For Academies
Retention & Pathway System

Across youth soccer, player movement between academies is increasing.
In many cases, this isn’t because development is better elsewhere, but because parents and players struggle to objectively see progression where they are.

When progress feels invisible, perception fills the gap.
The Soccer Skills Challenge exists to solve that problem.

The Soccer Skills Challenge (SSC) is a retention and pathway system used by academies to objectively evidence player development over time and clearly identify when players are genuinely ready for the next level.

It is designed to support:

• Player retention
• Parent trust
• Clear development conversations
• Credible pathway decision-making

SSC is academy-controlled at all times.

To be clear, SSC is not:

• A one-time skills test
• A ranking or selection system
• A scouting shortcut
• A replacement for coaching

It does not create promises or guarantees.
SSC supports the decisions academies are already making, using objective evidence.

Most academies use SSC to:

• Make player progress visible over time
• Anchor development conversations in evidence rather than opinion
• Reduce speculative player movement driven by perception
• Identify internal top performers with clarity
• Strengthen their pathway narrative without over-promising

Benchmarking is repeatable and longitudinal, encouraging development rather than penalizing it.

For players who are genuinely performing at a higher level, SSC provides an objective way to support pathway conversations.

This may include:

• MLS-aligned environments
• College pathways
• International opportunities where appropriate

The academy remains the development owner throughout.
Pathways are earned, not marketed.

Academies usually begin with:

• A small, defined cohort or age group
• Low-risk entry access
• Unlimited benchmarking for those players
• No per-attempt or per-test charging

This allows academies to see whether SSC genuinely helps with retention, parent clarity, and confidence before deciding whether to scale.
There is no obligation to continue if it does not add value.

When development is visible:

• Parents are more patient
• Players are more engaged
• Coaches are better supported
• Retention improves naturally

SSC exists to make staying feel rational and leaving feel unnecessary.

If this reflects challenges you are currently facing within your academy, we are always happy to have a short conversation to compare notes and see whether SSC might be relevant in your environment.

There is no obligation and no hard sell.

The Soccer Skills Challenge is used as part of academy development programs. It does not replace coaching, trials, or selection processes.

Schedule a quick call