USA Today: How Fox Soccer Academy Is Inspiring a Generation and Expanding Global Access to the Game Through Purpose and Partnership
- Fox Soccer Academy USA
- Oct 13
- 3 min read
Lyssanoel Frater Contributor of USA Today
When Christian Fuchs hung up his Premier League jersey and stepped into coaching, he didn’t slow down; he reimagined the game from the ground up. Together with his wife, Raluca Gold-Fuchs, the couple founded Fox Soccer Academy (FSA) to change how young players experience football. What began as a solution to limited youth training options in the U.S. has evolved into a dynamic business with global reach and a purpose far beyond the pitch.
“We have always believed football should be accessible to every child,” says Christian, now a coach with Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer. “That means developing not only great athletes but great individuals.
From its first sessions in New York to academies now spanning the United States, the United Kingdom, and Austria, FSA has become a bridge between continents. Its programs merge European-level coaching with American ambition, creating pathways for players who aspire to go further. “We are teaching technique, discipline, values, and teamwork, the foundations that last long after the final whistle,” adds Raluca.
At the center of this mission is a global opportunity pipeline. Through its international program, players from the U.S. can travel to the U.K. to live, train, and compete in an elite football environment for up to a month. “We inspire students to immerse themselves in the sport’s culture and return home transformed, confident, skilled, and motivated.” Raluca explains, “Our academy is open not just to FSA students but to anyone ready to learn and play at that level.”
That international link is paired with a local anchor: Hudson Sports Complex in Orange County, New York. Once a 1930s-era facility, the Fuchs family has spent years transforming it into a vibrant community destination. Today, it houses multiple fields, training areas, and plans for expansion, including dormitories and a hotel for summer sports camps.
“When we first saw the property, we saw potential,” says Raluca. “It’s one hour from New York City, surrounded by nature, and it gives us the space to grow both FSA and youth development programs for the community.”
Their vision is to create a fully integrated sports and training hub where young athletes from around the world can connect through sport. “We have built everything so far on our own,” Christian explains. “But to bring it to its full potential, we are looking for partners who share our vision for growth and opportunity.”
That sense of purpose also fuels the Foxes Sports Foundation, FSA’s nonprofit arm. The foundation provides scholarships to underprivileged players, ensuring that talent, not finances, determines opportunity. “We don’t want to turn away a player just because they can’t afford the fees,” says Raluca. “When we give a scholarship, it changes more than one life; it uplifts entire families.”
Through sponsorships and private support, the foundation continues to fund equipment, training, and travel for deserving young athletes. While many of FSA’s sponsors are global brands, the Fuchs prefer to highlight the mission itself over the logos behind it. “Our sponsors are incredible, but what really matters is how those partnerships translate into opportunities for kids,” says Christian.
The couple’s philosophy extends to how FSA expands. Rather than rapid franchising, they focus on quality partnerships and aligned growth, opening new academies only with trusted collaborators. “We get offers all the time,” says Raluca, “but we only say yes when we truly believe the partner shares our standards and our values. It’s not about growing fast, it’s about growing right.”
As the U.S. prepares to host the next World Cup in 2026, the timing couldn’t be better for a program like FSA. The sport’s visibility is at an all-time high, and Christian believes that inspiration will spark action. “The World Cup will light a fire under so many young players,” he says. “We want them to know there’s a place they can turn to, where passion meets opportunity.”
For the Fuchs family, Fox Soccer Academy is a legacy of empowerment. From local to international, kids chasing their dreams, FSA stands for what’s possible when purpose drives performance. As Christian says, “Football gave us everything. Now it’s our turn to give something back.”
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