Former Avon High School Varsity Boys Coach Mark Nirrengarten will run the Junior Academy.  Mark has coached teams of varied abilities and ages over the past sixteen years and holds a National license from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Other coaches from within the Westside United staff will also be involved to ensure every player will be exposed to different coaching styles.  Practices will be held on Monday and Thursday nights from 5:45PM to 7:00PM beginning Monday, April 7th.  Training will be all technical activities where each child will be challenged against their own personal best at different activities.  Games will begin the weekend of Saturday April 12th and run through May 31st.  All games will be played on Saturday mornings at 10:00AM.  Teams will be assigned each Monday for the following weekend's games.  You will receive an e-mail informing you the field your child will play on and the color they are to wear.  Each week your child will play with different players on their team.  Your child will be paired with players of equal experience and ability to enable them to develop their skill.  Often leagues that designate a team with set rosters will have one or two dominant players who will command most of the touches on the ball.  Those dominant players don't improve without competition from similar players, and less experienced players don't receive the touches that lead to confidence and improvement.  We believe that this academy approach will ideally develop every player to their potential.  Once the games begin there will be very little coaching done from the sidelines.  The coaches and the parents will only encourage players and make positive comments.  All training sessions and games will be held at the Christian Life Center, 611 N County Road 800 E (Dan Jones Rd).

How the Academy will be run:

The Junior Academy Director will use other coaches with college and high school coaching and playing experience so that each player will get the opportunity to learn from many different coaching styles.  Practices will be held two nights a week.  Training will be all technical activities where each child will be challenged against their own personal best at different activities.  Players are divided into training groups based on ability level to allow for developmentally appropriate activities with and against players of similar skill.

Most games are on Saturday mornings however there may be some games on a Monday or Thursday instead of training.  Games will consist of four eight minute quarters.  Each player will be required to bring both green and white jerseys to all games. Teams will be announced prior to each game via e-mail.  Each week your child will play with and against different players.  Once the game begins there will be very little coaching done from the sidelines.  Only encouragement and positive points will be made by the coaches and the parents.  Players may be moved from field to field or team to team during a game to improve competitive balance and to ensure player development.