DEVELOPMENT A PRIORITY AT NORTH CAROLINA’S END OF SEASON YOUTH ACADEMY EVENT
North Carolina Youth Soccer held their bi-yearly End of Season Youth Academy Showcase in early May. The Spring Showcase hosted 165 teams from 33 youth academy sections across North Carolina, providing an opportunity for more than 1750 players to finish their season in a fun and developmental environment. The NC Youth Soccer Youth Academy Program supports player development through following the U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives for U9 & U10 Age Groups, including use of the Build-Out Line, No Punting, and no scores being recorded.
“The NC Youth Academy Showcase is one of our favorite events of the year,” said Carolina Core FC Youth Academy Director Carter Robbins. “It’s inspiring to see young players from across the state competing with joy and passion — a perfect way to cap off the season. Our families truly value the opportunity to engage with teams from all over North Carolina in a fun, supportive environment.”
This Youth Academy Showcase also provided an opportunity for the North Carolina Youth Soccer Technical Staff to collaborate with the North Carolina Soccer Referee Association (NCSRA) to provide referee mentorship and development throughout the event. NCSRA provided classroom learning and referee mentorship on the field to support referee growth and development throughout the weekend.
“The environment at the Youth Academy Showcase was positive, uplifting, and encouraging: making it a safe and welcoming environment for questions and learning,” said Tara Buckley, a referee at the Youth Academy Showcase. “I very much appreciated that all the class