The most successful youth teams in the United States—and indeed, throughout the world—share one common trait: they all receive regular, well-planned training sessions that follow a uniform philosophy, as the clubs strive to develop individual players as well as teams.
Through structured session plans and consistency of coaching methodology, each athlete is empowered to reach the next level of play, fulfilling his or her soccer potential while contributing to and sharing in the team’s successes. Today, that system is precisely what we’ve implemented at Matanuska Soccer Club.
Foremost among our efforts is the recent partnership with Coerver® Coaching NW, and the addition of MSC as a premier Coerver® Club Academy. For those unaware, the Coerver® Club Academy is:
- A program designed to foster proper technical development at the ages of U8 thru U14.
- A comprehensive soccer education for young players looking to acquire the skills necessary to elevate their game to the top-flight level.
- A challenging environment that demands good training habits.
- A program that promotes club pride and club loyalty.
Players rostered to MSC teams, as well as those seeking a more dynamic training environment and eventual transition into competitive soccer, can register for a variety of courses, all designed to enhance and amplify the players’ everyday training program. But, regardless of the Academy offering, these sessions are only intended as a supplement to the players’ regular training and not as a replacement. By working closely with the specific age-group head coaches, Academy trainers can tailor lesson plans to focus on individual development needs and assist in providing MSC players with the kind of technical foundation, tactical acumen and overall motivation that will enable them to encounter success each time they take the field.
Going further, the Premier Club Academy, with an emphasis on individual technique and skill development,
focuses primarily on the following topics:
- Ball Mastery
- Speed and Agility
- 1v1 Attacking and Defending
- Shooting and Finishing
- Passing and Receiving
- Small Group Play
- Goalkeeping
In the future, it will be up to MSC coaches to take these technically sound players and integrate them into their team’s tactical plan.
TR Stoneback, director of Coerver® Coaching NW and Director of Coaching for MSC, will also serve as the lead trainer for the Coerver® Club Academy. Troy Letherman, MSC Technical Director and assistant director of Coerver® AK, will act as the local director for our Premier Club Academy, with Coerver® Certified coaches and MSC age-group directors assisting with the implementation of the program, to include curriculum distribution and training of both club coaches and players.
Coaches’ training, player and coach resources, training session plans and skill development curriculum will all be provided through Coerver® Coaching. Coerver® Club Academy curriculum and training is not available to members of other Alaska soccer clubs, unlike additional Coerver® Coaching NW schools, clinics and camps. Only players registered with MSC may attend these Academy offerings.
To learn more about upcoming courses from the MSC Academy, please check back here, or contact Troy Letherman.
For more information on the MSC Development Academy, for players too young for our competitive program, or otherwise new to competitive soccer, please click the ’Pre-Competitve Program’ tab at left. Information on the MSC Goalkeeper Academy can also be found by clicking the appropriate tab at left.
