Player Development Program

Missoula Surf is committed to developing players and coaches by providing them with the tools needed to be the best they can be at what they LOVE, the game of soccer!

Young players need freedom of expression to develop as creative players. They should be encouraged to try skills without fear of falling.” ~ Arsene Wenger

We lay the groundwork early and for ALL players and parents to learn the “Surf Way”.

What is the “Surf Way”?

We focus on consistent player development at all levels of play, providing a pathway for all players to achieve a meaningful soccer experience. We acknowledge and celebrate that players need to fail to succeed and we strive to have a positive and supportive environment to nurture this process.

The “Surf Way” is player focused development. This process starts from a young age and encourages thinkers, not robots! We encourage intrinsic motivation over extrinsic rewards. We want to develop players and meet them where they are, but with the focus of bringing them to where they can be! 

Technical development is an important part of the developmental journey that players are on. We are focused on improving the technical abilities of all players in the community and offer a winter season technical program to assist all players int he community with this important part of the game. Our Advanced Development Program runs November-March and is focused on developing technical skills and more importantly, confidence in players!

Competition is a part of development. Competition allows for mental and emotional development related to how we succeed and fail under pressure. Playing under pressure consistently is an important part of development for technical, tactical, mental and emotional growth. At Missoula Surf we are committed to searching out opportunities to find competitive environments for players to develop in. These opportunities are based where each team and individual player is on their journey of development.

Environment is a key part of a players development. We strive to make each team’s environment a healthy, positive and engaging team space. We believe that when these things are achieved that players can develop at a faster pace and without fear of failure!