Soccer Domain Football Club

SDFC is proud to announce that it has been invited to become a Core Club in the Eastern Development Program (EDP). The Core Clubs are the driving force for EDP programming. While our teams compete with others intensely, the clubs have many values in common and work together to help promote competition and activities that serve our needs in developing outstanding soccer players.  The EDP exists to support soccer programs in the region which are professionally managed with player development as their primary focus, and thereby to support the growth of soccer in the United States. EDP seeks to work with clubs that, while competing with each other, are ready to be part of a collegial and mutually supportive group that works together to promote the game and serve the needs of high potential players. 

SDFC Director, Kieran Patrick commented on the invitation, "We are honored to be become a Core Club of the EDP.  In a short time the directors at EDP have proven to be progressive and forward thinking in providing the best league for development in Region 1.  Their commitment to quality competition for teams and individual player development (through the TIP program) is rare in this day and age.  At SDFC, we believe we share the same core values and are excited by the opportunities presented by being a Core Club."

In addition, the EDP has agreed to become a participant in the US Club Soccer National Premier Leagues (NPL) which is a growing group of leagues throughout the country that play under the US Club Soccer affiliation. NPL has been developed to provide a format and structure that is in sync with the wishes of US Soccer Federations best practices and provides a platform that makes EDP and NPL the best option for non developmental academy clubs and provides a vehicle to compete with all competitive levels of soccer in the US. A press release from EDP is attached regarding this affiliation. This affiliation will include both boys and girls opportunities with the Boys starting this spring and the girls to follow in the fall.

Last year, our EDP affiliations began with the participant of the Rangers at u13.  Our participation has since expanded with our most competitive teams at the following age groups - u11, u13, u15, u16, u17 and u18. Some core expectations and demands from the clubs involved were as follows:

• Quality and consistent league competition
• Quality facilities
• Improved college showcasing
• Improved national player identification
• Club centered control with properly structured clubs that include Directors of Coaching and Coaching monitoring and development structure.

 
The Core Clubs that have committed to the EDP organization include:

• Beachside SC (Conn)                                   
• Downtown United SC (NY East)
• FC Copa (NJ)
• FSA United FC (Conn)
• Lehigh Valley United SC (Pa East)
• Manhattan SC (NY East)
• New York SC (NY East)
• Penn Fusion SC (PA East)
• Soccer Domain Football Club (NJ)
• South Jersey Elite Barons (NJ)
• Smithtown SC (NY East)
• TSF Academy (NJ)

In addition there are several other high level clubs that are going through the evaluation process for acceptance that includes teams from Northern NJ, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The demands to be accepted within EDP are high and will be carefully monitored by the EDP selection committee to insure that the quality and commitment remains at the highest level.

With the advent of the NPL relationships the EDP first division will be a qualifying league for the NPL national championships. A second EDP division will house teams that may not be ready for that level at this point but are core club age group teams or aspiring EDP clubs. All other participants will play in the MAPS or local leagues in NJ. 

To further enhance the opportunities for the talented players EDP has two additional initiatives.

1. Talent Identification Program (TIP)- This is a high level identification and developmental program that requires no financial commitment on the part of the players, it will be fully funded by EDP and /or outside sources. This started this year with the boys 1999 age group and has shown outstanding success. 4 players have already been identified for potential national opportunities and the plans for this program are far reaching and extensive. For more information you can go to the www.edpsoccer.org web site.
2. EDP College ID Camp- A 3 day College ID Camp has been developed that initially was offered to only EDP core club players and already has 190 of the 216 available slots filled. This camp will be run by college coaches along with core club Directors of Coaching and club coaches. The purpose is to provide a high level opportunity for college coaches to see some of the top players in the region participate in 3 days of intense training and games and it is expected that a significant number of players will be identified for college opportunities. In the first year it is projected that upwards of 100 college coaches will attend over the 3 days and in future years that will grow. This is a fantastic opportunity for players to be seen and evaluated and college coach feedback so far has been outstanding. The college coaches feel that there are a lot of players that are not in academies that need to be found and this vehicle will be part of a multi pronged approach for those players to be identified.

