What is the Academy Program?

Academy programs have emerged as a 21st century alternative to the frustrating shortfalls in soccer development displayed by most pre-teens. This void is heavily influenced by coaching quality and the pressures to win at critical periods in the development process.
Academy programs seek to improve individual player development, satisfaction and retention, and to build a less pressured youth soccer environment for coaches, adult spectators, and match officials.

 Academy Approach for Youth Soccer is Supported by:United States Soccer Federations and US Youth Soccer

                                                              Why we need the Academy Program?

                                                                    Removing the Pressure to Win

“Too often in this country, youth coaches sacrifice learning skills for winning games…. – US Women’s National team Member, Mia Hamm
No scores, results or standings will be kept for the academy program. The focus is on individual development and enjoyment free from standings and the pressure of results.

Academy Program (U-9 through U-12)
The Golden Age of Player Development

This is the “Golden Age” of player development, the stage of technical foundation and the dawn of tactics. Our Academy Program is for children aged U-9 through U-12.

Philosophy: Our Academy Program philosophy is to emphasize player development over team development and focus on the technical development of each child without the pressure of short term wins/losses/result.

“True player development focuses on the development of the player, not the development of the team! Up to age 12 this should be the only criteria used in designing and running youth soccer programs.”
– Ron Quinn, leading contributor US Youth Soccer Programming

More than 73% of all kids who play organized, youth sports end up quitting by the time they reach the age of 13. (Time Magazine, July 12, 1999) The Major two reasons children give up sports:
1) It’s no longer fun.
2) It’s too competitive/too much pressure.

“The emphasis on winning is a detriment to young players because it prevents us from developing technically proficient players. And we are not giving them the ability to make decisions. We want competition. There will always be competition, and it’s not bad. The bad part is the emphasis on winning.”
– John Hackworth, US U-17 National Team Coach

“Worrying too much about winning and losing gets in the way of development. There area always shortcuts you can find to win the next game. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be winning five, six years from now. The kids all try to win anyhow, so I don’t think we need to add to this. No kid ever steps on the field and says, ‘Today I’m going to lose.’ They’re naturally competitive. We should be concerned about the players performance, not the final score.”
– Manfred Schellscheidt, Head of US Soccer’s U-14 Program

The Academy Program has the following principles:

• It is the foundation of the select program.
• It focuses on age-appropriate training.
• It demands that all players on the field – regardless of their specified position – participate in defending and attacking.
• FCSR coaching staff oversee all aspects of training and games.

Components of the Game

     Technique (Definition: The Skills of the Game; dribbling, kicking, heading,
etc.)
Most important at the younger age groups because it is the introduction of the player to the ball.
Activities must be FUN and game-like and learning takes place through self-discovery.
     Psychology
The development of a positive attitude about all aspects of the game and his/her ability to
accomplish desired goals relative to his/her effort.
     Tactics (Definition: Player Decisions)
At the younger age groups the emphasis is not placed upon teaching tactics due to the lack of
technical ability of players and also to their psychological development.
Decision-making is to be observed by the coach - not stopping to analyze, describe, or dissect. All of
this can lead to bored young players.
     Fitness
Appropriately organized technique enhancing activities and small sided games will provide players at
this level with the necessary physical requirements to meet the necessary physical demands of their
game.