Player Development Links
LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
OUSC has a player development methodology that is aligned to Long Term Athletic Development and appropriate age and stage principles of play. This is a development model that puts the player before the game, and parallels what child learning experts have long used to better understand human development. This approach places participants into developmental stages, which takes us from infancy through to adulthood. A person’s abilities, behaviors, and emotions, varies from stage to stage. Sport science experts have identified seven stages of development — each with its own physical and psychological characteristics When young soccer players are able to train and compete in an environment that’s appropriate to their stage of development, they not only perform at their best, they also have more fun.
Our player development approach is focused on four core pillars:
PLAYER CENTERED to respect the developmental needs of players is the number-one priority. This means making sure recreational players have fun, and also that those with increased aspirations and/or abilities are given opportunities for further progression as they move along their soccer pathway
INCLUSIVE ensuring that our club are committed to providing a welcoming environment for all. We recognize that only a small selection of players will have opportunities at high-performance levels and that provision should be accessible to as many players as possible for as long as possible regardless of age, ability or background.
COMPETITIVENESS FROM WITHIN meaning a process-orientated approach where learning and independent decision making is prioritized above winning. This being especially pertinent within our foundational stages of participation where players should be encouraged to try new skills with freedom and an intrinsic competitive spirit to improve.
PROGRESSION IS NON-LINEAR there should be an appreciation that all players do not develop at the same levels and even individual players will go through variable rates of development that are related to factors such as; physical maturation, intrinsic motivation, commitment levels, injuries etc. It is our responsibility as coaches and parents to support our players along their pathway however this may look and change over time
OUSC Player Development Documents
OUSC PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Please review the documents below that further outline our club's specific approach to player development:
