FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution youth development program has been ranked among the country’s top eight programs in the country – and the top-rated program in New England – according to the U.S. Soccer Federation. Following the completion of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s 2010-11 season, the Revolution received a 3.5-star rating for its U.S. Soccer evaluation. Of the 78 clubs in the Development Academy, the Revolution is among only seven programs to receive a 3.5 mark – with only one club having scored higher at 4.0.
While U.S. Soccer provides two yearly evaluations to clubs participating in the Development Academy, this is the first year that the ratings have been publicly announced. Clubs are graded on a five-star system in comparison to the top international developmental environments around the world.
"We had very high expectations for our youth development program when we launched it in 2008, and we’re pleased that U.S. Soccer has recognized the effort and resources we’ve committed to the program with this rating," Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel Michael Burns said. "To be among the top eight clubs in the entire country is a strong testament to the work our staff has done to raise the standard of development in this region. While we appreciate U.S. Soccer’s recognition, we know we can still improve and continue to try and set the standard for youth soccer development.”
The evaluation criteria consists of seven key components: player development, style of play, training environment, administration, facilities, funding and respect. Tactical components are based on the U.S. Soccer Curriculum.
“This year's positive evaluation from U.S. Soccer gives us an important benchmark after our third season,” said Revolution Director of Youth Development Bryan Scales. “Our players and staff have worked very hard and we're pleased with our progress in such a short period of time. However, we also understand there's still much hard work to be done, and plenty of room for growth and improvement as we continue to develop our Academy programs.”
Entering its fourth season, the Revolution’s youth program is the only fully-funded youth soccer program in New England, and competes in the prestigious U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Qualified and talented players are accepted into the program without regard to their financial situation. All players’ needs and expenses related to soccer activities – training, facilities, equipment, uniforms, travel associated with competitions – are provided by the Revolution at no cost to the players or their families. In 2011, the Under-16 team finished second in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference and advanced to the playoffs for the second year in a row.
For up-to-the-minute information on the Revolution, visit the team’s official web site at revolutionsoccer.net, or follow the team on Twitter at @NERevolution, or on Facebook at facebook.com/NERevolution. For more information about Revolution tickets and special packages, call 1-877-GET-REVS or visit revolutionsoccer.net.
