Tippco U8 Rec Academy

Tippco's U8 rec academy is designed to provide quality training to young players.  Run by some of our most experienced coaches, the sessions feature fun drills and games, emphasizing proper technique and lot's of ball touches.  We believe it is important to teach proper technique at a young age before players have developed poor technique on their own.  Each session ends with small-sided soccer games.

Our rec academy, open to five, six, and seven year olds, meets once a week during the fall and spring seasons, usually on Friday evenings.  This day was chosen to provide the least conflict with GLRSA practice and game schedules.  Most of our academy players are also on GLRSA teams.  Parents are encouraged to stay and watch the training sessions (an added bonus for rec coaches, who may pick up some ideas to improve their own practices).

The cost of our U8 rec academy is $50 per season.  New players receive a ball and uniform.  We still have openings for players in our spring academy.  To sign up, visit tippco.organd click on the registration link.

Tippco U9 Academy

Our U9 academy is designed to provide a transition from rec soccer to competitive soccer.  The academy format was developed by U.S. Youth Soccer to provide a less competitive environment for players while still providing them with the high-quality training available at the club level.  There are no roster limits at this age group--hence, there is no need to cut players.  Getting cut is not a fun experience for anyone, let alone an eight year old.  Players are not rigidly rostered on teams--not judged as "A team players" or "B team players" but all are simply part of the academy.  If numbers are sufficient, players are divided into more than one team on game days, but those teams can vary greatly from week to week.  To further emphasize the less competitive nature of the academy, team standing are not kept and all players receive a participation award rather than one team receiving a trophy.

To ease scheduling and travel, most teams play four days per season, playing double-headers each day.  Typically, several teams meet at a site so that opponents differ from morning to afternoon.  Often teams get together either before or between games for a group warm-up and training session run by some of the best coaches of the host clubs.

The emphasis of the U9 academy is on player development.  There is no attempt to predict, at this young age, which players will be high school stars and which players should be cut.  In reality, such a prediction is impossible (we are reminded of Michael Jordan, who was cut from his junior high basketball team).  All players are given quality instruction and each progresses at his own rate.  Players who regularly attend practice and pay attention to their coaches will undoubtedly see results.

Most Tippco teams, including U9 academy, practice twice a week during the season.  Many also offer off-season training in summer and winter (usually once a week with some holiday breaks).  The club also offers club-wide goal-keeper training, speed and agility training, and shooting and ball-handling clinics.  These are run by a variety of experienced coaches.  We currently have two professional coaches from Holland on our staff as well as our director of coaching.  During the spring, we are fortunate to receive help from Rob Klatte and Jim Daugherty (Purdue women's soccer coaches) who work will all of our teams on a rotating basis as well as running some of the club-wide clinics.  For players interested in improving their skills, there are lots of opportunities at Tippco.

The cost of our U9 academy is $145 per season.  Players receive a complete uniform, included in that price.  There are still a few openings for the spring season for eight and nine year olds (U9s and U10s).  Please visit our website, tippco.org for more information or feel free to phone me at the number below.

Dick Burley--Tippco President  497-1782