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P.O. Box 600 Westmont, IL 60559
Providing Youth Soccer Since 1982
www.dariendynamo.com
Dear Dynamo Soccer Club families,
The Darien Dynamo Soccer Club is excited to announce a new direction for our club. The Darien Dynamo Soccer Club is joining with Hawks Soccer Club, to create the United Soccer Academy for the 2011-12 season. United Soccer Academy's goal will be to provide an enhanced soccer experience for all of the Dynamo and Hawks players and families.
Hawks Director of Coaching, Tony Hepburn, will join Dynamo Director of Coaching, Chris Karabatsis, to lead the United Soccer Academy. Both Chris and Tony have extensive and successful experience in youth soccer instruction and coaching. Tony’s primary initial focus will be on the U8 to U14 youth programs, while Chris will oversee the High School programs. However, both will participate and be major contributors at all ages and levels. Tony Hepburn is a native of London, England and has been in the US for 16 years. Tony has played semi-professional soccer in the UK and Portugal. Tony holds a NSCAA Advanced National License.
As many of you already realize, the Dynamo and Hawks clubs merged their boy’s high school programs together this past season. The merger at this level was an outstanding success. We believe that by increasing the size of the pool of players at all ages, the remainder of the club will also enjoy the benefits achieved at the high school boy’s program. Both Chris and Tony believe that the merger will enable us to better tailor the soccer experience to fit the skill level of each child. The best youth soccer experience comes from matching players with similar skill levels on the same team, thus allowing the professional trainer to teach at an appropriate level. Player development will be accelerated in this new framework. Further, each team will be more accurately placed in a competitive division that properly challenges the players in game situations. In contrast, when a single team has greatly varying skill levels, it is difficult to maximize the training and game experience of all the players.
There will be no changes in the training programs for this spring season. In the future, the training programs will be comparable and in most cases will include some additional features. Program fees for next year are currently being finalized and it is anticipated that the fees will increase slightly for some players while for other players may have a slight decrease. Additionally, the Dynamo Club will now have access to the Hawks’ fields in Oak Brook as well as all of the fields we historically have used. This will offer all of the Dynamo teams greater scheduling flexibility in training and games.
The Dynamo Club appreciates your loyalty to our soccer club. This new direction was not arrived upon without great consideration. It is our belief that the new soccer program offered by United Soccer Academy will greatly benefit our families and players.
The board will be attending practices next week to be available if you would like to speak with us and we will be meeting with the Team Administrators next week as well.
Sincerely,
The Darien Dynamo Board
Tryout Information
Click link http://www.usaunitedsocceracademy.com/
As a parent, I am sure you have many questions and below is a short Q & A that will help answer many of these questions.
Why are the Darien Dynamo Soccer Club and Hawks Soccer Club Merging?
Chris Karabatsis, the Dynamo Director of Coaching and Tony Hepburn, the Hawks Director of Coaching recently became the Co-Directors of the United Soccer Academy for the High School boys spring 2011 season. The success and player development they have seen in the short time this program has been in place led them to desire to improve the pool of players with which each of their respective clubs could play.
What are benefits of this merger?
All of the United Soccer Academy players will have the benefit of playing in a larger pool of players enabling them to play with players of like skill level. We would anticipate several teams in each age/gender level allowing players better soccer development.
Additionally, we will have a full time administrator to facillitate and organize, communications, resgistration, League requirements, trainers, tournaments and fields which will make the jobs of Team Administrators much easier and efficient
Who will be the Director of Soccer operations for the new club?
Chris Karabatsis will be the Director of Coaching for the High School girls and boys and Tony Hepburn will be the Director of Coaching for the U8 thru U14 program. Both Tony and Chris will be involved with ALL age levels of the United Soccer Academy.
How will the fees be structured?
Fees will be structured based on age and skill levels. The United Soccer Academy will be an extremely inclusive program offering players many opportunities to develop. Specific program designs will be pro-vided at the parent meetings.
Where will home games be played?
The United Soccer Academy will have the advantage of the Hawks Soccer Club’s close relationship and exclusive lease arrangement with McDonald’s Corporation for the use of the McDonald’s soccer fields on the SW corner of Jorie Blvd. and Kensington Road in Oak Brook. Having control over our fields allows us to best accommodate the club’s needs.
Who will train my child?
It is the intent of the United Soccer Academy Co-Directors of Coaching to have their current professional trainers involved in the new Academy program. All United Soccer Academy trainers will be licensed.
Where will practices be held?
Once the teams are rostered, practices will be determined by geographical location and trainers’schedules.
