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U.S. Soccer Launches Development Academy to Expand Opportunities for Players Nationwide Grassroots Development Academy Will Provide Improved Soccer Environment for Thousands of Players, Coaches & Referees from Coast-to-Coast. 24 States and the District of Columbia Represented in Programs Inaugural Year with Clubs Focused on Improving Development Environment. CHICAGO (August 14, 2007) In a move designed to improve the development environment for players throughout the country, the U.S. Soccer Federation has taken the initiative in formalizing a nationwide development academy slated to begin Columbus Day Weekend, October 6-8, 2007 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy will feature 64 elite youth soccer clubs from around the country in its inaugural season. Created to provide players with the best possible opportunity to develop, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy is being initiated after a comprehensive review of player development systems in the United States and around the world. Each Development Academy club will not only serve as a home for the nations top players, but also as a destination point within their community for shared learning and experience. One of the major advantages of the program will see players receiving integrated oversight from both youth club coaches and U.S. Soccer coaches, while training in their home environment. In turn, the Development Academy will provide an improved scouting environment for college, professional and U.S. National Team coaches. With an emphasis on creating a superior everyday training environment, teams in the Development Academy will have a clean slate for a calendar and will be required to train a minimum of three times a week, eliminating the growing trend of clubs playing an excessive quantity of games in lieu of consistent training patterns. To maintain an emphasis on training, Development Academy teams will compete against other teams in the program and will not play in any other leagues, tournaments or State Cup competitions, and players will only be allowed to compete on their designated Academy team (with exceptions for high school soccer and national team duty). The Development Academy has been divided into eight conferences comprised of eight teams based on geographic proximity. Academy teams will play 30 matches across a complete season with the winner of each conference participating in the annual Academy Finals at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The Academy clubs will be comprised of Under-16 and Under-18 age groups, with a minimum of 20 players on a roster. Younger players in the Academy system will also be allowed to play up within their club. U.S. SOCCER DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY STRUCTURE Objective: The focus of the Academy is on player development and providing players with the best possible opportunity to develop to the highest level they are capable of achieving Standards: A minimum requirement of three training sessions and one rest day per week Teams: 64 of the top youth soccer clubs in the U.S. Age Groups: U-16 & U-18 teams (minimum roster of 20 players); providing opportunities for more than 2,000 players Competition Format: Divided into eight conferences with each team playing 30 home and away matches during an eight-month season. Each conference is comprised of 8 teams based on geographic proximity. The winner of each conference will play in the Academy Finals at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. U.S. Soccer Development Academy Clubs (listed by conference) Northeast Conference
Mid-Atlantic
Conference Atlantic Conference
Southeast Conference
Great Lakes Conference
Mid-America Conference
SoCal Conference
West Conference
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