Player Designations

2016-17 Age Designations
U12 - 04, 05
U13 - 03
U14 - 02
U16 - 00, 01
U18 - 98,99

2017-2018 Age Designations
U12 - 06, 07
U13 - 05
U14 - 04
U15 - 03
U16 - 01, 02
U18 - 99, 00


Full Roster

The U14/U16/U18 Full Rosters will consist of players who can only participate on their designated Academy team (or an older age group Academy team if needed), with only 1 exception:  National Team duty.   All Academy team players must forego playing for their high school team as they will participate in a 10 month Academy season.  Each player is assured a 25% minimum start requirement so long as they maintain Internationals Academy standards for training and game availability.
 

Development Player (DP)
 
A Development Player is registered with the Academy (uniform required) and can play a maximum of 6 games for his team.  He will participate in all practices but is eligible to play NPL and his high school soccer season. 

 
NPL

NPL players are Internationals Soccer Club players who are training at a high training and competition level working toward future advancement to the Academy either through a Full or Pre-Academy.  They may be asked to participate in leagues other than NPL, tournaments, and State Cup competitions and, individually, choose to play in such organizations as ODP, ID2, and All Star events.  They may also participate in the high school soccer season.  The main thrust, however, will be development and training within a team framework so as to better prepare them for the Development Academy program.

For Internationals, the main focus of teams U13 and above is the National Premier League, a unified, league-based national developmental platform with the highest level of competition in its geographic areas.  Created to elevate and change the competitive youth soccer landscape based upon US Club Soccer’s fundamental principles, the NPL extends developmental principals espoused by the U.S. Soccer Development Academy into younger age groups and additional clubs, providing a platform for long-term player development.  It has become the gateway for youth soccer players into the Developmental Academy program.
Internationals is a member of the Midwest Developmental League which includes ONLY USSDA clubs within the Mid-America Division of the Central Conference.  Beginning in 2014, competition within the NPL will include:  Michigan Wolves, Vardar, St Louis Scott Gallagher(2), Minnesota Thunder, Chicago Fire, Magic, and Sockers along with the Columbus Crew and Indiana Fire.

The culminating event each year is the NPL Champions Cup, where national championships are awarded. The NPL Champions Cup features qualifiers from every NPL across the country in a true “champions league” competition.  www.nationalpremierleagues.com

With the training and activities listed above, the NPL player comes well-prepared for the next step in their development - the Internationals Development Academy.


Club

They may be asked to participate in leagues other than NPL, tournaments, and State Cup competitions and, individually, choose to play in such organizations as ODP, ID2, and All Star events.  They may also participate in the high school soccer season.

Locally, and through all age groups, Internationals Club players will play in the Alliance Premier Soccer League which recently joined the US Club Soccer’s Premier Leagues platform, a network of leagues in local, statewide and similar geographic regions for competitive clubs and teams.  Based in Northeast Ohio, teams compete in a divisional format as well as in many tournament competitions.  


The Premier Leagues platform builds on the success of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) and the principle that league-based competition is the primary means for long-term player development and growth of the game.  www.clevelandalliancesoccer.com



SUMMARY

Full Roster
Academy Games
Academy training
No outside activities

Development Player (DP)
Academy Games (6 game maximum)
Academy Training
NPL roster
Outside activities (e.g. High School)

NPL
NPL roster
Tournaments (e.g. State Cup)
Outside Activities

Club
AASL games
Tournaments
Outside activities