WHY PLAY FOR THE UNION?

FOR PLAYERS...	FOR PARENTS...	FOR CLUBS...
The Union teams provide players the opportunity to play at an elite level closer to home. The teams are set up to encourage players to still play with Local Club teams and take on leadership roles within those teams. Players are exposed to educated coaches and a higher level of play. They will benefit from the age appropriate curriculum, training environment and competitive league play. All players will receive verbal evaluations from coaches during the winter and a written evaluation post season.	The Union provides a clear pathway for players to develop not only on the field but also looks to build character, teach social values and College Services Concussion Awareness Health and Wellness Fitness Parent’s Guidelines Injury Prevention	Joining the Union allows clubs to clearly identify an elite player development pathway for players in their club. Players who succeed and develop within the club will have the opportunity to be placed on Union teams. Players the make the Union teams will be encouraged to continue to participate with in the clubs teams when available. In addition to this opportunity for players, the club will be provided youth training guidelines, coaching education opportunities and access to other resources.

”Unity is strength...when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” 
  

PURPOSE:

• To provide players in the Mountain District with a consistent elite player development pathway.

• To reduce the travel hardships now required for elite players to attend training with established classic clubs in the Pittsburgh area.
• To allow players the opportunity to play with a classic team and their community club team with friends.

Implementing this plan will require a strong leadership with courage, conviction and vision. The people entrusted with coaching these teams and implementing the curriculum must have a clear understanding of the principles of game and long-term vision for player development.

We can improve our chances significantly if we know the way ahead, and are willing to do what it takes to achieve excellence. There will be challenges in working together and getting buy in from all parties. As we all know, player development is a long journey. We must be patient in our approach, but we must also ensure that we start navigating the long journey in the right direction. This is the purpose of this new program and teams. We need to provide players in our area with this opportunity at all age groups not at random and with mixed age groups.

Failing to do this could shortchange a whole generation of players until we manage to correct our course, and that would be a shame. We are all now producing players that deserve to have this opportunity but we don’t have the geographical size to produce whole teams. Let’s commit to doing this together so we not only form Classic teams but we put in teams that can compete. 

We also need to remind ourselves that player development is not just about finding the next Mia Hamm, or the next Landon Donovan. It’s about creating the right soccer culture that ignites a passion for the game in everyone and grows the game. It’s about providing each young player a chance for personal growth and fulfillment, regardless of playing ability or financial means. It’s about utilizing soccer’s potential for teaching life skills to the fullest. It’s about using soccer as a vehicle for teaching our children important life lessons, and developing values, character and social skills.

Training locations, times and dates will all be sorted out after teams are selected based on the make up of the teams, availability of the coaching staff and facilities.   

For more on the Union Player Development Model click here.