Club Curriculum:

Academy Player (Level I - Basics): Player must master 1v1 attacking and defending

Basics: Instill dribbling and scoring as their foundation for the game.

• Dribbling: Right and Left Foot
• Dribbling at game speed under control (10-yard box dribble, shuttle run, L drill, figure eights, and all dribbling games.)
• Tricks: Scissors, Cruyff, pull-back, drawbacks (one and two foot), step-overs, stop and go moves, cut back (inside foot and outside foot, fake shot, rolls, Ronaldo chop, shoulder faint, etc. Players should be able to use the moves listed or any combination of the moves to change speed and/or direction to maintain possession of the ball or penetrate the defense before moving to playing onto 2v1 or 2v2 games.
• Juggling and ball control: 20 juggles right foot, 20 juggles both feet, 20 thigh juggles, and 50 total juggles using all surfaces.
• Coordination and Agility:
• Individual Defending: Pressure, Delay, Herding, Fencing, Shoulder Charge and Tackling.
• Dribbling to Penetrate
• Dribble for Possession
• Scanning while dribbling

Academy Basics (Level II - Passing/Receiving/Small Sided Tactics) : This level is about mastering a player's first touch, passing abilities, and decision making skills to be successful used in 2v1, 2v2, 3v1, 3v2, and 3v3 games.

• Passing and Receiving: Goal is to be able to use most surfaces of the body to receive and pass the ball.
• Passing: Left and right foot (A shot is just the final pass!!)
• Inside foot: Short, middle, long range, and bending passes
• Outside foot: Short, middle, long range, and bending passes
• Laces: Driven pass or shot.
• Heal of the foot passes: To be used when a teammate is running behind you.
• One touch passing: Short, middle and long range passing
• Chipping/Crossing: Short, middle and long range passes
• Receiving: Be able to use your First Touch to relieve pressure or attack a space or the opponent.
  • Inside foot
  • Outside foot
  • Laces
  • Thigh
  • Chest
  • Head
• Scanning without the ball
• Two Touch- receive and play quickly (pass or dribble)
• Juggling: 100 or more juggles using all surfaces of the body including head and shoulders and adding in tricks.
• Small Game Tactics (2v2 to 5v5): Combination play and team shape (triangles and diamonds).
• Scanning and awareness
• Defense: Pressure, Cover and Balance
• Combination Play: Players should be able to perform a wall pass, overlap, take over, bounce pass, double pass, and combination passes in small sided games. They should be able to recognize and play in triangles and diamonds.

Player (Level III - Advanced tactics and Skills): Players at this level will be mastering advanced skills and advanced large game tactics to play 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 games.

• Big Game tactics: Positional training, team shape and system of play.
• Offense:7v7or9v9
• Building out of the back and when to play direct
• Counter attack/Transition
• Possession
• Playing between the lines and in the spaces
• Creativity in the final third
• Communication
• Defense:7v7or9v9
• Pressure, cover, and balance
• Counter attack/Transition
• Compactness
• Low, Middle and High Blocks (When and Why?)
• High vs Low pressure (When and why?)
• Communication
• Juggling:
  • 500+ with many tricks.
  • Should be able to juggle a punt or long ball out of the air with foot, chest and thigh.
• Heading:
  • Defensive heading: Up and out
  • Offensive heading: Used as to make a pass or shoot on goal.