Youth Academy Information

04 March 2010

In the fall of 2007 the Michigan Wolves - Hawks Soccer Club introduced a new component to their nationally ranked club program: the Wolves – Hawks Youth Academy. The club coaches will have the ability to pass on their knowledge and passion for the game to the very youngest players. Our youth development program is a vital factor in our club's continuing success. As coaches and educators, we are well aware of the importance of providing a solid foundation for young players. The future development and success of a young player depends on receiving correct and relevant information at an early age. We have designed a curriculum that emphasizes age-specific technical skills combined with tactical decision-making to ensure the right information is received at the appropriate age level. In the coming season, we have strengthened our coaching staff to make certain our club leads the state in this essential area of player development.

Youth Academy Features:

Age groups for U6, U7, and U8 players (boys and girls)

• 8-week season in fall; 8-week season in spring
• 2 sessions per week (held in Livonia)
• 1 instructional session and 1 game day per week
• Wolves-Hawks time-honored teaching curriculum, which has produced some of the country's best players.
• Ratio of players to coach will be less than 12 to 1.

Head Coaches:

• Doug Landefeld (U9 Wolves, U15 Hawks and Michigan ODP Girls' Head Coach)
• Lars Richters (U14 Wolves Academy Coach, U8 Hawks Coach, and Livonia Stevenson Boys' Varsity Coach)
• Aaron Brown (U8 Wolves Coach and 9 years Division 1 High School Coaching Experience)
• Dennis Darnoi (West Bloomfield Boys' Varsity Coach)
• Chris Pinta

Cost will be $125 for the fall season and will include training costs, uniform, and backpack. There will be no year long registrations; cost for the spring season will also be $125 and is due March 1st, 2010.  Please make checks payable to Michigan Wolves-Hawks Soccer Club.  Priority for fall registrations will be given to spring participants.

Age Eligibility:

Children eligible for the youth academy are those children born between 8-1-2002 and 7-31-2005. A child born on or before 7-31-2002 is too old for the youth academy. A child born on or after 8-1-2005 is too young for the youth academy.

Ability Groups:

While the youth academy invites interested players from the age of U6 through U8, we will group players of similar abilities regardless of age. Therefore, boys and girls may be intermixed and younger players may work with slightly older players. These groups will not be "set in stone," and they will not be devised in an overly competitive fashion.

Schedule:

The fall academy is scheduled for Monday and Wednesday at Livonia Jaycee Park, 19800 Mayfield Street, Livonia, MI. Mondays will usually be instructional sessions, while Wednesdays will be "game days." On occasion, we will meet with the academy groups in neighboring communities for friendly games. On those evenings, the time and location may change slightly.  We expect to offer an 8-week season in the spring.

The fall schedule is the following:

Inclement Weather Policy:

If there is reason to cancel a youth academy session due to inclement weather, an email will be sent out to families by 4:30 pm.  If a decision can not be made at that time, the decision will be made at the field at the start of the session.  The academy will be canceled if there is lightning. It will not be canceled for rain unless the safety of the children is in question.  As always, we expect the parents to use their best judgment and make the best decision for their families.

For the safety of all of the children and adults at Jaycee park, we ask that everyone take shelter in vehicles if lightning is spotted in the area.  This safety measure is intended to be followed by all in attendance at the park, including players, parents, and siblings.  If you see lightning in the area, please contact one of our staff coaches so that we can get everyone to safety in a timely manner.

Along those same lines, we are asking that an adult, responsible for your child, be in attendance at all times at the park during the youth academy sessions.  No drop-offs are allowed.  Your child's safety is our number one priority.  We have a large number of young children in our academy, and other teams/clubs are present at Jaycee Park when we are there.  Without your supervision, it is a nearly impossible task for our staff to ensure that each child is accounted for at the end of a session that is cut short due to weather.

A few reminders for the fall season:

Each player should bring his or her own soccer ball and water to each session.  It is recommended that your child wear shin guards and soccer shoes.  Jaycee Park does have portable bathrooms on site, but it is recommended that you have your child use the bathroom at home before each session. We do have some children in the academy who have a life threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts.  For the safety of these children, please do not allow your child to share any food items with the other participants without parental approval.

If you have questions, please email Amy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fall 2010 Registration is open on a first come first served basis. Contact Amy Richters with an email at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it