Youth Academy

The Denver Kickers Sports Club
est. 1962
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School of Excellence

Welcome to the Denver Kickers School of Excellence!  Keeping with the philosophy of providing young players the best possible chance to develop, the School of Excellence has been established to provide a learning environment within the Youth Academy.  The purpose is to give youth a varied learning experience not only in isolation of their gender, age and ability levels, but also in a mixed environment that enables the youth to train, practice, and develop multilaterally.

The School of Excellence format will provide:
  • Option level teams/players over U-11 continuing assistance in furthering their development
  • Youth teams/players under U-10 the basic fundamentals of the game, and
  • All volunteer and/or in-experienced coaches aid in their learning of the game and getting licensed to better themselves in coaching
Players under U-10 will be divided into three basic age appropriate developmental categories:
  • Ages U-9 and U-10
  • Ages U-7 and U-8, called Micro Soccer
  • Ages U-6 and under, called Kicker' Kids
-The game of soccer will be made a fun and an enjoyable activity.
-Even though the players will play at the players' age levels, the more advanced players at the U-9 and U-10 age groups will have the chance to play together in a mixed-age team at Option level.
-All age groups will be monitored in terms of each player's progress.

As part of the overall Denver Kickers' philosophy, the Academy will hold camps, clinics, and workshops of varying formats, and work closely with Coerver Coaching and Rocky Mountain Soccer Camps.  All events will be at the Denver Kickers' clubhouse and complex, unless there is a clash with an adult team event.

In their own words, here is what Coerver will add to the School of Excellence:

The world-renowned soccer skills teaching methodology of Coerver Coaching and the "Double Goal" principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance will help make this program like no other in Colorado. We have gathered a terrific team of experienced educators, Master Coaches, to bring the program to life.

Those "Double Goals" are to provide quality soccer instruction leading to strong players and teams, and to develop athletes of solid character who will carry their strength, responsibility and confidence from athletics to all areas of their lives. This is a program that has proven it has the ability to help youth reach both goals.  Also, this program is designed for players who are high achievers, who enjoy a challenge and competition, who love the game and put a high priority on soccer, and who want to be on teams with others who share these qualities.

Any instructional program for a youth player must meet the athlete's needs in two basic respects:

a) The player must have the opportunity to learn The Game in a manner which will allow continued enjoyment of soccer for as long as he or she wishes to play. This includes:
  • Developing a solid foundation in the games skills.
  • Learning to recognize and solve the small group situations that are the building blocks of team play.
  • Acquiring a repertoire of effective soccer habits.
b)  The program must also focus, perhaps more so, on the additional benefits of participation in sports. These personal and social rewards come from what athletes learn about such things as commitment, dedication and discipline, fair play and sportsmanship, integrity, perseverance, facing challenges, resilience, accepting responsibility, pursuing excellence and developing an appreciation of the competitive process.

Our obligation in those two areas, to the player and the person, is as important for the athletes whose future lies with youth and adult recreational teams as it is for the potential National Team member. Players who commit their time and effort to this endeavor are entitled to, and can expect with the Club and its Teams, a program of the same high quality without regard to the soccer level of the group with which they play their games. While there is a significant focus within this program on preparing players for success at higher levels of play, the Denver Kickers Youth Soccer Academy remains committed to offering any dedicated player the chance to reach the Vision of Greatness that is found in the individual athlete's highest competitive potential.

Coerver Coaching & Positive Coaching Alliance Program for Under 11-14

Coerver Coaching & Positive Coaching Alliance Program for Under 11 Boys and Under 11-12 Girls