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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Massachuestts Youth Soccer is the only official representative of US Soccer in Massachusetts. We exist solely to promote and enhance the game of soccer for every child in the state and to encourage the healthy development of those players both on and off the field. Simply put, your kids are our business....
We operate a wide variety of popular player and coach development programs. We mentor town and club organizations and strive to help each organization develop their own programs and become self-sufficient in the areas of player and coach development. Our aim is not to take ownership of the organization’s player development program but rather to help set-up, organize, implement and supervise the program.
The possibilities for soccer organizations, clubs, recreation departments and schools are endless because Massachusetts will tailor an program specifically for your needs. Every Player Development Program also has a Coach Education compnent. As we train your players, we train your coaches.
Designing a Player Development Program
• The number of weeks and sessions is up to the organization.
• Programs can be designed for a specific team(s) or age groups.
• The curriculum will be designed by Massachusetts Youth Soccer to fit
the players' needs and aptitudes.
• Coaches and Age Group Coordinators or Director will be consulted in developing the Program curriculum.
• All the sessions will be emailed to age group coordinator(s) or coaches prior to start of season.
• The program can be purely developmental, where Massachusetts Youth Coaches run sessions with no town coaches involved, OR
• The program can be a collaborative effort between our Staff Coaches and the organization's coaches. Our Coaches will lead the sessions and the town coaches shadow and/or assist them. We will provide the coaches with written material covering each session and explanations of the methodologies that are being applied.
• We will work with each organization to design whatever program fits the overall organizational goals best.
Example: U6 U8 Age groups
• The curriculum for all sessions will be done prior to start of season and sent to age group coordinator(s) and coaches in this age group.
• The organization coaches involved in the program are encouraged to participate prior to the start of the season in a Massachusetts Youth Soccer “G License” Course and/or a 1.5 hour Specialty Clinic.
• The Massachusetts Youth Soccer Staff Coaches will start each week with a demonstration of the session for the day (coaches must arrive 20-25 minutes prior to their session’s start).
• Age group Coaches run sessions with their own teams with Massachusetts Youth Soccer Staff Coaches helping out as needed (hands-on and verbally). If coaches need help, one of our staff will always be there to support. If we see coaches struggling or doing something dangerous, we will step in automatically and insure a positive environment for the children.
• Organization age group coaches run the activities for 30-45 minutes maximum; then have scrimmages for approximately 30-45 minutes maximum (using dual field format). We will work with the age group coordinators to design the field layout and using the existing team rosters more effectively.
• Each Program is assigned a Lead Staff Coach. He or she will give periodic feedback to the age group coordinator.
* With older groups one Mass Youth Soccer Coach can work with one or two teams at a time as Lead Coach (with your coaches acting as assistants). If the organization would like to have more teams than that participate at once, we would supply more coaches, or the format would need to be adapted to have our coaches serve as mentors and not as lead coaches.
The Player Development Program is ideal because it provides Massachusetts Youth Soccer the opportunity to work with and help the organization's coaches become more knowledgeable, confident and resourceful leaders of their players and their practices and games. The overall effectiveness of the program will be contingent to the town coaches attending, before the season, a 1.5 hour Specialty Clinic and/or obtaining a “G” license, a four hour course. This would allow Massachusetts Youth SoccerCoaches to show town coaches some of the activities and what they look like, the objectives and characteristics of the particular age group, and to answer any questions.
The Number of Mass Youth Soccer Staff Coaches required for this programs:
• For player development we would like no more than 16:1 ratio of players to coaches.
• For coach/player development we would like no more than 8:1 ratio of teams to coach/mentor and preferably a 6:1 ratio at highest.
Cancellation of a week/session due to bad weather will be the town’s decision. Mass Youth Soccer requires a two hour minimum booking at a cost of $65 per hour/per coach. In most cases, we will run two, one hour sessions back to back. More sessions could be added as needed to that given day.
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Massachusetts Youth Soccer offers the following summer programs. At each the instructors will be some of the finest soccer coaches in the Northeast. They will include the Full-time Massachusetts Youth State Coaches, Massachusetts Youth Instructional Coaches and ODP Coaches, and various college and professional coaches from the area.
ODP Training Academy Massachusetts Youth Soccer is proud to announce the return of its ODP Summer Training Academy in 2012. This 2-day player development clinic is the first of its kind in the nation. It is a fun, intense and competitive 2-day clinic for both boys and girls born in 2001 and 2002. The Academy will be held at various sites around the state and will be staffed with Mass Youth ODP, Region 1 and National Staff Coaches. The Academy is intended to introduce players and their parents to the rewards and benefits of playing in the highly competitive Olympic Development Program. ODP is the only youth soccer program in the state that is dedicated entirely to the development of individual players rather than achievements of a particular team.
For more information on the ODP Training Academy, click here.
Half Day Academies. Our Half Day Summer Academies are designed to give younger players the developmental instruction they need. These academies are focused on developing a solid technical skill set for each player. Instruction is for more individualized and is the foundation of effective player development.
For more information on our Half Day Academies, click here.
In Town Day Academies. Mass Youth Soccer will come to your town to run a full day Academy. These can be done for younger players in the morning, older kids at mid-day and high school players in the evening. The flexibility in organization is endless.
For more on our In Town Academies, click here.