Development Academy Showcases provide a national platform for Academy teams to play league matches against non-conference opponents. The Showcases also provide Academy players with exposure to U.S. Soccer Best Practices and additional educational programming, such as SPARQ testing, Hydration and Nutrition Guidelines and ProZone analysis as well as coaching education opportunities. The Showcase events have also proven to be successful platforms for player identification. Every game is scouted by a Development Academy Scout as well as many of the nation’s top college coaches. As a result of the extensive Academy scouting process, over 100 Academy players were called into the U-17, U-18 and U-20 National Teams in the first year of the program. Please click on the 2007-08 Showcase links to see a list of college coaches in attendance at those events. The Showcases are structured according to U.S. Soccer Best Practices with teams playing a maximum of one game per day and not playing games in more than 2 consecutive days. All games are played according to Academy rules and count toward league standings. 2008-09 Development Academy Showcases Winter Showcase – Lancaster National Soccer Center (Lancaster, Calif.) – December 5-8 Spring Showcase – Sarasota Polo Club (Sarasota, Fla.) – May 22-25 Academy Playoffs – Bryan Park (Greensboro, N.C.) – June 26-29 Academy Finals Week – Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.) – July 10-17 2007-08 Development Academy Showcases Fall Showcase – Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.) – October 6-8 Winter Showcase – Pizza Hut Park (Frisco, Texas)– February 16-18 Spring Showcase – Rockford Sportscore (Rockford, Ill.) – May 23-26 Summer Showcase – Bryan Park (Greensboro, N.C.) – June 27-30 Academy Finals Week – Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.) – July 12-19