The Development Academy program is designed to provide a positive environment for the area’s most motivated and dedicated soccer players.

This program is positioned between our Community recreation soccer programs and our Academy travel soccer programs with the objective to serve as a “bridge” to our U8-U10 Academy travel soccer teams. This is also the next step for players participating in our Academy Development Juniors program.

Our Academy Development Program is intended for players with a strong interest in soccer, open to the idea of playing travel soccer (Academy) in the future and for parents who are willing to make a stronger commitment to their child’s development in soccer.

This program offers several benefits:
– Curriculum developed and sessions are taught by professionally licensed coaches.
– Developmentally appropriate curriculum by age for boys and girls with a heavy emphasis on individual technique and creativity.
– Two practices per week outdoor training in the Fall and Spring.
– Weekend Intra- Academy games on Saturdays coached by professional staff.
– Potential cross-over matches with other local or regional clubs.
– This program includes professional coaching at all Fall and Spring practices, games and potential cross-over games at no additional cost.
– Season Tickets per player to Virginia Beach City FC home games.

Optional; additional fee applies:
– Access to our club winter Futsal program

Format

The Development Academy Program aims to have approximately 72 players of each gender participate in this program. Players will be organized into groups of approximately 12 players each, who will train together during the week under the direction of our Development Academy professional coaches. This program offers training twice per week during the fall and spring season and will play Intra-Academy games or TASL league matches on Saturdays or Sundays. 

For weekend games, each group will be organized into two squads to compete against each other on the weekend. Both squads will be professionally managed by an academy professional coach. The format will be 4v4, giving each teams two subs. The teams will play a small sided format without goalkeepers.

The groups of players are likely to change or be mixed throughout the course of the season. The club will give families a notification about the updated group assignments along with other updates consistently throughout the season.

Curriculum

The Development Academy curriculum is designed within the guidelines of US Soccer and United Soccer Coaches coaching education guidelines for players at the U6 to U10 ages. The program features a heavy emphasis on individual ball mastery, creativity and confidence all with in a fun and positive environment helping to maximum player development and enjoyment of the game. Each session will feature a theme. Examples include:

– Shooting and Technique
– Dribbling and Building Confidence – Basic Foundation and Change of Direction using different parts of the foot.
– Dribbling and Attacking – Fun moves such as the scissors and step overs, combination moves, penetrating runs by dribbling with speed at goal
– First Touch
– Passing and learning to play with teammates.

The theme of the week will continue into the weekend intra-squad game and will be encouraged by our professional coaching staff.

Enrollment for this program is set up as a open registration. You will register for the Full Year Development Academy Registration – once placements takes place you will be sent an invitation to accept and finalize your registration.

Program Cost:

– Full Year Development Academy $500 (Includes Fall & Spring season and Summer Academy)
– Full Year Development Academy + $750 (Includes Fall & Spring season, 1 week of Winter & 1 week of Summer Elite Camp Series, Summer Academy, Futsal)
– Development Academy $275 (Fall or Spring season play). 

Development Academy Uniforms are ordered through Soccer.com. The uniform kit includes:

– Two numbered game jerseys
– One numbered practice jersey
– One Pair of shorts
– One pair of socks

Uniforms run on a two year cycle and are not included in the program fees. Returning players may wear the same kit from the previous fall or spring season within the same two year cycle.

New players will receive an email approximately a month prior to the program start date with instructions once all players have picked(or assigned) their numbers and Soccer.com is ready to accept orders.

Primary Options:
– Norfolk Collegiate: Two (2) lighted turf soccer fields