Wicomico County has partnered with the Matrix Soccer Academy to expand its youth soccer offerings. The new partnership will provide a player development program, bridging the gap between recreational and select soccer. Registration has just opened for the Wicomico Soccer League’s expanded offerings, which are slated to kickoff this fall.
Open to boys and girls ages three to fourteen, individuals registering for the Wicomico Soccer League will now be trained ‘the Matrix way.’ Six key elements form the building blocks of ‘the Matrix way,’ including attitude, ability, agility, awareness, attacking and achievement. The Matrix system is based around thousands of carefully designed technical drills using real game scenarios in a highly-contextual, peer-led learning environment proven to develop not only a technically superior player but an intellectually sharp individual.
“Our mission [in Wicomico County] is to provide affordable, high quality programming for our residents and to attract visitors,” Andy Kitzrow, Recreation Superintendent expands. “We believe the Matrix Soccer Academy gives us a rare opportunity to do that on a number of levels. Along with international renowned programming, we see significant opportunities to attract visitors through tournaments, camps and clinics. As a soccer player and fan myself, I am overwhelmed with the prospect of having a world class coach and method involved with furthering the soccer offering in our community.”
Matrix, based in Manchester, England, was founded in 2006 by Blackburn Rovers’ Advanced Technical
Skills Development Coach, Charlie Jackson. Coach Jackson works with the 2014 EPL Champion’s
Manchester City and is Director of Football at Moorland School. In its new formed partnership with Wicomico County, Matrix is expanding its reach into the United States for the first time. Local Salisbury resident Bryan Watson serves as Matrix’s US and North American President. Watson has been charged with implementing the program and expanding the overall reach of the Matrix Soccer Academy in North America. “It is a very exciting time to be a part of the soccer community here in Salisbury. We are incredibly fortunate and privileged that Jackson has chosen Salisbury as the US headquarters to implement this amazing development method,” explains Watson.
For more information about Wicomico County’s fall soccer offerings with the Matrix Soccer Academy, please visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org.
