In mid April, US Soccer chose to end the operations of their Development Academy program. Founded in 2007, the programs mission was “to create a more structured player development environment for elite players to develop to their highest potential.” The Development Academy has always been controversial given the cost to play in such academies. Some people back the high cost of non-subsidized academies by pointing out some of the most talented players the US has produced on the mens side came through the Development Academy. The difficulty comes in that the program wasn’t around long enough to accurately assess if the program was working.
New Look Academy Structure for MLS
