The Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club is pleased to announce the travel tryout schedule, coaching slate, and program enhancements for the upcoming 2021-22 season. Travel team tryouts will take place during the months of March, April, and May for all Richmond Kickers teams including Elite Red, Elite Black, Elite White, and Classic.
Committed to providing an unparalleled soccer experience for club members, fielding boys and girls teams in the U9/10 through U19 age groups. The travel teams are coached by nationally licensed coaches along with current and former Richmond Kickers professional players, with locations throughout the Richmond region.
After an extensive review of the 2020 club membership survey, along with careful consideration by Program Directors, we are excited to unveil several enhancements to our 2021-22 travel program:
- Year-Round Goalkeeper Program:
Under the guidance of Adrian Clewlow and his ACGK staff, all travel goalkeepers will now be offered over 20 sessions per year in addition to their regular team practices. The goalkeeper program will also include player evaluations, age-specific curriculum, and training all designed by ACGK.
- Improved Player Feedback:
Player evaluations will now be implemented for all travel players. In addition, the club will begin to trial the VEO camera system to allow staff and coaches to record, analyze, and upload matches for players and families.
- U10 Elite Teams and U9/10 Mini Festivals:
The club will now offer U10 Boys and Girls Elite teams. The introduction of U10 Elite teams, to complement our current U9/10 Classic Program, allows players to be matched by ability rather than just age. New to the 2021-22 season, our U9/10 Classic players will participate in 4v4 Mini Festivals in the Fall and Spring. This will allow our staff the opportunity to monitor and challenge players throughout the year. The addition of both Elite teams and Mini Festivals further enhances our focus on providing the best developmental environment for every player in the U9/10 program.
- New Tournament Experience: Blue Ridge Cup, Charlottesville & Richmond VA:
All Richmond Kickers U11 through U19 travel teams will participate in the Blue Ridge Cup over Labor Day weekend. The event is designed for Elite, Premier, and Classic levels. The event offers top-level facilities (including our very own Ukrop Park), organization, and officials. The tournament will provide ideal competition for our entire club and the added opportunity to play teams we normally would not compete against.
- New Adidas Uniform Package:
New Styles & New Colors…The 2021-23 uniform package will include the traditional all-red home strip, as well as a brand new all-black away uniform.
- Camp & Technical Training Program:
Back by popular demand and under the guidance of Owusu Sekyere, we will again offer a full year-round program of technical training and camps. Sessions are designed to improve individual skills and take each player’s game to the next level.
- Kickers FUTSAL:
With 300 players participating and on the back of our most successful winter futsal season ever the club will continue to offer Kickers FUTSAL teams for ADP through U16 Age Groups.
- Communication - TeamSnap:
After a successful club-wide rollout of TeamSnap and positive feedback from our families on the interface, the club will continue to use the platform for communication, schedules, weather updates, and important travel team information.
Tryouts for the Richmond Kickers Boys U16, U17, and U19 teams will kick off the tryout schedule on March 21-22 at Ukrop Park. The Girls U16, U17, U19 team tryouts will take place the following weekend, March 28-29. The remaining full slate of tryouts will take place from April 26 through May 6.
Players interested in joining our club and who are unable to attend the tryouts should contact the appropriate Program Director to be evaluated.
The Richmond Kickers Program Directors are comprised of Ross MacKenzie, (ADP, U9/U10 and Futsal Director, USSF “B”), Michael Burke, (U11-U14 Director, USSF “B”), Andy McIntosh, (U15-U19 Girls Director, USSF “A”) and Mark Stollsteimer, (U15-U19 Boys Director, NSCAA Premier), Owusu Sekyere, (Director of Technical Development and Camps, USSF “C”), and Adrian Clewlow, (Goalkeeper Director, NSCAA Advanced National), under the continued guidance of Leigh Cowlishaw, (Executive Director, USSF “A”).
The Richmond Kickers Program Directors guide the club through innovative and high-quality youth development programming and excellence in coaching while providing the highest level of customer service and building upon the club’s unassailable reputation for success on and off the field.
Among other duties, each Program Director will act as the main point of contact for their respective age groups. In addition, the Directors will collaborate to ensure successful player placement and cultivate positive and proactive communication between parents, coaches, and staff while fulfilling the strategic direction of the club.
Detailed information about the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club can be found at RichmondKickersYouth.com.