What is the difference between an Academy team and a Club team?
The Academy team focus is, above all, player development. All programs, sessions and planning are geared towards this end. The Academy, goal is to ignite interest in players that enjoy the game and to take serious soccer players to the college game and beyond.The Academy courses run throughout the year.
Club team
Club teams focusing on winning games and moving up the Pyramid of Play. Season runs for 3 to 4 months.
Why should I join an Academy?
The academy program is set up to appeal to the elite player that is looking for a place to develop to his/her full potential as a soccer player The focus is not on winning games, but on providing players the tools they need to succeed at the next level
Academy Program
The program is designed for the more technically advanced players who have a strong desire to increase those technical skills while also learning more about the tactical aspects of the game. The Academy Program is not designed for the casual player.
The most important aspect of Academy Program is training. Technical and tactical training is provided 2 times per week in 1.5 hour sessions by our professional coaches (2 mandatory team practices with coaches and an optional but recommended skills session). In addition, players are expected to work at home on basic technical skills such as juggling, receiving, passing, and the like. Because Academy program players are more advanced than Club team players, and because at this age with the correct training so much individual progress can be made, it is important that the player understand that a commitment to practice must be made or that player will soon be surpassed in skills by the other players. As in our select program, the team’s coach gives each player a written individual assessment.
Players interested in participating within the Academy Program must go through an individual player assessment before a decision can be made regarding player placement. Players can request to be assessed for potential inclusion within the program at any time during the year. As in our select program, it is possible to join an Academy Program team after the season has begun.
