There will not be training sessions for the Arsenal Academy during Skill Assessments, but we will be accepting early registrations for the Arsenal Academy during all Skill Assessments for the older groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Arsenal Academy season?

Academy consists of two seasons Fall and Spring. They seasons are 8 weeks long 8 games. There is a fall season that starts in September and a spring season that starts in February. We may hold a winter season if their is interest.

Will my child be accepted into the Arsenal Academy?

 All children are accepted into the Arsenal Academy.

How often do you practice?

The Gilbert Academy's practices twice a week from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Highland high School or South Valley JR. High

The Queen Creek Academy practices once a week from either 5-6 or 6-7 at the Barney Indoor sports complex in Queen Creek.

When and where do you play your games?

Games are played every Saturdays at the Barney Family Indoor Sports Complex. Queen Creek rd. East of Crismon rd. Check out the beautiful facility at WWW.thebfsc.com

How much does the Academy cost?

The Gilbert Academy costs $165 for a  season of Training and Games. The Queen Creek Academy is $135 a Session. Players will receive a practice shirt, game shirt, and an season end award. 

Who do the Academy teams play against?

The Academy teams play against other Academy teams as well as teams in the Barney Family Indoor Sports League. 

What is the age range of the Academy players?

The players in the Academy range in ages from 4 years old all the way up to 9 years old. The players are broken into teams based on their age groups and skill levels. 

Is the Academy a competitive club team or is it a recreational team?
Academy is a individual skill development league, they will be playing COED. We find there is little difference between boys and girls at these age groups.
The only difference between the Academy team and a recreational team is that all the trainers that coach the practices are experienced/licenced soccer coaches most of whom are teachers in GPS or CPS. The Academy coaches all have played soccer at the semi professional, collegiate or high school level which gives them a great amount of knowledge to pass on to our youngsters. This knowledge allows them to set up practices that are not only enjoyable, age appropriate, but also that maximize the time spent on improving the skills of the young players.

What are the difference/similarities between playing Gilbert Arsenal club/competitive soccer and playing in the Arsenal Academy?

The biggest difference is club soccer teams play their league games against other teams from across the Phoenix Valley. These club teams play teams from Scottsdale, Glendale, Mesa and any of the other suburbs that have club soccer teams. Also, club soccer teams play in soccer tournaments in the Phoenix area and/or in other states. 

The Academy and club soccer are similar in three ways.  League games are played on Saturdays.  Both the club and Academy practice only twice a week. Some older club teams do practice more than twice a week, but not the younger ages.  The final similarity is the quality of coaches. Both the Academy and the club teams have coaches who have years of playing and coaching experience.

Since the Arsenal Academy is under the umbrella of the Gilbert Soccer Club, is the Academy too competitive?

Over the years whenever a person says club sports, they assume it becomes way too competitive. That isn't what Arsenal competitive soccer or the Arsenal Academy are all about. Club soccer and the Academy are all about putting players in a position to be taught how to play the game of soccer. We give the players quality coaches to make sure that the players are maximizing their time on the soccer field. The practices are fun and skills orientated. Everyone wants to win soccer games, but winning isn't the ultimate goal.  Developing quality soccer players is the goal. Winning comes over time, through the improvement in the skills of the players. 

What can I do to maximize the enjoyment of my soccer player?

Parents can do a lot of things to make the season more enjoyable. First of all, there are always helpers that are needed to make a successful team work efficiently. You just need to talk to your coach and see how you can help out. Another way to help is to come to the games and cheer for your child's team.  We ask that the parents only provide encouragement and stay away from coaching or talking to the referees. Everyone has more fun when the crowd is excited, but under control.

How do I begin regustering my child in Arsenal Academy or Little Strikers programs?

We now have online registration which makes registering your child or children easy. To begin the registration please click here.