English National League club Marine AFC will send an Under-18s team to play in two of the biggest tournaments in the United States next February.

The youngsters will travel to Utah to play in the 7 Elite Academy International Tournament from February 5-7, before moving on to play in the Las Vegas Mayors Cup a few days later.

They will also face local teams in a series of friendlies during the trip, as well as visiting local colleges and meeting with college recruiters.

The trip is part of 7 Elite Academy’s partnership with the National League club, that sees the academy run Marine AFC’s Under-18 and Under-23 weekend academy teams.

Sam D’Auvin, Head Coach of Marine AFC Under-18s, is looking forward seeing his youngsters test themselves against teams from across the world. 

He said: “This is an exciting opportunity for this group of Under-18s to not only see how they compare against international opposition, but also find new ways of improving their game.

“There is a whole different culture surrounding football in the United States, from how players approach every game, to how they progress to the next stage of their careers.

“By meeting new players and coaches in a competitive environment, this group will lay the foundations for a future in football that could even include playing abroad.

“They will also visit local colleges and make contacts that could create opportunities in coming years for scholarships and trials with professional clubs.”

Clubs from New Zealand and across the United States have already signed up for both tournaments, with more from the UK set to follow in coming weeks.

Players who have previously travelled to the USA with 7 Elite Academy have progressed to secure college scholarships, professional contracts and full-time coaching employment.

James Leary, CEO of Marine AFC, added: “This tour of America is another exciting sign of our developing partnership with 7 Elite Academy.

“At this stage of their careers, players still have time to develop their own game, while opening up new avenues in education and employment.

“For us as a club, it gives our development pathway added emphasis, with a crop of players who have unique experience of playing football against teams from all over the world.

“In a few years, they could be pushing for a place in our first team and that experience will only be a good thing for their prospects of playing senior football.”