What is the difference between my community Club and an Academy?
The prime difference is focus.  The mandate of a community Club is to provide services to accommodate the entire soccer community.  The are expected to provide programs for all levels of ability and are accountable to the entire soccer community.  They are typically driven by a volunteer board made up of well-intentioned but generally inexperienced parent volunteers.

At the competitive level clubs enter their teams in the Pyramid of Play. This system is structured upon team progression and while provides a clear delineation of the different levels of play, does not mandate any special requirements for a club or team to enter the highest levels.  As long as a team wins, they are eligible to advance. Coaching qualifications and technical programs are not subject to any mandatory evaluations as one progresses up the Pyramid.

The DPS Academy system has been developed as an alternative to the top level of the current Pyramid of Play.  The are driven by a qualified technical staff where the focus is on players that have the skill and commitment level to participate in high performance programs.  The system is player-focused rather than team-focused, so the needs and development of the individual player are put above those of the team.  In order to field a team in this program, Academies must meet strict requirements. Beyond their commitment to field a competitive team, they must also produce a player development plan that incorporates the standards that SAAC has set out for coaching, training and physical well-being.

DPSoccer & SAAC members are among a few organizations that have publicly supported the recent Long-Term Player Development Plan issue by the CSA. Click here for an overview

Do you provide supplemental training programs for club players?
DPS understands that there are many players out there that are not looking to leave the community club system, but would still like to be exposed to additional training run by professional coaches.

Each member of SAAC provides some level of additional services beyond the teams programs.  Click here to see a list of our members and the general areas they operate in.  We encourage you to check them out and see if they can provide the type of service you are looking for.