ALBION SC Hawaii is proud of former student-athlete Jacob Grossmann. Grossmann, who is currently playing with the MLS Houston Dynamo Academy, was the recent recipient of the Brian Ching Golden Golden Boot Award, given to its top goal scorer. 

Grossmann began his Hawaii youth soccer journey on the Garden Isle of Kauai playing for the local club Keahi SC. At the young age of 8, Jacob was scouted by ALBION SC Hawaii Technical Director Brent Nunes while attending one of his camps on Kauai. After a few years of attending Nunes’ camps, Jacob and his father decided to move to Maui to continue his Maui youth soccer journey. During his time on Maui, Jacob committed himself to the ALBION Hawaii soccer training methods and took his game to new levels, developing into one of the country’s top young prospects. Success also followed Jacob and his teammates on the ALBION Hawaii 2005 boys team. In 2019, they won the Hawaii Youth Soccer State Cup, which qualified them for the Far West Regionals National Tournament in Boise, Idaho, and the Surf Cup in San Diego, California.

Nunes’ soccer coaching and leadership mindset, coupled with the ALBION player pathway and his deep soccer relationships, helped secure Grossmann an opportunity with Paul Holocher, the MLS Houston Dynamo Technical Director. “Jacob and his dad came up to me one day after training here on Maui and shared their goals and vision to move to the mainland to join an MLS youth academy if he had the chance so that Jacob could continue to chase his dream of playing professional soccer,” said, Nunes.  Holocher, who had previously scouted Grossmann back in Hawaii, saw the young athletes continued growth and offered him a spot on the MLS Academy team. Once in Houston, Grossmann hit the ground running, scoring 14 goals in 14 games in his first season. The performance on the field helped Grossmann win the Brian Ching Award. 

Jacob knows just how outstanding this award is to a Hawaii born athlete. “To win an award named after Ching, a two-time MLS Cup winner for the Houston Dynamo franchise and former U.S. National Team member, is something I could have only dreamed of and why I work so hard and make so many sacrifices,” Grossmann shared. 

Nunes is no stranger to identifying top talent in the Hawaii youth soccer scene. Over the last five years, he has provided players opportunities with the L.A. Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, San Jose Earthquakes, and Houston Dynamo allowing his player’s a path towards becoming professional players. “Hawaii has great youth soccer players. Our staff here is constantly working hard and focus on pure youth soccer development. I am so proud of all staff and the effort they put in every day. Together with a common goal and clear vision, we can keep providing a pathway for all aspiring Hawaii youth soccer players,” Nunes stated.

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