SAAC Adds Another Member
December 7, 2006

SAAC would also like to confirm the addition of DP Soccer (DPS) to its membership, bringing the total of new members for 2007 up to four. DP Soccer (www.dpsoccer.com) is headed by Paul Ferguson, an Ontario 'B' License holder and former General Manager of the Hamilton Thunder of the Canadian Professional Soccer League.

DP Soccer offer one of the most advanced clinics within the Golden Horseshoe area. Their academy concept is to provide top quality coaching on a consistent and persistent basis that will provide a technical foundation yielding tremendous dividends for years to come. DP Soccer enhances the current SAAC presence in southwestern Ontario and brings a strong track record of providing technical development for elite young players.
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VAUGHAN - Soccer Academy Alliance Canada (SAAC) is pleased to announce the expansion of three additional academies in Ontario. The additions bring the total membership to 11 private academies across Canada - 8 in Ontario and 3 in British Columbia.  Winstars Soccer Academy, Soccer Development Model Academy (SDMA) and MSA Soccer Academy are the newest associate members of SAAC and are all hoping to field teams in the inter-academy competition as early as 2007.

"The new additions all bring something positive to SAAC and compliment our existing members very well", said an excited Lino Terra, commissioner of the one-year-old organization. "The new members add to our already impressive list of licensed coaches, international contacts and technical resources."

SAAC hopes to run an expanded competitive program next season.  All divisions are expected to see an increase in numbers, and a Junior Showcase division will be added for players aged 15-16.  The program will start in March 2007, with most academies holding tryouts early in the new year.

Visit www.academysoccer.ca or write to saac@academysoccer.ca for more information on the SAAC programs and its member academies.

About Winstars Soccer Academy

The Winstars Soccer Consulting and Academy (www.winstarssoccer.com) focuses on professionally-centered soccer development, preparing elite players for U.S.- Collegiate and worldwide pro-league competitions. Academy Director Bobby Graham has a Provincial 'B' license and numerous achievements and awards in his soccer career.  Most recently, he was Technical Director-Seniors Teams for the Glen Shields soccer club and prior to that for the Woodbridge Soccer Club.

About Soccer Development Model Academy

The Soccer Development Model Academy (www.sdma.ca) was formed to develop young soccer players by using the world famous coaching system "The Soccer Development Model". SDMA is headed by Vasco Nunes, a UEFA 'B' Licensed coach. Vasco has been the Technical Director of SDMA and Wein Way Sports since 2001. Vasco has been coaching youth soccer for over 16 years. His career started as a professional player back in South Africa. He coached junior provincial sides and has had many successes with club teams, including provincial and national champions.

About MSA Soccer Academy

The goal of MSA Soccer Academy (www.msasoccer.ca) is to establish an academy philosophy which creates an environment that promotes excellence in player and coaching development through quality training and instruction. Technical Director Mike Aquino holds a Canadian 'A' license and has extensive coaching and playing experience, including fours years as the Technical Director of the North York Cosmos Soccer Club.

About Soccer Academy Alliance Canada

SAAC (www.academysoccer.ca) was formed in 2005 to promote and regulate Canada's youth soccer academies. It's mission is to ensure the best young players have access to the highest standards of coaching. SAAC intends to play an important role in training, promoting and developing talented Canadian players of the future.

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Greetings,

As the calendar year winds down, I thought I would take this opportunity to provide a brief summary of our first year as well as some of the exciting initiatives we have planned for 2007.

2006 Highlights

Over 30 full and part-time teams took part in the summer inter-academy competitive program. The concept, unique to SAAC in Canada, put the focus of match play squarely on the development of the player by incorporating a number of proven strategies from the worldwide academy model: Age-specific field/team sizes, no scores/standings at the development levels and professional coaching at all levels.  The games took place at the Caledon Soccer Complex, one of the premier soccer facilities in the province.

SAAC arranged the 1st ever Boy's Showcase All-Star Game, to take place before a professional Canadian Soccer League (CSL) match. On July 29th, Team Green ( Power Player Academy & Bryst FA) and Team White (ANB Futbol and 1v1 Academy ) played to a thrilling 2-2 draw at Esther Shiner Stadium in Toronto, Ontario.

On that same weekend, an academy team from Peru (Regatas Lima), along with a team of local 'Spanish Selects' affiliated with Cruz Azul Canada played friendlies against some of our Showcase boys teams in Caledon.

In September, SAAC held its 1st ever Girl's Showcase All-Star Game, once again taking place at Esther Shiner stadium in conjunction with a professional Canadian Soccer League (CSL) match. And just as with the boys, the two teams played to an exciting 2-2 draw.

