Still Booking Fall Private Groups – Fall Booking Form

We provide the coach and help schedule your session. Coordinators get their class for free with 10 players. Reach out Today!

Brit-Am Soccer Academy Player Development League (PDL) in Bethesda and Potomac, Maryland

The Player Development League (PDL) serves as the premier program for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade soccer players (ages 5 – 8) in Bethesda and Potomac, Maryland. The progression into our PDL program serves as the next step within our player pathway, which combines the technical training needed for development along with a fun and engaging environment players love.

Led by our professionally licensed coaching staff, our top-quality curriculum offers age-appropriate, fun, and challenging practice days and game day matches. These offerings provide soccer training for five, six, seven, and eight year-olds to help them learn the sport, be confident in their abilities, and grow on and off the field. 

Our staff takes great pride in building and fostering a foundation of skills, confidence, and passion for the game. 

Continue reading to find out when our Player Development League for youth soccer players is offered and how practices and game day matches are designed to help children thrive in the sport. 

The Player Development League Schedule

PDL soccer classes will run in the Potomac and Bethesda, Maryland area at either a school or park field or in a gym (Winter Only.)

Players missing the cutoff with prior Brit-Am experience who would like to join should email CoachTom@brit-am.com for consideration.

Player Development League Fall Practice Day

Our PDL practices implement a proven, age-appropriate curriculum that focuses on improving: 

• Dribbling
• First touch and ball control
• Foot and eye coordination 
• Ball manipulation 
• 1v1 skills
• Turns and changes in direction moves
• Juggling
• Trickery
• Fitness, balance, and agility

Player Development League Match Day (Spring + Fall ONLY)

The playing environment is created with an emphasis on each player’s progression and enjoyment with the main focus is learning how to play the game and not the final score. Results from these matches are not posted and scores are not tracked. 

The matches are against groups and teams from other local schools in the area. The teams are coordinated and organized by school, gender, and grade. Each team is guaranteed 6 games per season (Fall/Spring). 

On Match Day, players will take what they learned in practice and apply those skills to real game-like situations through our age-appropriate playing formats:

• Kindergarten Kickers: 4 v 4 or 5 v 5 
• 1st Grade Kickers: 4 v 4 or 5 v 5 
• 2nd Grade Ballers: 6 v 6 (5 v 5 with goalies)

Brit-Am Coaches referee the match ups and use active in-game coaching to guide & teach the players the rules of the ‘real game’. Technical training (skills) will be taught during practices but not during the Match Day experience. Our goal is to create an environment that is fun, educational, and challenging while also preparing players for Classic or Travel League action as they grow.

Match Day Format: Our PDL Kickers & Ballers program offers soccer education at its best in a positive, fun environment where players improve their skill during continuous play. For the Kickers, the 4 v 4/ 5 v 5 format (no goalies)  accelerates the development of attacking and defending concepts by encouraging dribbling, turning, stealing the ball and scoring goals. This format provides a simple picture for players to learn the game and allows for players to gain experience through realistic, game-like situations.

For the Ballers program, as they continue on their development pathway, with the 6 v 6 format they will get to experience a larger field size (40×30 yards) with goalies and larger goals to prepare them for an expanded format in the years to come. This natural progression will allow for an introduction to positions, team organization, and restart procedures (throw-ins, goal kicks, corner kicks, free kicks), while still encouraging them to be creative, take risks, and build upon the ideas and fundamentals learned in the younger age groups.

Our professional staff takes the necessary steps to ensure each game fits the players’ needs, ultimately leading to better game intelligence and understanding.

Create a Private Practice Day

Have a group of neighborhood friends or schoolmates? Let us organize a practice for your child and a minimum of 9 of his or her friends. Coordinator receives practice for free when 10 player minimum is met.

Multi-program discount option if group also participates in our weekend PDL Match Day!

Create a Match Day Team

Do you have at least 5 players interested in playing on a team together during one of our PDL Match Days? With at least 8 players you receive your player’s Match Day for free!

If you have more than 8 players we suggest creating two teams to maximize playing time!