How Rising has worked with its academy to provide opportunities for its up-and-coming players
Written by Zoë Lam
For young soccer players in Arizona, the pathway to the professional game at Phoenix Rising is stronger and more viable than ever.
Last season, eight Rising Academy signed USL Academy contracts with many more youth players earning opportunities to train alongside the First Team. This year, that number has further grown – with the club doubling down on developing talent from within and a head coach in Pa-Modou Kah willing to give minutes to players who earn their spot, regardless of age.
“It gives us great pride to have these players signed and help them further develop their careers as human beings and as football players,” Kah said. “It’s very important that you have people that have grown with the club because when you talk about the culture and the DNA, it’s already embedded in them.”
As a member of the First Team who trains with the club’s academy players daily, forward Gunnar Studenhofft sees first hand the quality of player who steps onto the training pitch at 38th & Washington.
“We’re challenging our academy guys to get minutes playing with us,” Studenhofft said. “It gives me a good leadership role helping them grow as young players. They are all very talented.”
He added that the process is about mentorship just as much as competition.
“It’s about giving them the right information and the right input in a constructive way,” Studenhofft said. “These kids are willing to listen and they’re growing. You can tell (Kah) has a lot of trust in them.”
When asked about the club’s development pipeline, Kah pointed back to last season, his first as the club’s head coach, as proof academy players are ready to contribute to First Team results.
Several stepped into meaningful moments during the 2025 season. Defender Braxton Montgomery made 16 appearances (13 starts), playing over 1,000 minutes before making the move to Rutgers University to play college soccer. Defender Pierce Rizzo picked up some of his first starts weeks later and finished the season with a pair of goals.
This season, forward Anthony Capetillo became the second-youngest starter in club history, while midfielder Jaethan Irwin made his debut off the bench. From midfielder Alexander Balanzar de la Cruz to defender Ezaiah Ramirez and goalkeeper Tristan Shaw, some of the club’s youngest players are proving that opportunities at Rising are earned through performance rather than age.
“It’s not about your title – academy or senior player,” Kah said. “It’s what you show us daily. If something happens, I know our academy players are ready to step in.”
That philosophy aligns with the broader mission of the USL Championship, a league that has increasingly become a proving ground for young players looking to launch their professional careers. Unlike some leagues around the world in which academy prospects struggle to break into senior squads, the USL system often provides meaningful minutes and professional environments for emerging talent.
For Rising’s young players, that environment means adjusting quickly. Training alongside experienced professionals raises the level of expectation.
“In football you have hierarchies,” Kah said. “But when older players take you in, that’s a sign you’re doing something well.”
Veterans have embraced that role, helping guide academy players through the transition from youth soccer to the professional game.
“What I like about our experienced players is how they’re taking the youth under their wing,” Kah said. “But also the youth are showing maturity. They understand they’re not at the academy level anymore.”
Still, the club sees development as an ongoing process. Each academy player is on a different timeline, and patience remains part of the philosophy.
For Rising, developing academy players is not only about building the future of the roster – it’s about strengthening the connection between the club and the Valley. Some players may eventually reach the professional level, while others may continue their careers in college, but every opportunity must be earned through performance, commitment and professionalism.
“You’ve got to enjoy it,” Kah said. “It doesn’t matter who is next to you. You’re here because you have the quality. Our job as coaches is to provide those opportunities.”
