Mass Premier Soccer has established a vertically and horizontally integrated pyramid that caters for a player’s development from the age of 5 - 23 years.
The MPS player development program focuses on four ’phases’ and offers players an opportunity to graduate through Junior School of Excellence (JSOE), School of Excellence (SOE), Premier / PD Team, MPS U19 / U20 and PDL team. As a result of the MPS Player Development Pyramid, the club strives to produce players who can compete at the highest level of soccer throughout the world.
In addition to the MPS Player Development Program, the club operates an extensive camp and clinic program as well as hosting Leagues and Tournaments throughout Eastern MA.
The MPS Structure:
- Getting Started Phase (3 to 5 years)
- FUNdamental Phase (6 to 8 years)
- Practice to Develop Phase (9 to 11 years)
- Practice to Compete Phase (12 to 14 years)
- Practice to Win Phase (15 to 18 years)
At all ages MPS seeks to develop players across the four pillars of the game: Technical; Tactical; Physical and Psychological. Varied emphasis is placed on each pillar throughout the different phases of the MPS structure.
Getting Started
At this level we are exposing the new player to the game of soccer. This is often the player and parents’ first experience of organized soccer so we want to ensure maximum activity for all and a focus on movement skills such as running, twisting and jumping that involve a ball. The coaching style is considered non directive where the game becomes the teacher and the player almost learns by osmosis. At this stage the player is self absorbed and their focus is primarily on themselves and what is immediately before them.
FUN-damental
After the introduction to soccer in the previous stage we move on to a focus on participation and developing the awareness of players to the game around them i.e. rules, how to score and how to prevent the other team from scoring. We build a technical foundation at this level and teach using a guided discovery approach where the coach uses the skills learned to play within small sided activities. At this stage we see players seeking out recognition and support mainly from their parents.
Practice to Develop
Now players are beginning to learn about the game, their individual ability and their role within a team. They take on more understanding of the skills needed under pressure and begin to make tactical decisions i.e. what type of pass to make, who to and when. They begin to become more competitive and will get bored if not challenged so we teach and coach using a game understanding approach. At this level they seek recognition from their coach and it is often considered the golden age of learning. As with all the stages good coaching is important but here it can be critical.
Practice to Compete
Players at this stage seek to perform and compete against their peers; they begin to understand positional play and their function within a team framework. We coach by using structured resistances where we impose restrictions in a game setting that players must work within. Players now measure themselves and seek recognition from their peers which can lead to players leaving the game if they feel they can not compete.
Practice to Win
Youth players still involved at this stage are now looking to excel and become position specific. They want to master the game and their opponents and we teach using systems of play within a full sided game. Players understand their own abilities and limitations and use self measurement rather than seek recognition from parents or others.
