A lot of people ask, "Who can join the Academy?" There’s an inaccurate belief that the Academy program is for super stars, for players who are at the top in the Recreational league, and that’s simply not true. Yes, the Academy does have a lot of talented players who join, and the club certainly believes that the Academy is a good place for these kinds of players, but the Academy is not just for top, soccer players.

This doesn’t, however, mean that there aren’t requirements for joining the Academy; there are. Two of them to be precise. First, your son or daughter has to meet our age requirement. The Academy program is for players between the ages of 9 and 12. If your child is older than this, she or he won’t be eligible. In some instances if your child is younger than the minimum age requirement, she or he might be accepted into the Academy if the club feels like it would be appropriate. For more information on joining early speak with David Seevers, the Academy Director.

Secondly, your child needs to have the desire to become a better soccer player. If your child is simply interested in soccer because of friends or because you as a parent want them to be, then your child isn’t going to enjoy being a part of the Academy. The Academy is for players who are serious about becoming better. It is a program for players who enjoy soccer, want to get better, and want to pursue soccer as perhaps a long-term sport of choice. Players who want to go on to play competitive or high school soccer will find the Academy to be a rewarding place to be because in the Academy they will learn the skills needed to take the next step and participate on those competitive and high school teams.