Arlington Soccer

Girls Academy2020-21 Seasonal Kick-Off Meeting

Philosophy, Mission and Vision

Arlington Soccer Mission Statement:Arlington Soccer Association provides quality soccer programs and experiences for people of allabilities, backgrounds, and financial means, to encourage personal growth, promote a love for thegame, and advance soccer in Arlington and surrounding communities.

Arlington Soccer Vision Statement:Arlington Soccer Association will be an inclusive soccer organization that draws people to soccer.We are dedicated to continually developing our programs, activities and facilities so participantshave opportunities to learn, have fun, and reach their full potential.

Arlington Academy Vision Statement:We want to get better every day and be the vanguard of training methodology, to provide the bestdevelopmental platform to our players, to have the best Academy program in the DMV area, andone of the top academies in United States.

Philosophy, Mission and Vision

Be a good citizen, a good student and the best soccer player you can be

Mission

Vision

Philosophy

1. VERY smart and skilled soccer players.

2. Players willing to play and give everything for the team.

3. Integral development of each player: Education (Values/

Ethics), Technical, Tactical, Physical and Psychosocial.

National Team PlayersProfessional PlayersCollege Player

We will form:

Nicci Wright Girls Academy Director

Nicci was born in British Columbia, Canada and played for the Canadian Women’s National Team for six years, having played in the 1999 Women’s World Cup. Her professional career included playing with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL W-League, Alviks IK in the Swedish Damallsvenskan, and with the Washington Freedom in the WUSA, winning the league’s Founders Cup, alongside teammates Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach.

Nicci has a vast background in youth development with over 17 years of coaching experience, having previously worked with Maryland United FC and McLean Youth Soccer, before arriving in Arlington as the U15-U19 Girls Age Group Director and Director of Goalkeeping. Nicci has coached at the professional level with the Washington Freedom (WPS) and the Washington Spirit (NWSL). She is currently a staff goalkeeper coach with Canada Soccer, and was an Assistant Coach for the 2014 U17 and U20 Women’s World Cup teams, and with the WNT as they prepared for the 2019 Women’s World Cup and 2020(1) Summer Olympics.

Nicci holds a Bachelor of Education and currently holds a USSF B License.

2020-21 Girls Academy StaffU19 Head Coach – Mo Tayari

U17 Head Coach - Gerardo Ramirez

U16 Head Coach – Nicci Wright

U15 Head Coach – Nicci Wright

U14 Head Coach - Gerardo Ramirez

U13 Head Coach – Mo Tayari

Academy Director – Nicci Wright

Director of Operations - Melissa Riemer

Performance Director – Torey Biero

GA Assistant Coach and Head Goalkeeping Coach – Rick Stainton

College Recruitment Coordinator – Kristen Meier

GA Goalkeeper Training Staff – Yassi Ghahremani and Vahid Talebloo

Academy and Travel Administrator – Bonnie Johnson

Arlington Girls Academy Framework

✓ 10-month season to ensure continuity and commitment while increasing the amount of meaningful training sessions and games for our top players.

✓ Team Training: 3x per week during fall/spring seasons; 2x per week during summer/winter pre-seasons.✓ Performance Training: 1x per week during fall, winter and spring seasons.✓ Goalkeeper Training: 2x per week during fall/spring seasons; 1x per week during summer/winter pre-seasons

with our goalkeeper staff.

✓ 18 League games spread out evenly between fall and spring seasons (one game per week usually on Saturdays with the occasional “double” header weekend depending on travel partners).

✓ Additional meaningful scrimmages against top GA, ECNL and boys’ teams during pre-seasons and/or when needed.

✓ 5-6 GA Events and Non-GA Tournaments/College Showcases depending on age groups.

✓ Rest/Off Days: Fridays and Sundays (on non-double header weekends).✓ Periodization of recovery days throughout the season as recommended by our Performance Director.

✓ High School Soccer and Other Sports: High school is permitted for all GA players, however the HS and GA schedules are coordinated per our outlined periodization plan to prevent over-use injuries and fatigue in order to ensure optimal player performance.

Arlington Girls Academy Benefits

✓Arlington’s elite training environment promotes increased technical-tactical standards.

✓Coordinated staff which allows movement of players between GA age groups to enhance development opportunities. Training with our boys’ academy is also used as an additional developmental option.

✓Access to additional individual and performance training through our Techne Futbol and TeamBuildr partnerships.

✓The Academy program provides an improved environment with the proper training-to-game ratio that supports year-round periodization for development.

✓Mandatory filming of all GA games which are accessible to players and coaching staff through our partnerships with InStat and HUDL for game analysis and college recruiting.

✓Direct connection with US Soccer scouts via league games, mandatory GA events, individual conference talent ID events and national talent ID events.

✓Dedicated College Recruiting Coordinator to assist in communications with college coaches and work together with each individual player on their athletic and academic pathways.

Arlington Components of Player Development

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS

OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT?

Coach

Player / Family

Team

Competition

Training Environment

Arlington Academy Philosophy on Teaching

Vision

Style of Play

Training Periodization

Weekly Training

Structure

Training Session

Structure

Club Exercises/ Drills

• What type of player do we want to develop?

• How do we want our teams to look like?

• How do we want to develop / train our players?

• What does our week look like?

• What do our sessions look like?

• What exercises / drills specific for our objectives?

