Commitment Levels
U6-U7 Lil' Tornados Program
The U6-U7 Lil' Tornados Program is for our youngest players as an introduction to soccer. Everyone who wishes to participate will be accepted into the academy. The environment provides a fun learning experience that also builds confidence and self-assurance on the playing field. Commitment is 1-2 times per week and on a season-to-season basis, with programs offered in the fall, winter, spring, and summer.
U8 - U9 Pre-Academy Program
NY Crush FC offers an introductory program for our academy-level players in the U8 and U9 age groups to build on the training that players have received in our Lil' Tornados program or elsewhere. This program is open to players who have the desire to play at a higher level and focuses on developing as an academy-level soccer player. Players will participate in training twice per week and play in 4v4 games at U8 and 7v7 games at U9, as per US Club Soccer guidelines. The 4v4 environment at U8 builds on the Lil' Tornados Scrimmage Program with an emphasis on the individual development of each player and the beginnings of an understanding of the team dynamic. At U9, the program moves towards 7v7 with the introduction of a goalkeeper, focusing on transitioning towards a team environment while ensuring maximum touches in a smaller format of play.
U10 and older Academy Program
At the U10 and above age group, NY Crush FC is not for every soccer player or parent. NY Crush FC only considers players who have a passion for the game, are coachable, and can commit to year-round training from U10 onwards. Parental commitment is equally as important as player commitment at NY Crush FC. Parents must understand that a player's development occurs over many seasons of hard work, high-level instruction, and high-level play, along with positive reinforcement from parents and coaches. Each player within NY Crush FC will only excel if they dedicate themselves to improving in every practice and game, which in turn pushes their teammates to the same level of commitment. NY Crush FC is a higher-level program than locally based club soccer, and to ensure that we push every player within the club to improve, it is necessary to elevate our competition levels. We will participate in out-of-state tournaments and league play at these age groups, along with training 2-3 times per week. NY Crush FC is not the right club for parents and their children if their primary interest is to position their children on a purely winning team each season.