• SPRING 2023 ACADEMY SOCCER REGISTRATION.
• Other Programs:
  •  For Competitive soccer U9-U19, please go here!
  •  For REC soccer U10-U15, please go here!

PROGRAM DETAILS:

YOUTH ACADEMY PROGRAM OVERVIEW

1. PHILOSOPHY

2. YOUTH ACADEMY PRO COACHES & VOLUNTEER COACHES EDUCATION

3. PRACTICES / GAMES

4. YOUTH ACADEMY FEES

5. UNIFORMS

6. LEAGUE OVERVIEW (U4,U5,U6,U7,U8,U9)

7. OUR TEAMS!

1. PHILOSOPHY

The Real Soccer Club believes in giving the most meaningful training environment to their players using age appropriate methodologies. Player is at the center. The training philosophy in our youth academy is to emphasize technique, vision & awareness, individual & small sided tactical insight (principles of play), creativity, improvisation, coordination, socialization, and sportsmanship. U4-U9 Academy team coaches (pro coaches and volunteer coaches) are guided by a professional Director of Coaching. Sound players who love the game, stay healthy, and perform their best are better prepared to potentially move to a more competitive environment starting at U9/U10. To develop elegant , technical players at a young age is key to our success as a club.

Exposing young players to top notch fun training environments accelerates improvement of technical skills and the comprehension of dynamic soccer and the love for our sport. In this sense, our U7, U8 and U9 academy players are eligible every year to participate in our International Summer Camp hosted in Middleton or Boise by our European Pro Club partner.

2. YOUTH ACADEMY PRO COACHES & VOLUNTEER COACHES EDUCATION

2.1 REGISTRATION, BACKGROUND CHECK and CONCUSSION TRAINING

All coaches need to (a) register with Real SC and IYSA (b) submit data during the this registration process so IYSA (Idaho Youth Soccer Association) can complete background check (every two years)  (c) complete a nation wide mandatory online concussion course as well as the Safesport course before they can coach. Short refreshers will be needed  for these courses after 1 year of their initial completion.

Instructions to do these steps can be seen in this video.

2.2 INTERNAL CLUB CLINICS

Youth Academy Coaches are a group of nationally licensed coaches as well as volunteer parents, who will be guided by our Youth Academy Director of Coaching.   During the season, Youth Academy volunteer coaches will have the opportunity to see first hand our director and pro coaches conduct training on different topics with their pools. These training sessions/clinics will impact the way coaches train and how their teams develop. In addition, simple to follow weekly training plans are send in advance weekly to all coaches.

The pro-coaches and directors’ sessions take place during regular practice hours, so an extra commitment is not required by our volunteer coaches. These training session  are geared to the different academy pool age brackets. Team coaches will be assisting on these sessions.

2.3 INTRO TO GRASSROOTS COACHING (US Soccer Digital Coaching Center)

Youth Academy Volunteer Coaches are encouraged to complete a 20 minutes online US Soccer course during their first season in our club’s academy. 

This free introductory module, which represents the first step in the newly revised coaching license pathway, is now the general starting point of the pathway and is the required prerequisite to undergo any of U.S. Soccer’s Grassroots Licensing Courses. Coaches who complete the module will also be provided with four complimentary Play-Practice-Play training sessions.

2.5 LICENSED & PRO-COACHES ADVANCED EDUCATION

See https://realsoccerclub.org/programs/coaches-development-program-cdp/

2.6 COACHES MEETINGS

Coaches are encouraged to attend short periodic informal coaches meetings with the Academy Director of Coaching,  or an experienced pool head after one of their practices. Coaches will have an opportunity to socialize, to learn about coaching methodologies that can be incorporated into their practices right away, and to discuss important topics that affect their teams and our academy.

Youth Academy Coaches During Fall 2015 Jamboree

3. PRACTICES / GAMES

At the Youth Academy Level, teams will usually practice twice a week (45-75 minutes each session, depending of the age group). For Fall, practices start towards the end of August, which is about three or four weeks before the start of the league games (games usually start the weekend following Labor Day weekend and run for 7 consecutive weekends). In Spring, practices start towards the middle of March, three weeks before the start of league games (games usually start at the beginning of April). Winter training and playing futsal or indoor soccer during those months is optional for the teams.

