What makes Palm Beach Gardens different from the other clubs in the area?
PBG Predators Soccer is committed to providing a positive youth soccer experience through our club’s core values of Pride, Performance and Positive Coaching.  We take pride in being the only club in Palm Beach County to provide programs that meet every level of player. We have structured our girl’s program in a way that recognizes that each female athlete may have different abilities, growth patterns and ambitions in regard to their soccer journey.  As a result, we provide our female athletes a continuity of development that begins with the Junior Academy level at 5 years old, continues through our various development programs that carry them into the highest levels of competitive soccer in the Girls Academy, which then culminates into further opportunities such as collegiate play and/or our semi-professional UPSL team. 

 

Additionally, our players strive to achieve their highest performance levels at every opportunity, developing habits and character traits that lead to success on the field as well as in life off the field. And finally, we look to achieve our goals through Positive Coaching.  Our professional coaching staff is the core of who we are, and we take exceptional pride in boasting the highest qualified and most experienced Youth Coaching Staff in South Florida. 

 

What leagues will my child play in?
We will evaluate each player through our ID clinics and tryout sessions to place them appropriately on a team that matches their current playing level and ambitions in the game.  We currently offer local level leagues (SFUYSA and PBSL), state level leagues (FCL and FSPL), a Regional Platform through the DPL and a National level platform through the Girls Academy.

 

What is the Development Players League (DPL)?
The DPL is a Regional level platform that allows our players to compete in league play against some of the top clubs in the SE Region of the United States.  In addition, there will be several DPL Showcase events throughout the seasonal year.  This a league that is focused on developing players looking to potentially compete at the collegiate level.

 

We keep hearing about the new Girls Academy (GA).  What is the difference between DPL and GA?
While DPL is a regional platform, the GA is a national level platform that is the next step up for our highest level of players.  The league games are played primarily in the SE Region of the US with the potential to qualify for the GA Champions league, which is for the top teams in the country.   There will also be several GA Showcase events throughout the year.  This league is a pathway for players into the highest levels of the college game as well as USYNT camps.

 

We’ve also heard about the ECNL and ECNL-R, what’s the difference between these leagues and the DPL and GA?
PBG Predators does offer the ECNL platform on the boy’s side but at this time we’ve chosen a different path for our girl’s program.  The GA is a recent start up that was formed after the closure of the US Soccer Development Academy. Many of these former DA clubs joined to form the GA in which they have committed to placing more of an emphasis on collaboration.  So even though the ECNL has a longer history than the GA, we decided that the GA is a competitive platform that aligns well with our commitment for developing a complete player.

 

Specifically:

1. More freedoms are given to members than what had initially been offered through DA such as allowing players to participate in their high school athletics programs, which had previously been denied.
2. The use of unique substitution rules to encourage clubs to better utilize their player pools.
3. The formation of the player-led Girls Academy Advisory Board (GAAP), which consists of players who are selected “to engage in strategic initiatives that drive the long-term sustainability of the GA and overall advancement of youth soccer”. 

 

GA/DPL recognize that clubs are the primary developers of their players and have taken steps to support clubs in their development process by offering a platform for competition for those clubs who share a like-minded focus on long term player development and growth. This clear commitment to collaboration with players and clubs, as well as the clear player development strategies they have instituted, is why we decided that GA/DPL was currently the best pathway forward in allowing our female players to grow to their fullest potential in the game.

 

How are these leagues different to what we are currently playing?
As your child continues to develop and grow in the game, the opportunities need to grow as well.  PBG Predators is committed to providing all of our players with an appropriate level of play to meet their abilities and ambitions in the game.  PBG is the only club in Palm Beach County that offers every level so regardless of where your child is in the youth game, we can offer a program to meet their needs. 

 

How do I know which is best for my child?
Our professional staff of coaches, who all have a long history in the youth soccer environment, will assess the player’s abilities and discuss their ambitions to find what is the best fit for each individual athlete. Players will be selected and assigned to different teams within our program that best suits their needs. Our staff will continue to provide assessments and feedback as they grow and their needs change.

 

What is the schedule for the DPL and GA leagues?
The schedule for the teams varies based upon the league and the age groups. Our U13, U14, and U19 GA teams will be in a 10-month program year from August through May. The U15 – U17 GA teams will be in an 11-month program from August – June. Our DPL teams will be August – May, with the chance to qualify for National events in June. Showcase events are typically scheduled for Fall, Winter, and Spring. Home league games will be played primarily at District Park in PBG with away games for the GA against other member clubs throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, while the DPL will travel just within Florida, unless cross-conference games are added to the schedule. Each team will play approximately 20 league games during the season. Due to high school season conflicts our GA teams will most likely play all their out of state league games in the Fall, with the Spring games likely to be against the Florida opponents. GA schedule will be set by the league to best avoid SAT/ACT dates, school breaks etc. Our DPL/GA teams train 3 & 4 nights a week with additional training opportunities available throughout the year.

