Chester – Back in February, a few members of the Union Academy and Union II participated in the CONCACAF Men’s U-17 Qualifiers as part of the United States Youth National Team, which secured a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, set for November 2025. We covered this in an article by Jillian, detailing the matches and their performances throughout the competition.

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with three players from that squad—Kellen LeBlanc, Jordan Griffin, and Jamir Johnson—about their experiences and memories from the qualifiers after a training session at WSFS Bank Sportsplex.

“Our team’s goal was to qualify for the World Cup, and winning all three games was really good for us,” said LeBlanc. “So I thought it was very good for the team and for me. Making my international debut was a proud moment.”

“Definitely a great experience to play against some foreign teams and see different styles of play,” Griffin chimed in. “Qualifying for the World Cup is a really big moment for us.”

U-17 Men’s National Team head coach Gonzalo Segares’ squad certainly impressed in the competition, scoring 31 goals across three matches while not allowing a single goal. I asked the players about their experiences being coached by Segares.

“He’s a really good coach. He encourages all of us, pushes me to take risks, and be brave. He believes in us,” Johnson said. “The only thing he asked from us was our best.”

“He was a really good coach for us, for the group, and for me,” added LeBlanc. “Being a new player in the group, he really welcomed me and put trust in me. He played me in those games, and I think he was a great coach for the team.”

One of the highlights of the competition was the United States’ 22-0 victory over the U.S. Virgin Islands, where all three players contributed in some way. Johnson recorded a goal and an assist, LeBlanc scored, and Griffin tallied an assist.

“I wouldn’t say it was hard to keep the intensity,” said Griffin. “When you have all that quality on the field at the same time, it’s really easy to keep going and pushing. Yeah, it was a crazy match.”

With the qualifiers now over, I shifted the conversation to MLS Next Pro, as the players were preparing for the upcoming season.

In 2024, LeBlanc saw the most playing time of the trio, featuring in 12 matches and scoring two goals in 363 minutes. Johnson logged 231 minutes, while Griffin spent the season with the Academy.

However, with new head coach Ryan Richter at the helm, I wanted to get their thoughts on him and training with the second team.

“He was our coach back when we were U-12,” said LeBlanc. “He coached me and Griffin, and then all three of us at U-15. So we know him pretty well. He’s a really intense coach and pushes the standards, which is great.”

Griffin agreed. “He just wants us to express ourselves. Even though we’re young, he still wants us to go out there and play the way we know how.”

Speaking of LeBlanc, as Jillian recently covered, he signed his first professional contract—an MLS Next Pro contract with Union II—ahead of the season.

I was curious about the decision-making process for the young player.

“I’ve been here since I was 10 years old, so it’s obviously a proud moment. I’m happy to sign my professional contract here,” LeBlanc said. “I made my second-team debut last year, and I felt like I earned it. I proved myself, and this is just the next step. It’s a starting piece for me, but I know it’s just the beginning. I’m glad to start my journey with this club.”

And as for any words of wisdom from his father, former Union II head coach Marlon LeBlanc?

“Not yet,” he said. “They’re always so supportive—watching games, my parents, my sister, always there supporting me. And my dad, the coach last year, has been giving me feedback since I was a little kid. So yeah, they’ve been a great support system for me.”

With the MLS Next Pro and MLS Next seasons now underway, it will be interesting to see how these players develop throughout the season and whether all three sign professional contracts in the near future. One thing is for sure—they’re off to a great start in 2025.

Main Photo Credit CONCACAF