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Registration for Spring 2023 Development Basketball and Development Soccer Leagues is now open. Register through myppaportal.com. About PPAs Development Program: PPA's Development Program is the best place for kids to play sports with their friends. Its the only leagues in the DMV where parents can form their own teams and choose if the team will have a professional coach or a parent volunteer coach. This spring we'll be running our signature Soccer and Hoops Leagues for players of all levels, K - 8th. Registration Information: Due to high expected demand, PPA will run registration over two phases. Phase 1 gives priority to returning PPA players. Phase 2, open to the general public, will honor registrations on a first come first serve basis. Priority Registration: Opens January 23 General Registration Opens Feb 13 Registration Deadline: March 25 $100 Rebates for Parent Organizers: We know that organizing a team can take some work, so this spring PPA is giving a $100 rebate to parents who step up. Learn More. Spring Development HOOPS: DMV's most popular premium hoops rec leagues, this spring we're expecting over 100 teams to compete from all over NW, DC and the Montgomery County region. Here is what parent's can expect this spring: 8 week season w/ Tournament at the end of the Season Each team has 1 practice during the week and games on the weekend. Teams will be organized in leagues by grade: k - 8th grade Open to boys and girls of all levels. Parents can form teams and choose a PPA coach or Parent volunteer coach for their team. Prices vary from $75 - $495 depending on age group and coach preference. Learn More: https://www.ppateam.com/development-hoops-spring Here's a highlight video of a Tournament Day in a Development Hoops Boys League! Spring Development SOCCER DMV's most popular premium soccer rec leagues, this spring we're expecting over 150 teams to compete from all over NW, DC and the Montgomery County region. Here is what parent's can expect this spring: 8 week season w/ Tournament at the end of the Season Each team has 1 practice during the week and games on the weekend Teams will be organized in leagues by grade: k - 8th grade Open to boys and girls of all levels Parents can form teams and choose a PPA coach or Parent volunteer coach for their team Prices vary from $75 - $450 depending on age group and coach preference. Learn More: https://www.ppateam.com/development-soccer-spring Here's a highlight video of a Development League Soccer Gameday. About the Player Progression Academy (PPA) The Player Progression Academy (PPA) is a premier youth sports academy located in the Washington, D.C. metro area with programs for children ages 3-18 years old. PPA offers various athletic programs ranging from intro level sports for Tots to highly competitive travel teams. The club mission is to build a positive and successful athletic experience for all players, and to translate those experiences into real life lessons that reinforce PPA’s core values. Our motto is to develop players between the lines, and outside them. Learn more by visiting our website.

PPA celebrated their annual holiday party this Friday at Mission in DC. This year was special as PPA also celebrated their 10-year anniversary! Cheers to ten years!! PPA celebrates a decade of community, culture, and coaching. There is a strong sense of teamwork, camaraderie, and grit to speak to how PPA got this far. At the party, we took a look back at some of the memories, accomplishments, and thanked a few key people for being a part of the creation of PPA. PPA started in 2012 in the basement of an employee's house. Starting with just a couple teams, coaches and excel spreadsheets. PPA has now blossomed into one of the fastest growing youth sports clubs in the DMV. We started the night giving superlatives out to their coaches. Consider it done - Coach Rodolfo Comic Relief - Coach Steven Circle of Joy - Coach Kyler Dynamic Duo - Coach Alexis and Coach Tay Futbol is life - Coach Lucas Hype man of the year - Coach Von Hype man of the year - Coach Freddy We then honored all of the coaches and staff who have been with PPA for 5 plus years! Lastly and probably most importantly! We honored the founders of PPA Nik, Jamie and Mike and their incredible accomplishments of hitting our ten year anniversary. Coach Annie says "It is not just a company anniversary. It is a family anniversary that has defied all odds to grow strong and achieve great things together. To Nik, Jamie and Mike, your hard work is appreciated and admired! Happy anniversary!"

At the end of each season, PPA's Premier soccer teams test themselves in some of the biggest youth soccer tournaments in the country. This year, at the end of our Fall 2022 season, our teams showed why PPA is one of the rising elite soccer clubs on the east coast. Competing in 3 Elite Travel Tournaments, including Columbia Fall Classic, the Southampton Cup, and Bethesda Premier Cup Tournament, PPA teams took home an astonishing 9 Gold Medal Championships, and 4 Silver Medal Finalist Awards. Director of Premier Soccer, Annie Worden, said, "We were very proud of how our teams performed. We enter these tournaments to test ourselves against some of the best competition in the region. So when we get positive results, it shows that we're making progress in building our club to the top level." Congrats to the following teams on their success: 2009 Blue Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2009 Blue Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2009 Green Girls - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2013 Red Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2013 Yellow Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2013 Green Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2014 Green Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 20015 Green Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Champions 2014 Blue Girls- Columbia Fall Classic Finalist 2013 Green Girls - Columbia Fall Classic Finalist 2013 Orange Boys - Columbia Fall Classic Finalist 2009 Green Girls - Southampton Cup Champions 2012 Green Girls- Southampton Cup Finalists 2013 Green Boys - Southampton Cup FInalists Check out some highlights! Before the Tournament, Teams get ready with PIZZA PARTY! 2013 Girls showing some team spirit at the Tournament PPA opens tournament play with a night match with PPA BOYS 2011 Green 2014 Boys show off great teamwork, leading to a goal. Coach Eric gets his first Gold Medal. Congrats, Coach! 2012 Green shows off some silverware. Congrats, Coach M! 2011 Green Player, Exum, getting an individual honor - Player of the Match! 2011 Green Goalie, Bradley, getting an individual honor - Player of the Match! 2015 Green Players look on as their team competes in a penalty shootout for the Champsionship. Did you know they were playing a year up? Did you know, they won the shootout :)

