About
This program provides players training of the highest stardards and an opportunity of a lifetime to travel to England to experience a week of professional soccer training. In 2007 and 2008, US COE players spent a week at English Premier League Sunderland AFC Youth Academy training with other players their own age preparing for professional play at the age of sixteen years. The US COE is the only organization in the United States who has provided this experience for players to travel to Sunderland AFC.

To view their experience, visit the COE Video Player web page using the link located above.

The COE distinction is given by the English Football League to professional clubs in England who conform to the strict guidlines set by the English F.A. The US COE will work to these standards to ensure a high level of development in order to provide the portfolio, exposure and contacts needed for players to ultimately achieve their soccer dreams.

How It Works
Development > Players ten years or older identified by the US COE staff as having outstanding potential will be eligible for the three day Development Program held each spring, summer and fall.

These sessions will be instructed by coaches at the highest level. We are excited to announce that the Summer Program session will be coached by Sunderland AFC Youth Academy Assistant Directors Wayne Walls and Ian Dipper as well as US COE coaches Andy Grant and Les Shaw.

Selection > During each Development Program, players may be selected for the Opportunity of a Lifetime Program.

Opportunity >The selected players will travel to England during each year's Easter week break, at no cost to the player, to play with other Center of Excellence players of their own age already on track to play professional soccer.  This past Easter, five COE players attended the English Premier League team Sunderland FC’s Academy of Light. One of these players has been asked by Sunderland to return for additional training this August.

In addition, once a player reaches the age of sixteen, he is eligible for promotion into one of two programs.  The first is to train full-time at a UK Academy or Center of Excellence, thus eligible for a professional contract.  The second is a roster position on the newly created senior COE team.  This under 20 team will prepare players for college play in the Nor Cal Premier U21 League versus other senior academy/club teams.

Benefits
the Winning Team Methodology curriculum; based on a set of principles that have been formulated by Andy Grant (bio click here).

provides players ten years and older avenues for UK experience and trials for professional play.

exposure to international and local coaches of the highest standards who will coach the COE training sessions.

participation in international friendlies as an "elite" bay area team in order to experience European football and to increase their exposure to college and professional teams.

players will return to their teams with improved technical, tactical, psychological and fitness levels of play. In addition, these players will demand more of themselves and their team mates thus improving the overall performance of their team.

player's team coaches are encouraged to attend and view COE trainings as an avenue to receive coaching education at no cost.

The COE experience will provide the portfolio, exposure and contacts needed for players to ultimately achieve their soccer dreams.

Eligibility
The Center of Excellence is not a team. Players are not required to leave their current team, club, academy and/or league. The COE is a player development program that requires additional training outside a player's current team commitments and provides opportunities for player's otherwise unavailable to them.

Players ten years or older identified by the US COE staff as having outstanding potential will be eligible for the COE. This program will be aspirational for young players with good ability and strong motivation, both in terms of exposure to and for the potential career as a college and/or professional soccer player.