DEDICATED PLAYER PROGRAM

Overview

 Canada Soccer has created the Skill Centre and Dedicated Player Program to guide clubs towards the best principles in player development, by taking a nationally coordinated approach to developing young soccer players. The WIA Dedicated Player Program follows the guidelines and standards as outlined in the Canada Soccer Association Skill Centre manual.

Admission to the Dedicated Player Program is open to players from all LISA clubs that play at the Gold level.

WIA’s Philosophy on Player Placement

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 enroll 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 in 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, coachability, decision making, creative thinking, motivation, concentration, communication (psychosocial)

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

Program Description

PHYSICAL LITERACY:

Our program delivers physical literacy training in areas of agility, balance & coordination, basic motor skills, flexibility & mobility, perception & awareness, reaction time, and speed. Development modules of cross-training activities will run once per month

• Track (endurance, agility and speed)
• Basketball skills/ Gymnastics (balance and coordination)
• Judo (flexibility & mobility, strength, and stamina)
• Futsal (dribbling, decision making skills, confidence 1v1, creativity)
• Dodgeball (agility, concentration, reaction, and team-building skills)

PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

The Psychosocial development program will be delivered in partnership with the Speed Mechanics. The once per term seminar will focus on psychosocial development  with age-appropriate activities in areas such as

• individual motivation
• self-confidence, respect & discipline
• concentration, cooperation, teamwork
• competition, sportsmanship and team spirit building

TECHNICAL TRAINING:

With the understanding of age-appropriate levels of intensity and workload, technical training will focus on

• passing and receiving
• dribbling
• ball control
• turning
• running with the ball
• shielding the ball
• shooting
• finishing on goal

TACTICAL TRAINING:

With the understanding of age-appropriate levels of intensity and workload, tactical training will focus on:

• combination plays
• 1v1 attacking
• receiving on turn
• crossing and finishing
• positional play
• finishing on goal
• movement off the ball
• 1v1 defending

The Tactical emphasis is on possession, passing accuracy, and fluid movement between the orthodox delineations of midfield and attacking principles.

Training Schedule