Kids grow, learn and develop as players at different rates. Some grow physically faster, and some develop cognitively faster than others. The pool concept allows young players to grow at their own rate in a fun and pressure-free environment. The BRSC Pre-Academy concept and the widely accepted player development philosophy behind it have achieved great success across the world. Many clubs have adopted the academy approach across all of their age groups. The Academy Mission is to…

• make learning the game enjoyable for young players. The BRSC Pre-Academy curriculum is designed to teach technical skills in a fun and age-appropriate manner. “Fun is the single largest predictor of sport commitment and sustained participation in childhood and through adolescence…” (see: The FUN MAPS: A Youth Sport Scientific Breakthrough, Amanda Visek, PhD. 2015).
• placing the development of each individual player above all else,
• help retain players through their years of cognitive and physical growth,
• focus on the technical development of each player. Players are placed in pools and can be moved freely in and between pools. Pools diminish the importance of results as a method of defining success and put the focus on individual development.
  
• de-emphasize results as a measure of success at such an early age. The US Soccer Player Development Initiatives call for a training to competition ratio of 4:1. This means in order for a club to achieve an optimum player development pathway, a team should train 4 times for every game. This ratio is critical at our youngest ages. Too often we ask our players to compete before they know how to play. The Academy pools will not be entered into a SCYSA league. Doing so requires families travel often and quite far. Instead, our Academy pools will play in friendlies with other clubs closer to home. Competitions will be most often in a jamboree style (multiple short games in a day). Academy teams can be balanced, be in an A/B format or players from different Clubs can even be scrambled. If the Club determines the Academy pools have developed well during the course of the seasonal year, they will be placed in an appropriate invitational tournament.
• reduce pressure on players and coaches to earn results,
• educate parents and players on emphasizing player performance rather than team outcomes,
• create a soccer community focused on the kids.