Post-secondary Sessions

Foothills recently hosted three information sessions for our players and their parents to explain our post-secondary pathway. We were delighted to have 35 attendees whose commitment and ambition to a “soccer for life” mentality includes playing for universities and colleges.

These sessions expanded from previous years, ensuring that both parents and players received tailored information crucial to their respective roles in the journeys. Players delved into the decision-making process and strategies for contacting prospective schools, while parents explored how to assist their players in navigating the financial aspects, such as understanding Letters of Intent (LOIs).

Our final session allowed players and parents to engage with our guest speakers, asking questions and gaining valuable insights.

Related Video: More Foothills Academy Members Play for Post Secondary Schools Than Any Other Youth Club in Canada

Prairie Open Combine

We are just over a month away from the inaugural post-secondary combine powered by Foothills. Are you aiming to pursue post-secondary soccer in the near future? If so, this event is tailored for you! It presents an exciting opportunity for players from Foothills and other clubs who aspire to catch the attention of college and university coaches.

This comprehensive event offers a platform for showcasing your skills against both teammates and peers in the game. The event kicks off with physical testing conducted by Foothills’ leading-edge Performance Department, where you’ll be evaluated against your peers to demonstrate your dynamism without the ball. Following this, two days packed with games—8v8 and 11v11—allow you to exhibit your prowess with the ball. The event culminates in an all-star match against current university-level opponents!

Join us from April 19th to 21st for the inaugural Prairie Open Combine. It’s your chance to connect with coaches and, most importantly, to reveal your true potential as a player!

Learn More, Including How to Register.

Playermaker

The Foothills Sports Science department continues to leverage Playermaker’s technology. We are closely monitoring the performance and development of our 2007 APDL (formerly AYSL) boys’ and girls’ teams during their march towards Nationals this summer. We are focusing on metrics like Intense Speed Changes, Distance Covered, and Work Rate to optimize training and pinpoint areas for improvement. This approach is pivotal in maximizing our teams’ potential as they progress through their national year.

Playermaker is also crucial as we start to look at specific characteristics and KPIs that characterize each position on the field.

Learn More About Our Performance Department and Our Partnership with Playermaker

A Higher Focus On Our Testing Data

Our Tier 1 to 3 academy teams regularly participate in comprehensive fitness tests. We assess the broad jump, the Yoyo endurance test, the 30-meter sprint, and the 5-10-5 Pro Agility Test. One interesting early finding of the data we compile and analyze is that leading performers span all tiers, confirming what we believed to be true … Foothills has exceptional athletes at all levels.

We are just at the tip of the iceberg of what we can learn from our data, and we will continue to collect and analyze it as part of our Academy experience. Of special interest is how the data can help us proactively identify an early-stage injury and take action to mitigate the severity of the injury and help the athlete recover faster.

As we conclude the indoor season, we will be sharing the test results to highlight the dedication and athleticism of all Academy program members at every level.