PPA coaches enjoyed the world cup as most of us did, watching at home while working during the week and at local bars with fellow coaches and friends on the weekends. This tournament was full of goals and surprises, the biggest one being Morocco going to the Semi Finals. We asked our Premier Soccer coaches some questions about how they experienced the magic of the world cup, here are their answers: Coach Javi: Favorite on the pitch moment: Golazo de Luis Chávez MX - y el de Neymar Vs Croacia Favorite off the field moment: The Japanese fans picking up trash after themselves at every game. Surprise of the tournament: Morocco Who’s going to win it? I hope Argentina How are you watching the games? I’m just watching all the games at work/home. If it’s on the weekend maybe I’ll go with friends to watch it. Did you have a team? Mexico Coach Harrison: Favorite on the pitch moment: Argentina/Netherlands mini scuffle Favorite off the field moment:Chad Ochocinco doing any sort of “analysis” for Fox and Saudi Arabia fans asking “where is Messi?” After their first game win Surprise of the tournament: Morocco being as good as they have been Who’s going to win it? Argentina come on we all have to want Messi to win one How are you watching the games? Watching the games at home by myself with my dog Coach Eric: Favorite on the pitch moment: all the incredible extra time and penalty shootout dramas Favorite off the field moment: Ivan Perisic’s son and Neymar embraced after Brazil crashed out of the WC. Surprise of the tournament: Morocco’s run to the semifinals Who’s going to win it? I’m backing Morocco to take it all How are you watching the games? Streaming it on my tv. Did you have a team? Germany, but when they crashed out I started supporting the underdog in every game. Coach Yikalo: Favorite on the pitch moment: Richarlison’s 2nd goal Favorite off the field moment: Louis Van Gaal’s press conferences Surprise of the tournament: Morocco Who’s going to win it? France How are you watching the games?Watching as a neutral on my couch. Coach Mike: Favorite on the pitch moment: Netherlands scoring in 100th minutes against Argentina Surprise of the tournament: Morocco Who’s going to win it? France How are you watching the games? I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii, watching a lot of the games on my phone starting at 5am Coach Steven: Favorite on the pitch moment: Luis Chavez' amazing free-kick goal vs Saudi Arabia. It ended up not being enough but the one positive memory from this World Cup for Mexico fans. Favorite off the field moment: Alexis Vega coming out on the field for his very first world cup game. The sheer emotions! You can see what it means to them. Surprise of the tournament: Morocco. They are doing everything right and very deserving of how far they've gone Who’s going to win it? France although I originally had Brazil so hoping for Morocco. How are you watching the games? Mostly at home while working but at the local bar for particularly exciting games. Did you have a team? My teams were Mexico, England, and Japan so I got some good results and some not so good ones. Overall our coaches had a good sense of who would face who for the final…and what a game that was! After a full month of soccer, our coaches are feeling a little lost and don’t know what to watch. But, we are excited that we won’t have to wait long for another world cup. The Women's World Cup will take place this summer in Australia and New Zealand! Let’s Go!

