Sounders bolster development, academy ranks

The Seattle Sounders officially announced that Henry Brauner, John Hutchinson, and Jorge García Valera have been added to the team’s technical staff, and Gary Lewis has been promoted to Academy Director. Brauner and Hutchinson are actually returning to the Sounders organization after spending time with U.S. Soccer and Western United FC of the A-League, respectively.

Brauner, who formerly served as the head of Sounders FC Academy recruiting in 2017 and 2018, will serve as the Director of Player Development. In this role he’ll oversee and guide all players in the Sounders development system, from the Sounders Discovery Program, up through the academy, to Tacoma Defiance. Brauner left his…