Special to The OBSERVER

If we had to pick one word that has allowed the Northern Chautauqua Soccer Association to provide a great soccer experience since 1988, it would be relationships. As we head into the summer of 2019, we have a very exciting announcement to share with all of you.

One of the relationships that our organization has developed is with someone who has agreed to come alongside NCSA to help us honor the past and build for the future. Under the technical instruction of Coach PJ Gondek, we are excited to announce that the NCSA summer soccer experience will be called Concord Academy.

To help communicate the vision behind how we are growing as an organization, we have created the following FAQ page for you. We will add more Q/A to it as we receive them, so everyone has a clear picture of next steps.

Some quick FAQ’s that might be on your heart after hearing this:

Why the name change?

“Academy” is a specific kind of coaching philosophy. It is centered around offering an engaging curriculum, guided by an expert of instruction (Coach Gondek), and facilitated through team teaching by volunteers (coaches) who are excited to grow with us. If you’ve never coached soccer, this approach will equip you to in a way that is fun for the players…and you as well! If you have coached, we are excited to have you back. As the game of soccer continues to evolve, we are excited to learn together how we can help our kids grow.

Are you saying we are “doing away with summer soccer as we’ve known it?”

No. We are building on it. Think of it like transportation. Before cars, people rode horses. Horses were awesome. They still are. But if you want to visit family and friends, you are likely driving a car to get there. When the car was invented it opened up amazing opportunities for all of us. Coach Gondek is our Henry Ford. We’re pretty excited about that! That’s our heartbeat at NCSA. To honor the past, and build for the future, by taking advantage of every resource we have.

Will the kids get to play games?

Yes. There will be an array of activities for any child who signs up for the Concord Academy. Games have been, and will continue to be, part of the playing experience. In addition to this will be opportunities for us to align with US Soccer by teaching the kids our curriculum that helps them understand the technical, tactical, physical, and psycho-social parts of the game. We will do this while embracing the most important part… HAVING FUN!

Is my child going to have fun?

YES! Our greatest benchmark of success is the size of the smile on their face. The more fun they have, the more they’ll learn. You can be assured our leadership is focused on making sure our soccer fields are full of smiling players, volunteers, and families.

Does my child have to know how to play soccer?

No. The Concord Academy is a fun, safe, and engaging environment for children to learn the game of soccer, make friends, and grow.

Register now at myncsa716.net/register. Email ncsa.concord@gmail.com for questions.