CAFC Youth Programs
Learn. Develop. Compete. Progress.
At California Football Club, every program follows our official Game Model:
Collective. Aggressive. Vertical. Dynamic.
We develop intelligent, world-class players and people built for the demands of the modern game.
Our U10–U11 phase is dedicated to foundational development, while U13–U17 compete in the UPSL Academy League across two competitive seasons per year. Every team trains twice per week under our high-performance model.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE OVERVIEW
Competitive Calendar
Two Competitive Seasons:
- Spring Season: March – June
- Fall Season: September – December
League Competition:
UPSL Academy
Tournament Competition:
1 or 2 tournaments per season
Training Format:
- 2 sessions per week
- 90 minutes per session
U10-U11 Pre Academy - Foundation | Emerging Development Phase
Building the Technical Base
The program focuses on developing strong technical foundations and intelligent decision-making from an early age.
Players learn:
- Ball mastery under pressure
- 1v1 confidence
- Basic positional understanding
- Movement and spatial awareness
- Playing with intensity and purpose
Training is game-based and designed to replicate real match situations.
We develop thinking players, not robotic players.
U13 Academy - DEVELOPMENT PHASE
The U13 stage introduces structured tactical concepts and competitive discipline.
Players begin to:
- Read the game faster
- Apply coordinated pressing principles
- Understand positional roles
- Develop responsibility and accountability
- Compete with higher intensity
We focus on long-term growth, not short-term results.
U15 Academy - PERFORMANCE PHASE
At U15, players are prepared for more demanding competition environments.
Emphasis includes:
- Tactical intelligence
- Speed of play
- Aggressive ball recovery
- Vertical transitions
- Physical and mental resilience
Sessions are high intensity and structured using weekly match preparation principles.
U17 Academy - PRE-ELITE PHASE
The U17 program prepares players for:
- High school varsity competition
- College pathway opportunities
- UPSL senior environments
Focus areas include:
- Advanced tactical understanding
- Game management
- Leadership and maturity
- High-performance discipline
OUR GAME MODEL
Out of Possession
- Immediate and coordinated pressure.
- High pressing.
- Compact defensive structure.
- Recover the ball quickly in advanced areas.
In Possession:
- Vertical intent.
- Tempo and purpose.
- Create positional and numerical superiority
- Dynamic movement.
- Every action has meaning.
WHO SHOULD JOIN CAFC?
We are looking for players who are:
- Willing to learn
- Competitive
- Passionate about improvement
- Committed and disciplined
- Ready to train and compete with intensity