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

At YSC Academy Chester, students are able to seamlessly transition from the classroom to pitch and back again. YSC Academy Chester is housed in the Union Power Plant at Subaru Park, which is also the location of the first team’s front offices. Equipped with collaborative workspaces, wifi, and direct access to first and second team facilities, YSC Academy Chester 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. Our oldest students also begin their college careers at YSC Academy Chester, enrolling in dual enrollment and guest courses through Montgomery County Community College, Southern New Hampshire University, and a new partnership with Neumann University, who will also offer in-person courses and instruction at the Union Power Plant beginning Fall 2020. Nutritious snack options are available to YSC Academy Chester students throughout the day, and the boys eat daily with the second team in order to foster team unity and maintain their professional schedule. The flexibility in the YSC Academy Chester 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, both in Wayne and at the stadium in Chester, means that our students are accessible for additional support and opportunities both in the classroom and on the pitch.  Chester campus includes:

Two natural grass fields designated for practices, accommodating space for individual and team training

Locker room area in Subaru Park (Stadium) for Union II and Academy players

Athletic Training Room for Union II and Academy players 

Stadium field for games and friendlies for Union II

Weight Room professionally equipped for individual and team use

Close proximity to First Team indoor facility, promoting alignment and vertical integration