In addition to being members of the Sporting Club Network, select youth soccer clubs may also be eligible to be affiliates for the Sporting Kansas City Academy Affiliate program. The clubs that rebrand as Academy Affiliates strive towards a common goal of growing the game, while providing the best possible resources, education, and developmental opportunities to all members both on and off the field.
As an Academy Affiliate, each affiliate club has access to receiving discounted tickets to Sporting KC games!
Click the button below to find the name of your Sporting KC ticket representative and their email/office number.
Sporting Club Network hosts two Academy Affiliate All-Star Experiences throughout the year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The All-Star Experience includes four All-Star teams, two boys and two girls teams. Each of our Academy Affiliate clubs has the opportunity to send top boy and girl players to Kansas City to participate in the All-Star Experience.
The experience consists of a full weekend of events including but not limited to the following:
– Welcoming ceremony which includes handing out All-Star gift bags, intro from guest speaker & more
– Two high-level training sessions with Sporting KC’s Academy technical staff
– Possibility of watching Sporting Club’s pro teams train
– Potential for unique fitness/classroom session with a Sporting KC technical staff member
– An All-Star exhibition match versus the top boys & girls teams in the KC area
– Exclusive chalk talk lead by a Sporting KC technical liaison, who breaks down the technical side of the SKC match pre-game.
– Opportunity to view SKC warm-ups field-side prior to SKC match
Sporting Club Network and SKC Academy have collaboratively created a regional player pool. For the Academy Affiliate boys who are talented enough, but may have restrictions of travel/location, the pool gives them the opportunity to be a part of the SKC Academy while staying close to home.
The boys regional pool benefits include but are not limited to:
– Player development and identification resource linking Academy Affiliates to the SKC Academy
– The pool allows us to support the development of Academy Affiliate prospects while keeping them on a similar trajectory to the full-time SKC Academy players
– Academy Affiliate players receive access to SKC Academy curriculum
– 3 visits to Kansas City to be intermixed and train with the SKC Academy boys
– The 3 training events comprise of a training session & small-sided game play
– Evaluation period after each season where the SKC Academy coaches determine each players continuation of the program
SKC Affiliate Observation Days will give the Academy Affiliate coaches the chance to observe training sessions from the youth & professional teams of SKC. Depending on the daily schedule, these on-field coaching education could include the Centers of Excellence (U9/U11), the SKC Academy (U12-U19 teams), the Swope Park Rangers (USL), and even the SKC Senior Team (MLS).
Periodically throughout the year, SKC may host Academy Affiliate Director’s Summits. At these events, key Affiliate staff hear from guest speakers, participate in round table discussions & on-field demonstrations, and more. These events create a positive learning environment where Directors can share & increase their knowledge in youth soccer, and collectively work towards further developing their clubs.
Sporting KC Youth Soccer has prioritized coaching education by offering US Soccer Grassroots licensing and the opportunity to participate in a US Soccer Blended D License to Academy Affiliate coaches this year.
Sporting Development League (SDL), a new player development platform launched in 2020, featured friendly competition amongst Sporting Academy Affiliate clubs from across the region as well as the Sporting KC Academy throughout this fall season.
A total of 54 Academy Affiliate players signed their national letter of intent earlier last month to player soccer collegiately. Read about all the college commits and where they’re headed next in their soccer career!
For more information on Academy Affiliates or on how to become an Academy Affiliate, please contact Nathan Hunt at nhunt@sportingkc.com.
