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Skills Development Academy Technical Development Model & Curriculum

June 8, 2015

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VOLUME I – PROPOSAL TO THE REQUIREMENTS

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1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................... 3

2 Curriculum overview .......................................................................................................................... 4

3 SDA Style of Play ............................................................................................................................... 5

4 SDA Technical Development Model ................................................................................................ 6

Exhibit A: SDA Technical Development Model ...................................................................................... 6

5 SDA Development Milestones.......................................................................................................... 7

Exhibit B: SDA Development Milestones ................................................................................................ 7

6 Expectations for SDA Coaching Staff ............................................................................................. 9

Exhibit C: SDA Coaching Attributes ........................................................................................................ 9

7 Annual Training Plan ....................................................................................................................... 10

Exhibit D: Annual Training Plan ............................................................................................................. 10

8 Training Cycle Calendar .................................................................................................................. 11

Exhibit E: Training Cycle Calendar ........................................................................................................ 11

9 SDA Guidelines for training sessions ............................................................................................ 12

A: Session Duration ................................................................................................................................. 12

Exhibit F: Session Duration .................................................................................................................... 12

B: Individual Session plans ..................................................................................................................... 13

Exhibit G: SDA Individual Session Plan................................................................................................ 13

10 SDA Numbering System ............................................................................................................. 14

Exhibit H: Position Numbering system diagram .................................................................................. 14

11 SDA Academy Formations.......................................................................................................... 15

Exhibit I: SDA Formations ....................................................................................................................... 15

12 SDA Team Lineup Templates .................................................................................................... 16

Exhibit J: Team Lineup Template .......................................................................................................... 16

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2 CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

Our Curriculum is designed to provide our coaches, and members with a clear overview of SDA’s player development model, expectations and player development goals. The Skills Development Academy embraces a player centered development philosophy that focuses on immediate technical gains of each student athlete. Since our coaching staff’s primary focus will be placed on player development, a secondary focus is placed on winning games. We believe players who are free to make mistakes and try new concepts will come out ahead as they develop through the various age groups. In this document, we will cover the following:

SDA Style of Play

SDA Technical Development Model

SDA Development Milestones

Expectations for Coaching Staff

Annual Training Plan

Training Cycle Calendar

SDA Guidelines for training sessions

Position Numbering System

Academy Formations

Team Lineup Templates

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3 SDA STYLE OF PLAY

SDA’s teams will employ an attacking style of play that provides our players experience, confidence, and creativity in breaking down their defensive opponents. Our players will be encouraged to execute as a team as well as individuals in a effort to increase their level of experience and confidence in match situations. Most importantly our student athletes and teams will be known for their high level of sportsmanship when dealing with other opponents, game officials, coaches. Our coaches will ensure that this passion for attacking soccer is accomplished through inspiring our student athletes in training and during match play to demonstrate what have learned, and are learning as the season progresses.

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4 SDA TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL

The skills development academies Technical Development Model leverages a hierarchical approach that starts with the belief that to develop a student athlete one must have an ability to commit to year-round training regimen. The Technical Development Model develops tactically and technically proficient student athletes by developing psychomotor and technical skills at the primary stages of player development. Within each milestone shown in the Technical Development Model below training sessions are executed that develop and cultivate the specific psychomotor skill, technical skill, small group tactic, or team tactic. The student athletes clear understanding of concepts within each milestone is integral to their ongoing development. As our student athletes progress through the various milestones that are represented in the Technical Development Model it is expected that the coach will continue to increase the complexity, speed, demands on earlier completed milestones to achieve an overall higher level of technical and tactical execution. Milestones are depicted in red and blue boxes in Exhibit A.

EXHIBIT A: SDA TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL

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5 SDA DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES

SDA development Milestones provide our coaches with training objectives to align with their training cycle calendar and individual session plans. Implementing the development milestones on a recurring basis will allow our teams to develop robust psychomotor skills, technical skills, and tactical knowledge. Our coaches review the development milestones and will gauge their team’s progress based of the fundamentals listed below.

EXHIBIT B: SDA DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES

Development Milestones

AGE Group

What will the Development Milestone develop in out student

athletes?

Psychomotor Skills

U8 - U18

SDA Coaches will implement psychomotor training exercises with the key focus of developing the student athlete’s physical skills such as movement, coordination, posture, static balance, dynamic balance. Players completing training will have improved speed, posture, coordination.

