Rush has added ID Sports to the international landscape, a Brazilian-based company dedicated to providing international exchange opportunities for academic and sports education based on the individual athlete. ID Sports strives for excellence and innovation in the area of sport and academic exchange by fulfilling a dream, along with education and real life skills.
Rush Director of International Affairs Tiago Calvano expanded upon the process of ID Sports,
“They have a soccer academy with 42 athletes training 3 times a week. They play one friendly game every month. ID sports organizes showcases and this gives the opportunity to the athletes to show their skills to college coaches.”
Calvano continued, “ID Sports also provides English courses to the athletes. They have already placed 30+ athletes in America in 15+ colleges and high schools.”
ID Sports uses the idea of selectives, or evaluations, that help place young players between the ages of 15 and 22 in American educational systems.
The creation of Rush ID was born from a conversation between Rush CEO Tim Schulz and Calvano. After expressing an interest in bringing Brazilian players to colleges and high schools in America, Calvano used childhood connections to ID Sports CEO Pedro Henrique Marinho to begin talks with the company.
“Our expectations are to make this partnership very strong and give more of the best opportunities to our athletes. We want to grow together not only in numbers, but the most important thing for us is the quality,” Calvano said.
ID Sports has placed players in high schools such as Battle Ground High School in Portland, Oregon, and universities including University of Sciences and Arts of Oklahoma.
Calvano continued, “This partnership with ID Sports gives Rush the opportunity to have Brazilian athletes play under the Rush umbrella. Rush will have access to the best players, and when we start to bring those players to American colleges, people will see the difference because we believe The Rush way combined with the Brazilian talent will be very successful.”
The opportunity to work with companies such as ID Sports that use the avenues of education and sport within the United States is an exciting addition for Rush Soccer and furthers the continued vision of expansion across the globe.