CARSON, CA - The David Beckham Academy kicks off the 2007 summer season on June 18 with the first five-day academy of the year. The exclusive soccer academy offers a once-in-a-lifetime professional soccer learning experience for kids ages eight to 15 at the home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, The Home Depot Center.
Beckham, the world's most recognizable soccer icon who is set to join Major League Soccer's (MLS) Los Angeles Galaxy this summer, worked with organizers to develop the academy in both London and Los Angeles, which debuted last year. The academy is modeled after his experiences growing up, attending professional soccer schools in London.
Eight-time academy participant Carter Belfort, 11, is returning this summer to the David Beckham Academy for a record nine times. "The David Beckham Academy brought my soccer skills to a different level," says Belfort. "After going there a few times last summer, I started to score goals for my club team all the time. I learned bending the ball and how important my first touch is."
Beginning this month, kids will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best youth coaches in the world, teaching a soccer curriculum that was developed by Beckham's famed Manchester United FC Youth Coach Eric Harrison. The curriculum includes both individual and team training, speed and agility assessments and healthy living education.
"I learned to do a lot of new things at the David Beckham Academy," says Sasha Hellwig, 9. "Two of the new things I learned was the chip shot and the Cruyff step over and turn. The coaches are so much fun and were great at helping me learn new moves and improving my game. I look forward to the next time I attend the academy this summer."
Academy participants are treated like professional players. Each participant in both the three- and five-day academy receives a full Beckham Academy adidas Kit, which includes jersey, shorts, socks and a pair of cleats. Players also utilize the Beckham Academy Locker rooms located at The Home Depot Center before and after each session.
The summer academies run from June 18 to August 26 offering three-day academy sessions for players ages eight to 11 and five-day sessions for players ages 12 to 15. Residential accommodations are available for the five-day academy.
The academy is based at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the official training headquarters for the United States Soccer Federation's (USSF) Men's and Women's U.S. National Teams. Academy participants have access to the same facilities as do the Los Angeles Galaxy and national team players, including professional locker rooms, uniforms and equipment, media room and training fields. In addition, the participants are trained and evaluated in fitness and strength levels by Athletes' Performance, an internationally-recognized fitness specialist group who also work on-site at The Home Depot Center with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
In addition to the three-and five-day camps, the Beckham Academy offers a two-hour Specialized Performance Program designed to challenge individuals technically and improve speed, agility and strength. The newest program in the academy is the 7-23 Club, designed specifically for youth ages four to six. The Club helps young children take their first steps in soccer, in carefully balanced sessions that include both basic technique and small-sided games.
The academy is based at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills. To register or for more information on the David Beckham Academy, including Academy schedules, coaches bios and facility information, please visit www.thedavidbeckhamacademy.com.
About The Home Depot Center
The Home Depot Center is southern California's home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. The $150 million, privately financed facility was developed and is operated by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. The Home Depot Center features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer, rugby and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts, a 10,000-seat facility for track & field and lacrosse, the ADT Event Center (a 2,450-seat indoor velodrome for cycling) and other facilities for softball, baseball, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports. The Home Depot Center is home to three professional sports teams - Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA, and Major League Lacrosse's (MLL) Los Angeles Riptide. Named an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, The Home Depot Center is also home of the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) High Performance Training Center and is the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). The David Beckham Academy for youth soccer, Andre Agassi's Safe Passage All-Stars at-risk youth tennis program and Athletes' Performance's training center for elite and professional athletes are all based at The Home Depot Center. The Home Depot Center has additionally been designated official training sites for USA Cycling and USA Track & Field. For more information, please visit www.homedepotcenter.com.
