AYSC - A Better Place to Learn

AURORA FC

Skills Centre

Skill Centre (U8 to U12)

Skill Centre Overview
Every person involved in soccer in Canada deserves an enjoyable experience with the game, regardless of the role they play, their age, their level of experience or their ability. For young players, an enjoyable experience means that they have access to high-quality programs where they can have fun with their friends, learn new skills and play the game in an appropriate format. Clubs play an important role in this, as they are the primary providers of the soccer programs where young players experience the game in Canada.

Canada Soccer has created the Skill Centre and Dedicated Player Programs to guide clubs towards best principles in player development by taking a nationally coordinated approach to developing young soccer players. Skill Centres and Dedicated Player Programs provide a challenging, enjoyable environment for players to develop and nurture the skills required to succeed in the game of soccer. By taking a structured, long-term approach to player development � based around the principles of Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) � our young players will develop the foundation of fundamental skills required to succeed at whatever level of the game they aspire to reach.

Goals of the Skill Centre
Canada Soccer Skill Centres and Dedicated Player Programs are aligned to the best principles of player development from around the world. The underlying aim of Skill Centres and Dedicated Player Programs is to provide the best environment possible to as many young players as possible for as long as possible.

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Why Skill Centres?
To transform player development!

The traditional Canadian youth soccer model focuses on talent identification through team selection, choosing players based on their current performance at a specific moment. This approach often alienates many young athletes, pushing them away from the sport instead of providing opportunities for those who may have the potential to grow.

Limitations of Youth Soccer Clubs

Inability to Predict Potential: Clubs cannot accurately forecast a player's future performance.
Excluding Inexperienced Players: Clubs should not turn away players who may have potential simply because they lack experience at the moment.
Early Selection Issues: Clubs should not engage in early selection before players have physically matured, as this can exclude or discourage talent.
Defining �Talent�: It�s challenging to define "talent" at younger ages, as the traits that indicate future success differ from those of mature elite athletes.