DEDICATED PLAYER PROGRAM (U8-U13)

For the 2023/2024 Season – Players born 2011 to 2016

WIA’s Dedicated Player Program is a supplementary training program that helps players develop the fundamental skills required to succeed at whatever level of the game they aspire to.

Canada Soccer has created the Dedicated Player Program to guide clubs towards the best principles in player development, by taking a nationally coordinated approach to developing young soccer players.

At WIA the training environment resembles the game environment, with each training session focusing on relevant, game-realistic skill development.

WIA follows the guidelines and standards as outlined in the Canada Soccer Association Skill Centre manual.

Admission to the Dedicated Player Program is open to all players registered with a LISA Club, playing at the gold level.

WIA Pre-BCSPL U13 Dedicated Player Program @UVic

The goal for the U13 division (girls and boys born 2011-2012) in the Dedicated Player Program at UVic, is to train and prepare for the full-field 11v11 BCSPL Intake for the following year. The U13 division of the DPP is part of WIA’s Pre BCSPL implementation.

WIA’s Philosophy on Player Placement

The placement of players is based on a variety of variables:

“Soccer Age” (player’s maturity, physical age, technical ability and overall understanding of soccer)
Stage of physical development and literacy (fluid and ever-changing)
Team dynamic
Biological age

Some players may play in their biological age group, while others are placed on teams based on their soccer age. WIA technical coaches will decide a player’s placement on an individual basis.

It is imperative that parents and players understand the following as it relates to the Skill Centre and WIA Teams. WIA:

Cannot enrol more players than the player-to-coach ratio allows
- Priority registration will be given to players selected for WIA Teams
- Should space allow, additional spots will be given to players seeking supplementary training from other clubs
Cannot turn away players who show promise just because they are inexperienced at the present moment
Cannot accurately predict the potential or future performance of a player
Cannot guarantee that your player will make the BCSPL team at U14 because the characteristics of young players are not the same as those of mature elite athletes
Can develop and support players that are ready and willing to train, follow our standards-based training methods and trust our judgement as it relates to their development

T-I-P-S Philosophy for Player Development

Technical – understanding of what a technical player is – willing to receive technical training, perceptive to developing technique (quality of the touch of the ball)… playing games and taking part in tournaments does not equate to the technical development of a player.

Intelligence – understanding the game, understanding instructions and ability to apply those instructions to play and game… following through the instructions (Game understanding – tactical understanding)

Personality – attitude, attention, coach-ability, decision-making, creative thinking, motivation, concentration, communication (psycho-social)

Speed – physical development, speed of thought and speed of action, problem-solving, intensity of training