Sapling Snapshot will look at the Timbers Academy, Pre-Academy and Alliance Clubs. The snapshots will feature individual athletes, some of the athletes could become Home Grown Players.

The class of 2014 features five members of the Portland Timbers Pre-Academy ranked in the Pacific Northwest and nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.com.

If you want a class to lift your spirits from the first team's struggles, THIS IS IT!

Three members of the Timbers' Pre-Academy '96 boys team and one '95 team member are rated, while the top player in the class is a member of the United State's residency program in Bradenton, Fla.

Rubio Rubin
The most high profile player in the Timbers (Pre) Academy set-up, is Timbers Army-supported athlete Rubio Rubin. A native of Beaverton, Rubin - a former member of Westside Timbers - is a member of the United State's U-17 national team set-up. Currently a member of the Bradenton Residency Program, Rubin scored a beauty of a goal against Brazil in one of his first appearances with the United States. (I think he might enjoy celebrating a goal in-front of the Timbers Army)

Rubin, is with little surprise the No. 1 player in the Pacific Northwest and is rated as the No. 2 player in the nation. Rubin is rated No. 2 behind, Junior Flores, a player MLS has been courting for a Generation Adidas contract, but has already signed a profesional contract overseas which will come to fruition when he turns 18 (Flores has also already signed a two-year deal with Nike). Needless to say, Rubin is pretty good.

Alex Segovia
Also a Timbers Army-supported athlete, Segovia is a member of Westside Timbers. Another Beaverton-native, Segovia was invited to tryout for the US Residency Program in Bradenton. Seen as a "natural scorer", Segovia has participated in the United States set-up at the U-14 and U-15 levels. Segovia is rated No. 2 in the Pacific Northwest and No. 30 in the nation. Segovia is an invitee to tryout for the Portland Timbers U-16 Academy Team

Rolando Velazquez
A third member of Westside Timbers, Velazquez once tried out for the United States' U-17 squad in Guadalajara Mexico at the age of 14. With seemingly no lack of ambition, Velazquez is the No. 3 player in the Pacific Northwest and the No. 38 player in the United States. Velazquez is an invitee to tryout for the Portland Timbers U-16 Academy Team

Ian Coleman
Another Beaverton kid, Coleman is a member of the Timbers '96 Pre-Academy Team. An Oswego Southside Soccer Academy product, Coleman has had a run with the U.S. U-14's. The left back has already been featured in a video for Nike Soccer. Coleman is rated as the No. 8 player in the Pacific Northwest and No. 141 in the country.

Anthony Macchione
Having already played for the Portland Timbers' reserve team at home and on the road, Vancouver Timbers' Macchione is certainly viewed as an important player in the Timbers academy set-up. Anthony's father is a former Timbers forward. The younger Macchione is rated No. 9 in the Pacific Northwest and No. 150 in the United States. Macchione is an invitee to tryout for the Portland Timbers U-18 Academy Team