The Sting Academy will provide each player the opportunity to play soccer in a supportive and rewarding environment that emphasizes player development in a challenging, yet enjoyable way. It is an alternative to recreational team programs and offers girls age 7-10 years old the opportunity for advanced team development in soccer through a detailed progressive curriculum. The fundamental ideas inherent in the Sting Academy Curriculum are the following:

1) Teaching the techniques of soccer utilizing a combination of fundamentals training, games, and active, game-related repetition

2) Providing an enjoyable environment to learn which builds ALL Players' self esteem

3) Setting seasonal goals defined by the degree of technical development, improvement
of fundamental tactical awareness, as well as retention

4) Developing seasonal goals and objectives through a progressive curriculum structure that facilitates optimal player development

5) Trying to instill in the players the notion that we should always try to win our games, however, the true game result is HOW WELL YOU PLAY and how much you improve

6) Committing to the concept that the purpose of youth athletics is not to develop athletes, but to develop youth

As the game of soccer continues to evolve, the area that requires urgent improvement is our youngest recreational age groups. The Sting Academy is committed to bringing more technical expertise into the U7, U8, U9, and U10 programs, creating a curriculum of instruction specific to developmental needs at each age group level. The quality of development at these age groups becomes a key contributor to player success at the competitive level. The Sting Soccer Academy has the focused objective of developing players of all skill levels, and preparing those players for the game at the competitive level.

The Sting Academy program is a bridge to select soccer; as such the program demands that our most qualified, experienced coaches get more involved with running the program for the youngest ages. The future is bright, but it's not guaranteed. As we all know player development is a long journey. We must be patient in our approach, but we must also ensure that we start navigating the long journey in the right direction-the Sting Academy model provides that direction.

The Sting Academy program is a unique and cutting edge program. Understanding the importance of individual player growth at younger ages the Sting Academy has implemented a unique pool training system. The innovative Sting Academy pool structure allows for an equitable opportunity for each academy player to develop within the program. It allows for players to become more versatile at a young age, having the experience to play many different types of players with unique strengths and weaknesses. It promotes flexibility and the opportunity for players to be exposed to many young players like themselves

The Sting Academy curriculum follows a progressive model based on key developmental needs that have been identified for each age group. The year-long academy program is divided into modules that follow a progressive curriculum that focuses on fundamentals, applied technique through small sided games and tactical awareness in game situations. The Academy coaching staff will follow the coaching curriculum developing the technical, tactical, physical and mental components of the game in an age appropriate manner. Through this curriculum, coaches are able to develop their players and groups within their pool in a way that best suites their progress and developmental needs.

The Sting Soccer Academy addresses key pitfalls in traditional Academy programs with an innovative hybrid training structure and progressive curriculum that focuses on age appropriate, player focused development. The key to preparing players for the competitive level is ensuring that there is every opportunity to develop in a way specific to each player’s developmental needs in an environment that is FUN, challenging, but most importantly rewarding for everyone involved.

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The Sting Academy's unique hybrid training system includes both team training and pool training, and allows for players to develop every aspect of their game. Player’s train within teams, but also participate in important pool training sessions where the player to coach ratio is reduced, and players focus on developing their individual fundamental skills. The team training provides the players the opportunity to apply the individual techniques that are the focus of the pool training in a game situation.

The hybrid training environment is progressive in nature and evolves with the understanding that at the youngest age group (U7 and U8) individual development is the focus, but that as players grow older, they must learn to work in groups and within a team. As players move into the U9 and U10 age groups, they begin to train in groups according to ability, and the players are placed based on skill level, always with the opportunity to move up as they progress.

Each Academy trains as a pool throughout the week. However, teams will still compete in local Academy leagues in the following way:

• Players will be placed according to skill level with the understanding that players develop at different rates. At the youngest age groups (U7 and U8) the rosters of these teams will be fluid, with players moving in and out of teams freely based on what is optimal for their development at the time. As players move into the older age groups (U9 and U10), players of similar skill level begin to train together within the pool, and rosters are made up of players of similar ability. Within the U10 pool the formation of teams begin. These teams train together within the pool and the rosters remain relatively the same with adjustments being made to create teams within the pool of similarly skilled players.

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The Sting Academy follows a training curriculum that is innovative, challenging, and FUN. The unique structure of the Academy and the distinctive nature of the curriculum is conducive to optimum player development. The Sting Academy curriculum has been developed over the past 3 years by traveling to visit top youth development academies all over the United States, South America, and Europe, and combining the best aspects of each program into a comprehensive methodology of development. Because of the significant amount of time and effort that has gone into developing the Sting Academy Curriculum, the Sting Soccer Club as had the curriculum copyrighted to ensure that this unique method of development remains exclusive to the Sting Academy players and coaches.

Player development provides the opportunity for children to play, grow, and mature within an environment that is safe, developmentally appropriate, and growth enhancing. A developmentally appropriate environment means placing children in situations that are within their physical, intellectual, emotional, and social reach. This does not mean a less challenging environment, but rather one that accurately reflects the developmental framework within which a player can truly grow. To build this framework it is essential to assess current developmental needs; provide clear and concise coaching points specifically relevant to those needs; and follow a progressive model of instruction that facilitates an age appropriate, challenging, yet rewarding environment that is central to optimal player development.

Players should not only explore their potential as soccer players, they should continue to grow and mature as people through their involvement with soccer. The environment should facilitate and promote players to seek out challenges and assume some responsibility for their own development through free style play in training.

The Sting Soccer Academy provides this kind of age appropriate, growth-enhancing environment that is conducive to optimal player development. The curriculum is a progressive year-long model that is divided into three modules:

      -Fall (August, September, October, November, December)
      -Spring (January; February, March, April, May)
      -Summer (June, July)

The Academy coaching staff implements the curriculum in a way specific to a player’s skill level, progressing some players more quickly than others, and allowing for all players to develop at different rates. The curriculum is set in place to bring consistency into the Academy structure so that a player can enter the Academy at age 6 or 7 and leave the Academy at age 10 well-equipped with the skill set and foundation needed to succeed at the club level.

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