Last Wednesday the Fort Lowell Soccer Club (FLSC) Board approved the formation of the FLSC Academy. This program is designed to supplement and compliment the Gunners competitive program. The focus of the program is technical and tactical development for the individual player.

The Academy will form a pool of players for each age group at the FLSC. Any player registered in FLSC is welcome to join the pool. This pool of players will train together roughly once per month throughout the season. The training will be conducted by the Gunners coaching staff. The Academy coach will not be the same as the Gunners team coach for the age group. The pool of players will play 1 or 2 tournaments in the fall and 1 or 2 tournaments in the Spring. The Academy coach will form squads from within the pool to play in the tournaments.

The coaches will endeavor to select tournaments that allow flexibility in squad selection and player positions. The goal is that all participants will start at least 25% of games. In the Academy, player development will be the primary goal, winning secondary. All players will receive written and oral game and practice evaluations.

Benefits of the program include:

1. Training with a pool of players rather than strictly those players on your Gunners team roster.

2. Training with a coach other than the Gunners team coach in order to provide a "different voice".

3. Training that is age appropriate and consistent with United States Soccer Federation guidelines

4. An opportunity to play in positions that may be different than the player's typical team position.

This program is unique in Tucson. All of the training will be paid for by FLSC. The only expense will be tournament team fees for those players who wish to participate in tournaments.