Development Academy Program – DAP Soccer

In 2007, U.S. Soccer started a program called the Development Academy Program (DAP). The goal was to create a better system for training top soccer players so they can reach their full potential. To design this program, they studied how soccer clubs around the world train their players, along with training methods in other sports, education systems, and other fields where intense training and practice are important.

So what happened?

As of April 2020, U.S. Soccer has made the difficult decision to cease operations of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy due to unforeseen financial challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This abrupt decision underscored the organization’s gratitude towards everyone involved in impacting thousands of young players over the years, especially at the grassroots level.