Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate in the Soccer Academy?
Boys and girls in middle and high school, including both Darlington and non-Darlington students, who are interested in maximizing their personal development and soccer skills may apply for the Soccer Academy.
What advantages will a student participating in Darlington School Soccer Academy have over players?
Soccer Academy players train more per week than the average club soccer player. This intense training combined with Darlington School’s academic environment prepares any student-athlete for the rigors of college.
What events or showcase tournaments do you attend?
Darlington School Soccer Academy participates in several of the largest youth tournaments in the country. The team has participated in CASL Showcase, Disney Showcase, Miami Orange Classic, Adidas Final Four Showcase, Dallas Sport Source Showcase, Nike Norcross, Atlanta Cup and many more. They also travel and play many colleges across the Southeast.
What league or soccer association does the Soccer Academy participate in?
Darlington School Soccer Academy participates as a U.S. Club-sanctioned program that is a separate organization under the United States Soccer Federation. It does not participate as a USYS club.
How often does the Soccer Academy train?
The Soccer Academy trains five days a week. Approximate training time is Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.
What is the typical training session like?
Each session begins with a good warm-up that encompasses speed and agility as well as technical development. Most every session ends with competitive games built around the training topic of the day.
How much does it cost to participate in the Soccer Academy?
The participation fee is $7,000 per year, which includes training, travel to events, US Club registration, Nike Soccer Academy gear, recruiting assistance, college guidance, college scrimmage opportunities, team tactical video analysis and video footage of games.
Do many of your players compete at the next level(s)? College or pro?
Darlington School Soccer Academy has had tremendous success placing its alumni at various levels of play, including NCAA Division I Top-20 programs, NCAA Division II and III, and international professional opportunities. Currently, the Soccer Academy has placed 98 percent of its alumni into the college ranks, with two former members currently playing professional soccer.
Some of the colleges attended by alumni include:
- Belmont University
- Coastal Carolina University
- Creighton University
- Gardner-Webb University
- Indiana University - Purdue University Indianpolis
- Jacksonville State University
- Longwood University
- Marshall University
- Mercer University
- Northeastern University
- Old Dominion University
- Penn State University
- Presbyterian College
- Seattle University
- Shorter University
- Simon Fraser University (Canada)
- Stanford University Tennessee
- Tech University
- United States Air Force Academy
- University of Kentucky University of South Carolina - Upstate
- University of Tampa Washington
- Lee University Washington
- University of St. Louis
- Wofford College.
Where do your players train?
Darlington School Soccer Academy players train on Darlington’s six well-maintained playing fields. Players have complete access to the Huffman Memorial Athletic Center, a 96,000-square-foot facility with an indoor track, weight room, swimming pool and four courts.
What type of medical support do the players receive?
Darlington School has a contract with Atrium Health Floyd to provide medical services, including full-time athletic trainers, physical therapists, orthopedists and weekly doctor’s visits for our students and players.
What type of college guidance do Soccer Academy player receive?
Each player meets with the training staff to formulate a plan of action for college recruiting. This includes his or her individual player profile, letters of recommendation, as well as follow-up emails and telephone calls by the coaches. In addition, Darlington School Soccer Academy has the ability to compile and share video highlights with college coaches. All players who are Darlington students are also supported by the school’s full-time college guidance staff.
Where do boarding students who enroll in the Soccer Academy live?
All boarding students in one of the school’s six student houses - three for boys and three for girls. The house system is the backbone of the family-like atmosphere at Darlington, developing strong student-faculty relationships. Click
here for more information.
Can players participate in the Soccer Academy without being enrolled in the residential program?
Darlington School Soccer Academy accepts students who attend Darlington as well as players in surrounding counties who desire to improve their soccer education and play at an elite level.
For more information, please email Soccer Academy.
