Cincinnati Development Academy - September 2016

The Cincinnati Development Academy is excited to kick off the first season as part of the US Soccer Girls’ Development Academy in the Fall of 2017. The US Soccer Development Academy will be the top program for girls soccer in the country and will serve as the primary pathway to the Youth National Teams. The DA will also provide players with the best exposure to college coaches while preparing them for soccer at the collegiate level.

We know there are a lot of questions about the Development Academy. We want to help answer those questions. As we are receiving information from US Soccer to help educate all families, we are also planning to have meetings in person as we move forward. With that said, we wanted to provide our families with the information we have as of today.

Development Academy Schedule

The Development Academy will feature more than 70 of the top clubs in the country. These clubs come from US Youth Soccer and the National League, the ECNL, US Club Soccer, and other competitive environments. Cincinnati Development Academy will be part of the Midwest Region conference. Teams in this conference will come from Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. We anticipate there will be more neighboring states included in this conference to grow the quality of competition. The DA will have around 27-30 games throughout the 10-month season, where half of these games will be home games played in Cincinnati. These games will be evenly distributed through these 10 months so there is a major focus on quality weekly training to prepare for the weekend matches. With this game distribution, it will allow players proper rest and recovery breaks along with families having more time during the holidays. This is very similar to the travel for regional competition all other clubs in this area currently face.

Showcases/College Coaches

The DA will also feature three showcases throughout the year, allowing player exposure to US National team scouts and college coaches in a showcase format. The
Winter Showcase will be held in early December in Florida. The Spring and
Summer Showcase (June) locations are still being finalized. Along with the Showcases, the depth of talent inside the Development Academy will lead to college coaches coming to watch these high-level regular season matches. We have spoken to many college coaches across all levels of play about the DA. They are excited about the curriculum, quality coaching, and Academy structure for their future student athletes.

Outside Participation

As many of you know, the Development Academy does not allow players to participate in high school soccer and the DA at the same time. However, the DA does allow outside participation in other sports/activities such as high school track and basketball.

Training

The Cincinnati Development Academy will train 4 days per week. These 4 sessions include regular training sessions along with performance/technical/injury prevention training. This is very similar to what many of the top players in the area already do with their clubs or own time. Goalkeepers will be receiving specialized goalkeeper training as part of their weekly training sessions.

Development Academy Age Groups

There will be 3 teams for the DA for the 2017-2018 season: U14/15 - 2004 and 2003 players
U16/17 - 2002 and 2001 players
U18/19 - 2000 and 1999 players

CUP and Kings Hammer

Outside of the DA, CUP and Kings Hammer will still offer players the opportunities to compete in college showcases, cup competitions, National League, MRL, OSSL, Buckeye, TPL, and other competitive environments. The depth of player pools from both clubs will still allow for elite level competition for players not participating in the Girls' Development Academy program.

We hope this information helps educate you further on the DA and the Cincinnati Development Academy. Future updates will include more specific information on cost, staffing, uniforms, travel, and more. As we go about this year, before the DA begins, please remember:

1) Come to us if you have any questions. We are here to help and want to chat with you.

2) Don’t listen to the gossip. What you may hear from others may not be accurate. We are working with US Soccer to educate everyone on the Development Academy. Don’t believe everything you hear from people who aren’t educated on the Academy or are not a part of it.

3) Bepatientwithus.Weknoweveryonewantstheinformationnow.Asalways, something new creates questions and initial concerns. Be patient. We are here to help and answer the questions you have and will have information available as soon as possible.

Please contact either Bobby Puppione (CUP) or Tiffany Roberts (Kings Hammer Academy) with any questions. We are happy to chat with you about the Cincinnati Development Academy.

Bobby Puppione 205-239-7288 bobbypuppione@yahoo.com

Tiffany Roberts 602-380-5560 tiffanyroberts13@gmail.com