US Soccer Development Academy
TSC Texans USSF Development Academy
TSC Texans are committed to creating a development strategy that addresses each player’s needs and aspirations. The TSC Texans are members of the US Soccer Development Academy. Boys with birth dates between January 1st 1991 and January 1st 1993 are eligible to participate in 2009/2010. Pre-Academy teams will encompass the Boys U13-15 teams. We are working towards developing the training curriculum to include competitive play at all levels: international friendlies against professional clubs; national teams and other clubs.
We will continue to provide exit strategies for our players as they grow past the U16 age bracket, to include college placement, professional play, or if desired, a job coaching soccer. We have built one of the strongest relationships with colleges over the years. Our staff is contacted regularly to provide players at this upper level, by such colleges as UNC Chapel Hill, Clemson, Harvard, SMU as well as many colleges around the country at every level.
For more information, please contact Scott James at sjsportsltd@comcast.net, 281-355-9362.
TSC Texan Selected to U.S. National Team Camp
Christian Duarte, who is a member of the 92 TSC Texans US Academy Team has been selected to participate in the upcoming U-15 Boys’ National Team Training Camp in Bradenton, Florida, this event will take place February 15 – 22, 2009.
Congratulations to Christian and Good Luck at Camp!
Jan 15
Texas SC Learns From First Development Academy Showcase Experience
• First Day Exposes Teams to Travel, Intense Competition
LANCASTER, Calif. (Dec. 6, 2008) – Texas SC U-15/16 forward Mario Diaz watched his teammates play FIFA 2009 in the Athlete’s Lounge at the 2008 Development Academy Winter Showcase. Diaz had played his first showcase game at 10 a.m., and was soaking in the experience participating in an Academy Showcase for the first time.
“I think it’s really cool,” said Diaz, who joined Texas SC specifically to be able to play in the Development Academy. “I like that we get to travel to different places. I had never been to California before. This is my first time.
“I was looking forward to the games and I’ve been told that we’re being looked at by college coaches, so I want to be good and try to get a scholarship.”
Texas SC joined the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for the 2008-09 season, along with 11 other clubs. As they get used to the travel and quality of competition, the U-15/16 Texans opened their showcase experience with a 1-0 loss to Washington Premier. The older team played immediately after, winning 3-0 against Washington Premier.
“It’s been so beneficial for the players and also for the coaches,” said Texas SC U-15/16 head coach Scott James. “We struggled a bit with the travel and playing this morning, so maybe it’s a learning process for us to get in a bit earlier.
“The experience of traveling, sleeping in a strange bed, playing in quality game after game, it’s new to them. Before, they would only do that if they made a national final or a regional final, and now we’re regularly getting the quality games. It’s only going to help the players in the long run.”
Those new experiences aren’t limited to the new travel schedule. The games themselves have also changed in intensity, despite playing fewer games throughout the year.
“Their preparation is something that I can see has improved tremendously,” said Texas SC U-17/18 head coach Scott James, who points out such things as the no re-entry rule and only playing one game a day as being extremely beneficial to the players. “I think they’re better players already because of it.
“This is a program that is for the players, to better the players. I think in other areas, it’s not necessarily geared towards what’s best for the players. Our kids now, they put so much effort into one game, they couldn’t turn around and play a second game like they normally would in these other tournaments. It’s great to be with the best clubs in the nation.”
As a member of the Development Academy, the Texans have seen a marked increase in the level of competition, as well as the level of exposure to college coaches and coaches from the U.S. Soccer National Scouting Network.
According to said Texas SC president Chuck Vallentine, the quality of the Academy is such that one of the first questions college coaches ask the athletes when recruiting is whether they play for an Academy club. The athletes also realize that the dedication and professionalism provided by the Academy will be beneficial when trying to improve.
“I came for the Academy,” said U-17/18 Texas SC defender Blake Shannon, who joined the club at the beginning of the 2008-09 season for the exposure to U.S. National Team scouts, the quality of the competition and the overall environment. “They take things more seriously, it’s more competitive and the players want to be here. They want to play and try to make it to the next level. It’s big time. These are the best of the best teams, and you only get better when you play against the best.”
As for Diaz, he recovered from his team’s 1-0 loss in the morning with a 5-0 FIFA 2009 win in the Athlete’s Lounge.
“This is one of my favorite parts, too,” he said, laughing and pointing at the televisions.
Texas SC continues their Development Academy experience on Saturday, Dec. 6, against the Concorde Fire. The Under-15/16 team takes the field at 11 a.m. PT, followed immediately by the Under-17/18 match at 1 p.m. PT.
Dec 7
U.S. SOCCER DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY SET TO HOST WINTER SHOWCASE IN LANCASTER, CALIF.