Arlington Academy Philosophy on Teaching

✓ The player is the key component of our Academy, and we understand that through out the years, we have a young person that we need to help develop into an adult person. Therefore, for us it’s very important to focus on the integral education of each player. We CANNOT have good players if we do not have GOOD persons first.

✓ Everything will be connected between our vision and each one of the exercises we use during our training sessions. We will use modern and age-appropriate training methodology around the main idea of having an integral education / development of our players.

✓ We base our training periodization on THREE principles connected to our vision and style of play which is implemented across ouracademy programs and club.

1. Integral Education of our Players

2. Principle of Complexity Progression

3. Fundamentals and Specific Principles

Principles

Complexity Progression

Integral Education

Arlington Player Development: Integral Education

Integral

Education

Technical

Training

Physical

Training

Values / Habits

Education

Psycho social

Training

TacticalTraining

ValuesGood Citizen

Good Student

TechnicalSkillful Soccer Players

Functional Technique

TacticalSmart Soccer Players

Always Play with a Purpose

PhysicalWell-Rounded Athletes

Ready for Top Level Competition

Psycho Social

Growth Mindset

Desire to Improve

Arlington Player Development: Style of Play

Attacking Organization

• Controlling game and taking

initiative through possession

• Build with low-risk / high

impact between D-M 1/3s

• Be Dynamic and creative in

final 1/3 – more risk taking

• Everyone attacks = GK is our 1st

attacker

Defending Organization

• Organized & disciplined

tactically – one more than

them mentality

• Press aggressively in identified

situations – compact first

• Everyone defends = CF is our

1st defender

D-A & A-D Transitions

D-A = Step Away (Field Big)

• Retain-exploit-threaten-create

final acts

A-D = Step Towards (Field Small)

• Compact first-hunt mentality-

take away biggest threats

Arlington Player Profile – Our Type of Player

1High Soccer IQ and awareness on the field. Always plays with a purpose.

2• Skillful soccer players. Has the ability to execute with high efficiency decisions

made.

3• Gives maximum effort and puts team first.

4• Plays with passion and always competes.

5• More artists than athletes.

Arlington Player Development: Weekly Schedule (Fall/Spring)

D AY

2

Performance Session

(Team Fee)

Strength / Injury

Prevention

GK Training

D AY

1

Team Session

dedicated to specific

needs of the team –

recovery, fitness,

work on concepts /

principles depending

on weekend

match(es) load

D AY

3

Team Session to

work on concepts /

principles defined by

periodization

D AY

4

Team Session to

work on concepts /

principles defined by

periodization

Arlington Player College Pathway2018-2022 School Commitments (as of 12/31/20)

The Girls Academy League

Girls Academy League Mission

Girls Academy League Vision

Girls Academy Core Values

GA Conference Alignment

GA Mid-Atlantic Conference

The Girls Academy 2020-2021 Events

GA Talent ID in Coordination with US Soccer

GA Talent ID in Coordination with US Soccer

Girls Academy Advisory Panel

Why?• Lack of females in leadership roles in sports.• The only true leadership and development platform in youth sports that

actually engages and activates the players’ voice.• Players put blood, sweat, and tears into becoming the best they can be.

We owe it to them to create an environment that reflects their grit, commitment, determination, and their VOICE.

The mission of the Girls Academy Advisory Panel is to enhance the overall experience for the players in the Girls Academy by creating and maintaining a player-led advisory board that enables the players to engage in strategic initiatives that drive the long-term sustainability of the GA and overall advancement of youth soccer.

The Girls Academy Advisory Panel provides the players a formal way to advocate for the collective voice of the players through a governance pathway to the GA board.

Girls Academy Advisory Panel

2020-21 Arlington GA Advisory Panel Reps

Adult LeadershipMid-Atlantic Conference Leader – Nicci WrightArlington SA Club Leader – Gerardo Ramirez

Player Club RepsGrace Franklin – 2003/02 GA TeamCaroline (CJ) Roy – 2005 GA Team

Team RepsKaty Talotta – 2003/02 Anna Rupert – 2004Cadence Lee – 2005 Kinzly Gootman – 2006Foley Robertson – 2007 Isabel Delacourt - 2008

2020-21 Arlington GA Advisory Panel Reps

Adult LeadershipMid-Atlantic Conference Leader – Nicci WrightArlington SA Club Leader – Gerardo Ramirez

Player Club RepsGrace Franklin – 2003/02 GA TeamCaroline (CJ) Roy – 2005 GA Team

Team RepsKaty Talotta – 2003/02 Anna Rupert – 2004Cadence Lee – 2005 Kinzly Gootman – 2006Foley Robertson – 2007 Isabel Delacourt - 2008

2021 Arlington Soccer Girls AcademyTalent Identification Sessions

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16th12:00-2:00pm2009, 2008 & 2007

2:00-4:00pm2006, 2005 2004, 2003 (current Jrs.)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29th5:00-6:30pm2009, 2008 & 2007

6:30-8:00pm2006, 2005 2004, 2003 (current Jrs.)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12th5:00-6:30pm2009, 2008 & 2007

6:30-8:00pm2006, 2005 2004, 2003 (current Jrs.)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21stTIME TBD2009, 2008 & 2007

TIME TBD2006, 2005 2004, 2003 (current Jrs.)