After a two-month hiatus, the boys' Development Academy is back, this time for its 12th edition.
The first big event on the 2018-19 calendar comes with the winter showcase, held Nov. 29 - Dec. 3 in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. However, regular season will take on a slightly different complexion than years past. At the U-15 levels and above, clubs will now play more games against equal opposition, per U.S. Soccer. Clubs will still play around 40 games and have December through February off, culminating in the year-end playoffs. For the first time, there also could be playoffs for the U-15s, though that hasn't been officially confirmed.
To get a better sense of what's coming, New England Soccer Journal has a full preview of the region's DA clubs – Beachside, Boston Bolts, New England Revolution, Oakwood and Seacoast. Included within are players to watch for, general outlook from coaches and more.
Throughout the season, NESJ will provide weekly coverage of the DA with notebooks, features, photo galleries and 1-on-1 interviews with coaches/directors. Before then, here's the lowdown on what's brewing throughout New England's DA landscape.
