Pareja got his start in coaching fostering the FC Dallas youth teams and he was part of Orlando City’s moves to revamp its academy structure.
Now the Lions will be part of Major League’s new elite player development program, with 65 former U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams joining the nationwide system.
The federation’s development academy was disbanded April 15 amid financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, leaving about 200 youth teams nationwide with an uncertain future. Launched in 2007, the USSF academy fielded competitions in five age groups.
The new program will include teams from all 26 current MLS franchises, the four planned expansion clubs, five USL teams and 60 nonprofessional clubs, and involve some 8,000 players, according to details provided Wednesday by MLS, which had previously said it would fill the void left by the shuttering of the federation academy.