THE PREMIER 00 HAVE STEADILY MOVED up the levels over the past few years, retaining a majority of the players on the roster in the process. “They are a testament to our development philosophy that long-term development does not happen overnight,” club officials said of the team known best for its passing. Back-to-back promotions saw the team earn a spot in Classic 1 just as the US Soccer age mandates came into effect. Every team has dealt with the major change in different ways. Coach Neil McNab Sr. said the Chiefs FC organization took the somewhat unusual route of asking all the teams, boys and girls, whether they wanted to stay together — and they all said ‘yes.’ “Our group opted to stay together even though this would make them younger than the already tougher opposition they were preparing to face,” McNab Sr. said. “We want the kids to control their team as much as possible, and Back row, from left: Neil McNab Sr., Abdi Abdikadir, Will Aitken, Isaac Gazmararian, Andrew Seyboldt, Graham Hardy, Carter Hunnicut, Jerod Spetseris, Ben Greco, Dylan Nunally, Cole Akenbrandt, Harrison Caneer. all the boys did well. They have to learn to do Front row, from left: Dominic Herbert, Jacob Horvieth, Fabian Rivas, Joe Feagle, Matias Cabrera things for themselves.” McNab Sr. stresses that Not pictured: Ben Burnett, Myles Rewis, Cameron Pittman the Chiefs’ program is about more than earning trophies; it’s about individual growth and development that will take them beyond sports.