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- WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES TO PLAYING IN THE USL ACADEMY?
The USL Youth Academy program will provide USL clubs a progressive model to develop local players for the senior team or college soccer. Our players will have a clear pathway from youth soccer to USL League 2 or college soccer to the USL Championship. The USL is implementing a set of minimum standards with which our club must meet in order to field a USL Academy team. These will focus on areas that directly impact the development of the club’s pre-professional youth players, including but not limited to: staffing requirements; use of technology & analytics; integration of sport science, nutrition & peak performance drivers; access to appropriate training facilities; use of individual development plans; etc.: https://www.usl-academy.com/academy-model
- WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES TO PLAYING IN THE RACING LOUISVILLE ACADEMY?
The Racing Louisville Academy seeks to be an organization that is synonymous with empowering female soccer players in all aspects of their development. This organization will pioneer a pathway for its members to be exposed to, as well as benefit from, the women’s professional game at unprecedented levels, all of which are unique to any other girls’ soccer organization in the region. This will include training at the same facility as Racing Louisville FC, a direct pathway to becoming a professional player, access to a professional coaching staff throughout your youth development as well as college exposure and preparation that supersedes the current community standard. The Racing Louisville Academy also looks to cultivate programming that will unite us to other NWSL academy programs for added competitive and developmental opportunities.
- HOW IS THE ACADEMY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER YOUTH CLUBS?
Players who join the club will be in an environment which will have:
• A direct pathway to professional soccer for both boys and girls.
• A coaching staff with Head & Assistant Coaching experience at the Division I, II, III & NAIA levels which will provide resources and assistance in the recruitment process.
• World-class training facility featuring four turf fields with lights and locker rooms.
• USL Academy Cup events.
• Domestic and International events.
• The Louisville City FC /Racing Louisville Academy are pioneers professional and youth soccer in that we are one of four organizations with both men’s and women’s professional teams and a pathway for youth players on both the boys and girl’s side.
- WHAT IS THE COST?
Our fees will be comparable to other clubs in the region and in line with the leagues in which we are competing. Specific costs will be announced with the tryout dates and details.
- ARE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE?
We as an academy have a players first mindset; which means that we do not want to see finances ever get in the way of a player having an opportunity to play at the highest level. We will have an established scholarship application process that a player will go through once rostered to a team. Our staff will review the applications and work with each individual player/family to make every effort to accommodate each need.
- WILL MY CHILD STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER?
Yes. We value the significance that competing in high school sports brings through the physical and social development of a young person.
- WHERE WILL THE TEAMS TRAIN?
Our academy teams will practice at our brand new, state-of-the-art, training facility at Champions Park on River Road. The facility features four turf fields with lights to accommodate year-round training.
- WHO WILL BE COACHING THE TEAMS?
The Academy Technical Director, Mario Sanchez has recruited an impressive list of coaches to lead teams. You can find the lists for the LouCity side here and the Racing side here.
- WHAT AGES CAN COMPETE IN THE ACADEMY?
The goal is to have two teams in each age group, boys and girls, from U8 through U18/19.
- CAN YOU STILL PLAY IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE THE LOUISVILLE METRO AREA?
Absolutely. The Academy is open to all players regardless of their home location.
- HOW ARE PLAYERS SELECTED?
The academy will host yearly tryouts. Stay tuned to our website and social media accounts for those dates.
- WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THE SEASON?
For the pre-high school age player, the season will run from late July until mid-May which will include a winter training program.
For the high school age player, the season will run from late fall (after high school soccer) through late May.
- WHICH LEAGUES WILL THE ACADEMIES COMPETE IN?
The LouCity Academy will compete in both the USL Academy in the East-Central Division and was the first Kentucky boys team to join the prestigious ECNL.
The Racing Louisville Academy also competes in the ECNL which is widely agreed upon to be the highest level of girls competitive soccer.
- HOW OFTEN WILL ACADEMY TEAMS TRAVEL?
Travel will be based on age-appropriate demands and league and tournament play.
- WILL THERE BE AFFILIATE CLUBS?
The Academy will have Community Alliance clubs that will be partner clubs to provide opportunities for youth players of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels to build on their love of the sport. The partnership will represent a united community of dedicated teams, coaches, players, and guardians who share a common goal – supporting the positive benefits attained through the game of soccer.
- CAN ACADEMY PLAYERS PLAY OTHER SPORTS?
Yes. We believe that participation in other youth sports is an important part of physical and social development for kids.
FURTHER QUESTIONS?
For more information on Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville's academies, families can email academyinfo@loucity.com.