The Next Evolution in Youth Soccer Begins Now

West Pines Strikers, Davie United Soccer Club and Coral Springs United announce “Florida Strikers FC”

May 18th, 2012 - Today these organizations have announced the creation of a new youth soccer organization called the “Florida Strikers FC” youth soccer club, a non-profit, independent, competitive soccer club for advanced player programs. The players for this new soccer organization will be drafted from the player pool at West Pines Strikers FC, Davie United Soccer Club, and Coral Springs United FC. These premier travel soccer clubs have signed an agreement to become a division of “Florida Strikers FC”. These clubs will provide local access for the purpose of training and development plus complete access to academy programs designed and managed by the Florida Strikers FC management. Parents and players will have a clear path to advance programs by joining one of the Florida Strikers FC divisions with an equal opportunity to be selected to the Florida Strikers FC Academy programs and teams but without travelling great distances every night. The Florida Strikers FC 360 degree approach to our youth soccer player development program balances the opportunities of reaching the highest levels in soccer with great improvements in the balance of college preparation, school educational studies, family time, and budgets. This program is called the Strikers FC “360 degrees Youth Soccer Development Program”.

Deep Resources

Location- West Pines Strikers FC, Davie United Soccer Club, and Coral Springs United FC will work together and provide equal access for their respective players to enter the Florida Strikers Academy programs. Geographically positioned to compliment each club, players can play locally, move upward in a manner that is more supportive of their educational time, family budgets, but without limits on their playing future or dreams. With over 110 teams, 1400 players, each youth soccer player will find the right program a short drive from their home.

NASL- The Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Broward County and South Florida’s only local professional soccer team, will provide support and resources, enabling Florida Strikers FC to develop an end-to-end training program in the near future with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers management and their coaching staff consulting on all aspects of the soccer development programs.

Facilities- As part of this partnership, the Davie United Soccer Club division, located at Nova Southeastern University (a prestigious and private NCAA school), will support the Florida Strikers FC entity via their expert coaching resources and access to world class training facilities. Furthermore, Davie United Soccer Club will extend its 360 degree youth development program to the Florida Strikers FC entity by providing members with important insights, guidelines, and actions all players should consider, implement, and act on during their important high school years to protect their educational future and prepare for college.

Unmatched Coaching Staff- The Florida Strikers FC youth soccer club will be supported by the DOC and coaching staff at each of the divisions plus the coaching staff at the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. With nearly a dozen “A” license coaches, two professional licensed coaches including MLS and Spain, plus several NCAA licensed coaches supporting the program, the Florida Strikers soccer programs will be well grounded in player development. When a player enters the Florida Strikers Academy programs, he/she will be entering a development program that will be managed by this team of professionals with experience and credentials unmatched under one youth organization program.

Management Structure

The Florida Strikers Executive Board of Directors is comprised of the President from each division and the President of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The Florida Strikers will also have a DOC Board of Directors comprised of the DOC from each division and the Head Coach of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. These boards will develop a common approach to the Florida Strikers management structure and player development programs. Players at each division will have complete access to the programs of the Florida Strikers and will be trained under a common approach to player development with the goal of reaching the Florida Strikers Academy programs.

Florida Strikers Academy

Each division will provide player development programs for all players and advanced academy programs for the elite players. If a player is the best in his or her division, the player will be invited to the Florida Strikers academy programs and teams. These teams will play in nationally ranked and elite tournaments for the purpose of advancement and exposure in the soccer world at no additional registration cost to the player or their family. All the player has to do is be the best in their respective division to have access to the programs. The facilities at Davie United Soccer Club at Nova Southeastern University will be the home for the academy teams which may include special summer overnight programs using their dorms and onsite facilities. With world class training facilities players will have access at no additional registration cost if the player is an elite player in their local division. Each division will financially support this program in order to reduce the financial burden on the average family seeking a higher level of development opportunity and to support their child’s aspirations but without sacrificing important educational time in the process. Player families may be required to pay for various travel and expenses. The program details will be developed during the summer of 2012 and announced at the end of August 2012.

Benefits

Parents and players no longer have to chase the best program or spend long hours traveling distances to fields to provide access to a child’s soccer dreams or aspirations. Simply join your local Florida Strikers division and only the players talents are the deciding factors. Many children will learn how to play soccer at the highest level at our divisions but with time to support their educational requirements with a reduction of time on the road for practice purposes. The few players that are exceptional can go on to more advanced programs with world class facilities, professional team coaching techniques, academy super teams, and national exposure programs. With national and world wide access to international professional programs due to the collaborations of the various divisions management resources, coupled with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers professional team resources, plus extension reach into the college coaching world with Nova Southeastern University’s support, there are no limits on the possibilities for the youth player only their skills and hard work.

When Will it Start

The Florida Strikers program will be launched with the upcoming new season. Simply join your local Florida Strikers division (West Pines Strikers FC, Davie United Soccer Club, and Coral Springs United FC) and you are part of the program. Each division Director of Coaches (DOC) will be responsible for implementing the development programs and selecting players for the Florida Strikers Academy programs. The start of these advanced programs will be announced at a later date this year. However it is critical you be part of one of the Florida Strikers divisions and be selected for their club teams. All divisions will announce their respective try-out schedule in the last week of May 2012. Please check your closest Florida Strikers division website for their respective try-out schedule (usually the week of May 28th, 2012). Welcome to the Next Evolution in Youth Soccer.

Club Support

“Highly skilled soccer players want access to the best coaches, training programs, facilities, and exposure to college coaches and/or professional training programs” said Dan Murphy, President of West Pines Strikers FC “Our program is designed to deliver on these objectives in a manner unmatched in South Florida. Our Florida Strikers FC academy program will provide great visibility at national tournaments that are highly attended by college coaches, providing the more advance players with the platform they seek but in a more time efficient manner from use of convenient field locations in Coral Springs, Davie, Pembroke Pines, and Cooper City for weekly training sessions”

“Becoming a great soccer players is not enough today to play for a college program, there must be an educational balance in a soccer program for players to pursue this dream” said Christian Goffi, President of Davie United “ Our unique Florida Strikers FC 360 degree youth development program will inject a balance that truly prepares our players to achieve their aspirations with new pre-college programs that not only improves their exposure to college coaches but instill the needs for good grades, better use of evening hours, career seminars, and support a 360 degree development approach for our youth players”

“With our incredible array of resources, families and players can have equal or better access to their soccer dreams but pursue in a manner more local, less time consuming, less costly, and with a program that supports the educational needs of our players” said David Horacek, Vice President of Coral Springs United “ With our advance Florida Strikers FC academy team program supported by “A” license coaches, professional license coaches, and NCAA licensed coaches, there is no doubt that these players have a clear path to the best training and opportunities plus support from a well connected team of soccer professionals that have access that spans the NCAA, Europe and even South America soccer programs”