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Academy's Developmental Approach and Group Composition

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GREEN & GOLD SOCCER ACADEMY

The Green and Gold Soccer Academy offers a very successful program for Edmonton and area youth players who are keen to supplement their regular team practices and games with additional developmental exposures.  The academy offers these players the opportunity for both age and developmentally appropriate training sessions, delivered by highly qualified and experienced coaches utilizing some of Edmonton’s most outstanding soccer facilities.

Since it’s inception in 2001, the academy has helped to develop the soccer skill set of a great number of Edmonton and area youth players, building confidence in their abilities and facilitating their progress toward being recognized and afforded opportunities to play at the higher levels whether that be club, regional (Alberta Summer Games), provincial teams and even the CSA’s National Training Centre program. 

The Green and Gold Soccer Academy is designed for highly motivated, determined and active youth soccer players adopting a developmental approach.  Youth players with a passion for the game need an environment that will allow them to develop and excel.  This is a departure from the high performance or competitive approach that is most common with teams (community and club) and representative soccer (regional, provincial and national team programs). 

We aim to allow players to develop in a non-threatening or overly competitive environment - where they are placed in groups with players at a similar level of performance and motivation and where the key ingredients of the developmental approach may be achieved.  That is, each player is afforded the opportunity to practice within a group where they feel comfortable, confident and safe and in doing so allows them to meet with success and excel.

Ideally, the player will be given opportunities to express themselves in technique and skill practice, modified and conditioned games, shooting and finishing practices.  In addition, players will be challenged with fitness work in the areas of endurance, speed endurance, speed, reaction speed, agility, coordination and quick feet exercises.  

The aspect of fun that is sometimes lost in the overly competitive approach is of paramount importance in the academy’s developmental approach where we endeavor to provide a positive and rewarding soccer environment that challenges each player to improve and excel.

The academy coaches are charged with preparing meaningful and demanding practices for each group and aim to expose all players to the highest level of training standards and the most modern training techniques.  Regardless of group, each player attending a practice session of the Green and Gold Soccer Academy will be involved in a minimum of 3 activities, usually a technique or skill practice, modified game and a conditioned game or shooting/finishing practice, and will be exposed to 3 or more of the academy’s principal coaches.

Players are always challenged, and by the end of each session, are given opportunities to be creative, skillful and imaginative with a view to being effective in their soccer performance.