: The Zone 1 Program

4 practices will be offered each week. Players may attend as many as they wish. This allows for players to be as committed as they would like to be, and also allows for multi-sport participation for players and families who want to continue with other sports – something we highly recommend!
The daily training atmosphere will be a point of emphasis. There will be more practice sessions and fewer matches for our players.
Individual and small group play will be emphasized. Sessions will progress from movement education (balance, coordination, agility) to technical ball proficiency.
Freedom of expression will be encouraged.

The Program Match Days

Game days will be one of our biggest points of differences as we imitate the atmosphere created during the street soccer era, where no pressure free play was in abundance and where a passion for the game is developed. All games will be played in-house and supervised/coached by our coaching staff.

We will utilize the “scrambled” team approach where players are not assigned to a specific team, but are divided evenly on each game day, allowing them to play with and against different players. Our staff will be on the sidelines at all games to provide guidance and supervision, but the majority of the games will be left in the hands of the players.

They will solve problems as they occur, which will help generate and foster an environment which will encourage mutual respect and honesty.

Zone 1 Academy also believes that developing the competitive spirit is an important part of player development. There is nothing wrong with playing to win and most youngsters are naturally competitive and want to win. Our match days will place the players in an environment where playing to win is encouraged but not achieved at the expense of development. Players will strive to win but at the same time play with creativity, unabashed freedom, technical proficiency and intelligence.

Referees will be introduced in our 9 & 10 year old program. The main purpose of introducing the officials will be to help our players learn to respect the referees, play by and accept the rules.

Zone 1 Academy FAQS

GENERAL INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

Why is the program called Zone 1?
US Soccer uses a Pyramid when looking at the different developmental stages for soccer players. Three key developmental age brackets (zones) are used - Players aged 6-11 are all part of the ZONE 1 section, older players fit into Zone 2 and Zone 3.
After I register am I committed to the program for the whole year?
No you are committed to that specific soccer season only.
What is the cost?
Click here for details
Can we participate in the Fall and then drop off for the winter and rejoin again for the spring?
Yes, as long as we have openings, you can join for as many seasons as you like. The current participants always have the first option to re-sign
What are the different soccer seasons?
Fall = August- October, Winter = December- February, Spring = March - May
Are you ok if we play other sports while we are in Zone 1 Academy?
Absolutely, we are strong believers in multi-sport participation for this age group
Do you have tryouts?
No, Zone 1 participants simply register online for our program
Does my son or daughter need to be at a certain ability range to participate?
Zone 1 sessions are directed at youngsters who have the desire to eventually join high level soccer programs at the appropriate age.
What's special about Zone 1?
Lots of things, but especially our innovative curriculum which is built upon every year. Also the "culture" and atmosphere we generate at all of the sessions will provide a fun/positive but sometimes intensely competitive learning environment
What happens after Zone 1?
We will help all of our participants find a suitable club after completing our 5 year program

ZONE 1 VERSUS CLUB SOCCER

Can my son/daughter stay on his/her club team and still participate in Zone 1 Academy?
Yes, some Zone 1 participants will stay with their club while others will be Zone 1 exclusive. It is totally your choice
Why should we do Zone 1 instead of Club soccer?
In some cases we believe club soccer can be detrimental to the development of techniques needed to be successful at the adolescent age groups. We have found that too often the focus is on winning rather than developing technically advanced players. Also, studies show 70% of all players drop out of organized sports by the time they reach 13 – something is glaringly wrong with the current system. Zone 1 provides a solution
Who will run the sessions?
One of the other challenges of club soccer is that the "better" coaches are usually coaching the more prestigious U14-U18 age groups. All of our staff members will be on hand to work with our participants. Click here to view our top class coaching staff and program directors
Is Zone 1 a non-competitive option?
No! Everything we do will have a competitive element to it – we believe competition is good but not at the expense of development. Competition needs to be nourished to enhance player development and not hinder it.

PRACTICES

You offer 4 practices per week, do we have to attend all of them?
No you can attend as many as you like
Where will the practices be located?
At the fantastic new Wyandotte Youth Soccer Complex, 1500 N 90th St, Kansas City, KS 66112
Which age groups will practice together?
Practice 1 will be for 6 & 7 year olds, Practice 2 will be for 8 & 9 year olds and Practice 3 will be for 10 & 11 year olds
Will the younger players hinder the development of my son/daughter?
Our curriculum is based on individual progressions and sequences and the educational advisors on our staff have taken physical and mental maturation into account when designing the activities
Can parents attend practices?
Yes but we ask you not to coach from the sideline
What should my son/daughter wear for the practices?
A Zone 1 Academy uniform is included in the registration process

GAME DAYS

Why do you play your games with no referees?
We believe that the players can self-regulate very efficiently and we are confident in their sense of justice! We tell them that if they feel they have been on the raw end of a decision they should respond by scoring a goal!
Ok so why introduce referees for the 10 and 11 year olds?
We bring referees in for this age group to help our older players learn to respect the officials. "Respect" will be one of the key points of emphasis within our program
What does "the street soccer era" mean?
Street soccer is similar to "sandlot baseball". We believe that over-coaching can stifle development and we want our players to be creative and have the freedom to learn from mistakes and not worry about a coach highlighting those mistakes. We want our players to be clever on the ball while having a blast trying new things
What does "scrambled team approach" mean?
Players are not restricted to the same team on a weekly basis. They will play with and against different players each week.

UNIFORMS/SPIRIT WEAR

Can we purchase extra socks?
Yes, you can purchase any item you need here
Can parents purchase Zone 1 gear?
Yes, Our spirit wear is available here

PARENT WORKSHOPS

Why do you have Parent Workshops?
We believe parents are an important part of the development process and need to work as a team with our coaching staff. The workshops will make sure we are all on the same page
Are these workshops compulsory?
No, we would like one parent to be there but we understand conflicts arise

TECHNE FUTBOL APP

What is the Techne Futbol App?
This is a fun training app designed by US national team, FCKC player and Zone 1 coach/contributor Yael Averbuch. The app takes players through weekly training challenges which allows the players to work on their ball mastery at their own time – it's almost like a soccer homework app.
Does this cost extra?
No. The normal cost of a year subscription to the Techne App is $276 but all Zone 1 participants will receive it for FREE

The Zone 1 Program