Coppell Development Academy Youth Academy Soccer
Frequently Asked Questions about the Academy Program (U9-U12)
Question: What is the Youth Academy Program with Coppell Development Academy?
Answer: This is a league for boys and girls ages 6-12 years old that focuses on advanced development in a fun and rewarding environment within a competitive arena.
Question: Where is the Coppell Development Academy program located?
Answer: Coppell Development Academy has locations that cover the metro DFW and Coppell area. Each location has a full complement of teams for all ages and levels.
Question: How does Youth Academy differ from recreational soccer?
Answer: The U6, U7 and U8 Junior Academy (5, 6 and 7 year olds) and U9 through U12 Academy and Pre Select Program is an alternative to the traditional recreational league. Our program offers the opportunity to focus on advanced skill development of young soccer players from any start level. This is done with professional club coaches for every team that will emphasize proper skills and training techniques used in the development and learning of players in order to enhance their knowledge of soccer.
Question: How are Junior Academy, Academy, Pre Select and Select teams formed and can my child play with their friends on a team?
Answer: The players will be selected through an evaluation process then considered for teams with players of similar ability as a priority to the enhancement of the experience. The team sizes are kept small to optimize the coach/player ratio and allow maximum playing time for each individual so that they can continue to improve. Coppell Development Academy will always give much consideration to accommodate existing relationships in order to make the best fit for those involved. We understand this is an important part of the decision and will make every effort to accommodate. As a normal practice in academy games, players within Coppell Development Academy teams may be rotated and exchanged from team to team throughout the season to increase playing opportunities.
Question: How much commitment is required?
Answer: U6 - U10 can sign up season to season. For Pre Select and Select players at all clubs, a mutual one-year commitment, which lasts until the tryout period the following year, is expected. While you are playing at Coppell Development Academy we ask that you give careful consideration to absences so that the effect on other players is minimized. Regular attendance at practice sessions is encouraged.
Coppell Development Academy expects players and parents who represent the club to maintain high standards of personal behavior both on and off the field. We place great importance on academics and expect players to organize their activities to accommodate both schoolwork and soccer at high levels of achievement. We look to parents to ensure that their Coppell Development Academy players reach games and practices on time, to attend whenever possible with a positive attitude, and to participate in Club events in some capacity.
Question: When and where are tryouts for the upcoming season?
Answer: Tryouts dates for the Junior Academy, Academy , Pre Select and Select age groups from U6 through U19 (See appropriate age chart at Website) are given to us by North Texas Soccer. We highly recommend attending all three days of tryouts. Click the Tryout Link in our navigation bar for more details. Recreational players can join Coppell Development Academy at any time during the year, even before tryouts. As long as you are not registered with another Academy club you are free to tryout for Coppell Development Academy.
Question: What happens during tryouts, what happens if my child is selected for a team?
Answer: During the tryout period, you will be provided a tracking number at the start of our session and asked for information as to age and past experience in order to place your child in the correct age group for evaluation. At tryouts your child will be evaluated by the coaching staff in various group and individual skill activities. The staff will assess current skill level, desire and potential ability. This criterion is evaluated along with consideration as to how and where that individual’s ability will best fit in order to foster continued learning, improvement and further a competitively challenged environment. Once this is determined over the course of the tryouts, teams will be selected and your child will be assigned to a team and offered a position with this team that best matches their skill level, experience and ability. You will have 14 days to consider that position with the club and make the appropriate steps for acceptance as explained by the executive director / director of coaching or technical director during tryouts.
Question: For the Academy, will we have to travel all over the state or country to play games?
Answer: No. The majority of games are played in the immediate area with other local clubs in the metro Dallas area. Most are within 20-30 minutes from our home facilities. Teams may participate in some local select tournaments (1-2 per season) and on occasion may require extended travel outside of the immediate area. Extended travel is a rare occurrence under the age of 12 and usually is only a top team that is looking for different competitive competition than it could get in the immediate area.
Question: What free programs do you offer as a Coppell Development Academy Member?
Answer: Each location offers free weekly Finishing Clinics, Skills Clinics, Video Analysis and Goalkeeper Clinics to all members.
Question: When are the training sessions for Academy teams?
Answer: Team training occurs twice weekly with 1½ hour sessions. We have multiple training slots but usually fit around the 5 - 6:30 pm and the 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm time. Typically, U11 and younger teams practice in the first time slot and the older teams practice in the second time slot. Each team practices on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday as a general rule but in some instances these will be modifed to fit the team needs.
Question: What are costs for Academy compared to other clubs?
Answer: Cost for Academy players at Coppell Development Academy are BELOW the average of most other clubs in the area (Approximately $1500-$1800 per year) with payment plans and arrangements available to accommodate budgeted households. Included in your yearly fee is our Team Camp the first week of August. This is a 4-day camp that is offered to all players to kick the season off with a bang! A separate cost is made for tournaments throughout the year. Tournament costs range from $40-$60 per player per tournament independent of possible travel and lodging cost. Our costs, unlike many clubs in the area are all inclusive, except for Tournaments. Other clubs will charge monthly coaches fees in addition to their yearly fee.