Rayados Arizona players and coaches have been practicing at Copper Sky. Photo by Raquel Hendrickson

A soccer academy for athletes for age 5 to 19 has had the young players going through their paces at Copper Sky Regional Park.

Rayados Arizona is an official school of Rayados de Monterrey (named for their vertically striped uniforms), a professional soccer club in Mexico. The club also has schools in Texas, Utah, Sonora and elsewhere. Some of the young footballers who play for Rayados Arizona have a chance to play in tournaments throughout the West and in Mexico.

Players are bilingual.

Coach Hugo Virgen said the international soccer academy also sets up player for a chance to play at the college level.

In May they participated in the college showcase Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup in California. This week, some of the young players are part of the annual Copa Rayados at Universidad de Monterrey.

Call 520-360-1135 or visit RayadosArizona.com or find them on Facebook.