Matthew Sanchez
Matt joined Academy One in the fall of 2006 when he was 12 years old. He is the best goalkeeper in the country for his age. This statement is reinforced by Matt winning the Golden Glove award the summer of 2010 for the top club goalkeeper in the country. He did this as he helped his Baltimore Bays club team win the U-15 US Youth Soccer National Championship. They were also Maryland State Champions, Regional Champions and Region I League Champions. As a U-14, Matt's Baltimore club team was Maryland state champs and went undefeated in the US Region I tournament. They missed the Regional finals only by goal differential. Matt's teams have also had success indoors winning US Futsal Federation National Championship Silver Medal and Matt earning US Futsal Federation All-Region team. Matt was a four year member of the Maryland ODP State team and a two year member of the Region I ODP pool. Matt was a true freshmen starter for his nationally ranked McDonogh High School program and was the starter for all of his four years. They finished 2nd in the best private school league in the nation the first two years Matt was the starting goalkeeper. In his Junior year Matt led the team to the Baltimore private school championship and another national ranking. At the end of his junior year club season, Matt was a finalist for the United States Soccer Federation Save of the Year. After his senior year as a high school player, Matt earned All-Conference, All-Met, All-State and Regional All-American. Matt ended his career having led the McDonogh team to three MIAA Conference Championships and recorded a staggering 54 career shutouts: a Maryland state record. Matt is also an excellent golfer (0 handicap) and played for his high school team. He also sang in the choir. More impressive than his club and high school accomplishments is that Matt was the U-15, U-17, U-20 and Men's Puerto Rican National Soccer Team keeper. Matt was chosen to be the Puerto Rican starter for the U-20 Dallas Cup and U-20 World Cup. He was also chosen to be the back-up keeper for the full National Team in their matches against Nicaragua. During his Junior year in high school, Matt committed to a scholarship to play soccer at national power Old Dominion University. In the summer before his senior year, Matt led the U-20 Puerto Rican National team to an undefeated record in group play of FIFA World Cup qualifying. He was named "Man of the Match" by Puerto Rican television after the match with Bermuda. The Puerto Rican U-20 team advanced to the second round of World Cup qualifying. This is the furthest ANY Puerto Rican team has advanced in the history of their soccer program at any level of international play. Matt again led the Puerto Rican team to advancement to the CONCACAAF Championships in Mexico City. This was above and beyond anything any Puerto Rican team had ever achieved in its soccer history. Two tough losses in Mexico City ended the Puerto Rican team's dream of a U-20 World Cup final, but leave much for the future. Matt has been huge in coaching young keepers and is an Academy One Director.
