In early April, Minnesota United’s Development Academy welcomed coaches from all over the Upper Midwest to a Club Summit where they had the chance to compare notes and hear from other academy coaches from all over the world.

“This year's Club Summit provided an opportunity for our Academy to directly connect with club coaching directors and their Zone I coaches,” said Academy Director Tim Carter. “During the summit, presenters from Sweden, Holland and the US talked about improving coach education, player development and club structure, specifically within Zone I.”

Zone I includes soccer players from ages four to 12 and, as such, represents a crucial demographic for academies to reach as they seek to establish pathways to professional opportunities for young players in the United States.

To help foster that development in its region, the MNUFC Development Academy has instituted a Club Membership program that allows clubs throughout the Upper Midwest to share resources, training and business opportunities through Minnesota United.

“An invitation only session on the first day of the summit brought together a dozen clubs who are part of our Club Membership program for the first time,” said Carter. “These youth clubs hailed from the Twin Cities, as well as the neighboring states of South Dakota and Wisconsin.”