Why Choose The Elite Development Residency Program?

The EDRP is focused on where you are now, your potential, and your future possibilities. Here are the key elements:

• Train like a professional academy player in the UK
  
• Benchmark development against players in professional soccer academies
  
• Access to our EDRP-licensed player agent for those seeking player representation
• A pre-arrival strength and conditioning program to prepare players to be in top shape and understand the requirements of an aspiring professional-level player.
• An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) focused on each player's specific development needs.
• Sessions from visiting coaches from professional clubs provide insight into the standards expected of top professional academy players. 
• Development of soccer IQ through match analysis of individual games and professional league games, including evaluating an experienced player in their position within the context of their game.

Specific Player Development Features:

• Tactical & position-specific assessments
  
• Soccer IQ development through live and recorded game analysis
  

Professional Representation?

• Optional access to UDA’s licensed player agent
  

Apply Now

THE EDRP DATES

University of Gloucestershire: July 19–29, 2026
University of Chester: July 29–August 10, 2026

​Who Is Eligible?

• Elite male players aged 15–17
  (Entering university in 2027, 2028, or 2029)
• Opening to female players for 2027!
• Benchmark: MLS Next, ECLN Premier, or equivalent level
• Players must be ID-approved by UDA staff
  (Video review or live evaluation as needed)
• Limited to 25 participants
• 📝 Application form required prior to online enrollment meeting
  

Apply Now

The EDRP includes:

• 31 on-field sessions

• 8 strength & conditioning sessions
• 4 competitive matches vs top opposition
• Morning: Technical skills (small groups)
• Afternoon: Game-related training (larger groups)
• Evening: Recovery, match analysis, or academic work
• Goalkeeper-specific training sessions
• ​Train under UEFA-licensed coaches 
• Exit interviews are used to review your performance ​

Pro Visiting Coaches

• Coaches from the English Professional League who work in the top apprentice professional football academies will deliver guest sessions.

In addition:

• Player 360 access: nutrition, psychology, performance tracking
• Athletic trainer on-site for all sessions and games
• All matches are live-streamed or recorded for review

Educational Component
​​Earn college credit while immersed in high-performance sport.

• Online course delivered by a U.S.-accredited university
  
• Academic support and mentoring throughout the program
  
• Evening class blocks: 6–8 PM
  
• Campus tours and university Q&A sessions
  

​

​Academy Staff

Training is led by a world-class team:

Steve Lilley

• Former Bristol City Head of Academy Coaching
• FA Talent ID Specialist, Coach Educator

John Dyke

• Former Coach with Manchester City Football Group and Manchester United International Programs
  
• Program Manager for Global Player Development Programs

​✅ Supported by full-time UDA staff from both campuses
✅ Guest sessions from professional academy coaches

View Gloucester Staff

View Chester Staff

​Social & Cultural Experience

Beyond the pitch, you’ll explore the UK’s rich sports and cultural heritage and top professional stadia:

• Visits to Manchester United Or Liverpool AFC, and Bristol City Academy
• 2 UK heritage site visits
• Stadium tours (one Premier League, one Championship club)
• Optional early arrival in London (travel on own, July 17–18)

​✈️ Arrival: London – July 19, 2026
✈️ Departure: Manchester Airport – August 9, 2026
(Alternate airport arrivals not covered; must self-transfer to campus)

​What's Included?

• ​Accommodation on the university campus nearby
  
• 3 meals per day
  
• All program and excursion transportation
  
• Airport pickup/drop-off 
  
• 24/7 pastoral support
  
• ​Complete Capelli training & match kit

​Program Costs

• £6,850
  
• Deposit: £1,000 to secure your place on the EDRP
  
• Payment plan if required: £650 per month (Sept–May)
  
• Includes: accommodation, meals, training, competition, excursions, transportation, educational programming, and staff support.
  

​🗓 Sample Daily Schedule

Time	Activity
AM	Focus on Technical training; see coaching curriculum above
PM	Focus on game-related situations, Strength and Conditioning, Match Analysis, Individual improvement plans, Matches (four games)
Evening	Online University Credit course

Our Approach to Your Development

At UDA, we believe that excellence is built on a foundation of purposeful training, holistic development, and individual attention. The Elite Residency Summer Program is designed to immerse student-athletes in a professional-style environment that mirrors our academies in the UK—offering a taste of the full-time experience while accelerating growth both on and off the field.
​
Our coaching staff—UEFA-qualified and experienced in international player development—will guide players through a proven training curriculum rooted in our core values: intentional teaching, game-related application, and individualized progression.

Coaching Methodology: How We Teach the Game

​We don’t just tell players what to do—we help them understand why and how. Our coaching methodology is built around multiple teaching styles to support every type of learner and create dynamic, engaging training environments:

• Guided Discovery
  “Show me how you might link with the 10 in this position.”
  “See if you can use a disguised pass to break their midfield line.”
  
• Direct Instruction
  “Try to play forward as often as possible.”
  “You must attempt to face forward using a one-touch turn.”
  
• Demonstration
  Visual modeling of a one-touch, ‘round-the-corner’ disguised pass or movement pattern to anchor key technical skills.
  

• Conditions & Restrictions
  Tactical constraints like: “Before scoring, the ball must pass through all thirds of the pitch,” or “Switching play must go through a central midfielder.”
  
• Co-operative Learning
  “As a group of defenders, discuss how you might deal with their striker who keeps dropping between lines.”
  
• Challenges
  “X, in this block you must find a way to beat the full back in 1v1 situations.”
  

​These layered methods are used to foster decision-making, improve tactical awareness, and keep training sessions meaningful and fun.

​Technical Curriculum & Development Framework

Our Technical Development Framework breaks the game down into core skill areas, giving players a clear pathway for individual improvement across every facet of play. These aren’t isolated drills—they’re applied within the context of real-game scenarios and pressure.

​Core Skill Areas

• Receiving Skills
  First Touch: Control and continuation under pressure
  On the Move: Receiving while running or aerially
  Under Pressure: Navigating space and defensive pressure
• Releasing Skills
  Power: Striking with intent and distance
  Control: Using various techniques for a precise, timed release
• Beating Players
  Moves, Fakes & Feints: Creating separation from defenders
  Combination Play: Working in tandem to dominate 1v1
  Off the Ball: Making intelligent runs to create space

​

• Finishing Skills
  1 Touch Finishing: Efficient execution in tight areas
  1v1 Finishing: Creative ways to beat the goalkeeper
  Composed Finishing: Staying calm in high-pressure moments
• Retaining the Ball
  Staying on the Ball: Protecting and shielding possession
  On the Move: Maintaining control while transitioning
• Regaining the Ball
  1v1 Defending: Winning the ball cleanly
  Interception: Reading and disrupting passing lanes
  Tracking Runners: Awareness of off-ball threats

Player Audit Tool (PAT)

​We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all development. The PAT helps coaches and players track performance across six key categories that align with our holistic approach:
​

• Game Impact – How a player influences outcomes on the field
• Game Intelligence – Tactical awareness, reading the game
• Ball Mastery – Technical control across all key areas
• Mentality – Resilience, focus, and emotional control
• Athleticism – Physical readiness, agility, and conditioning
• Teamwork – Communication, leadership, and connection

​The PAT gives players real feedback they can use to grow—on the field and beyond.

​Ready to Start Your Journey?

1. Submit your application form
2. Schedule your enrollment meeting with UDA
3. Secure your spot and prepare for the experience of a lifetime

​
📧 Contact Brian Haley for more info or to book a call (please include desired times and specify your timezone).
​
🌐 Learn more at: udauoc.org | udauog.org