Crystal Palace FC USA - Baltimore's Professional Soccer Team

Professional Development Academy Format Change

May 19, 2008
Crystal Palace FC USA was formed as the North American youth and professional developmental affiliate of Crystal Palace FC of London, England. Crystal Palace Football Club in England competes in the Coca-Cola Championship division of English Football and just recently barely missed out on promotion to the Barclay’s Premier League, the biggest league in the world. Crystal Palace FC USA exists to develop and identify talent in North America that could someday play for the first team in England. Crystal Palace FC USA does this through securing players professional rights to their USL franchise, Crystal Palace Baltimore, developing young soccer players in the greater Baltimore Metro area through clinics, and through the Professional Development Academy, the elite youth arm of Crystal Palace FC USA. Crystal Palace FC USA has been operating club teams in the U-9, U-10, U-11, U-13 age groups for the past year. Our teams have been competing in MSYSA sanctioned leagues and tournaments, both locally and regionally. In order to greater serve our Mission, and to identify more talented young players and to expand our reach and relationships with all local Recreation Councils and Clubs, Crystal Palace FC USA is announcing the following changes to the Professional Development Academy: From now on, we will restrict our competition to other professional teams' academies only. We will no longer operate as Club teams competing in local leagues, tournaments, or State Cup competitions. Our Academy players can remain affiliated with local “Club” or Recreation Councils for all traditional competition (local leagues, tournaments, State Cup) if they so choose and the Academy will train in a developmental environment and only compete in approved competitions such as: “Play Days” including games against other Professional clubs International Travel will happen over the Thanksgiving holiday starting in 2009 and will include matches against Professional Clubs in London as well our Crystal Palace FC UK counterparts. There will be return matches as well, with the English clubs coming to America to play us here in the US. Mission Crystal Palace FC USA’s Mission for the Professional Development Academy is three-fold: 1. To identify and develop talented, dedicated youth soccer players and provide them professional soccer instruction based on the 103 years of experience and success of the Crystal Palace FC Youth Academy in England, widely regarded as one of the best Academies in the UK. 2. To provide unparalleled opportunities in the game of soccer within the Crystal Palace FC pyramid, both domestically and abroad through international travel and matches against Premier League youth competition, exposure to college coaches and campuses and the college process, and the opportunity to be seen by head North American and European youth scouts for major European and American professional clubs. 3. To influence the game of soccer in a positive way in the Greater Baltimore Metro area by sharing our passion and knowledge of the game of soccer through 100+ years of experience in the great game.
Curriculum *U-9 through U-13* July - August Teams Formed. Player pools of 25-28 players per age group September 1 Training per week (Wed – Fri) plus 2 Play Days October 1 Training per week (Wed – Fri) plus 2 Play Days November 1 Training per week (Wed – Fri) plus 2 Play Days March 1 Training per week (Wed – Fri) plus 2 Play Days April 1 Training per week (Wed – Fri) plus 2 Play Days May 1 Training per week (Wed – Fri) plus 2 Play Days *U-14 through U-17* February Teams formed. Player pools of 25-28 players per age group March Train 1 Day per week (Wed or Fri) plus 2 Play Days April Train 1-2 Day per week (Wed and/or Fri) plus 2 Play Days May Train 1-2 Day per week (Wed and/or Fri) plus 2 Play Days June Train 2 Days per week plus 2 Play Days July Train 2 Days per week plus 2 Play Days November Train 2 Days per week – Trip to UK Yearly Event starting in 2009
		“After completing an extensive review and discussion across the country, we feel that it is the right time for U.S. Soccer to lead a change in the sport at the youth level. 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." Sunil Gulati U.S. Soccer Federation President Click here for more quotes from the experts

We will be announcing a Director of the Professional Academy in the following weeks, as well as the process to be selected for the teams in July (for the younger age groups) and February (for the older age groups). Coaches will be selected by the Director, in conjunction with the President Pete Medd and Founder and Sporting Director Jim Cherneski in the following weeks as well.