New soccer player development program puts the young players first

Though we are in the “dead of winter”, parents are already registering their sons and daughters by the
thousands across Ontario for the 2012 outdoor soccer season.

Some of you will have heard about “big changes” coming in youth soccer, but the truth is, the changes are
nowhere near as dramatic as they might sound—and they are all geared toward making the soccer
experience even better for boys and girls in every corner of the province.

If you hear the term “LTPD” don’t be afraid! It simply stands for Long-Term Player Development. And the
aim is simple: making the game more fun for everyone—coaches, parents, referees and most importantly,
our kids.

Some “changes” won’t even be noticeable. Over time what you will notice is more emphasis at the very
early ages—U4-U6, for example—on simple physical literacy (movement, coordination, etc.). At those
very important young ages (U6 to U11 or so), there will be way more emphasis on sound coaching,
developing the skills of ALL players, and much less of a focus on playing lots of games—and who wins and
loses.

Kids will still compete, but they will be allowed to enjoy themselves and learn from making mistakes and
trying new things, rather than feeling badly about losing a game when the score really shouldn’t matter to
kids—or their parents—at those young ages.

You will see more and more small-sides games; competition on sizes of fields that make sense for young
players and again, an emphasis on enjoyment and improving individual skills.
Over time, there will be plenty of competition for all youngsters, and especially as they reach the ages of
U12 and U13. Youngsters who aspire to a future in the game will have more opportunities than ever
before for improving, enhancing their skills and being “noticed” along the way if they are seeking
opportunities for advancement in the game.

Some Clubs in Ontario are already moving in this direction. These “changes” will be phased-in over the
years to come, starting with the younger ages. The Ontario Soccer Association will devote a lot of time
and energy meeting with passionate soccer people in 2012—listening, creating broader awareness and
doing everything we can to implement this approach effectively and get this right, rather than doing it
quickly.

Fortunately, we have great models to follow. Some of the best soccer nations in the world have already
long ago taken this approach, with great results. Whether a youngster wants to play strictly for fun, or
whether they want to compete at a high level, a focus on the player—and developing their skills—will
make the soccer experience better for everyone involved in the sport.

This “new” approach will build on the good work that is already being done by so many Clubs across the
province to make our game even better for all concerned.

Stay tuned for more information throughout 2012!

Attention parents and players: Tryouts for the following teams begin this weekend. For time and location details for these tryouts, please visit the Tryouts page.  Please note that players must be registered for the summer 2012 season before they can participate in a tryout.

• Boys U09 Futuro
  
• Boys U10 Futuro
  
• Boys U10 Hellenic
• Boys U11 Futuro
• Boys U12 L5 1A (formerly known as Regional)

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With the long term vision of developing the highest level players possible, we are launching the next phase of Futuro Soccer Academy for the Under 5/6 (2007/06) and Under 7/8 (2005/04) age groups. Our players will participate in a year round age specific program which will allow them to graduate through the Futuro Soccer Academy Development Pathway each year. 


Futuro Academy players will be officially registered through the Ottawa Royals Soccer Club as Futuro Soccer Academy is an elite component within the club structure.

The Academy Program from Under 5 - 8 will be broken up into three phases through out the year. The expectation and commitment for each player registering for the academy will be that they participate in the year round program and not just a specific phase. At the same time, we encourage our players to participate in multiple sports in order to get proper athletic development as prescibed by the Canadian Soccer Association Long Term Player Development Plan. 

Each player will receive full training apparel that they'll need to wear to each session: 2 adidas socks, 2 adidas shorts, 2 training t-shirts, adidas training jacket (retail value of $127) 

In phase 1, the 5/6 and 7/8 Futuro Academy players will train twice a week in the summer from May 16 - August 29.
In phase 2 and 3, the 5/6 Futuro Academy players will train once a week from October - March.
In phase 2 and 3, the 7/8 Futuro Academy players will train twice a week from October - March.

YEARLY TRAINING SCHEDULE UNDER 5/6:
PHASE 1: May 16 - August 29
Facility: Alexander Park
Day: Monday & Friday
Training Time: 5:30 - 6:30pm

PHASE 2: October / November
PHASE 3: January - March
Facility: Carleton Univrersity Norm Fenn Gym
Day: Monday
Time: 5:00 - 6:00pm

YEARLY TRAINING SCHEDULE UNDER 7/8:
PHASE 1: May 18 - August 29
Facility: Alexander Park
Day: Monday & Friday
Training Time: 5:30 - 6:30pm

PHASE 2: October / November
PHASE 3: January - March
Facility: Carleton Univrersity Norm Fenn Gym
Training Day / Time: Monday, 6:00 - 7:00pm
Training Day / Time: Friday, 5:00 - 6:00pm

UNDER 5/6 YEARLY COST STRUCTURE:
Initial payment at registration: $186.45
2nd installment (June 1): $186.45
3rd installment (July 1): $186.45
4th installment (Aug 1): $186.45

UNDER 7/8 YEARLY COST STRUCTURE:
Initial payment at registration: $271.20
2nd installment (June 1): $271.20
3rd installment (July 1): $271.20
4th installment (Aug 1): $271.20

The Ottawa Royals U14 Level 4 girls team is seeking new players. The teams is specifically looking for a serious goalkeeper and some strong adaptable outfield players. The team is planning an intense soccer training trip to England during August 2012. For more information please contact Matthew Blackwell at matthew.blackwell@ocdsb.ca

Tim Berns who is the U15 Academy Head Coach with Dutch Professional Club De
Graafschap is in Ottawa scouting out potential youth academy players from
the Parmar Futuro Soccer Academy on January 2 - 6, 2012. The purpose of the
camp is to expose our U10/11 Futuro Academy players to our professional
affiliates De Graafschap and provide coach Tim Berns the opportunity to
assess our players over an intensive five day camp.

De Graafschap is a professional club from Doetinchem, Netherlands. The name
of the club means 'The County' in Dutch although they are nicknamed the
'Super Farmers'. The club currently plays in the Eredivisie which is the
highest professional football league in the Netherlands.

The Dutch player development model has been widely recognized by major clubs
such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Arsenal as the highest standard of
development in Europe. We at Parmar Sports Training have always been a major
advocate of the dutch philosophy and have the methodology of individual
technical mastery deeply rooted into our curriculum. We are extremely
fortunate to have Coach Tim Berns provide this extraordinary opportunity for
our Futuro Academy players. This five day camp will help our players
discover what high level academy training in the Netherlands is like.

This scouting camp is only open to our Futuro Academy players.

If coaches, players or parents in the Ottawa Royals are interested in being
in attendance to observe the Scouting Camp and meet Coach Tim Berns, they
are welcome to attend some or all of the five day camp.

Camp information is as follows:
Dates: January 2 - 6, 2012
Location: Lansdowne Coliseum
Time: 9am - 12pm
Age group: 2002/2001 Futuro Academy Players