Technical Skills U8 - U18

SDA Coaches implement Technical Skills training exercises with the key focus of developing Ball Mastery routines with ball with all surfaces of the foot, short passing, long passing, dribbling, moves, shooting, shielding, driving balls in swinging, out swinging, block tackling, poke tackling, defensive & attacking heading (Age Appropriate), Aerial ball control with the chest, and thigh.

1v1 Tactics U8 - U12

SDA Coaches implement training exercises that provide repetitions for the player to improve their skills with individual attacking and defending. Exercises will be fun to the student athlete and be limited in space, and time to yield an improved speed of play, and confidence attacking and regaining possession of the ball.

Principles of Attack

U8 - U12

SDA Coaches implement training small numbers exercises that provide repetitions for the player to incorporate the principles of attack with small numbers combinations that fulfill the principles of penetration, support, width, mobility, Improvisation and creativity. Players should have a solid understanding of 1st Attacker, 2nd Attacker, 3rd and supporting attacker’s roles and responsibilities. The Coach will expand numbers for all players based on 7v7, 9v9 or 11v11 formations once the fundamental concepts have been acquired by the student athletes.

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Penetration U8 - U12

SDA Coaches implement training small numbers exercises that provide repetitions for the player to incorporate penetration techniques. Techniques will focus on individual and group concepts that provide players with an understanding of how to unlock their opponents defense.

Possession U8-U18

SDA Coaches implement directional possession concepts for players in U8-U10 Ages, and will focus on advanced possession concepts starting at the U11 and above.

Small Group Tactics

U8 - U12

SDA Coaches will implement training sessions that will incorporate diagonal runs, timing runs, anticipation, blind side runs, combination play, overlaps, overloads, drawing defenders out to break defense down, and crossing & finishing, and group finishing in and around the 18-yard box.

Transition U11-U18

SDA Coaches will implement transition exercises that force the student to recognize the transitional moments within the game. Coaches will see gains in the player’s speed in decision making in the principles of attack, and defense.

Principles of Defense

U11- U18

SDA Coaches implement training sessions that will highlight the fundamentals of group defending concepts to include defensive shape, compactness, angles of runs, body shape, defensive posture, communication, and Pressure, Cover, Balance within the roles of 1st defender, 2nd defender, 3rd defender. The Coach will expand numbers for all players based on 7v7, 9v9 or 11v11 formations once the fundamental concepts have been acquired by the student athletes.

TEAM TACTICS 13 and Above

SDA Coaches will implement training sessions that will incorporate diagonal runs, timing runs, anticipation, blind side runs, combination play, overlaps, overloads, High Pressure, Low Pressure, Steering play wide, Steering play central and crossing & finishing, Set Plays and group finishing in and around the 18-yard box.

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6 EXPECTATIONS FOR SDA COACHING STAFF

All Coaches at SDA are selected to coach because they have the following attributes and A willingness to help players achieve their goals within a competitive sport. In addition to this SDA requires that all coaches obtain a competitive license and as well stay in line with CEU requirements Required by SDA, and our sanctioning bodies. EXHIBIT C: SDA COACHING ATTRIBUTES

Attribute Expectations for SDA Coaches

Inspire with Passion

SDA Coaches are selected for their passion for the game. Coaches will inspire their student athletes to practice technical & tactical fundamentals. Coaches are expected to bring a high level of enthusiasm & energy to their training sessions, matches and games. Our goal is to provide a challenging yet fun environment for our student athletes.

Assess & Implement

SDA Coaches, DOC, and Technical Director will assess the abilities of their players at the start of the season. Following this evaluation, the Coach will work with the DOC to make sure the Training Cycle Calendar and Individual Training Sessions incorporate the correct development milestones.

Prepare SDA Coaches prepare their session plans to ensure that each. session is productive, and fun for the student athlete. In addition to this all SDA coaches are expected to be arrive early to setup for their training session.

Feedback SDA Coaches will provide positive & constructive feedback regarding execution of drills, trainings, and match situations. Coaching staff will issue 3 evaluations for the student athlete throughout the season.

Repetition SDA Coaches understand that a higher number of repetitions are required to execute at an above average level for an action or skill. Keeping this in mind coaches will make sure that they receive comprehension and have enough repetitions executing training prior to moving to a new training topic. Also, Coaches will add variety and competition to retain the interest of their student athletes in training sessions.

