Phoenix Rising FC continues to demonstrate the strength of its player development pathway, as two of the club’s rising talents, Anthony Capetillo and Jaethan Irwin, take important steps in their professional journeys with the first team.
Capetillo returns for his second season on a USL Academy contract, continuing his development within the Phoenix Rising professional environment. The 16-year-old midfielder recently earned his first professional start for Phoenix Rising FC against San Antonio FC on opening weekend, marking another milestone in his young career.
Capetillo has already gained valuable experience with the professional side, having previously appeared in matches with the team and spending time training with the group during preseason. His continued integration with the first team reflects both his progress and the club’s commitment to developing players from within.
Alongside him, Jaethan Irwin made history.
At just 15 years old, Irwin made his first professional appearance for Phoenix Rising FC, becoming the youngest player in club history to appear in a professional match. His debut also marked a national milestone, as he became the first player born in 2011 in the United States to make a professional appearance.
Irwin’s moment was nearly a decade in the making. Having spent close to ten years within the Phoenix Rising FC system, he has grown up inside the club’s development pathway, embodying the culture and identity that the club strives to build in its players from an early age.
Through its Pathway to Pro, Phoenix Rising FC provides elite young players with the opportunity to train and compete within a professional environment, something no other club in Arizona can offer.
For Phoenix Rising FC Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah, seeing players who have grown within the club reach the professional stage is an important part of building the club’s identity.
“I think it’s important, because as a club it is very important that you have people that have grown with the club,” Kah said. “When you talk about culture and the DNA that is embedded in them, they become the next ones to carry that forward.”
Kah emphasized the importance of homegrown players in strengthening the connection between the club and its community.
“People will always come and move through clubs, but it’s always important to have a foundation and to have players that are sometimes born here or are from here. I think that’s important for the community and for the fans to have players they can feel connected to.”
As young players like Capetillo and Irwin step onto the professional stage, the responsibility of guiding their development remains central to the club’s mission.
“These players are on a stage where it is our duty as coaches to help guide them — not only with values, but also through connection with the families and building trust with them,” Kah said. “It just shows their growth, and it’s something that we are very proud of as a club to be able to provide these opportunities.”
With both players continuing to grow within the professional environment, Phoenix Rising FC’s pathway from youth soccer to the professional game continues to showcase what is possible for players developing within the club.
