Sporting Kansas City will hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday at the team’s Swope Park Training Center to announce the second Home Grown Player signing in club history. The event will be streamed live on SportingKC.com as the player pens his first professional contract. Followers can submit questions for Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes and the team's newest signing via Twitter by sending reply messages to @SportingKC for selected use during the press conference.
Major League Soccer established the Home Grown Player initiative in 2007 to permit teams to promote youth academy players to professional contracts, bypassing the league’s annual SuperDraft or traditional allocation process. These players must meet Home Grown Player regulations as determined by the League, including participation in the club’s youth system for at least one year.
Goalkeeper Jon Kempin was signed in August 2010 as the first Home Grown Player signing in Sporting Kansas City history. The Leawood, Kansas native and Blue Valley North High School graduate has represented the United States National Team at the Under-18 and Under-20 levels since signing with Kansas City.
Sporting Kansas City launched their Juniors youth development academy in 2007 to provide a professional-level environment for aspiring players to participate in and with the goal of producing players capable of joining the senior team. Providence Medical Center is the official sponsor of the Sporting Kansas City Juniors youth program, which is led by Director of Coaching Jon Parry.
There is no minimum age for a Home Grown Player, but the players cannot be older than 24. These players are also automatically protected in any necessary expansion drafts and with expanded rosters this season, players occupying roster spots 21-30 will not count against the club’s salary budget. In the event a Home Grown Player is transferred, clubs keep 75% of any transfer or loan fee paid for the player.
The initiative has produced several promising players in Major League Soccer. D.C. United forward Andy Najar, the 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year, made his professional debut against Kansas City in the 2010 regular season opener and had five goals and an assist in 26 games played last year.
