Developing the Next Generation

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy program is driven by the game and its players, coaches and referees.  The game-centric approach allows for long-term development to occur through a deep understanding of what makes players successful around the world.  As the sport of soccer grows in the United States, young players in our country need the proper environment to compete against the world’s elite.  The U.S. Soccer Development Academy program provides the optimum developmental environment for the nation’s top youth players, coaches and referees by emphasizing development through quality trainin and limited, meaningful competition.

Meaningful Training

Academy teams spend a greater amount of time focused on training to improve as individuals and as a team.  The teams and players receive direct feedback and evaluation from National Team Staff and Pro-Zone video analysis.  To round out the complete training environment, Academy teams are tested for the physical capabilities using SPARQ testing methodology and their hydration levels by Gatorade.  They also receive SPARQ training curriculum for soccer-specific athletic training and Nutrition and Hydration recommendations from Gatorades’s Sports Science Institute.  Each athlete then gains a greater understanding of how they compare physically against their peers and what they need to do to achieve their optimal performance levels.

Competitive Enviroment

The Academy program features teams from the top youth clubs from around the country.  Each Academy team plays approximately 30 regular season games to ensure all games are meaningful.  Games are also played according to FIFA’s Laws of the Game and officiated by a pool of the nation’s top young referees in order to prepare players for the next level of competition.  National Team Scouts regularly attend Academy games so players are evaluated over the course of the season and in their natural positions, allowing for better player assessment.

Early Success

In its second year, the Academy program has already dramatically impacted the player development process in the United States.  In 2008, more than 100 players from Academy clubs were included in U.S. Youth National Teams and almost 800 graduates from the inaugural Academy class participated in college soccer the following fall.  Virtually all college programs use the Academy program as a scouting vehicle and the program has received increased attention from professional scouts representing domestic and international clubs.  Visit ussoccer.com to view the top Academy teams in action.

For more info from the United States Soccer Federation CLICK HERE