Ocean City Nor'easters to Host Summer Soccer Academy

Ocean City, NJ -- The Ocean City Nor’easters soccer club is seeking boys and girls teams for the Under-8, Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 age groups for training and tournaments as part of its new Summer Academy.

The goal of the academy is to help boys and girls develop their skills in a fun environment during the summer months without leaving their existing clubs. The Nor’easters also hope to introduce club soccer to new players in a variety of age groups.

The academy runs June 7 through the weekend of July 23 and 24. Each team will compete in three separate tournaments, all of which are located within an hour of Ocean City. Details will be announced at a future date.

Training sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Ocean City between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., immediately before the men’s and women’s team practices at Tennessee Avenue Soccer Complex and Sixth Street Fields, respectively.

Before the seven-week program kicks off in June, the club will host a skills showcases on Sunday, March 6. The showcase for the girls is 10 a.m.-1 p.m., followed by the boys showcase from 2 p.m.-5 p.m.

The goal of the showcases is to allow the Nor’easters coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate players in an effort to customize their training for the academy and to make sure each player is placed on the team that will be the best fit for him or her.

Throughout the summer, players from the men’s and women’s team will be involved in the training sessions, giving the academy players a chance to interact with elite college players, many of which are on a path to play the game professionally.

“I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for our young players who aspire to play at a more competitive level,” newly-appointed academy director Christos Economopoulos said. “This will bridge the gap between recreational and competitive soccer playing. Of course, this will give the academy players a chance to interact with our men’s and women’s teams. Everybody at our club is very excited to see our young soccer players progress and one day make it all the way from recreational level to the first team.”

Each player will receive a game uniform and a training uniform that matches the ones worn by the Nor’easters men’s and women’s teams, as well as a season pass to every game at Carey Stadium during the 2016 summer campaign.

As the academy season wraps up, all the players will be a part of a special halftime event at the regular season finale for the Nor’easters men’s team, against the Baltimore Bohemians on July 17, 7 p.m. at Carey Stadium.

“After the addition of the women’s team, we see the Summer Academy as the final piece of our organization,” Nor’easters General Manager Kevin Nuss said. “The Nor’easters are now able to provide opportunities for every boy and girl in Ocean City, NJ, and the surrounding area, to not only have fun playing soccer but to play competitively, develop their ability and one day play for the Nor’easters men’s or women’s teams.”

For more information or to register to attend the Summer Academy Skills Showcase, visit www.oceancityfc.com/academy.