Academic & Athletic Alignment

Students enrolled at YSC Academy have chosen to embark on a rigorous and challenging journey that combines elite-level soccer training with college-preparatory academics. There are many unique aspects of our program, but the conscientious and thoughtful alignment between our academic and athletic programs is without parallel. Our administration, faculty, and coaches work tirelessly to ensure we maximize development opportunities for our players, both on and off the pitch.

A few examples of our unique alignment:

Our Daily Schedule­­

YSC Academy’s schedule is specifically geared towards the metacognitive and neurological development of adolescents. Three days a week our students train prior to the start of the school day. By starting the day with physical activity, our students are engaged physically, mentally and socially before they sit down in class. They come into class bright, awake, happy, and ready to learn. This later start time is in line with research regarding the adolescent brain and ideal learning conditions. The coaching staff is pleased to provide this additional training time, which increases their athletes’ training units to be consistent with that of their global peers.

Individualized Meetings

Students at YSC Academy have at least one “guided study” period per day that they can use to work on assignments and meet individually with teachers. We also incorporate “flex blocks” throughout the week for students to meet with faculty about coursework, with coaches about the game film, and more. Additional meetings with teachers are arranged on an as-needed basis, including meetings before and after the school day, providing time for more significant assistance. This approach allows our students to move seamlessly between their academic and their athletic lives, and stay on track.

Institutional Flexibility

Our students’ travel schedules are often rigorous, and sometimes need to change on a dime due to weather or other constraints. In addition, team trips to national or international competitions don’t adhere to the normal school schedule. We can accommodate these needs quickly and nimbly, using our online communications platform to ensure students have their assignments, can work while they are away, and can communicate easily with their teachers while they are traveling.

Collaborative School Leadership

As a faculty and coaching staff, we work collaboratively to support the whole child. We meet regularly as a team to discuss and share age-appropriate approaches to development, as well as age-group-specific meetings to share insights on students and learning styles. Members of both staff liaise to ensure that we are in constant communication regarding schedules, dates, travel, and more. A member of the YSC Academy administration also travels with the academy for tournaments as a support and a liaison for them with college coaches.

Virtual Days and Virtual Terms

We have virtual days and virtual terms so that students can rest and regenerate following tournaments, as well as spend some much-needed time at home with their families during the brief offseason. This encourages our students to become more self-directed in their approach and to embrace 21st-century learning at its core. Our faculty teaches both synchronously and asynchronously in order to best accommodate our students’ schedules and learning styles.

YSC Academy @ Chester Riverfront

YSC Academy is located in the Union Power Plant building adjacent to the WSFS Bank Sportsplex so students are able to seamlessly transition from the pitch to the classroom and back again. The school is equipped with collaborative workspaces, wifi, and direct access to first and second team facilities, and is the perfect place for our students to push themselves inside and outside of the classroom. Under the guidance of administrators and faculty, our students work synchronously and asynchronously through their coursework while managing training and development at the highest level.  Nutritious snack options are available to YSC Academy students throughout the day. The flexibility in the YSC Academy schedule means that students are empowered to schedule coach meetings, extra lifts, additional training sessions, and regen during their day in addition to their coursework.

Proximity to Training Facilities

Our proximity to our training facilities at the WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Subaru Park means that our students are accessible for additional support and opportunities both in the classroom and on the pitch.  The sportsplex includes:

• Seven fully-lit and professionally maintained outdoor grass and turf fields.
• A new 100,000 sq ft fieldhouse is under construction which will also provide a 125×75 yard indoor turf field. It will also contain a 20,000 sq ft performance center with a professional weight room, sprint track, and locker room facilities.

Close proximity to the First Team’s indoor facility also promotes alignment and vertical integration of our programs.