As we sit two years out from FIFA World Cup 2026, anticipations are running high and interest in soccer has soared at an incredible rate. For those unfamiliar, the World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport and the U.S. will be cohosting its upcoming edition with Canada and Mexico. Taking place every four years, the World Cup sets the stage for the best teams across the world to compete for the crown as the greatest footballing (soccer) nation in the world. In 2022, fans watched in amazement as Lionel Messi pushed Argentina to win its first World Cup since Diego Maradona accomplished the same in 1986. Arguably one of the greatest players in the world, Messi plays for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF.
Major League Soccer (MLS) is the top division for soccer in the United States. It’s been 28 years since the league’s first match and they’ve made tremendous headway since its humble beginnings. The league has no problems with revenue as in years past, they recently secured a huge media rights deal with Apple through MLS Season Pass, and they’ve recently attracted the signatures of global stars like Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Luis Suarez (Inter Miami), and Hugo Lloris (LAFC). But with so much being done in such little time, some areas could use improvement. The youth setup in this country is an absolute mess and it’s even worse when there are financial barriers in place. The league recently established MLS GO, which is a recreational youth soccer program aimed at serving children across the country. But truth be told, owning every tier of growth (MLS GO, MLS NEXT, MLS Next PRO, MLS) won’t rectify the glaring issue of underserved communities across the country getting access to proper training and development. With that in mind, there’s an academy that’s well aware of the problem and aims to be the solution.
MarksMen Soccer Academy was started in 2022 by Coach Mark (Mark Brown) and Coach Larry (Larry Mark) as a way to give back to the community and pour into local children the knowledge and experience they’ve attained over the last 20 years.
A lot of the same skills we put in our high school kids, we’re putting in our little kids.”
Coach Mark
According to the 2023 U.S. Census, Prince George’s County, Maryland was measured at 64.1% African American. Being homegrown players themselves, the pair knows firsthand, the importance of representation and how it plays a crucial part in the development of children.
“The goal is to help out the kids and give them a safe space to play in Prince George’s County,” Coach Mark said with pride. “There’s never been a really safe space for African Americans to just learn.” Mark grew up in Prince George’s County and played eight years for Freestate Soccer United. While starring at Bowie High School he also played in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) for the state of Maryland. He was a JUCO All-American and National Player of the Year at Howard Community College before suffering a career-ending back injury. After concluding his career as a player, he found tremendous success in coaching. Together with Coach Larry, they share head coaching responsibilities at Bishop McNamara High School where they’ve earned Coach of the Year honors.
Even beyond their success, after attending two of their training sessions, you can see the kids love being challenged technically and having fun while doing so. “The goal is to give these kids the opportunity to get to the next level, whatever that may be,” said Coach Larry. “We want to give them the proper opportunity and resources that my generation didn’t get.” Like Mark, Larry played his childhood ball locally and would eventually achieve Prince George’s County Player of the Year and Washington Post All-Metro First Team honors while playing at Dematha High School. His star continued to rise as his talents took him to both Rutgers and American Universities and kicked off a professional career with Crystal Palace USA. Beyond his passion for coaching alongside Coach Mark at McNamara, Coach Larry leads technical and personal fitness programs across Prince George’s County.
In less than two years, the MarksMen have made incredible headway. True to their word, they operate throughout Prince George’s County and serve children of all ages, but they’re not just working as a youth organization. At their previous club, they coached minority kids to a #1 ranking in the country after winning the Dallas Cup. Between making their mark at one of the top national tournaments and excelling at McNamara, 80% of their players received partial scholarships or full rides through college. Under their tutelage, even a select few have excelled past the college ranks and currently play professionally in Europe. What’s being done with this local club is incredible and it’s only the beginning. Ultimately, their goal is to expand all across the county and afford these same possibilities to all children.
As the game of soccer continues to grow in this country, undeserved communities must get the same investment and opportunities as others. Your zip code determines a lot when it comes to youth soccer — not just what may be accessible where you live, but the likelihood of high-performance players getting poached by suburban clubs.
“There are players like myself that kinda got to the next level but could’ve gone a lot further if the proper instruction was available,” said Coach Larry. “A lot of the older Black coaches in this area opted to go to Virginia instead of build solid programs around here. So a lot of us that needed that guidance and instruction weren’t getting it.”
The pair continued to explain the dire need for a tiered structure. “There’s never been a program or programs that allow Black kids (to develop) from the beginning until the end, for their talents to be showcased. A lot of people I know will start in the small Black programs in the beginning but then a big machine (like MLS NEXT) will come in and take over.”
Offering training from as young as two years old, they accommodate girls and boys, have travel teams, and private coaching. The dedicated men and women of the MarksMen Soccer Academy consist of Coach Steven (Steven Muehlstedt), Coach Anissa (Anissa Mose), and Coach Sampson (Ivan Sampson).
If you’re interested in supporting their efforts or looking for more information, visit the MarksMen website.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Used with permission by Coaches Mark Brown and Larry Mark