GROVE UNITED JOINS USL ACADEMY

Grove United is excited to announce it will compete in the USL Academy in 2024.

Grove United is dedicated to growing its development pathway to propel aspiring players to the next level. The USL Academy provides clubs with an elite youth development and competition platform to prepare players for the college and pro level and provides Grove United players with elite level competition and an avenue to gain valuable exposure opportunities.

Grove United will compete in both the USL Academy Cup in March 2024, and the 2024 USL Academy League. The USL Academy Cup is an annual 4-match, 4-day tournament in Tampa Florida featuring top youth and pro development clubs from across the country. The cup includes special player events, multiple panels throughout the weekend, scouts and coaches watching in-person and virtually and additional activations in the Player Village.

“We had a great USL Academy experience in 2023. We are excited for Grove United to compete in 2024 and provide this elite platform and level of exposure to our players,” said Grove United president Justin Grove.

Grove United will compete in the U15 and U19 USL Academy age groups. It will hold tryouts for the 2024 season from December 16-23. Register for tryouts and ID sessions by visiting grovesocceracademy.com.

GROVE UNITED ANNOUNCES JEFF GETTLER AS NEW DIRECTOR OF COACHING

Photo @Jessica Hendricks Photography

Grove United is pleased to announce Jeff Gettler as its new Director of Coaching.

Jeff Gettler brings a wealth of experience to Grove United, having 39 years of collegiate coaching experience and 308 NCAA men’s soccer victories. Gettler spent 33 years as a collegiate head coach including 14 years (1995-2008) at the University of Richmond [NCAA I], and four years (1991-94) leading Lafayette College [NCAA I], which featured a combined three teams making the national final. He also spent nine years (1982-90) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst [NCAA I], four years (1978-81) leading Bates College [NCAA III], and two years (1976-77) at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell [NCAA II]. 

Gettler spent six seasons (2010-15) as coach and Deputy Director of Athletics at Husson University [NCAA III], leading the Eagles to three conference titles and three national tournament appearances. In 2009, Gettler was an assistant coach at Bradley University [NCAA I], working alongside head coach Jim DeRose, one of his former assistant coaches. Gettler is currently the assistant coach at the Randoplh Macon women's progam working alongside head coach Carly Gettler.

While at the University of Richmond, Gettler led the spiders to a top 20 national ranking for a number of years, culminating in a 1998 CAA Championship and an automatic NCAA tournament berth. That team was captained by current Director of Goalkeeping, Adrian Clewlow. They also earned their first-ever NCAA at-large berth in 2002, making their third all-time appearance in the postseason. In 2003, the University of Richmond won its first Atlantic 10 regular season title with its eighth consecutive winning season.

In addition to his collegiate career, Gettler has over 10 years of experience as a Director of Coaching in both state associations and youth clubs. In these roles, he won several U17 & U19 league titles, took his U17 & U19 teams to national championships and managed a staff of over 30 coaches on coaching development. He also initiated, organized, taught, and administered the state association coaching certificate program, having licensed over 270 coaches. 

Gettler’s proven ability to connect with players, to identify top talent, and to guide and mentor coaches makes him a valuable asset to the Grove United developmental programs. 

“It is an honor to bring someone with Gettler’s pedigree to Grove United. His experience will make an immediate and lasting impact on the program for coaches and players to develop to the next level. As a former player under Gettler, I have seen first-hand the tremendous influence he has on pushing players to the next level, and his addition in the Director of Coaching role will greatly enhance our elite programs,” stated Grove United President, Justin Grove.

Gettler is one of the most decorated coaches in the region, holding numerous licenses and certificates and boasting years of international experience. Among Gettler's credentials are a U.S. Soccer A license, FA International Coaching certificate (Bisham Abbey, England), KNVB certificate (Zeist, Holland), DFB International Trainer-Kongress (Aachen, Germany) and a CBD diploma (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). In addition, he has attended the B license coaching course in Toronto, Canada and two English FA's Managers and Coaches courses in Cheshire, England. 

Gettler holds a master's degree in Human Movement from Boston University and a bachelor of arts from Lycoming. With his years of college recruiting experience and an extensive coaching network he will help to guide our players in their college recruitment process. 

“Gettler has always been ahead of his time with his training methods. His vast coaching experience and education domestically and internationally offers a unique perspective on player development from tactical, technical, physical and psychological perspectives,” said Grove.

Gettler’s expertise moves beyond developing players, as he is equally as passionate about developing those in coaching roles. He has been at the forefront of pushing coaching education and development on a collegiate, local and national level. 

