Surf Nation: Bringing National Resources and Global Opportunities to Missoula

Surf Nation connects youth soccer clubs through a shared commitment to player development, quality coaching, and meaningful opportunities for players and families. As a Surf Nation affiliate, Missoula Surf belongs to a national community that shares knowledge, resources, and pathways to help players grow—from their first competitive experiences to higher levels of the game. Our affiliation brings national support and international opportunities directly to our local soccer community.

Better Coaching Supports Better Players

Our coaches receive ongoing support through Surf Nation’s Football Focus program, including webinars and presentations with leading coaches, educators, and specialists from the United States and United Kingdom. Topics include session design, player development, tactical principles, video analysis, performance psychology, and effective feedback. These learning opportunities help coaches bring fresh ideas and informed teaching methods to the training field.

Through Surf Nation’s partnership with Coaches’ Voice, our coaches also receive free access to professional coaching education and session-planning resources:

• Coaches’ Voice Education Platform: Masterclasses, courses, continuing professional development, and educational presentations featuring many of the game’s leading coaches, alongside Surf’s own Football Focus content.
• Session Planner: A digital library of ready-made sessions across age groups, with the Surf curriculum built in and animated tools that allow coaches to create, adapt, and organize their own training sessions.

Surf Nation funds this support at no cost to member clubs, investing in coach development throughout the player pathway.

A National Network of Playing Opportunities

Missoula Surf players can access guest-playing opportunities with Surf clubs across the country, creating additional chances to experience competitive teams, showcases, and different playing environments while remaining connected to their home club. Opportunities depend on player fit, roster availability, club approval, and event eligibility. For players in a smaller market like Missoula, these relationships open doors to experiences beyond our local competition schedule.

Affiliation also provides club marketing resources, administrative support, a coordinated Nike and SoccerPost apparel program, and international travel opportunities through Global Sports Experiences. These resources help clubs strengthen their programs while keeping their focus on players and families.

Surf Select: A Pathway Beyond Your Club Team

Surf Select is Surf Nation’s identification program for talented and motivated U9–U17 players. It brings together players from across the network to form teams that compete at premier domestic and international events.

The pathway begins with club recommendations and regional evaluation, followed by age-specific national identification opportunities:

• U9–U11: National Camp evaluation for Blue and White teams.
• U12–U13: Regional Cup competition, where players are scouted for national teams.
• U14: Identification through the Surf Nation Champions League.
• U15–U17: College ID opportunities and club recommendations.

Selected players gain experience with new teammates and coaches, face different styles of play, and test themselves beyond their regular club environment. Surf Nation’s website describes a program with 36 teams traveling worldwide, supported by Global Sports Experiences.

Where Surf Select Teams Go

The latest calendar posted on Surf Nation’s website is the 2026 Surf Select calendar. It lists the following destinations and assignments by birth year; events are subject to change. The calendar provides team assignments rather than individual event dates.

These assignments show the range of domestic and international experiences available through Surf Select.

The BH Cup: An Exceptional Brazilian Soccer Experience

Surf Nation’s published 2026 calendar assigns the 2011 Boys Blue team—the U15 group—to the BH Cup in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. This opportunity places Surf players in an elite Brazilian youth development environment, with exposure to the technical quality, creativity, and competitive demands of professional academy soccer.

Surf Select was the only U.S. team in the published 2026 tournament field. The field included Cruzeiro, Athletico Paranaense, Red Bull Bragantino, Vitória, Atlético Mineiro, América, Bahia, Grêmio, and Azuriz. Competing in this environment offers a rare opportunity to experience Brazilian academy soccer firsthand and learn alongside players developing within established professional clubs.