 

What tournaments will we go to?
Depending on the team selected for, our teams will play in the age-appropriate DPL/GA Showcases scheduled throughout the year, and we will also consider other potential events such as CASL, Disney Showcase and Jefferson Cup, among others, if we feel they are an appropriate fit for our teams.  Each team will be provided with an event schedule at the beginning of the season to help our families plan accordingly, and a more specific guide is at the end of this document.

 

Is the Girls Academy partnered with MLS (Major League Soccer)?

Yes. MLS and the GA have entered a strategic relationship to further connect and collaborate on the youth soccer development space. As such, MLS Vice President and Technical Director of Player Development, Fred Lipka, will hold a position on the GA’s Technical Advisory Committee, led by GA Commissioner, Lesle Gallimore, and help guide the evolution and transformation of soccer development in the U.S.

How will this help my daughter reach her goals of collegiate and professional soccer? 

Girls Academy clubs will compete against clubs in national tournaments, college showcases, and special cross-conference events. Competing against some of the biggest and best clubs and players in the country, our players will see high quality opponents each week and also have the opportunity to showcase their talents on the national stage.

Can my daughter still play for her school team?
Yes, our leagues will typically break for games during the winter which allows our athletes an opportunity to participate for their school teams. There will be some overlap as some showcases take place during high school season, and we will work with the schools to ensure that the players are healthy to perform at their best at the showcases in front of the watching college coaches. We will continue to offer a training schedule during the winter period so our players can maintain those opportunities with our coaching staff.

 

My daughter is currently participating in ODP, is that something she can still do?
Yes, many of our players currently participate in the ODP program in addition to other GA ID sessions that provide additional pathway opportunities into USYNT camps.

 

Are the Talent ID training sessions a tryout?  Do we need to attend all of the sessions?
The GA/DPL Talent ID sessions are an opportunity for players from all over South Florida to explore the opportunities provided in our GA/DPL programs.  They are an opportunity for our coaching staff to evaluate the players and invite players into the program.  While we might not make final selections for our team at these ID sessions, players may receive an invitation into the program with final team selections occurring soon after.

 

Will there be additional tryouts after the season ends?
We will continue to have additional ID Sessions and formal tryouts in May to complete our rosters for the following program year.

 

When will we know if we’ve been selected and how long do we have to make a decision?
Our coaches will begin contacting players with invitations throughout the Spring season.  We ask those invited reply with a decision within 48 hours so other players may have an opportunity if a family declines.  We work off a rolling invitation process and want to ensure we have every opportunity to form teams that meet all of our player’s needs.

 

Will we know who the coaches are and which ones will be coaching our daughters?
Our coaching staff for the 2022/23 season is being finalized in the coming weeks.  We typically look to make final staff announcements around May 1st as we will have new staff members that may be joining us from other clubs.  Please visit us online at 

http://www.predatorssoccer.org/competitive/coaching-staff where you can see our current coaching staff and profiles.

 

If we have additional questions, who can we contact?
Please email our Girls Director of Coaching, Steve Burgess at steve.predators@gmail.com with additional questions or for more information.

Club website - More information: www.PredatorsSoccer.org

 

GA Teams

Registration $2750 + uniforms

 

This includes all costs/fees except for player transportation and accommodation to league games and showcases. There are no other costs/fees.

Practice 4 times per week, typically Monday – Thursday, will also include weekend practices on non-game weekends.

U13:             5:45pm – 7:15pm,

U14 – U17:  7:15pm – 9pm

U19:             5pm – 6:30pm

 

Registration Includes:

U13 & U14 teams: 2 GA Regional Showcase Events (Fall/Winter 2022 & Spring 2023) + 1 other Showcase.

U15 – U17 teams: 2 GA National Showcase Events (Winter 2022 & Summer 2023) + 1 other Showcases.

U19 team:             1 GA National Showcase Event (Winter 2022) + 2 other Showcases.

Also includes: Playermaker Soccer Tracker, Professional College Recruitment Advisor          

 

GA Conference:

PBG (FL), Florida United (FL), IMG (FL), West Florida Flames (FL), United Soccer Alliance (FL), TopHat Gold (GA), TopHat Navy (GA), Southern Soccer Academy (GA), AFC Lightning (GA), Wake FC (NC), SC Surf (SC)

 

DPL Teams

Registration $2500 + uniforms

This includes all costs/fees except for player transportation and accommodation to league games and showcases. There are no other costs/fees. (** see below)

Practice 3 times per week, schedule TBA.

 

Registration Includes:

U13 – U19: 1 DPL Regional Showcase Event + 1 other Showcase + 2 tournaments (including PBG Classic).

Also includes: Professional College Recruitment Advisor

 

** Playermaker Soccer Tracker is available to all DPL players at a cost of $150.

 

DPL Conference

PBG, Florida United, Sunrise, Pinecrest, IMG, West Florida Flames, Cape Coral, Tampa Rangers, Azzurri Storm, Gainesville, Liverpool Academy.