Throughout the season, many academy teams traveled to the U.S. and abroad to take part in new and different experiences to broaden their soccer development.  The highlight for SAAC was the efforts of the Boys Senior Developments Teams from ANB Futbol Academy in Barcelona, Spain.  The two teams were entered in the 1st ever Academy World Cup and finish 1st & 3rd in the U14 division.  A number players received special recognition and some were invited back for trials with professional clubs. As well, Bryst FA placed two of their U18 Boys in Europe and four on scholarship in the U.S.

Overall, it was an exciting first year with limitless potential for growth both on and off the pitch. The professional atmosphere was well received by players, parents and officials.  Some of the positive feedback we received:

"After 10 years in Rep, as a coach and as a parent I have found something I believe addresses the best for my boys."

"My daughter has played competitively for a number of years for a couple of different clubs and was also part of the provincial program. I haven't seen her enjoy playing this much for quite awhile. The overall program from coaching, to refereeing and facilities has been first class."

"If your son is serious about becoming better and developing his game then Academy soccer is the best option."

"Because the pressure is off of the players to win and move up the tables, the tension that usually exists and festers at rep games was nonexistent. The players still played hard and played to win and the coaches still coached, (you could definitely hear them). But the lack of tension, made for an atmosphere where the focus was on playing the game."

Plans for 2007

SAAC and its member academies are gearing up for 2007 and hope to keep the momentum growing. Members of affiliated academies can expect a number of new opportunities for 2007...

SAAC hopes to expand in 2007 with up to 4 new members in Ontario. Score Soccer Academy, which took part in the 2006 competitive program on a provisional basis, will be back in 2007 with up to 4 full time teams.  A number of other private academies are poised to make the leap as well.

Academy players can expect an increase in the opportunities to compete against teams from outside Ontario.  Bryst Football Academy has successfully initiated a pilot program by registering its teams with US Club Soccer to compete in events staged by the Great Lakes Soccer Alliance.  SAAC will encourage all academies to register teams with US Club Soccer in 2007 to take advantage of the benefits it provides. These include access to all US Club Soccer sanctioned events, including the US Club Soccer National Cup, which involves over 1,000 teams across North America.

SAAC will also be inviting our 3 member academies from British Columbia to Ontario to participate in a series of friendlies with their Ontario counterparts.  It is our full intention to foster cooperation between our members and grow the academy vision across Canada.

On the administrative side, SAAC has made positive progress in discussions with the OSA regarding formal affiliation.  We hope to have some level of agreement in place for 2007 to allow the two organizations to work together for the common goal of developing the game in this province.

SAAC will also continue to develop increased opportunities for players to advance their careers beyond the academy.  SAAC hopes to continue our relationship with the Canadian Soccer League as well as develop stronger ties with Canadian Universities and Colleges.  Independently, the member academies all have initiatives underway to provide the infrastructure for academy players to continue their development once they graduate from the youth academy programs.

Once again, I would like to thank the players, staff and parents that helped make our first year such a success. I commend the academies on their unwavering belief in the academy philosophy and their commitment to providing the best possible environment for player development, I commend the players for making a quick and successful adjustment to the academy culture, and I commend the parents for having the foresight to investigate the academy option and making the decision they felt would best support the development of their children's soccer abilities.

I wish everyone good luck with their preparations for 2007 and will continue to keep the membership informed of developments throughout the winter break. 

Yours in Soccer,

Lino Terra, Commissioner
Soccer Academy Alliance Canada
saac@academysoccer.ca
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The four founding members of Soccer Academy Alliance Canada (SAAC) have confirmed their participation in the first ever SAAC Inter-Academy Competition. Over 20 teams will take part in the program, the goal of which is to provide a competitive element to the full-time professional training programs provided by the member academies.

All programs will be age-specific, meaning different elements will be stressed at different times in the player's development. At the younger ages, the focus will be on developing the fundamental skills and techniques required to become elite soccer players.  As the players grow and develop, the emphasis will move more and more towards game play and tactics, preparing the players for a future beyond the academy programs, either at the collegiate or professional level.

The academies will form teams at four different levels - Primary Development, Junior Development, Senior Development and Senior Academy. When players are chosen for the full-time program, they will be placed at the level appropriate for their age, physiological development and skill. As they progress through the Academy, they will be continually evaluated and given feedback in order to focus on their individual areas for development.

SAAC plans to hold all of its 2006 inter-academy programs at the Caledon Soccer Complex.  Centrally located with a number of top quality pitches, the complex provides an ideal local for the member academies to come together for weekly exhibitions of attractive soccer.

SAAC is also proud to introduce the first annual 'CanAm' friendlies organized in cooperation with the Great Lakes Alliance (GLA).  Friendly matches are being scheduled throughout 2006 between SAAC academy teams and the western New York members of the GLA - Rochester Jr. Rhinos, Buffalo United and Syracuse FC.  More details will be provided as they are finalized.
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