• LOCATIONS/DATES

We have four main training locations for our academy teams and parents can choose the most convenient of them.

– CANYON COUNTY: Middleton and Caldwell

Middleton: Middleton Place Park

      Caldwell: Skyway Elementary

– ADA COUNTY: Boise and Meridian

West Boise/Meridian: Joplin Elementary School Soccer Fields

South Boise/Meridian: Hillsdale Park (by the South Meridian YMCA)

We may add locations depending on interest.

Real U8 Academy team after practice! April 30, 2015

4. YOUTH ACADEMY FEES

Our Youth Academy program is one of the least expensive Youth Academies in Idaho and probably in the USA  and still it is directed by a professional Director of Coaching and an academy manager in addition to multiple licensed coaches, multiple volunteer parents, and a professional Director of Coaching for competitive soccer. (See Soccer Operations Staff).

You can read here more about what kind of expenses a soccer club has.

For example, any player joining our program at U4 will train and play 6  years almost for free!! Any player joining our program at U6 will train and play 4 years almost for free!! These low fees are possible in part because our sponsors and possible fundraisers! Our goal is to create very aware, creative and sound technical players by the time they reach the age of 9. This is the foundation for players to love to stay in shape and practice sports for life!

Note: Players are encouraged to sign for both seasons (Fall and Spring) but they can sign for individual seasons.

Player Fees (Registration Fees + Club Fees): See here for the latest fees.

Uniforms: Free. Loaned to players and only to be returned at the end of season if not playing that season. Just need to buy our club’s custom socks). Families have the option to but their uniforms upon registration (on sale) or visiting our online store. See below pictures of our uniforms.

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NOTE:

FALL SOCCER – REGISTRATION starting JULY 1st, incurs a $20 late fee.

SPRING SOCCER – REGISTRATION starting FEB 1st , incurs a $20 late fee.

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Real Middleton CF U9 Modric – Fall 2016

5. UNIFORMS

Our high quality, professional soccer uniforms (visitor kit) are provided for free to our youth academy players (returned at the end of the season if not coming back the following season; players just buy club custom socks and home jersey through us). This would not be possible without the contribution of our sponsors and without the help of our teams participating in our bi-annual club’s fundraisers.

Families have the option to but their uniforms upon registration (on sale) or visiting our online store.

This is what we wear in games:

PLAYING AS A HOME TEAM (Listed first on game schedule):

PLAYING AS A VISITOR TEAM (Listed second on the game schedule)

6. LEAGUE OVERVIEW (U4,U5,U6,U7,U8,U9)

All details of our academy league can be found here.

Here are some aspects of it:

6.1 Mechanics

At least half of the academy league games (but usually more) will be played  in your home fields (where you practice).

Our U4-U5 teams play 3v3 format without goal keepers. U6, and U7 teams play 4v4 (without goal keepers).

U8-U9 teams play 5v5, which includes goalkeepers.

6.2 Age Chart & Teams by Birth Year

USSF mandated that by 2017 all registrations are done by the birth year instead of using the old Aug 1 to July 31st system. They also encouraged this to be adopted as best practice by Fall 2016.

To get ahead of the game, our club moved our youth academy to that system starting Fall 2015 and formed our teams by birth year. Two age groups are combined when needed.

How to know your age bracket?

To calculate your age bracket for a given year, subtract the year when the soccer year ends from the player’s birth date year. For example for the soccer year 2021-2022, a kid born on 2016 will be considered a U6  (2022-2016 = 6)

See complete age chart here!

Click here for Camps & Clinics!

Real Boise CF U8G Whale Sharks – Spr 2014 Undefeated at Home and Having Lots of Fun all season!

Real Boise CF U6C Manta Rays – Spr 2014 A Goal Scoring Machine!

Real Boise CF U8 Whale Sharks – Indoor League Champions at BIS, March 1, 2014

Coach Angel Benito and Coach Zach Bingo with Real U8 team

Coach Pete Rossi with a Real indoor team – finalists of an IISA indoor tournament, Dec 2010