The U9-U12 Academy Program and the U8 Pre-Academy Program is an alternative to the traditional recreational and select (traveling) team programs and offers the opportunity for advanced development of the young soccer player. This program is a league for boys and girls ages 6-12 years old. The focus of this league will be participation and development in a fun and rewarding environment, within a competitive arena, while emphasizing proper skills acquisition and training techniques.

The Academy follows a training curriculum that is fun while allowing for optimum player development. The goal of this program is youth player development that follows guidelines and recommendations put forth by US Club Soccer and the United States Soccer Federation. All teams are trained by appropriately licensed, professional Club coaches to provide the players with the best possible foundation of skills and knowledge of the game.

The players will be selected through an evaluation process, which takes place during tryouts each spring, then placed on a team with players of similar ability. Throughout the season, games will be played against other Concorde Fire Academy teams and against other local clubs’ Academy teams. Players within the teams may be rotated and exchanged from team to team throughout the season.  Young players with commitment, skills and attitude will find Academy Soccer to be a good introduction to SCCL or ECNL play.

Team training occurs twice weekly with games on weekends. Additional training opportunities along with speed, strength and agility training will be available and encouraged. The Academy teams will participate in 2-4 tournaments per year.

Concorde Fire expects players who represent the club to maintain high standards of personal behavior both on and off the field. We place great importance on academics and expect players to organize their activities to accommodate both schoolwork and soccer at high levels of achievement. We look to parents to ensure that their Concorde Fire players reach games and practices on time, to attend with a positive attitude, and to participate in the running of the Club in some capacity.

Age Group

Age groups are decided on Birth year. Look down the left side of the table below for your child's birth year, then look to the right to see what age group they should be in at a particular year.  For example:  A 2014 birth year is a U10 player in the 2023-24 season.

 

 

Playing Season

Competitive soccer teams play for two seasons, fall and spring, which make up one seasonal year.  For Academy players, this comprises the fall and the spring season. 

Team Assignments 

Academy (U9 - U12) team assignments are made with a commitment to developing balanced team rosters based on a distribution of skill levels and ages. The players will be selected through an evaluation process then considered for teams with players of similar ability as a priority to the enhancement of the experience.  The team sizes are kept small to optimize the coach/player ratio and allow maximum playing time for each individual so that they can continue to improve.  Concorde Fire will always give much consideration to accommodate existing relationships in order to make the best fit for those involved. 

Commitment
Because practices are where much of the learning and development take place, participants must attend both practices/week, three for top teams. Occasionally, conflicts arise in which the participant cannot attend a practice. Other activities (music lessons, other sports, homework, vacations, etc.) should be considered before committing to competitive programs to avoid significant interruption of the required practice and game schedule.

By accepting a place on a team roster, a player commits to play the full seasonal year, June through May. For Academy players, this comprises the fall and the spring season. 

Evaluations/Tryouts
Evaluations for Academy teams are held in late May and/or early June each year for the coming soccer seasonal year.  Information on registering for evaluations and tryouts can be found under the Tryouts link above.  As long as you are not registered with another Academy club you are free to tryout for Concorde Fire.   Select players must obtain permission from their current club in order for any discussions about playing opportunities are held.

During the tryout period, you will be provided a tracking number at the start of our session and asked for information as to age and past experience in order to place your child in the correct age group for evaluation.  At tryouts your child will be evaluated by the coaching staff in various group and individual skill activities.  The staff will assess current skill level, desire and potential ability.  This criterion is evaluated along with consideration as to how and where that individual’s ability will best fit in order to foster continued learning, improvement and further a competitively challenged environment.  Once this is determined over the course of the tryouts, teams will be selected and your child will be assigned to a team and offered a position with this team that best matches their skill level, experience and ability.  You will have 14 days to consider that position with the club and make the appropriate steps for acceptance as explained by the program director during tryouts.  

Uniforms

Tournaments

Academy (U9 - U12) teams will participate in pre- and post-season tournaments.  Teams may participate in some local select tournaments (2-3 per season) and on occasion may require extended travel outside of the immediate area.

Fees associated with pre- and post-season tournaments are not included in the registration fee. Teams must register according to the procedures published by the hosting clubs and on the dates specified.