Soccer Academy of Merced, Inc.

This Corporation is a nonprofit public benefit entity and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is a Non-Profit Organization.

Mission

Our mission is contributing in the growth and development of excellent sportsmanship among our youth and form good citizens for our society.

Objectives

• To establish a nonprofit organization that creates, promotes and enhances the sport of soccer to the youth of our area.
• To teach, train, and develop good sportsmanship and skills in the sport of soccer to the youth of our communities.
• To assist all members of this Academy in the creation of a more successful athletic ability.

The specific purposes for which this organization is formed is to provide learning skills, technique, strategy, and all other elements necessary to develop good character and sportsmanship, and improve the talents of our youth in the sport of soccer. Inherent to this program is the development of leadership abilities, personal integrity, loyalty and respect to their family and fellow man by our young boys and girls. This Corporation also stresses and insists on the improvement and continuance of their higher education and civic and social responsibility. This Corporation provides an outlet of positive improvement to our youth that enhance their personal lives and assure their plans for a successful future as adults.

Current Board of Directors:

Fernando Aguilera, President; Francisco Javier Reyes, Vice-President; Ignacio López, Treasurer; Sal Dicochea, General Manager; José Sánchez, Sports Director

Our beginnings:

This concept was brought by its founder Fernando Aguilera. In 1999 expressed his idea among his friends and other lovers of soccer who got interested in his project. Some unofficial meetings started taking place mainly in the Mansion House Restaurant located in Merced. In June, 2000 took place the first official meeting attended by Melesio Saldivar, Alfredo Villanueva, José C. Sánchez, Oscar Triano Silva, Emilio Gonzalez, Vicente Carrillo – Rodolfo Lezama V., Ricardo Partida, Jesús Sánchez, José L. Pineda, Margarito Castro, Jesús Gutierrez, Alberto Cisneros and of Course, Fernando Aguilera.

On November 16, 2000 the first board of directors was constituted and integrated as follows: Fernando Aguilera, Director/President; José C. Sánchez, Director/Vice-President; Vicente Carrillo, Director/Treasurer; Jesús Sánchez, Director/Secretary; Joe Rios, Director/Public Relations Officer.

The inauguration ceremony took place at the Merced Sports Complex in the midst of a rainy morning with the presence of Mary Jo Knudsen, Mayor of City of Merced at that time and other important officials. Nobody left until after the program was over. Colors were presented and other civic acts were held. It was a memorable day.

In 2003, 'Merced Atlas' brought to Merced College Stadium the 1st. Division professional team "Atlas" from Guadalajara, Jal; Mexico.

Enrique "Ojitos" Meza (Head Coach), Alberto de la Torre

(President of Federación Mexicana de Fútbol) and

Jesús "Chucho" Ramírez (Preparador Técnico)

at that time in the interior of The Mansion House Restaurant in Merced, Ca.

[bottom] In November, 2007 a professional sports clinic had place in

City of Chowchilla, many coaches from different organizations attended.

At the center of the picture, laid on the grass is Javier Soto, who proudly in 2008 was selected as goalkeeper of Fuerzas Básicas de Atlas (Basic Forces of Atlas).

The Academy is equally proud of the advancement of their players, specially U-14 Manuel Villegas, Jose Camargo, Sergio Martinez and Sergio Segura who actually are playing for the state's team.

The Academy is thankful with professors Juan Manuel Durán, Anselmo Romero, Juan José Mendoza and the board of director of Atlas by their support offering this helpful sports clinics, which contribute with the sucess of this organization.