University Preparation Program (2004-2006)

Primary Focus: Athletes in this stage are now working to hone their soccer skills under a variety of competitive conditions in an 11v11 competitive game format. The expectations and demands of the training environment have increased to further prepare athletes for life after High School, and possibly for University and College programs.

The ASTRA U16-U18 program is aligned with Canada Soccer’s Long Term Player Development (LTPD), a model of athlete development that places the needs of the player at the centre of everything we do. This fifth stage, “Training to Compete”, Athletes enter theTrain to Compete stage when they are proficient in sport-specific Train to Train athlete development components (physical, technical, tactical, and psychological).

Expect to see challenging principles of play and complex tactical concepts. Defending and attacking using different thirds and channels, positional awareness is emphasized, and competitive meaningful matches are the backbone of the program. Players will be begin to narrow their positional play to one or two primary positions on the field. Learning is stimulated through our unique player-centred approach which places a heavy emphasis on demanding psych-social aspects like commitment, hard work, resiliency, achievement drive, competitiveness, focus, self-control and self-awareness.

Sport Science: Strength & Conditioning, Neuro Soccer,  Nutritional Support, Video Analysis classroom sessions. Strength and conditioning sessions are scheduled 2 times per week and may be in addition to on-field sessions or combined with on-field sessions (winter season). The majority of these sessions incorporate the use of a ball and realistic movements that would be found in a competitive match environment. Weight training sessions are scheduled once per week for the UPP groups. In addition to these group sessions, individual plans are designed by our Sport Science Director for all UPP players. Additional classroom sessions are held once per month with our team of professionals and include nutrition, mental training, video analysis, as well as help with university and college resume building. 

Competition Philosophy: Our goal is that players who graduate from ASTRA Soccer Academy can fit into a variety of systems and playing styles if they choose to pursue soccer at a level higher than youth soccer. For that reason, our UPP program does not key in on one singular style of play. Instead, we assist the players in developing the necessary tools to determine the style of play which best suits the situation or environment that they find themselves in. Ultimately, there are still a few non-negotiables, including the expectation to possess the ball and play on the front foot by attacking as often as possible. Pressing structures are discussed and implemented differently depending on tactical situations. Although this is the final stage in youth development at ASTRA Soccer Academy, our primary commitment is still to the individual but within the greater team setting.