DALE SCHILLY: Academy Director

"The creation of USSDA has changed the face of soccer in the United States by simplifying the choice for elite players, parents, and coaches in the US. The United States Soccer Federation has identified the top clubs in the United States for player development and Metro United is one of the chosen few. The criteria for selection to the Metro United Academy is rigorous and significant commitment is required to play in the Academy; however, for those players who desire an opportunity to play collegiately, professionally or as a member of the full US Men's National team, the USSDA is now the best vehicle to help them achieve their goals. In fact, this past April the Metro United Developmental Academy traveled to Bradenton, Florida for a match against the U-17 Youth National Team and will host the Youth National Team at our complex on June 22.

Metro United has had an incredible experience in the inaugural season of the USSF Development Academy League. The experience has had a positive impact on our players and coaches who want to share some of their feelings:

TYLER MCNABB: Cape Girardeau(MO) Central(2008) - St. Louis University

"...as a center back, the Academy has made me a smarter player. One of the best experiences of playing in the Academy... (is)playing teams from all over the nation, we were able to experience and play against many different styles of play even had a chance to play the US Youth National team this experience has prepared me for what I will experience when I go to SLU this fall."

BOBBY SMITH: Springfield(IL) Sacred Heart(2008) - Bradley University

"The Academy League is better than the system that was in place before... it has helped me to improve my skills technically and tactically compared to when I was playing 5 games a weekend. The Academy was made for players, coaches have more time for players because there are more practices than games, the focus is on improving player's individually. For those looking to move to the next level, there is no better opportunity available in the country than playing in the Academy."

TAD KREAMALMEYER: Collinsville(IL) Christian Academy(2008) - University of Evansville

"The Academy training environment has been wonderful for my game. The competition level at every training session is such that you must do your best. Having played in the Metro United USYS program since the age of 8, I was prepared to make the transition to the Academy league; however, the training environment in the Academy program is hands down the best thing I could have done to prepare me for the transition to the collegiate game. Players receive more opportunities to train because there are more practices than games, combining age groups ensures that the best players play on the same teams, the focus is on developing elite players."

BLAKE SCHNIEDER: Whitfield(MO) College Prep(2008) - University of Evansville

"I like the experience of being on the road with the guys relationships that were built being away from the parents and with my teammates has been great, it has helped every player mature: being responsible for getting enough rest, knowing what to eat and how to prepare yourself to play in the matches. The responsibility placed on the player has increased. As far as a player, it has been a great experience, you have to bring your best every time you step on the training field... you learn how to walk away from every training session and critique yourself, how you measure up against other players, and what areas of your game you need to improve to become a better player."

This past year saw the implementation of an innovation in soccer in the United States. The United States Soccer Federation Developmental Academy is the first league of its kind in the United States and Metro United was selected as one of only 63 clubs in the entire country to participate in the inaugural season. While other national leagues have been attempted, the size, scope, and mission of the United States Soccer Developmental Academy is unprecedented. Dedicated to player development, and overseen by technical director and former coach of the u-17 US Youth National Team, John Hackworth, the Developmental Academy is dedicated to revolutionizing youth soccer in the United States. Under the old model, to get exposure to the top college and national team program, elite players in the United States were forced to play in numerous leagues, local, regional, and national, as well as travel to tournaments playing multiple games in only a few days and participating in ODP programs. The need for a change is best articulated by the United States Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, "We need to shift the focus of our young elite players from an 'overburdened, game emphasis' model to a 'meaningful training and competition' model. This will ultimately lead to more success and will allow players to develop to their full potential."

The USSDA is modeled on the U-17 National Team Residency program located in Bradenton, Florida and intended to bring the same focus on player development to the top clubs around the nation. According the Technical Director John Hackworth, "It's a concept that youth soccer in this country desperately needs and our goal is to truly shift the focus towards increasing player development ... it will create a day-to-day training environment that will allow players the opportunity to develop to the best of their ability. Right now we have only 40 players in that type of environment (at the U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla.), but this Academy will allow us to put thousands of elite players in a similar environment, which will help us raise the entire level across the nation." Given the focus on player development, players will train at least three times a week under the technical framework provided by the US Soccer Federation and the National Staff Coaches. Academy teams participate in 30 matches per season and because of the strict standards and criteria used to evaluate clubs, every single match is played at the highest-level competition in the country.

National Team Exposure
Academy matches are scouted by national staff coaches for the purpose of finding potential players and giving critical feedback to the Academy staff to improve the training received by Academy players. Scouts at Metro United Academy matches this season have included the likes of , Dave Sarachin, head scout for Developmental Academy and National Staff coach Rual Diaz Arce. The exposure of Academy players to coaches at the next level is perhaps one of the greatest reasons to join the Academy. National Staff coaches, top college coaches, and MLS scouts all have their eyes on the Developmental Academy

College Coaches
One of the major benefits enjoyed by players who are a part of the Developmental Academy is the increased exposure to college and national staff coaches. During the year, the USSDA host four Academy Showcases, in which only Academy clubs are allowed to participate. Over Memorial Day weekend, the first Academy Showcase hosting all 63 Academy clubs and the Youth National team will be hosted in Rockford, Illinois. Other Showcases have been hosted at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles and Pizza Hut Park in Dallas, Texas. These events draw coaches from the top college programs throughout the nation and provide Academy players with a venue to be observed and evaluated by the top college programs playing against top-level competition in the United States. This opportunity is open to Academy players only.

Also the academy has a nationwide database populated by Academy players only that college coaches have access to. Again this privilege is open to Academy players only.

For more information, please contact Dale Schilly at metrofc@aol.com for information.