CHICAGO (Nov. 7, 2008) – U.S. Soccer is one month away from hosting the second annual Development Academy Winter Showcase from Dec. 5-8 at the Lancaster National Soccer Center in Lancaster, Calif. All 148 teams representing 74 clubs, plus the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team will participate in 240 games over the extended weekend.
Dozens of professional scouts from around the world and hundreds of college scouts are anticipated to attend the event to view some of the nation’s top prospects from the Under-15/16 and Under-17/18 age groups. The head coaches from all of U.S. Soccer’s Youth National teams and additional members of the National Team scouting network will watch and evaluate all 240 games played over the long weekend.
A new component of this year’s Academy Winter Showcase will be the Nike International Friendlies, featuring Under-17 Men’s National Teams from the U.S., Australia and Brazil. The games will be played on a reserved field at the Lancaster National Soccer Center.
The Academy Winter Showcase will be the first major Development Academy event for the 12 newest clubs in the Academy that joined at the beginning of the 2008-09 Season. While the eight new clubs from Texas and the three new clubs from California have already started their seasons, it will be the first Academy games for the New England Revolution.
The Winter Showcase will also feature some of the nation’s top young referees, who will be working under the guidance and instruction of the U.S. Soccer Referee Department Staff. Officials from Major League Soccer and some professional referees will also be working games and mentoring the younger referees.
U.S. Soccer will continue to provide a technically driven environment, including SPARQ testing for all athletes and Gatorade hydration testing for select teams. All games will be videotaped and distributed to the teams and ProZone will analyze teams to provide additional objective feedback for coaches and players.
The Academy Winter Showcase will also provide a platform for coaching development. College and Academy coaches are invited to attend a SPARQ Strength Training Seminar led by Paul Winsper, a Goalkeeper Coaching Symposium led by Under-20 Men’s National Team Assistant Coach Tim Mulqueen and Scouting Symposiums with National Team Scouts.
The 2008 Winter Showcase will be the first of two Showcases held during the 2008/09 season followed by the Academy Playoffs and Academy Finals Week. The upcoming Academy Spring Showcase will be held in Sarasota, Fla. from May 22-26, the Academy Playoffs will be held in Greensboro, N.C. from June 26-29 and the Academy Finals Week will be held from July 11-18 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Nov 13
Sep 29
Are You Good Enough for the US Soccer Development Academy?
The TSC Texans US Soccer Development teams can evaluate players throughout the year.
Do you feel you have the ability to play at the highest level that youth Soccer can offer?
Please contact Scott James at 281-355-9362 for the U16 and U18 TSC Texans U.S. Soccer Development Team
Jun 8
John Hackworth – Director of U.S. Soccer Development Academy and U.S. Men’s National Team Assistant Coach Presents to Texas Soccer Club
John Hackworth, US Men’s National Team Assistant Coach and the Director of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Program spoke last night about the Development of the Elite player and how meaningful games and a better training to game ratio will improve the Elite player and prepare them for the future. This information was exciting and refreshing for Youth Soccer in South Texas and in the direction that the TSC Texans are going. U.S. Soccer has Selected 75 Clubs in the country to be an extension of the highly successful U17 US National Team residence Program. “ We currently have 40 players in the U17 U.S. National Team Residency program, with the US Soccer Development program we now can reach over 3000 players,” John Hackworth, US Men’s National Team Assistant Coach. This program will not only effect the players that are selected for the TSC Texans U16/U15 and U18/U17 U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams but will affect the entire club structure. All of our players will receive the benefits of being part of the U.S. Soccer Development Program.
Thanks for all of you that attended.
May 7
For Immediate Release: Feb. 26, 2008
www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_6094864.html
Texas Soccer Club - Texans is proud to announce that we have been selected to join the United States Soccer Federation Development Academy for the 2008/2009 season.
The USSF Development Academy is a comprehensive program designed to improve the development of Elite Players by providing improved competition, training for players, coaches, and referees. The USSF Development Academy is an extension to the very successful U.S. Under 17 Residence Program. John Hackworth is the Technical Director of the USSF Development Academy and is the US Men’s National Team assistant coach. The Academy will provide an improved scouting environment for college, professional and U.S. National Team Coaches.
U15/U16 and U17/18 boys’ teams will be competing in regional conference play, showcase weekends and travel partner weekends. The Dallas Texans and Solar Soccer Club have also been selected to join the USSF Development Academy.
Director of Coaching Scott James on the Academy “This is an exciting time for the club and its players, The USSF Development Academy is solely based on player development and this will allow our players the best opportunities to achieve their potential as Elite Soccer Players”
For more information on the USSF Academy please go to:
http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/acad/index.jsp.html
www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_6094864.html
Apr 18