KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 23, 2019) – – United Soccer Coaches is pleased to join forces with FC Virginia, a Girl’s Development Academy located across Northern Virginia through the Member Club Program. As a Premier Member Club, FC Virginia will have access to a slew of coaching education benefits and opportunities.
Benefits include, but are not limited to, access to the 2020 Convention in Baltimore, Md. and United Soccer Coaches’ new online resource library, a robust collection including over a thousand age appropriate activities, session plans, eLearning courses and video content from both the weekly give-and-go newsletter series and the annual Convention.
“We are ecstatic to make this announcement for a variety of reasons,” said United Soccer Coaches Institutional Member Manager Andrew McGinnis. “FC Virginia is one of the premier clubs in the mid-Atlantic region as far as player development is concerned. Christian Cziommer, Bobby Puppione and their staff do a wonderful job of thinking outside the box and we look forward to welcoming them to the 2020 Convention.”
“We are excited to partner with United Soccer Coaches as a Member Club,” said FCV DA Director, and longtime Association member, Bobby Puppione. “United Soccer Coaches offers great opportunities for us to continue to develop our coaches and club, making a lasting impact on the players we work with in our daily environment.”
While the partnership is based around providing continued access to United Soccer Coaches education, the relationship doesn’t stop there. On April 1, 2019 FC Virginia became the first youth soccer organization to participate in Open Training Week, an event designed to provide training session access for coaches within the local community. With fifteen coaches in attendance from four different states, the club was able to demonstrate exactly what it takes to run a high level training session for top youth players locally.
“Hosting an open training session was a great opportunity to help grow the game in our community,” Puppione commented. “Girls and boys’ coaches of various levels were able to attend our session, get ideas, and create new partnerships where we can work together in our local community to improve the game.”
In the traditional environment, coaching education is not only encouraged but expected. Using a variety of tools including United Soccer Coaches eLearning modules, FC Virginia players have also begun to familiarize themselves with what it takes to develop the next generation of players in this country. The club has been offering coaching education sessions and licensing for its high school-aged players so they can start their coaching journey. Girls and boys’ players in the club currently work as assistants with younger teams, mentoring the players and helping teach them the game.
“What I enjoy most about coaching younger kids is seeing their reactions when they learn a new move or understand a concept,” said FCV U19 Girls DA player Tori Powell (Virginia Tech 24’). “I also like being able to make an impact on the younger generation.”