Official Revolution Youth Program Information Thread

[Chowda]

Well, this should get about four posts a year.

Revolution Academy (http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/youthsoccer/index.cfm?ac=revolutionacademy)

That's just about it.

Oh, and they place discoveries on high school drop outs.

[ATLGunner]

I do like the irony of this being the first youth program thread....bravo.

[Crimson Ace]

Well, this should get about four posts a year.Okay... we only need 1 more post to fill our yearly quota. ;)

[Hed7181]

#4.

[The_Drizzle]

I read the title and got excited.

Then I clicked the link and got depressed again. :(

[Hyuuga Neji]

#4.
Dude, you only get to do that in the First! Thread.

[NebraskaAddick]

"Players will receive 12 hours of professional instruction from the Revolution Academy coaches. Cost $175 per player."

I tell you, they're at the cutting edge of youth development! The rest of MLS should beware...

[MidVision]

I wish people wouldn't point to the "Revolution Academy" and say that's all they have. The truth is they have nothing. That is just a camp/clinic program that pre-dates the MLS Academies, it just happens to use the word "Academy".

[Bonji]

Here is a link to the Rapids' Academy. (http://www.coloradorapids.com/FanCenter/SoccerAcademy.aspx)

They are working on building a typical club set up where kids participate at young ages and as they progress can be invited onto the U-16 and U-18 teams which are participating in the USSF Development Academy.

While young kids do have to pay for the various camps, if a kid wants to play and can't afford it the Rapids will sponsor him/her.

From what I can tell the Rapids are working towards the right goal of a vertical soccer club.

Additionally, the Rapids are trying to work with local high school programs to offer pre-season team training as opposed to working against each other.

[The_Drizzle]

Sorry, what does this have to do with the Revolution? Not trying to be an ass, but are you making suggestions for the Revs or just posted in the wrong thread?

[bwidell]

Can you please describe what progress has been made regarding the Revs youth/academy program? What are the upcoming milestones to measure that progress?
We’ve certainly employed a very measured and careful approach starting our Revolution Youth Academy. We believe that the Youth Academy will be an important component to our future success and want to ensure we are building the most effective program. While there is certainly some downside risk to initializing the program one year later than some teams, there is much more downside risk in the future if our program is not effective from its outset.

That being said, we will have the first of our youth teams in place later this year. Given the seasonality of youth soccer in our region, our plan is to conduct tryouts in the June/July window. There will be more announcements between now and then as to the structure and organization of the program itself, but we confident that our current plans will put us in position to develop strong players going forward.http://revolutionsoccer.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/from-the-desk-of-the-coo/

[jokeefe80]

Here is a link to the Rapids' Academy. (http://www.coloradorapids.com/FanCenter/SoccerAcademy.aspx)

They are working on building a typical club set up where kids participate at young ages and as they progress can be invited onto the U-16 and U-18 teams which are participating in the USSF Development Academy.

While young kids do have to pay for the various camps, if a kid wants to play and can't afford it the Rapids will sponsor him/her.

From what I can tell the Rapids are working towards the right goal of a vertical soccer club.

Additionally, the Rapids are trying to work with local high school programs to offer pre-season team training as opposed to working against each other.That's funny, I thought the title of the thread read: Official Revolution Youth Program Information Thread

I guess I was wrong.

[Bird1812]

http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/youthSoccer/index.cfm?ac=youthteams

In April 2008, the New England Revolution announced its first ever youth development program with both Under-16 and Under-18 boys teams. The two teams will become the centerpiece of the revamped New England Revolution Academy, which previously had focused on paid training programs.

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080326/SPORTS/803250346/-1/NEWS

Burns also talked about the team's planned youth development program, which would begin with two teams (U-16 and U-18) in conjunction with U.S. Soccer's Development Academy program.

"If we're able to retain the best players in this area," he said, "it doesn't necessarily mean they have to play for the Revs, but in certain cases we'll be able to protect certain players if they want to come through and hopefully play for the Revs."

Burns said the plan is to have staff and teams in place by the end of the year.

[Stan Collins]

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080417&content_id=151296&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp

Rev youth program admitted to USSF Development Academy starting this fall.