PLEASE SEE THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM US CLUB SOCCER BELOW~~~

Eastern Development Program’s First Division to become National Premier Leagues Division

NationalPremierLeagues.com | EDP website | usclubsoccer.org

CHARLESTON, S.C. (May 7, 2012) – US Club Soccer has announced that the Eastern Development Program (EDP) has become the newest addition to the organization’s National Premier Leagues (NPL), as the EDP’s First Division will become the NPL Division.

The EDP - NPL Division represents the highest level of the EDP with the age group winners advancing to the inaugural National Premier Leagues Champions Cup, to be held July 27-31 at Waukegan Sports Park in Waukegan, Ill.

The EDP - NPL Division will include the U-13 through U-17 boys age groups. The foundation of the EDP - NPL Division will be the league’s Core Clubs, a group which includes:

Beachside of Connecticut SC (Conn.) Downtown United SC (N.Y.) FC Copa (N.J.) FSA United SC (Conn.) Lehigh Valley United SC (Pa.) Manhattan SC (N.Y.)

New York SC (N.Y.) Penn Fusion Soccer Academy (Pa.) Smithtown SC (N.Y.) Soccer Domain FC (N.J.) South Jersey Elite Barons (N.J.) TSF Soccer Academy (N.J.)

 

“MSSL has a partnership with US Club Soccer that goes back to its inception,” said EDP Executive Director Bohdan Porytko. “US Club Soccer’s innovative thinking has enabled MSSL to provide important programming initiatives that we believe have served our only priority: player progression that promotes the development of the game in the U.S. We consulted with all our Core Club coaching directors and there was overwhelming support for this step.”

Within the EDP, a group of Core Clubs is the driving force for EDP programming. While competing with each other intensely, these clubs have many values that align with US Club Soccer’s Youth Club Standards. Both organizations are committed to "Best Practices" for developing young players to progress into successful careers on and off the field.

“The EDP includes a list of outstanding clubs overseen by some of the most respected youth coaching directors in the area,” said NPL General Manager Chris Baer. “We are excited to add them to the NPL structure and work more closely with them to change the soccer landscape."

For more information on the NPL, please contact NPL General Manager Chris Baer at  or (614) 783-2237.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES:

US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues have been created to provide a national competitive developmental platform:

• focused on long-term player development;
• for the country’s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful high-level games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios;
• that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors; 
• that is designed and structured by the clubs, based on the needs of the clubs.
• using international rules of competition;
• that provides an avenue for qualification for the NPL Champions Cup.

The NPL is an important component of US Club Soccer’s 10-year vision to refine the landscape for competitive youth soccer. This vision recognizes that:

• properly-structured youth soccer clubs are the vehicle through which player development does and must occur in the United States.
• clubs should play in leagues that provide meaningful games, allow establishment of the proper training-to-game ratio, and eliminate calendar congestion.
• National Premier Leagues, as well as the best clubs, should be integrated in US Club Soccer’s id² National Identification and Development Program, include Player Development Programs (PDPs) in select local markets, and work closely with U.S. Soccer staff regarding player identification, and player and coach development.

The culminating event each year is the NPL Champions Cup, where national championships will be awarded. The NPL Champions Cup will feature qualifiers from every NPL across the country in a true “champions league” competition.

For a listing of all leagues and clubs within the NPL, please visit nationalpremierleagues.com.

 

ABOUT US CLUB SOCCER

 US Club Soccer is a non-profit organization committed to the development and support of soccer clubs and players in the United States. A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer maximizes flexibility and offers youth and adult player and staff registration, integrated competition platforms at the recreational and competitive levels, as well as a variety of other programming, including the Olympic Development Program-sanctioned id² Program and Player Development Programs.

Unique to US Club Soccer is the ability of member clubs to unite youth and adult programs within one organization, creating a “members for life” culture within each club.