Youth soccer discussion

[The Ref]

Some years back there used to be any number of "Soccer Schools" usually during off seasons. Nowadays everything is "Soccer Academies". Is there a difference, are they better or is simply the same thing with a different name just to charge more to parents.

[bettermirror]

same thing with a different name attached. the difference tends to be in structure and cost-benefit ratio. academies tend to be year-round whereas schools were traditionally, a week-long idea. in the lower mainland of british columbia it seems every district has an academy. some are open to public (Total Soccer Systems in Richmond) and some are in-house (A.C.E.S. Academy in Chilliwack) - which run year round and send touring teams to Europe and American - for the record 2007 will be ACES first venture overseas (England, and down south to Colorado to train with the Rapids). Academies also tend to try and involve professional teams by bringing them this way. The Dutch national youth women will be coming to Chilliwack in 2007 with a return trip for the ACES women academy in 2008.

Total Soccer Systems does similar - as I'm sure Abbotsford's School of Excellence does so with trips to England (Grimsby tends to be the trip of choice it appears - any other info or correction on that would be appreciated).

So schools were not as advanced as academies, but really they are the same thing - just add year-round activity, and tours.

however, they may still call them Soccer Schools in other parts of the country/Europe?