Skill Centre
Understanding Skill Centres
- Skill Centres, a Canada Soccer Initiative, are designed to focus on player development for ages U8 to U12.
- The overarching goal of Canada Soccer Skill Centres is to provide access to high-quality programs where players can enjoy the game with their friends, acquire new skills, and play in an appropriate format (Canada Soccer Skill Centre Manual).
What to Anticipate
Canada Soccer Skill Centres adhere to globally recognized best practices in player development. The primary objective of Skill Centres is to create the best possible environment for as many young players as possible, for as long as possible.
Our Goals
- Goal 1: Keep more young players engaged in the game by ensuring they have an enjoyable experience.
- Goal 2: Establish clear training guidelines for clubs to deliver the best possible environment for young players in their region.
- Goal 3: Develop superior players across Canada by increasing access to improved training and competition opportunities for more young players.
Key Skill Centre Principles
- Players will have ample contact time with the ball.
- Training will closely resemble real gameplay since skills are not developed in isolation.
- Training sessions will be enjoyable for everyone.
- Skill Centres will be accessible to all.
- Both players and parents will receive valuable feedback from our coaches.
What Does This Mean for Your Child?
- Players are organized into "Player Pools" rather than traditional "teams".
- For example, instead of selecting three U10 teams through trials, the club forms one larger group of U10 players and assigns them as they see fit.
- Skill Centres acknowledge the intricate process of child development and provide flexibility as players grow and learn at varying rates.
- Skill Centres concentrate on Talent Development rather than Talent Identification.
Our Technical Staff
- All staff coaches possess the necessary qualifications.
- We provide a dedicated goalkeeper coach and goalkeeper training for Skill Centre players.
