Player development has become the primary goal of many governing bodies in soccer to include the U.S. Youth Soccer Association. A number of soccer clubs across the nation have adopted or are adopting the "player development" concept and making it their primary goal as well.

True player development will focus on the development of the individual player and not on the development of the team. LMVSC recognizes the importance of the unity and cohesion of a team; however the primary objective at the very young ages must be the positive growth and development of the child. In support of this concept, LMVSC in the past 5 years has implemented several "progression" programs for the younger aged players, which focus on player development. Currently, LMVSC has programs in place for the U-4 - U-7 age groups. LMVSC thought we had a good developmental program for our U-8s for the last 5 years; however, after recent discussions with Educators, Leaders and State Directors of Coaching, it became very clear that LMVSC was not providing a developmentally sound "program" for our U-8 players. We did not have a developmental program; instead, our "program" was merely a Crossing Over "league."

The Crossing Over league was developed in order to help build the LMVSC travel program. The primary principle of the Crossing Over League was to provide parents, players and young referees the "flavor" (to prepare them for travel) of travel soccer while still playing in a recreational environment.

With that said, LMVSC is proud to announce the LMVSC Academy Program -- designed specifically for the U-8 player. We feel confident that this program will develop the "game within your child," especially when coupled with the Crossing Over "league".

The LMVSC Academy will be a program that focuses on "player development" based on the U-8's social, cognitive, and developmental levels and not the development of "my team - your team". A Licensed Head Coach will train every Academy player twice a week with the aid of his or her Assistant Coaches. Every Academy player will be eligible to participate in the Crossing Over League on the weekend. The LMVSC Crossing Over teams will be randomly selected each week from the Academy player pool, and those teams will play against teams from other local clubs.

The Academy program represents LMVSC's efforts to provide age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate training based on the most current thought and guidance on the benefits of small-sided, non-team-oriented early training.

Our goal and our hope is that when the time comes for the Academy players to move in to travel soccer, they will be a group who knows each other as friends and soccer players - and not as kids who are or were "my team" or the "other team." LMVSC will launch this new and exciting developmental oriented Academy concept through a licensed youth soccer coach with excellent credentials in order to maximize the benefit of small-sided training for each child's individual development. We look forward to getting started.

After graduating from the LMVSC Academy, which will occur after each spring season, the players will be invited to tryout for two LMVSC travel teams where there are limited rosters spots. The nature of travel soccer, the reality of the program, is that there are limited roster spots on travel teams. Regardless of who is selected from the Academy program for the travel teams, those Academy players who are selected will already know each other, and, in fact, will have played together and trained together in their Academy training.

Parents can register their child online. If your child has shown a strong interest in soccer, click here to register for the LMVSC Developmental Academy.