Youth academies

[Pirlo_United]

I have a couple of questions about Youth academies. First of all what are they, are they basically half day school half soccer training? Does academy players play in for example the FA youth cup? And also how do you get into an academy? is it for most decent players or is it the selected special few that only have the previlages? thanks

[brendihno]

I have a couple of questions about Youth academies. First of all what are they, are they basically half day school half soccer training? Does academy players play in for example the FA youth cup? And also how do you get into an academy? is it for most decent players or is it the selected special few that only have the previlages? thanks


Go to google and type in IMG its a sports academy in florida and they have soccer i might get to go there

[Pirlo_United]

how do u get in academies of english clubs like man utd or everton?

[HiFi]

how do u get in academies of english clubs like man utd or everton?

The Premiership Academies are run by the English Premier teams. Every EPL club is required to operate one, most clubs in the Coca-Cola Championship have them, as well as a few other lower league clubs. These Academies take kids as young as 7. You must live within an hour's drive of the facility. So for example, a young child (up to 16) from Southampton can not attempt to get into the Manchester United Academy. (At 16, you can move.) You are usually scouted, or recommended by a club coach, and you you must be invited to a trial (tryout). The trial lasts for 6 weeks. For these 6 weeks, you train and play as if you are part of the team. If the trainers/coaches like your skills, work habits, coachability, the way you get on with your teammates, and enthusiasm, they will offer you a roster spot. If not, you will not be asked back. If you do make it, you have to continue showing these qualities, or you could be cut at any time.

This is the highest level of training in England, or Europe (with European clubs). And it's generally where the best youth players are.The coaches are all full time professionals, and their only job is to develop players who become good enough to make it into the professional first team, or be sold for a high fee to another club. It is very competitive, and for every kid that makes it, there are hundreds who want their spot, especially in the more populated areas where there may be a few clubs clustered around. Every one of these players has a goal to be a professional, but less than half a percent actually make it that far.

The FA Youth Cup starts at U16 I believe, but I may be wrong about that.
Up to U15, games are played against other academies, but no scores or league standings are kept. The games are only for the players to work on what has been taught in training. The focus is totally on developing the player to their best potential, not on winning games.

By the way, there is no cost to the player to participate. If you are chosen, the club pays for virtually everything. And the training facilities consist of multiple outdoor fields (all excellent quality), and an indoor building for poor weather conditions.

Good luck.

[nicodinho]

I was also wondering about that. I would really like to get into one of the youth academies in europe, but I live in dallas tx how can i make this happen?

[HiFi]

I was also wondering about that. I would really like to get into one of the youth academies in europe, but I live in dallas tx how can i make this happen?

You have to get invited for a trial. It's the only way. Academies don't generally hold open tryouts.

[Pirlo_United]

are there american or canadian equivalents to these academies?

[JohnR]

are there american or canadian equivalents to these academies?

No. You're screwed unless you're amazingly good (say, the best player in your state, and I don't mean a state like West Virginia or Montana but a good soccer state), and you have a Euro passport. In which case you should make noise, get yourself noticed, and get an English club to sign you up.

[HiFi]

are there american or canadian equivalents to these academies?

No, unfortunately not. Since the Academies are operated by Professional clubs, the closest thing we'd have here is MLS. Picture an Academy set up by each MLS club, attracting the best 12-15 players in each age group within an hour of the team's HQ, training with high quality professional coaches whose job it is to develop you so you will be good enough to play for the MLS first team. You are training at the best facilities you have ever seen.

But we can't do that here. MLS doesn't have the money to set it up, and there's no incentive for a local MLS team to attract and train local talent since the league owns and allocates all the players. The MetroStars aren't all that interested in developing a player that could end up at the Revolution.

If any of your coaches have contacts with any European teams, ask them to make a call and recommend you for a trial. Short of playing in a lower league there, that's about the only way you'll get noticed and invited.