King School is excited to announce an expanded partnership with Coach Jhonny Arteaga and his JA Elite Soccer Academy. 

After serving as a special assistant and technical consultant for the Varsity Boys Soccer team this past fall, Coach Arteaga will now become Technical Director for King Soccer. In this role, he will work closely with all of King’s boys and girls soccer athletes and coaches, providing technical and tactical support, strategic guidance, and mentoring. Coach Arteaga’s background, knowledge, and playing experience will help enhance the experience for all current and aspiring players.

A Stamford native, Arteaga excelled on the field for Westhill High School before competing at the NCAA Division II level, where he earned conference player of the year, All-Region and All-American honors. 

During his professional career, he played for several organizations around the world, eventually making the roster for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer (MLS). Off the pitch, Coach Arteaga founded JA Elite Soccer to grow the game he loves and provide players of all ages with elite training and educational opportunities. He has since attained several U.S. Federation National licenses and was an assistant coach for NCAA Division I Iona College Men’s Soccer. 

Along with Coach Arteaga’s elevated role with the Vikings, JA Elite’s partnership with King will expand to include the program’s first-ever soccer clubs. The JA Elite Soccer Club teams, hosted by King, will be offered for boys and girls ages U15-U18.

“I am very excited to continue to grow my relationship with the King Community,” Arteaga said. “My goal is to help high school players develop the technical portion of their soccer game, which they may not have been exposed to before.”

JA Elite FC will compete after the 2023 fall soccer season, spanning over seven months from late November to mid-June, allowing club players the ability to play for their respective high school programs during the fall seasons. The club teams will provide unique opportunities for student-athletes, as JA Elite FC plans to compete at college showcases and regional tournaments to highlight their players in front of a wider and more competitive audience.

JA Elite has built a strong reputation in the local landscape by staying true to its principles and values and consistently emphasizing the importance of player development. The program has prepared players to move on to higher levels of play, including MLS clubs, MLS Next clubs, International Academy programs, collegiate programs, and professional clubs. Arteaga and his staff believe that adding the premier club branch at King will continue to grow the local and regional youth soccer landscape while making a positive impact on the lives of Vikings student-athletes as well.

JA Elite FC will hold tryouts at King on Tuesday, April 18, and Tuesday, April 25, for boys 15U-18U players and Thursday, April 20, and Thursday, April 27, for girls 15U-18U players. Tryouts will run from 6:15-7:45 p.m. and are open to local and regional players as well as all King Upper School students. 

Please visit JA Elite FC for more information.