US Soccer Development Academy

Playing with High Standards

Discipline and commitment are key factors when learning the game of soccer at a high level. North Meck SC’s Academy players will train 3-4 times per week, which will include a weekly futsal training session at Charlotte Sports Center. In addition to the training we will have mental training sessions with a sports psychologist. The season will run from November to July which will include preseason exhibition matches at the CASL Showcase, regular season matches and US Soccer Showcase Events along with other friendlies. Last season, college coaches consistently attended regular season games and the US Soccer Showcases while US Soccer Scouts monitored over 50% of our matches.

North Meck SC will provide Academy players with all attire for training, games, and travel; including a discount on Adidas cleats.

U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy program is driven by the game and its players, coaches and referees.  This 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 soccer players, coaches and referees by emphasizing development through quality training 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 evaluations from National Team Staff and ProZone video analysis. To round-out the complete training environment, Academy teams are tested in their physical capabilities using the SPARQ testing methodology and their hydration levels by Gatorade.  They also receive a SPARQ training curriculum for soccer-specific athletic training and Nutrition and Hydration recommendations from Gatorade’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 Environment

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

As the program enters its second year, it 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.

Academy Roster Sizes and Ages

The US Soccer Development Academy allows for a minimum roster of 18 players for the u15/16 and u17/18 age groups. Age groups are defined by calendar year, so the u15/16 age group for 2009-2010 is for birth year 1993 and younger while the u17/18 age group is birth year 1991 and younger. Each academy player will start a minimum 25% of games.

Player Path to the US Development Academy