Our Organization
Welcome to the SSRA!
We are a non-profit organization that focuses on building the emotional, social, physical, and technical ability of the player. Our program is designed as a player-first model, so that your child learns the skills to play soccer with any team and in any position. Our motto is “find your level” which means working to find out the best player you are and what you can be. The Academy sits on the developmental pyramid between recreational or neighborhood soccer and competitive or travel soccer. What does that mean?
- Monday – Group Training – Players train in their age group for an hour each week with a professional trainer and our experienced / licensed coaching staff. These sessions give players consistent exposure to drills that will build their individual skill levels. Each week is different, dynamic, and disciplined over an eight-week period. These sessions allow players to interact with everyone in their age group and learn from different coaches. U8-U10 (6:00pm) / U11-U12 (7:00pm). Your age group is determined by your birth year minus Year 2026. For example, if the player is born in 2016, they are a U10. After the eight-week training period concludes, players will continue training with their respective coaches through the remainder of the season.
- Thursday – Team Training – Players will be divided into age and gender-based teams for U8 to U12 age groups. They will train with an assigned coach(es) for an hour working on team tactics and more focused training. This is the team they will typically play with during game days although they may occasionally be asked to “play over” or “play up” if they are demonstrating more advanced skills. Some Thursday night games will be scheduled against local recreational and academy teams during the season as well.
- Sunday Match Day – The SSRA is part of the Shawnee Soccer League (SSL). The SSL is an academy and competitive soccer program that brings teams together from all over West Virginia, as well as Kentucky and Ohio. The SSRA also invites recreational teams from all over the state to visit us during the season and play games. SSL dates will be announced in advance of the season. These match days will consist of TWO games on Sunday afternoons against different opponents. It is extremely important that you plan your schedule to participate in these matches. SSL Match Days are effectively the “regular” season for the SSRA. We will typically have three match days (six games) that are played at the Shawnee Sports Complex during the season.
- Tournament Play – One goal of our program is to give players an opportunity to experience more competitive play environments. Our coaching staff will select rosters based on player effort, enthusiasm, initiative, and technical ability. Examples of past tournaments include the one-day Nicholas County Youth Soccer Tournaments (Summersville); the West Virginia Soccer Association United Cup (Clarksburg) and Open Cup (Shawnee Sports Complex); and the Mountain State Cup (Shawnee Sports Complex). Our goal is to participate in two tournaments per season that are local and affordable.
- Younger players (2018 to 2020) are encouraged to enroll in the Football Factory training program. These weekly training sessions are held each Wednesday for ten weeks at their indoor facility on Morris Street in Charleston. The Football Factory is an important partner in the SSRA training and development program.
- At the conclusion of the Fall school season, the SSRA invites all middle and high school players to join our late-Fall developmental program for training and participation in the Mountain State Cup tournament. Players can then register for the Spring season for additional training, games, and tournaments.
All training and SSL match days are held at the Shawnee Sports Complex. Overall, your player will train twice a week from mid-August to late-October. Players will participate in 7-8 matches during the season with as many as 15 matches possible for players also participating in tournaments. Participation in this program means consistent and professional training, competitive match experience, and additional opportunities to develop.
We hold our players to a high standard. We expect them to show up on time and be ready to train every week. We expect them to come to training excited to learn and ready to compete. Similarly, we expect our parents to represent the goals and values of the Academy. We do not yell at our players, we build them up. We do not yell at other parents, we deescalate the situation. We do not yell at referees, we encourage them to learn and grow as well.
Our Academy helps create awesome players, coaches, and referees. Thank you for registering your player and allowing us the opportunity to work with them. We hope that you will also join our coaching staff and let us help you develop your soccer leadership skills. Even better, we can help you become a certified referee and learn to officiate the game. We are excited to have this Academy and the opportunity to grow soccer in the Kanawha Valley!