[HiFi]

Saw this posted on another forum, and just looked at the Revs web site and it is there:

5/5/08
Revs Name Prata Director of Youth Development

Former Benfica player and current U.S. Under-14 staff coach to lead Revs' youth development program


The New England Revolution announced today that the team has hired Mario Prata as its new Director of Youth Development. Prata has established himself as one of the New England region's premier youth coaches and talent evaluators after a successful 12-year playing career in his native Portugal and stints on the country's various youth national teams.

In 2008, the Revolution will field boys' Under-16 and Under-18 squads, which will compete in U.S. Soccer's national Development Academy. Prata will oversee the youth development program and will work with the Revolution's technical staff to create and implement the youth teams' coaching curriculum and training systems. Further details on the Revolution's 2008 youth development program, including tryout details, will be announced later this week.

"We are delighted to bring in someone as successful and knowledgeable in youth soccer as Mario Prata,” Revolution Director of Soccer Michael Burns said. "Mario has dedicated his coaching career to identifying and developing youth players in this area and has cultivated excellent relationships within the youth soccer community. He'll be a tremendous asset to our program.

"With his decorated playing background and extensive coaching experience, Mario knows what it takes to reach the highest level of competition. He understands the challenges young players face and what individual skills and abilities are needed in players to form a cohesive and successful team. I'm confident that, under Mario's leadership, we will build a comprehensive program that will promote the development of the players in our youth system,” Burns continued.

Prata joins the Revolution from the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association where he has been one of the organization's full-time development coaches since 1999 and an instructional staff coach since 1997. Prata has also been a member of the U.S. Boys' Under-14 coaching staff since 2004, helping identify the nation's premier youth players. He also has extensive experience with the Massachusetts Olympic Development Program (Under-13, Under-15 teams) and Region 1 teams (Under-12 and Under-13). Prata was also an assistant coach at Worcester State College in 1998 and 1999.

A native of Portugal, Prata played on his country's Under-17 and Under-19 teams, and was a member of its Under-21 Olympic team. He played five seasons with Portuguese power Benfica SL, helping the club advance to the final of the 1983 UEFA Cup. He also played for seven seasons with SC Freamunde, GD Samora Correia and SC Almancilense.

Prata holds his U.S. Soccer Federation "A” and National Youth Licenses, as well as an NSCAA National License. He also has earned England's Football Association Youth License and has completed the Dutch Youth Course.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of the Revolution's new youth development system,” Prata said. "This is an exciting time in soccer and there is a great potential for growth. I'm eager to get started and I'm looking forward to making this program one of the best in the nation. Our aim will to be develop the best players possible with the goal of one day sending players directly to the Revolution's senior roster.”

Under Major League's Soccer's "Homegrown Protected List," the Revolution will be able to protect up to three players per year who have played with the club's youth teams. Should those protected players sign with MLS, they would not go through the MLS SuperDraft but would be placed directly on the New England Revolution roster. Through the structure of MLS' youth development program, players' amateur status will be preserved and they will not jeopardize their collegiate eligibility by playing for the Revs' youth teams.

Tryouts for the Revolution's Under-16 and Under-18 teams will be held in June at Gillette Stadium. More information will be released later this week.

[Balerion]

The Revs' academy will be fully funded -- all travel, equipment, etc costs will be picked up by the organization.

[HiFi]

There's word on another forum that some people have recceived e-mail reminders from the Revs regarding tonight's info session. Anyone else receiving them?

[BishopMVP]

Interview with Mario Prato http://www.revsnet.com/?c_ID=273&catID=37 (scroll past the interview with Larentowicz).

Tryouts began yesterday, end the 19th. They'll have a U-17 team competing in the MLS U-17 Cup July 3-10. They will also be allowing their players to play HS Soccer and reconvene after, season being around Thanksgiving-end of July.

[nedigital]

a coworker who coaches soccer took his son to the revs youth academy tryouts and said it was completely disorganized, they basically just threw the kids out on the field and the whole thing was a pretty bad experience. i'm going to dig deeper but it sounds like they did it kind of half-arsed.

[patfan1]

They've announced their U-16 and U-18 teams. The teams will be fully funded by the Krafts, which is surprisingly good news.

More info here (http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=32410&pcid=115).