From South Philly to the highest levels of the game.

Darius Madison grew up in South Philadelphia, where basketball and baseball were the sports most kids played. He played them, too, but soccer was different. It was the sport he chose to pursue, and he wanted to see how far he could take it.

That ambition opened doors early in his career. After progressing through the state and regional teams, Darius was invited at age 15 to join the U.S. U‑17 National Team residency program in Florida. He left La Salle College High School midway through his sophomore year to spend two years training alongside some of the country’s top young players in preparation for the U‑17 World Cup. An injury ultimately kept him off the final roster, but the experience gave him firsthand insight into the commitment, discipline, and sacrifices required to compete at the highest level.

Following his time in Florida, Darius returned to Philadelphia, where he continued his development with the Philadelphia Union Academy while completing his high school career at La Salle. It was during this period that his relationship with soccer evolved. What began as a passion became a commitment to mastering the game and pursuing every opportunity it could offer.

At La Salle, Darius scored 20 goals as a senior, won a Philadelphia Catholic League championship, and earned All-State honors. His performances earned him the opportunity to play Division I soccer at the University of Virginia, where he made an immediate impact, earning All-ACC Freshman Team honors in 2012. That summer, he returned to the national team stage with the U.S. U‑20 National Team. In 2013, he earned Second-Team All-ACC honors and was named both ACC Player of the Week and College Soccer News National Player of the Week.

His college career reached its peak on the national stage. In 2014, Darius scored in the fifth minute of Virginia’s College Cup semifinal to help send the Cavaliers to the national championship. Virginia went on to defeat UCLA in a penalty shootout, winning the program’s seventh national title.

Following college, Darius was drafted by Toronto FC in 2016 and continued his career in professional soccer with the Kitsap Pumas, Rochester Rhinos, and North Geelong Warriors in Australia, where he was voted Fans’ Player of the Year. After two seasons in Australia and an opportunity to continue playing overseas, he chose to return home to Philadelphia to be closer to his family.

Today, Darius brings those experiences into his work as a coach, including his current roles as assistant men’s soccer coach at Ursinus College and head coach of the Ukrainian Nationals’ U8 Black team and their U15 and U17 Regional League boys’ teams, and head coach of the varsity boys’ middle school team at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. His journey has given him firsthand insight into what it takes to progress from a young player with potential to competing at the collegiate and professional levels. He understands that talent matters, but so do the habits, decisions, confidence, and countless hours of work that happen away from the spotlight.

That is why he created Philly Roots Soccer Training.

Darius wants young players to have access to the kind of individual attention and purposeful training that can help them take the next step in their development. Philly Roots is built around small-group and private sessions, personalized coaching, and honest feedback that helps players and parents understand where they are, where they want to go, and what it will take to get there.