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U09/U10 Academy
Soccer West U09/U10 Academy Program
The Iowa Soccer Association Academy is a new state-initiated and state-led program which parents of U09 players, (fall 2008) Soccer West is a qualifying club providing our parents with the option of registering their child for academy or recreational soccer.
The impetus behind offering two levels of play at U9 is to allow players to play with and against players of similar ability and at a level where they will experience the most success and have the most fun playing the sport.
Players registered for Academy soccer will play in an Iowa Soccer Association Academy League that is subject to a number of player developmental guidelines. Clubs must follow these guidelines to maintain their academy status.
Guidelines include following a set training curriculum, mixing training groups, mixing teams after each playing season, small roster sizes, mandatory coach education for academy coaches, parent education and most importantly a focus on the individual player, not on the team.
Players registering for recreational soccer will follow the same format that they currently play in and will experience more consistency from season to season concerning coaching and team formation than an academy player would.
Academy clubs must still follow recreational play guidelines like 50% playing time in matches. However, the emphasis is placed on creating a playing environment that is more conducive to the individual as opposed to team development.
| To help parents decide which level of play is most appropriate for their child, listed below are the characteristics of typical players who would participate in an Academy Program. If your child displays a majority of the characteristics listed they are probably more suited to that level of play. However, it should be noted that during a player’s soccer development they may move back and forth between academy and recreational play. | |
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