Sarasota Paradise's youth soccer academy opened its inaugural season Aug. 17 at Premier Sports Campus, the latest sign that the USL League One club is building a permanent footprint in Lakewood Ranch.
The club announced Aug. 18 three developments: the 2026-27 Pathway to Pro Academy season kicked off, the academy held its first-ever Signing Day celebration, and the organization has begun searching for a new president to lead day-to-day operations.
Hundreds of players and families gathered at Premier Sports Campus for the Signing Day event, which concluded with five local teenagers taking the field alongside the professional squad in a midseason friendly against USL League One rival Portland Hearts of Pine.
Five teens took the field.
The academy fields teams from U8 through U19. Younger squads (U8-U12) will compete in the West Florida Premier League, while U13-U19 teams earned acceptance into National 1, a new elite platform that the club said July 20 represents the highest competitive placements available for a first-year program. National 1 sits above the West Florida Premier League within the Florida Club Leagues structure.
"This isn't a short-term project," junior academy director Ross Hopkins said when the league placements were announced July 20. "We're building something that we believe will define youth player development in our region for years to come."
Technical director and head coach Mika Elovaara said July 20 that Sarasota Paradise is "the first professional club on the west coast of Florida with a full pathway from U8 to pro." Several professional players will serve as assistant coaches in the academy to connect the youth and senior programs.
The club's summer youth camps at Premier Sports Campus drew 140 campers ages 5 to 13 across three weeks in June and July, according to Your Observer.
Nine rookies have already made professional debuts during the club's inaugural USL League One season, which opened March 7 before a record crowd of 2,791 at Premier Sports Campus, according to Bradenton Magazine. The professional team beat FC Naples 2-0 in the USL Cup with five players born in 2005 or later on the field.
Meanwhile, the club is looking for its next president. Vice President of Soccer Operations Raymond Smetanick will oversee operations during the transition. Principal team owner Marco Assis said the club plans to share more details on the search timeline in the coming months.
"We wanted to build an organization that people in the community could truly call their own," Assis said in the Aug. 18 announcement.
Founded by Swedish entrepreneur Marcus Walfridson, Sarasota Paradise began play in 2023 and transitioned to the professional ranks this year. The club also designated Aug. 19 as Sarasota Paradise Day, unveiling personalized limited-edition "941 Jerseys" for season ticket members.
The professional team hosted Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on Aug. 19 at Premier Sports Campus and is pushing for a USL League One playoff spot. A rescheduled home match against FC Naples is set for Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
