Academy / Mountain Program
- Schedules (Fall 2011)
- Academy / mountain program Overview
- Locations
- Academy Soccer U05-U08
- Mountain Soccer U09-U19
- See also the Frequently Asked Questions page
- See the Forms page for registration forms and information
- See Greg's note about expectations for coaches, parents and players at The Downs.
Academy / Mountain Schedules (Fall 2011)
Mountain schedule: U-10 [rev 9/17], U-12 [rev 9/22], U-14.
Eldorado Academy: U-08, U-06.
Santa Fe Academy: U-08 [rev 9/16], U-06 [rev 9/16].
First matches 17 Sep, last matches 5 Nov.
Fall 2011 practice schedules: The Downs [rev 10/06]
Philosophy and rules: U-10, U-12, U-14.
Expectations for coaches, parents and players at the Downs
Mountain (U10-U14) Technical Skills Sessions: will be held on Thursdays from 5:15-6:30pm at the Downs starting September 29 through the last week in October. They will be run by our DoC and if you practice on these days, it would be beneficial just to bring your teams to the session. If you do not practice on these days, please inform your players and encourage them to attend the sessions and bring what they learn back to the team. Coaches are also invited to attend the sessions and should plan to participate. Greg does a great job at communicating with the players and may give you ideas about how to get concepts across to players. All players need to bring a ball, water, and be dressed appropriately (cleats, shin guards).
Academy / Mountain Overview
One of the most important aspects of the Northern Soccer philosophy is to provide opportunities for players to participate at whatever level they desire. Any player who loves the game of soccer should have an opportunity to play that matches their desired level of competition. Our academy/mountain program is the foundation for all activities conducted by the club.
The Northern Soccer academy/mountain program emphasizes fun and learning in an environment where boys and girls can practice the teamwork and skills necessary for playing soccer. Our goals are to improve and maintain physical fitness, to promote emotional health and growth, and to foster the spirit of doing one's best for oneself and the team.
Northern Soccer will support local community academy formats for children Under-05 thru Under-08. Every community involved in Northern Soccer will operate their academy program within a local model that works well in that city. Northern Soccer will provide coaching training, practice sessions, and a jersey.
Northern Soccer organizes the Mountain Program for players in northern New Mexico that will support more soccer-playing opportunities for players closer to home. This league is modeled after the Northwest Rio Grande Soccer League. Games will require light travel within northern New Mexico approximately every other weekend. The Mountain Schedule consists of teams divided into the following age groupings:
Under-10 (U-09 and U-10)
Under-12 (U-11 and U-12)
Under-14 (U-13 and U-14)
Under-18 (U-15 thru U-18, High School)
Locations
The Northern Soccer academy/mountain soccer program is presently divided between the Santa Fe, Eldorado and Los Alamos/White Rock communities. All practices and games for the U08 and younger players will take place in each individual community, ensuring a quality soccer program without long drives or expensive fees. Some occasional light travel in northern New Mexico will be needed for U-09 and older players.
Academy Soccer U05-U08
- Cost: $80 fall or spring only, $130 full year (as a single registration transaction in the fall). Note that Eldorado costs are $70 for fall or spring only and $115 full year because a jersey is not included in the cost. [$20 DISCOUNT if paid by the early-registration deadline for full-year or fall-only. Spring-only discount TBA.]
- Small-sided soccer (4v4)
- Coed program
- Practice: Local communities (Santa Fe, Eldorado, Los Alamos)
- Games: As above
- Focus: Fun/skill development
- No scores kept
- No tryouts
- Parent coaches
- Uniforms: Each player is provided with a high-quality Northern Soccer jersey.
- Shoes available: the Northern Soccer office has many pairs of "gently used" soccer shoes available to anyone who needs a pair! Stop by the soccer office MWF from 9:30am to 12:30pm and pick some up.
Objective: The U08 and younger program focuses on the developmental needs of players U05 through U08. Our goals are to maintain and improve physical fitness, to promote emotional health and growth, and to focus on developing basic technical skills for our youngest players.
U05-U06 technical focus:
- Ball touch/learn to master the ball
- Skill games in which direction, speed and precision are emphasized
U07-U08 technical focus:
- Begin to teach the basic game—start to develop maturity on the ball
- Technical skills and game insight have to be developed by playing in simplified soccer situations—small-sided and small-group games
Mountain Soccer U09-U19
- Cost: $90 fall or spring only, $145 full year (as a single registration transaction in the fall). [$20 DISCOUNT if paid by the early-registration deadline for full-year or fall-only. Spring-only discount TBA.]
- Small-sided soccer
- Separate boys and girls teams will be formed when numbers allow.
- Practices: Local communities (Santa Fe, Eldorado, Los Alamos)
- Games: The Mountain Schedule. Santa Fe Downs and Los Alamos/White Rock
- Tryouts: None. Signups in fall for fall and spring.
- Coaches: Parent coaches
- Uniforms: Each player is provided with a high-quality Northern Soccer jersey.
- Shoes available: the Northern Soccer office has many pairs of "gently used" soccer shoes available to anyone who needs a pair! Stop by the soccer office MWF from 9:30am to 12:30pm and pick some up.
Objective: The Northern Soccer Mountain Program strives to provide a more intensive development program without weekly travel to Albuquerque. Through a combination of twice-weekly training, specialized sessions with highly trained coaches, games in the Los Alamos / Santa Fe region, and some tournament play, players will have the opportunity to develop their soccer skills, preparing them for continued soccer participation at levels appropriate to their skills and interest.
The focus of this program will continue to be player development. The training will continue to have a technical emphasis, with the coaches also focusing on keeping things fun. Games will focus on translating key technical aspects of soccer into the games.
Players who are U09/U10 are in the golden age of learning as this is the most important age for skills development. Players in this age group are at a critical time in their soccer development and experience as they are maturing into players who understand the importance of cooperation in team play. Players in this age group are eager, coordinated, energetic and excited to learn by doing. Each player will have the opportunity to develop all the skills of games, including goalkeeping.
All players need to wear shin guards, bring water and dress appropriately for each practice. Every player should bring a ball to practice.
PARENTAL BEHAVIOR: This is a player developmental program. The goal of this program is to make each player better technically, physically and emotionally each year. It does not have a goal of developing teams. Please maintain decorum during games and limit yourself to cheering for all of the players. Do not yell at your child to play "better;" do not yell at referees; do not tell your child's coach where and when your child should be playing. This program is about the players developing and having fun. The majority of player development happens in practices, not in games. This program follows closely US Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer recommendations.