D.C. United legend Jaime Moreno hung up his boots after last season, but he will continue to be affiliated with his longtime club this summer as the head coach of United's new U-23 team. D.C. United announced today that the new squad, drawn from a pool of 28 players, would begin play on May 24.
This U-23 side should not be confused with United's MLS Reserve team, which resumed play this season after a two-year hiatus in 2009 and 2010, but it will play matches against both MLS Reserve sides and select United Soccer League (USL) Premier Development organizations throughout the summer.
"We are excited to launch a U-23 team to help bridge the gap between our Youth Academy and first team," United General Manager Dave Kasper said in a statement. United's Academy currently features U-14, U-15, U-16, and U-18 teams.
Moreno, who has previously expressed his desire to coach soccer either in the United States or his native Bolivia, is D.C. United's all-time leading goal-scorer with 133 MLS goals in his 14 seasons with United. "This is exciting and new for me," Moreno said in a statement. "I'm going to encourage our kids to get better every day, and I'm looking forward to the coaching experience.