International Academies

A prime pathway for American youth players seeking to improve their skillsets and pro or college prospects are international academies, which entail living, training and playing in Europe.  There are two main types of academies, what we call “Top Flight academies” which are affiliated with European clubs, and “Private Academies”, which are businesses.  In most cases, either will entail significant expenses except for the very rare instances where a contract is signed with a pro club’s actual pipeline academy (as opposed to their international academies, which are still pay to play, even if selective.  Private academies vary widely in terms of quality, capabilities and services so it’s important to do research and ask the right questions (licensing of coaches, academic programs, facilities, assistance with local player licensing and access to local clubs, etc.).

 

Besides the financial aspect, it’s a big decision for a family to contemplate sending a youth player away from home, family, school and friends to play in Europe.  There are also many benefits, including the caliber of coaching, training and playing, the opportunity for exposure (there are a lot more pro clubs in Europe and players can get paid well in the second and even third tiers), the fact that American college coaches love European-trained athletes, etc.  There’s also a huge cultural benefit to living abroad, learning a new language, foods, history and making new friends from around the world.  We are here to support you with the resources on this website, as well as a growing network of relationships we are building with European academies and other related opportunities.