club has continued to raise standards across coaching, training environments, and player development. As the program has grown, so has the ambition to provide players with opportunities that match their level and potential.

Our focus has always been on building the right environment first. That means investing in coaches, creating a clear development pathway through the age groups, and maintaining standards that challenge players every day in training and competition.

Being accepted into MLS NEXT Academy Division reflects that progress and recognizes the work that players, coaches, and families have contributed to building the program.

 

What MLS NEXT Provides

Participation in MLS NEXT Academy Division provides several key opportunities for Dallas Surf players:

Elite Competition

Players compete against strong academies and top clubs in a demanding competitive environment.

National Events

MLS NEXT hosts national events and showcases that bring together elite clubs from across the country.

Exposure to Colleges and Scouts

MLS NEXT events attract significant attention from college programs and professional scouts.

Professional Standards

The platform emphasizes development environments similar to professional academies.

 

What This Means for Dallas Surf Families

For Dallas Surf families, MLS NEXT Academy Division provides players the opportunity to develop in a more challenging and structured environment while remaining part of the club community they already know.

Players will experience higher level competition, national events, and increased exposure to college and professional pathways, all while continuing to train within the Surf development model that focuses on long term growth and strong coaching.

This platform is another step forward in continuing to build an environment where ambitious players can develop and compete at the highest level.

Register your interest in MLS Next AD and our Parent Information Call on April 8th at 8pm.

Dallas Surf MLS Next Page

 

Learn More About MLS NEXT

If you would like to learn more about the platform and how MLS NEXT operates, visit the official MLS NEXT website.

🔗 MLS NEXT Overview

https://www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext

MLS Next Event Calendar

 

 

Dallas Surf GA players invited to attend the GA Frontier Conference Talent ID Showcase

Several Dallas Surf players were recently invited to attend the Girls Academy Frontier Conference Talent ID Showcase, an event that brings together top players from clubs across the conference.

The showcase provides a valuable platform for athletes to compete at an elite level while being observed by college coaches, Girls Academy staff, and U.S. Youth Soccer scouts.

Selections for this event recognize players who are consistently performing at a high level within their club environment.

Competing Among the Top Players

Events like the Girls Academy Talent ID Showcase are designed to identify and support players who are demonstrating the ability to compete at the highest levels of youth soccer.

For our players, this experience provides an opportunity to step into a new environment, challenge themselves against strong competition, and continue progressing within the national Girls Academy pathway.

Recognition at this level is not only a reflection of individual dedication, but also a sign of the continued growth of the Dallas Surf girls program.

We are thrilled to see our athletes gaining exposure to college recruitment and national scouting networks so early in our GA journey. Their participation highlights the pathway we are building for young female players to pursue their soccer dreams at the next level.

Congratulations to our eight Dallas Surf representatives—you are paving the way for future generations and showing what’s possible when talent, commitment, and opportunity come together.

Dallas Surf Players Selected

We are proud to recognize the Dallas Surf players selected for this Girls Academy Talent ID Showcase:

2012 Mia Naranjo	2011 Avelie Reyes
2012 Camila Molina	2010 Grace Garrison
2012 Elena Benitez	2010 Landyn Heisserer
2011 Parker Meyer	2008 Addison Lee

Congratulations to each of these players for representing Dallas Surf at this event.

Their selection reflects the commitment, work ethic, and development they demonstrate every day in training and competition.

Strong Locally. Competitive Nationally.

The Girls Academy platform continues to create meaningful opportunities for our players, and we are proud to see Dallas Surf athletes recognized at events like the GA Frontier Conference Talent ID Showcase.

Congratulations again to the players who represented our club.

We look forward to continuing to see their development and success within the Girls Academy.

For our Dallas Surf members, the Girls Academy is more than a schedule of games. It’s a competitive environment that challenges players, exposes them to new demands, and supports long term development. We’re proud to provide this pathway for our families and proud of how our players continue to rise to the challenge.

For more information on the platform, click here.

Questions? Contact our GA Director, Nick Heisserer – nheisserer@dallassurf.com

Dallas Surf is proud of the local community we’ve built here in North Texas.

But through Surf Nation, the opportunities available to our players and coaches extend far beyond Dallas.

Surf Nation is a network of more than 60 clubs and over 40,000 players across the country. That connection brings opportunities for our players and coaches that simply wouldn’t exist if we were operating alone.

For our players and coaches, being part of Surf Nation means access to bigger stages, stronger competition, and a nationwide community that shares the same goal.

Develop better players and better people through the game. Click the image below to see Our Why

Opportunities for Our Players

One of the biggest benefits of being part of Surf Nation is the opportunities it creates for our players.

