YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT
Achieving Excellence On and Off the Field
Our Heart of the City Elite program combines youth development and support programming with competitive soccer. Our goal is to be the support system that many are not receiving at home or in school, and to prepare them for success after high school, whether it is college, trade/vocational school, the military, or the workforce.
Our dedicated staff provide each participant with an individualized player development plan, detailing their academic and athletic goals, GPA, and college/career aspirations, and we create an actionable plan to get them where they want to go.
In conjunction with their year-round soccer training and games, we provide comprehensive educational support, including report card checks, in-house tutoring, coordinated college visits, job-skill training, college soccer recruitment, and more.
Want more information on our education programs?
Contact our Director of Youth Develpoment, Francisco Martinez, francisco@heartofthecitysports.org
Support Focus Areas
Health & Wellness
A student-athlete’s health and wellbeing are very important and impact their ability to be successful on and off the field. We want our student-athletes to maintain good physical and mental health. We offer individual coaching to connect students and families to resources, speakers and events focused on health and wellness topics, many of which are featured during our Wellness Wednesday’s series!
Thank you to our 2023 health and wellness partner - The Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County.
Parent & Family Engagement
We want our families to be engaged and supported in the ways that they need most. We offer coaching to parents/family members around their student-athletes academics, we connect them to community resources and organizations, and host a variety of parent and/or family specific activities/events. Our Wellness Wednesdays are great options to bring the whole family and connect to our wellness resources!
College Soccer Recruiting
The college soccer recruitment process can be difficult to navigate and understand both for the student and parents/family. When our HS Elite student-athletes show an interest in playing at the college level, they can access our College Soccer Recruitment Program. Our program provides help with navigating eligibility, recruiting visits, communication with coaches, quality footage, and more.
College Support
We understand the college process can be a challenge to navigate. For that reason, we help student-athletes with what they need the most help with. From identifying schools to navigating the application process, we offer individual and group-based workshops, coaching, and events. Some programming includes college visits, individual coaching, workshops, and more.
Career Support
We want our student-athletes to be better prepared for their postsecondary plans whether that is at a college, trade school, military service, or well-paying job. We provide opportunities, exposure, and support in finding and accessing career pathways. Some programming includes individual coaching, speakers representing different careers, job shadow trips, and more.
Annual Referee Certification Clinic
We host this clinic through the Illinois Soccer Referee Committee, providing an opportunity for our high school student-athletes to earn their official certifications.
This certifications gives our youth a stackable credential to include on their resumes and allows them to earn extra income, gain experience, learn job-readiness skills, and learn about soccer from a new perspective.
Our student-athletes work as referees in our year-round Soccer Academy programs as well as leagues throughout Illinois.
Leadership and Mentorship
High school student-athletes have the opportunity to coach and mentor the younger kids in our year-round recreational Soccer Academy.
We also help our student-athletes earn their official USSF coaching certifications if they are interested in pursuing coaching more seriously.
Volunteer Opportunities
We give our student athletes the opportunity to attend service outings within the community at local churches and outside organizations. This allows our students to become active and valued members of our community.
Interested in learning more about our Youth Development Program?
Contact our Director of Youth Development, Francisco Martinez
francisco@hotcsoccer.org or 847-623-6200 ext.5
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