Mission

Our mission is to positively impact the development of youth in our community by providing soccer and life-enriching opportunities to young players of all ages and playing abilities, to create a lifelong passion for the sport of soccer, and to help raise the level of soccer in our city. Our goal is to foster a welcoming, enjoyable, safe, and competitive environment that will assist in the social and physical development of children of all skill levels. As a club, we support, inspire, and empower each player and coach to achieve their full potential within the game and in life, while also developing leaders and individuals who will inspire others to do the same.

Vision

DC Way Academy strives to be the best soccer club in DC for individual skill development, injury prevention training, and tactical education. We will do this by providing the appropriate tools and resources to ensure successful players on and off the field. A strong commitment to soccer and enjoyment of the game will be nurtured through our high-intensity, fun, engaging practices.

 Family Oriented

Family support and involvement are key to a player’s growth and success! We encourage family members to watch practices and games to support their players, teammates, and coaches. We want parents and guardians to be educated on the game and sideline etiquette to help their children develop positive sportsmanship and self-worth.

Affordability

We will ensure affordability by keeping costs as low as possible for our players. We will offer financial aid to players in need who demonstrate a commitment to the club and a passion for soccer.

Injury Prevention

We focus on injury prevention through physical education strategies taught by trained coaches. We encourage parental involvement in promoting these positive practices by providing tools through education on soccer and athletic development. The FIFA “+11” fitness and injury prevention program will be a core part of our training curriculum.

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship means having a good attitude no matter the situation; trying your best, being kind, and supporting your teammates. It is also important to learn how to be a good loser and a gracious winner, and to value opponents and officials. At the end of each game, we emphasize the importance of greeting opposing teams and game officials to show our appreciation for the opportunity to compete.

Growing Individuals Before Teams

We focus first on the personal development of our players rather than solely on the performance of the team. There is no pressure to “win at all costs” at the DC Way Academy. Focus is placed on identifying and developing individual strengths, as well as an appreciation of the strengths and contributions of teammates. Individual growth through skilled coaching and player evaluation is important to us.

Community

The DC Way Academy benefits from the many ways we reach out to our community. We promote access to soccer and involvement in our community through free festivals with prizes and entertaining soccer games. We currently provide job opportunities for over 20 local high school and college students. Our club provides seminars for education and skill development in soccer to all interested local parents and coaches.

Developing Young Coaches With a Focus on the Local

Our Counselor-in-Training program builds coaching skills by allowing local players 13-16 years old to work directly alongside our coaches at camps and clinics. A CIT will learn how to coach and will be able to improve their soccer and leadership skills. We also provide job opportunities for young coaches to allow them to gain experience. We are looking to support our current coaching staff and start building our future staff by nurturing interested youth in our community today!

Balanced Life Outside of Soccer Field

Although our program is designed to promote athletic growth and development of skills through soccer training, we also encourage our players to take the time to explore other interests. The best athletes are well-rounded and despite the level of commitment necessary for successful participation in a travel soccer club, we recognize the importance of academics and other interests. To this end, we will strive to be consistent, transparent, and flexible regarding practice and game times, allowing your family to plan ahead for other demands in your child’s life.