Last month alone, over 60 Dallas Surf players traveled to San Diego for Surf Select National Weekend, competing alongside some of the best players from Surf clubs across the country.

For many players, this is where the pathway begins.

Regional identification leads to national events, and national events open doors to further opportunities.

But the experiences don’t stop there.

Last year, 18 Dallas Surf players were selected to represent Surf Select internationally, traveling to compete in Europe. Those teams faced elite professional academies, including matches against Manchester United.

For young players, those are once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

They test themselves against the best players in the country and the world, while representing their club and their community.

A National Platform

Being part of Surf Nation also creates opportunities closer to home.

Our players regularly guest play with other Surf clubs across the country, stepping into major tournaments and events they might not otherwise have access to.

That means:

• Competing against top national competition
• Playing in some of the biggest youth events in the country
• Performing in front of college coaches they might never see locally

These experiences stretch players, expose them to different environments, and help them understand what the next level of the game looks like.

And when players are ready to pursue college soccer, those opportunities matter.

Surf Nation has a deep network of connections across the college game, including coaches within the Surf community and major recruiting events that attract hundreds of college programs every year.

Opportunities for Our Coaches

Surf Nation doesn’t only create opportunities for players.

It also creates incredible opportunities for coaches to learn, collaborate, and work at the highest levels of youth soccer.

Each year, Dallas Surf can be selected to work within the Surf Select program, coaching regional and national teams alongside some of the best coaches in the Surf network.

Last year, our Director of Coaching, Gavin Mole had the opportunity to coach multiple Surf Select national teams, including an unforgettable trip to Salou, Spain.

There, his U11 team competed against elite European academies including Valencia and Braga, eventually reaching the semifinals before falling to FC Porto.

This year, he will again represent Surf Nation internationally, coaching the 2013 boys national team in Northern Ireland.

These experiences allow our coaches to work in high-performance environments while bringing new ideas, standards, and learning back to Dallas.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both myself and the players. As a coach, testing ourselves against the best U11 team I’ve ever seen in Valencia was incredible. But more importantly, our players got to see what it truly looks like to be among the best young players in the world. The atmosphere was unbelievable. Valencia teams lined the field playing drums and chanting as we played. It was something none of us will ever forget.” Gavin Mole

Recognizing Coaching Excellence

Dallas Surf also celebrates coaching excellence each year.

Each year, the Dallas Surf Coach of the Year award provides a coach the opportunity to lead a Surf Select National Team.

This year’s Dallas Surf winner, Chase Shutz, will travel to England to coach the 2011 Boys Surf Select National Team, representing Surf Nation on an international stage.

For our coaches, these opportunities are not just rewards.

They are experiences that raise standards and help our entire club grow.

Surf Select National Weekend

Dallas Surf Represented on the National Stage

Over 50 Dallas Surf players traveled to San Diego for Surf Select National Weekend, stepping into one of the most competitive environments within Surf Nation.

Across multiple age groups and events, our players represented Dallas on a national stage.

This weekend was not just about competition.

It was about earning opportunities.

First, What Is Surf Select?

Surf Select is a national identification program for players aged U9–U17 who have the talent, drive, and ambition to compete against the “Best of the Best.”

Through regional tryouts and national events, players are identified to represent Surf Select teams and compete in some of the top domestic and international youth soccer competitions.

Players progress through several stages of identification and evaluation, with opportunities to earn places on Surf Select National Teams.

You can learn more about the full program here.

Surf Select National Weekend

Players selected from Surf Select regional tryouts are invited to San Diego to compete and train in front of Surf Select national staff.

Depending on their age group, players are evaluated through three main pathways:

Champions League – U14

Regional Cup – U12 & U13

National Tryouts – U9–U11

Now, back to what happened in San Diego.

Surf Nation Champions League

The Surf Champions League brings together the top U14 Surf teams from across the entire Surf Nation network.

These teams compete at Surf Sports Park in San Diego, facing elite competition while being evaluated by Surf Select scouts and national staff.

Our Dallas Surf 2012 Girls team was selected through internal tryouts in Dallas. Players from five different Dallas Surf teams came together to represent the club in San Diego.

Despite not being a current team, the group quickly developed strong chemistry and competitive drive.

Their run was impressive.

Dallas Surf advanced all the way to the Championship Final, narrowly missing the title.

Making the final of this event is a major achievement and a strong sign of the quality being developed within Dallas Surf.

 

 

For those that make it, they have the chance to travel to some of the best tournaments both nationally and internationally. Click here to learn more and see the full schedule of events.