Gettler has been thoroughly involved with the United Soccer Coaches Association and its coaching education programs since entering the field. As a 37 year member of the NSCAA/USC, he has served as a National Staff Coach for the Academy, a Clinician at the National Convention in '84, '90, and '94, he hosted and organized four Regional Conventions in New England, and was the National Convention Program Director for the NSCAA National Conventions in '85, '86, and '87. Gettler was a USSF national staff coach, licensing coaches for national C, B, and A levels of certification. 

In addition to his influence in coaching development on a national stage, Gettler has personally developed and mentored numerous coaches throughout his career. Eighteen  of his assistant coaches progressed to head and assistant college coaching positions, as his infectious passion for the game influenced others to pursue college coaching careers. 

Gettler will oversee the coaching development, curriculum design, and player development within Grove United. He will work with the technical staff to refine training methods and will work with Grove United players to make a direct impact in players’ progress.  

“We are dedicated to providing the top elite environment for aspiring players. Gettler’s expertise in mentoring coaches to the next level will push our coaching staff to new heights and therefore elevate the development environment for the players,” said Grove.

Bringing someone with Jeff Gettler’s pedigree into the program further highlights Grove United’s commitment to providing the best training and playing environment for its players. 

GROVE UNITED STANDOUTS TRAIN WITH PRO FRENCH CLUB

Lucas Spiegel and Onesime Muepu traveled to Paris, France for a 2 week European Tour. The 2 players trained with Professional French Club Red Star FC, a pro club at the top of the French 3rd division who are on track to move up to Ligue 2 next year. The Parisien Club is the fourth oldest club in the country, celebrating over 100 years playing in Ligue 1, 2 and the 3rd division. 

The 2 Grove United players were selected based on their performances over the 2023 season in the NPSL, UPSL, and USL Academy. 

At only 16 years old,  Richmond homegrown talent Lucas Spiegel was a regular in the Grove United first team, starting in the center-midfield role alongside top college players and contributing significantly as a link player between the lines. 

Onesime Muepe, former U17 national team player with Democratic Republic of Congo, was Grove United’s playmaker and top goal scorer this year with 19 goals across all competitions. His balance, vision, speed, and ability to threaten opposition defenses relentlessly were a driving force behind the teams’ success.

Lucas and Onesime experienced a highly demanding training environment, and the speed of play, technical standard, and physical demands were of the highest degree. Their ability to quickly adapt and excel showed their readiness for the challenge. 

“It was a next-level environment. The technical quality, speed of play, and intensity is what you would expect from a top European environment. Our players had to quickly adapt. They grew throughout the training period and not only adapted, but showed well and impressed. The boys’ ability to make adjustments and impress is a testament to their playing level and intelligence and to the work that they have put in throughout this year at Grove United,” said president and technical director Justin Grove.

"The high technical and physical training level of Grove United sessions prepared us to directly adapt to Red Star training," said Onesime Muepu.

The language barrier also added another component for Lucas to adjust to. “The training was difficult for me because all of the coaches and players were speaking in another language. Many of the activities we do at Grove United are similar to what I saw training in France so that made it easier to follow directions even without knowing French,” said Lucas Spiegel. 

One of the main objectives at Grove United is to provide top players with the opportunity to showcase their ability, both domestically and abroad. This was an opportunity to not only grow from the soccer experience, but also an opportunity to be evaluated by the Red Star FC staff. 

“We received invaluable feedback from the coaches on both players. This feedback will also help Grove United staff to pinpoint areas to improve the player development model and enable us to continue to push players to new heights,” stated Grove.

The trip also focused on expanding the players' cultural and football perspective. In their downtime, the players enjoyed tourist attractions and cultural excursions, visiting Paris’ main sites. They took a trip up the Eiffel Tower and visited the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysee, The Louvre, and The Sacre Coeur.

“Although the soccer experience was the main objective, it is important for players to grow as individuals, to experience new things, and to see other potential pathways abroad, and we have started to implement these possibilities,” said Grove.

Observing live competitive matches at all levels of French soccer gave the players a broad perspective of the level of French football and of their playing style in general. PSG vs Monaco at the Parc des Princes was a trip highlight, with 7 goals in the match and key performances from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembele, and a Monaco goal from American striker Folarin Balogun.

The players also visited the PSG Training Center to watch the PSG U17s play Paris FC (Ligue 2) U17s. The technical quality and composure of the top young players in the country was impressive. 

“The players in France have really good technical ability and have very encouraging attitudes. I liked watching the French style of play and how much they enjoyed keeping the ball,” said Spiegel. 

The trip closed out with the exciting Red Star FC match vs Nimes. “Allez les Red Star!” could be heard throughout the stadium as a sold-out home crowd cheered Red Star FC to a 2-0 victory. 

Grove United will use the feedback from the experience to identify areas to focus on to better mimic the high-level French environment. Grove United will continue to offer these experiences to players that are ready for this level and continue to push players into challenging environments, as well as enhancing opportunities to showcase and grow as individuals within the team construct.