INTRODUCING OUR #NEXTLEVEL SOCCER PROGRAMS
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What is the U.S. Soccer Development Academy?
Following a review of elite player development in the United States and around the world, U.S. Soccer created the Development Academy in 2007. The Academy Program's philosophy is based on increased training, less total games, and more meaningful games using international rules of competition. The Academy Program focuses on positively impacting everyday club environments and values individual development of elite players over winning trophies and titles. The Academy sets the standard for elite environments for youth soccer clubs nationwide and is a part of U.S. Soccer's global leadership position in youth soccer that will impact thousands of players. Program Benefits:
• Age Groups with Possibility to Play Up • More Training in a Consistent and Quality Environment • Less Total Games but More Meaningful Ones with Proper Rest • Showcases with College Coaches & US Soccer Scouts • Concussion Baseline Testing and Team Trainer • Gameday Videos • Player Tracking and Season Stats • Gamedy Observation by US Soccer Scouts • US Soccer-Qualified Match Officials In case you missed out U.S. Soccer Development Academy Information Nights, please check out the link to our handout below. (Video of the event coming soon!)
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- Eddie Soto, Academy Director of Coaching, Boys
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National Premier League (NPL)
![]() Outside of our US Soccer Development Academy (see above), NPL is the highest level of play offered San Francisco teams. The NPL is run by US Club Soccer and was created to elevate and change the competitive youth soccer landscape by extending developmental principles espoused by U.S. Soccer into more age groups and clubs, by linking competition with player development and identification platforms, and by providing meaningful weekly competition culminating in the NPL Finals.
Each NPL member club must meet specific top-level criteria after a holistic review by the NorCal board. Clubs that automatically place teams must have:
NPL follows an organized, division model that involves relegation and promotion from Norcal Premier's highest divisions. And, starting in the spring of 2017, a new NPL Champions League will feature top finishers in northern california from the the top fall divisions. In the fall of 2017, NPL will continue expansion with a new Elite National Premier League playoff format resulting in a national champion. Presently, only one San Francisco youth soccer club has an NPL team (a team that earned that spot through an "at-large" Norcal promotion). The SF Elite Academy features nine such teams. Additionally, as an NPL member club, we place additional teams directly into NPL comeptition each and every playing season. NPL play opens doors for SF Elite Academy players to compete against some of the very best competition around, as well as to participate in a number of high-profile showcases in front of college coaches and recruiters that recognize NPL as a place to scout top players. |
WHICH ACADEMY TEAMS CURRENTLY PLAY IN THE NPL?
WHY CHOOSE NPL?
Learn More at Norcal Premier's NPL Page
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San Jose Earthquakes RDS
The San Jose Earthquakes Regional Development School (RDS) Program is open to all players in the San Francisco region born in specific birth years as requested by the San Jose Earthquakes. This is high-level program identifies local soccer talent at younger ages. The RDS program was conceived to provide a feeder system to the San Jose Earthquakes Academy teams. Top players may be invited to join the Academy in San Jose for trainings and games at the appropriate age.
The program is a supplemental one, meaning that players do not need to leave their existing team/club and should view the opportunity as one of extra training and exposure to high-level coaching and scouts. Typically, the San Francisco Elite Academy Earthquakes RDS team will train once per week and, on occasion, play competitive friendlies against other RDS teams from throughout Northern California, which include San Jose Earthquakes, Ethos Soccer, San Mateo, East Valley Earthquakes, Diablo FC and West Coast SC. There will be multiple RDS seasons or "blocs" each year with each bloc lasting approximately 3-4 months and including 8 training session plus the possibility (not guaranteed) of playdates/games. |
SPRING RDS ANNOUNCED !!
- David Kaval, San Jose Earthquakes President
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The Best Tournament &
Most Prestigious Showcases
We don't believe in tournaments to earn GotSoccer points or to pile in games on extra weekends.
We go to tournaments to compete against the very best and to allow our players to be seen and recruited by top coaches and scouts.
We go to tournaments to compete against the very best and to allow our players to be seen and recruited by top coaches and scouts.
"The San Francisco Elite Academy is a first-of-its-kind program in San Francisco. Top players no longer need to migrate out of the city for competitive play. Her love for the game is off the charts, and the Academy and its coaches have opened doors for her. We are so fortunate to finally have such a regarded youth soccer program for San Francisco kids." - Matthew and Michelle Righetti, Academy Parents
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