Washington, D.C. - The D.C. United Academy kicks off the summer camp season this coming Monday, June 18. This year's Academy includes five new training locations and is open to boys and girls ages 8-16. John Maessner, United's Director of Youth Development, has designed age-specific training programs that foster proper technical development and provide a better understanding of the game's overall tactics. United legend Marco Etcheverry will also assist with the program this summer and will make an appearance at each camp location. Registration for most sessions is still open and available online at www.dcunited.com.
"This is a great opportunity for D.C. United to reach out to the community and develop relationships with players and their families by giving players of all skill levels an enjoyable and rewarding soccer experience," said Maessner. "We are excited to have our summer academy programs starting again next week and look forward to sharing our soccer knowledge with the youth in the area. We continue to search for the most talented players available for our youth teams and our camps give us another opportunity to see a large pool of players. We will be working very hard in the next couple of months to put together the best teams possible to compete in the newly formed US Soccer Development Academy League."
The D.C. United Academy takes pride in being a leader of the youth development programs in Major League Soccer. As a result, the D.C. United Academy ensures campers will be put into a challenging environment that demands good training habits. Students are grouped according to age and/or ability, so that each child will receive the maximum contact possible from the coaching staff.
Camps consist of an Elite Academy (for the potential Division 1 soccer player 8-16 years old with competitive playing experience), High School Preseason Activity (specifically designed to maximize preparation for the 2007-08 high school seasons), and Full-Day and Half-Day Academy (Open to all abilities). New training locations to the 2007 program include: Hagerstown Soccer Club Complex, Valley View Park, Chancellors Run, Pine Ridge Park, and Ben Lomond Park.
The five-day Academy sessions begin each Monday. Next week's sessions include a Half-Day Academy at the Hagerstown Soccer complex and Full-Day Academy at the D.C. United Training Complex. Over the course of the summer, the D.C. United Academy offers sixteen different camps, highlighted by Elite Camps on July 2 and August 6. Camps conclude the week of August 13-17 with a Half-Day camp.
In addition to top-class professional instruction, all D.C. United Academy students receive an official D.C. United Academy ball, official D.C. United Academy t-shirt, free ticket voucher to a 2007 D.C. United regular season home match featuring an Academy Graduation (stand-alone only), membership in D.C. United's Youth Fan Club, and discount offers on D.C. United ticket packages.
For more information or to register for any of D.C. United's youth development programs, please contact Greg Steininger at 202-587-5468 or visit www.dcunited.com.
2007 D.C. United Summer Academy Schedule
Dates Location Academy
June 18-22 Hagerstown Soccer Club Complex Half Day
June 18-22 D.C. United Training Complex Full Day
June 25-29 Valley View Park, Manassas, VA Half Day
June 25-29 Landsdowne Sportsplex, Landsdowne, VA Half Day
July 2-3, 5-6 Elite I, D.C. United Training Complex Elite
July 9-13 Bryantown Sports Complex, Bryantown, MD Half Day
July 9-13 Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, MD Full Day
July 16-20 Sherando Park, Stephens City, VA Half Day
July 16-20 Arundel High School, Gambrills, MD Full Day
July 23-27 Trinity University, Washington, D.C. High School
July 23-27 Chancellors Run, Great Mills, MD Half Day
July 23-2 Pine Ridge Park, Annandale, VA Half Day
July 30-Aug 3 Dixon Street Park, Fredericksburg, VA Half Day
July 30-Aug 3 Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, MD Full Day
Aug 6-9 Elite II, D.C. United Training Complex Elite
Aug 13-17 Ben Lomond Park, Manassas, VA Half Day
