Benfica Soccer School, Washington, DC is a part of SL Benfica’s global network.
Benfica Academy DC is a world-class youth soccer club with training clinics and team programs that cater to various age groups and skill levels. As part of the global network of Benfica Soccer Schools, we work closely with SL Benfica’s youth academy in Portugal. We train players and coaches to instill the Benfica system and philosophy here in Washington, DC.
We conduct Benfica Soccer School training sessions in three locations - Takoma Park, MD, Frederick, MD, and Fairfax County, VA and College Park/Silver Spring, MD. Benfica Academy DC (travel soccer) teams are based in Takoma Park, MD and Frederick, MD.
Sessions are high paced and challenging, while always appropriate to the age and skill level of the group. Practices often include multiple teams, with several coaches conducting and overseeing the session. Exercises combine technical skill training and tactical understanding, with a focus on developing ball mastery and the confidence to attack. Training programs are the same used by SL Benfica's academy and designed and overseen by SL Benfica's technical staff in Portugal.
We have programs for players ages 3-18. For younger players (ages 3-7) of all skill levels, we have affordable programs to introduce your child to soccer and help their early development. Starting at U9, players participate in our travel soccer program.
Our mission is to help players excel by using the best coaching methods available in the world and conducting comprehensive training - systems that have made SL Benfica’s youth program one of the most successful in the world.
SL Benfica's values are built around the concept of "mistica benfica" — roughly translated as the 'Benfica Spirit.' We use the 'Benfica Spirit' to define the values we expect of club coaches and players.
An inclusive soccer community that serves as the model for youth development in the Washington, DC region; built on developing excellence, providing opportunities, and instilling a life-long love of the game.
The coaching staff is led by SLB coaches, all UEFA licensed with years of experience in the Benfica youth system. They are working with our licensed and experienced American coaches to instill Benfica's training methods in the United States. Our coaches are evaluated on their performance in seven categories.
Coaches must instill in players the belief that they belong in the Benfica community and are capable of always improving. Coaches must believe that the club’s philosophies will, in the long term, help their players reach their full potential.
The club supports all our coaches to improve through education. Our American coaches are sent to Portugal to learn directly from SL Benfica coaches at the youth academy in Lisbon. We also conduct regular coaches' meetings, where our staff can learn from each other and practice sessions and games are reviewed to improve coach performance. Coaches are evaluated on their soccer knowledge and their ability to share that knowledge with their players.
Everyone at the club has a coach in our past who made a lifelong impact on us and we have a duty to pass that experience to the next generation. Our coaches must produce better people, not just better soccer players, by caring about individuals beyond simply their role on the field.
To maximize time with players, coaches will come prepared with a designed plan for practice and maintain their focus during the session on their players. They will develop team expectations about player behavior so that practices run crisply and distractions are minimized. As a club, we expect parents to respect this focus and allow coaches to run sessions and manage games without disruption.
Players learn best by discovering solutions themselves. Our coaches’ job is to influence the atmosphere so that players feel comfortable in exploring solutions (and dealing with the repeated failures that usually occur in that learning process) and to help direct players towards solutions when they get stuck. We expect to see the influence of our coaches in the mental and technical development of players and in increasing their love of the game.
Benfica strives to not simply be a collection of soccer players and teams, but to build a community that supports and encourages youth development. Coaches are a key part of that. We expect them to build a strong dynamic within their team and encourage interest and support in the club.
Development occurs when adversity is faced directly and overcome - a process that can be hard. Coaches will develop a culture of accountability within their team, where players support and respect each other. We will also maintain a culture of accountability in the club. Coaches and staff, with club support, are expected to hold themselves and their colleagues accountable.
Our goal is to help develop players into the best version of themselves — as people and as soccer players. Our training method focuses on skill development and tactical understanding so players have the ability to deal problems on the field. We also train players to respect themselves, each other, and the game. We focus on six traits of a player, looking for age appropriate development.
Comfort on the ball is fundamental to the game and essential to young players’ enjoyment. First touch, ball striking, dribbling, and defensive fundamentals are emphasized throughout the program.
Passion means different things at different ages. For our youngest players, passion is about having fun and developing a joy for the sport. As players get older, it’s fostering their love of the game and wanting to improve. As players reach their teens, passion should drive them to push themselves to get better and enjoy competition.
Soccer is a player’s game. While coaches can help players prepare and offer instruction, in games, players must be able to see plays develop and make their own decisions on how to react. Decision making, seeing the field, anticipating player movements, and understanding positional roles must all be developed as the player grows.
Overcoming adversity is central to developing as a soccer player and as a person. Players need to be taught that failure is only permanent if you don’t learn from your mistakes. We encourage players to take risks, try new things, and understand that failing is always a part of getting better.
Soccer frequently puts players into difficult and different situations. Players need the ability to innovate and find the right answer to those scenarios. Understanding how to combine their individual strengths with the needs and expectations of their teammates should allow them to design creative solutions and solve problems for themselves.
Players will respect their teammates and coaches - as people and as players. As players develop mentally, they should transition from a self-centered view of the game to a mindset that stresses using their ability to help the team. As players mature, we expect them to provide a good example to younger players in the club and hope those younger players see role models they can aspire to become.
