Development Player League (DPL) Girls 2003s To Play in Development Academy Showcase
The Development Player League (DPL) is designed to expand the Girls Development Academy (DA) player pool for participating clubs. The league creates a highly professional training environment and competitive model for aspiring DA players, bridging the gap between club soccer and Development Academy soccer.
The league, which has just completed its first season and was designed to fit directly under U.S. Soccer’s new Development Academy for Girls has just been invited to have their 2003s participate in the Winter and Spring Development Academy Showcases.
Youth Soccer News: The inaugural season of U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy – Girls DA has been a huge success — as has the kick off of the Development Player League (DPL).
Created to support the Girls DA, the DPL is the brainchild of several Southwest youth soccer clubs which joined together for the benefit player development.
Inspired to provide a better future for women’s soccer, Albion SC, LA Galaxy, LA Galaxy SD, Legends FC, Eagles SC, LA Premier FC, SC Del Sol, Beach FC, Real So Cal, Orange County Surf SC, San Diego Surf SC, SC Blues and Pateadores formed the girls-only DPL to offer player development opportunities for girls seeking to make the transition to U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy.
Today, this vision has been rewarded.
As part of the programming for the DPL U16 age group, the teams will participate as ‘guest teams’ in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase and Summer Showcases, to compete against U-16 DA Pilot Program teams from the Frontier Division.
“It is great to have the continued link to U.S. Soccer and the DA showcases,” said Noah Gins, CEO/Executive Director, Albion SC & ASC – San Diego. “This integration allows for more meaningful programs. The DPL ’03s will mirror the structure of the DA exactly. The participation in the DA Winter and Spring Girls Showcases has united the Southwest Conference and allows it to remain intact, which is key.”
In order to better develop players, the DPL U-16 age group will follow the standards-based programming for the 2018/19 Season set forth by U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
The DPL will be the platform for the extended player pool for the participating clubs and will provide a pathway for players to make the leap to the DA level of play.
The DPL’s goal has always been to create a meaningful yet seamless bridge to the DA while providing additional options for development and identification.
The expectation placed on these clubs by the DPL in the 2003 Age Group include:
- The best players in the 2003 age group club will participate in the dual-band 2002/2003 Development Academy Age Group.
- The Season will maintain the standards taken from the current 2003 DA structure including;
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- Year-Round Program
- No High School Soccer
- No Outside Competition
- 4 training session per week
- Game Day minimum standards
- And a Trainer and Video are mandatory
Roster management and Match Day Game standards match those of the 2002/03 DA including Number of Substitutes and minute guidelines.
“By continuing the programming for our current pool of players in the 2003 Age Group, many of whom are currently playing in the Development Academy, and continuing to mirror the minimum standards and best practices of the DA structure into next season, we are excited to announce this opportunity for our players to perform at these fantastic events,” said Barry Ritson, LA Premier FC. “From an individual player development and college recruitment perspective, this is a win-win for our players.”
The DPL teams offer players who excel the opportunity to be called up as a Development Player for their respective DA teams.
This structure provides an expanded pool of aspiring DA players with more exposure to the DA training model and level of play while allowing them the time they need to develop.
Founded on the ideology of the U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy program, the DPL provides a development structure that focuses on playing more meaningful games with a highly professional game day environment, an emphasis on training with high-level coaching, and the all-important development-before-winning attitude.
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