Recognition of leadership

SDA Coaches recognize their student athletes for their contributions to the team in training sessions and games. Coaches also will recognize student athletes for their academic accomplishments, and community service.

Increase Demands

SDA Coaches will increase the demands to ensure the players continue to develop to make strides to more competitive match performances. Coaches will use positive reinforcement to obtain added gains and results. SDA feels that a positive approach to increased demands leaves our players with confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

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7 ANNUAL TRAINING PLAN

Prior to the start of each season SDA leadership creates and distributes an annual training plan at the winter coaches meeting. The annual training plan divides the year-round season into cycles or blocks of consecutive training sessions. The result of dividing the year-round season into cycles allows us to determine the progress of the individual student athlete in addition to the overall team. At the same time, it provides insight regarding the number of sessions required to meet the development milestones. In addition, this annual training plan allows our staff to ensure that we have the appropriate rest periods identified for recovery within each cycle. Athletic burnout also known as overtraining syndrome can be mitigated by close planning that will allow the student athlete sufficient physical and psychological recovery time frames. In an effort to keep players passionate and hungry for their training regimen as demands increase, we must provide these windows of recovery. We also find that the family can use rest and recovery from year-round activities. These team’s activities of potential conflict may include but are not limited to:

Tryout windows

Holidays

Mandatory Club Breaks

Family Vacations

State Cup Series

Tournament/Showcases Events

Soccer High School Season

Final Exam & Graduation Weeks

EXHIBIT D: ANNUAL TRAINING PLAN

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8 TRAINING CYCLE CALENDAR

Prior to the start of each season the Coach will create a Training Cycle Calendar as shown below that will identify the milestones that the coach is planning to accomplish within the specific training cycle. In addition, the coach will account for days of rest and recovery prior to league games and tournaments. Individual Session plans will be executed for the milestones that are identified in the corresponding Training Cycle Calendar. Exhibit E provides an overview of the milestones that will be covered in training during Cycle E for the U14 Age Group.

EXHIBIT E: TRAINING CYCLE CALENDAR

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9 SDA GUIDELINES FOR TRAINING SESSIONS

A: SESSION DURATION

SDA coaches will pay close attention to creating a suitable training that is appropriate to the players age, ability and commitment level. SDA sessions will incorporate psychomotor, technical, and tactical milestones goals. Sessions for players in the initial stage, will emphasize the development of psychomotor and technical skills. As previously stated over-training without adding the proper periods for rest and recovery can have an adverse effect on the players. Coaches will adhere to mandatory academy blackout periods and factor them into their training cycles.

EXHIBIT F: SESSION DURATION

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B: INDIVIDUAL SESSION PLANS

Individual Session plans are executed for all the sessions identified in the Training Cycle Calendar. During the training, sessions, our coaches correct the execution as needed to ensure that all the student athletes have the task down correctly. In addition, our coaches will adjust regarding the delivery of the topic or concept to ensure that all players comprehend our topic in the session. EXHIBIT G: SDA INDIVIDUAL SESSION PLAN

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10 SDA NUMBERING SYSTEM

SDA coaches will employ the use of the numbering system starting at the earliest

age groups to provide players a more efficient means of communication

regarding the roles and responsibilities of positions, group tactics and concepts.

Student athletes transitioning to the next age group will have a smoother

transition since a common position system is being used by all SDA Coaches.

Coaches will use this numbering format when assigning players to their weekly

academy teams lineups.

EXHIBIT H: POSITION NUMBERING SYSTEM DIAGRAM

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11 SDA ACADEMY FORMATIONS

SDA coaches will use the following formations to reinforce the development milestones documented within its technical development model. To get the most out of teaching a team formation the coach will review and always reference the foundational milestones of principles of attack, transition, principles of defense, and possession. Each formation has pros and cons and our coaches will use formations to teach our players specific concepts and tactical gains when using one formation over the other.

EXHIBIT I: SDA FORMATIONS

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12 SDA TEAM LINEUP TEMPLATES

All coaches will use the supplied Academy Team Lineup template for scrimmages, league games, tournaments to gain data on lineups that work. It is expected players will have frequent opportunities to be exposed to different positions throughout the season for age groups U8 through U11. Coaches will also provide positional changes at the higher age groups but as the players gain skill sets in specific areas positional movement will not be as dynamic as it will be in earlier age groups.

EXHIBIT J: TEAM LINEUP TEMPLATE