Registration for PPA Summer Camp 2023 is now open. About PPAs Summer Camps: What set's it apart? The coaching. Managed by our full time coaching staff, each week of camp is designed to foster competition, skill development, and of course, tons of fun. Rated as the best sports camps in the DMV, most weeks of camp will fill. We encourage families who are interested in joining to register early. Partnered with DC United and Washington Spirit and Washington Wizards: PPA summer camp programs are partnered with DC United and the Washington Spirit and the Washington Wizards, to give campers once in a lifetime experiences. Campers can look forward to surprise player appearances, ticket giveaways, and special pro-team merch. Summer Includes: Day Camps + Evening Camps Day Camps are open to players of all levels, ages 7 - 13. Each week will include a mix of technical training, team competitions, water fun, and awards. Day Camps also include an optional after care program and optional (pretty good) lunch from the GDS cafeteria. Here's a highlight video of some recent day camp footage: What can I expect from Evening Camps? Evening camps will generally run from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm for players ages 9 - 18 looking for advanced competition. Each week, players will be organized by age and skill level. The first half of each evening camp will focus on skill development, the second half will focus on team competitions and games. Here's a highlight video from a soccer evening camp: Summer Includes: Basketball Camps + Soccer Camps Basketball Camp Schedule: Day Camps (Ages 6 - 13) June 26 - June 30 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 10 - July 14 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 17 - July 21 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 24 - July 28 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 31 - Aug 4 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). Aug 14 - Aug 18 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). Evening Camps (Ages vary by Week) June 26 - June 30 | 3rd grade through 10th grade | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm July 10 - July 14 |6th grade through 10th grade Graders | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm July 17 - July 21 | 3rd grade through 10th grade | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm July 31 - Aug 4 | 3rd grade through 10th grade | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm Aug 14 - Aug 18 | 6th grade through 10th grade | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm Aug 21 - Aug 25 | 6th grade through 10th grade | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm Soccer Camp Schedule: Day Camps June 19 - June 23 @American University from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm June 26 - June 30 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 10 - July 14 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 17 - July 21 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 24 - July 28 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). July 31 - Aug 4 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). Aug 7th - Aug 11th @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). Aug 14 - Aug 18 @ Georgetown Day School from 8:45 am - 3:00 pm (aftercare from 3:00 - 5:00 optional). Evening Camps June 19 - June 23 @ Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm June 26 - June 30 @ Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm July 10 - July 14 @ Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm June 17 - July 21 @ Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm July 31 - Aug 4 @ Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm Aug 14 - Aug 18 | 3rd grade through 10th grade | Georgetown Day School from 6:00 - 8:00pm To register for camp: click here For more information on Camps: click here. Questions: Yikalo@ppateam.com | 240-856-9427 About the Player Progression Academy (PPA) The Player Progression Academy (PPA) is the leading premier youth sports academy located in the Washington, D.C. metro area with programs for children ages 3-18 years old. PPA offers various athletic programs ranging from intro level sports for Tots to highly competitive travel teams. The club mission is to build a positive and successful athletic experience for all players, and to translate those experiences into real life lessons that reinforce PPA’s core values. Our motto is to develop players between the lines, and outside them. Learn more by visiting our website.

This Saturday and Sunday PPA teams took part in their end of season tournaments. Players learn, train and develop all season to compete for the tournament Trophy and Medals! Everyone came out and represented their team with heart, teamwork, and grit. Coach Alexis has been coaching the Lafayette Leopards for three seasons. This is her second championship win with the Leopards. Coach Alexis says "It’s been so nice to work with the Leopards for the last 3 seasons, they are such a great group of girls. The girls put in such hard work at practice, and it has all started to pay off. I am so extremely proud of all of their progress, and I can’t wait to see how much more they can develop with PPA!" (Photo: Coach Alexis and the Lafayette Leopards) Below you can check out the tournament results and some photos to recap the tournament winners!

There is no denying that coming to celebrate Halloween weekend is one of PPA's most exciting traditions. Players, parents and coaches come dressed up in Halloween costumes and play, referee and cheer on their team! In interviewing the kids this year, Pikachu was by far the most popular costume. Coach Rodolfo (photo 7) had the best costume of the weekend by far. Those inflatables are the best! His costume also had a speaker attached to it that played so kids could dance around! This year, kids could select a couple of giveaways from our Halloween prize tables. We had candy, Halloween tattoos, PPA stickers and bracelets, bouncy balls, spider rings and more to choose from. Coach Amaya was excited to come dressed as a Banana! She was running around her site cheering on her kids all weekend in that costume! She said "Our K/1 girls leagues had opportunities to get their face painted! They enjoyed having whiskers, smiley faces, stars and hearts painted on their faces!" Thanks for all who participated! We are excited for the season to wrap up with tournaments this coming weekend.

Nov 3, 2022 Update on our Winter Development Leagues: We’ve run out of spots for new teams to register with a pro coach in the basketball leagues. Director of Development Hoops, Damario Clarke, notes, "We've seen more registrations than ever before. We hit our capacity only 8 days after we opened registration. Last year it took us 6 weeks to hit our capacity. While we're excited about how strong our winter season is looking, we also know there are more teams that want to join. So now, we are working to increase capacity of our leagues, without undermining the quality we're aiming to deliver this winter." For any teams that haven't yet registered for the winter leagues, there are still openings for teams to join the basketball league with a parent coach volunteer. There is also availability for new teams join the PPA Futsal Leagues. In the Futsal Leagues, you can still form teams with a pro coach or with a parent coach. We expect all of options to fill before the start of the season, so we encourage families interested in forming a team this winter to register soon. To register for the hoops or futsal leagues, click here. To join the waitlist for a pro-coached basketball team, click here. To learn more about forming teams as a parent, click here. Play On! PPA Team

This past weekend, PPA Premier Hoops had a huge showing at the Darnestown League Championships. The Player Progression Academy walked away with 3 titles in one weekend (which is pretty amazing if you ask me). While speaking with Premier Hoops Program Director, Eli Schwadron, he mentioned that “It’s been great watching the development of our 4th Grade Green, 5th Grade Green and 6th Grade Green girls teams. From a program perspective, we loved seeing so many PPA families in the gym at once, cheering each other on. All three teams have a lot of potential and we look forward to seeing them compete even more this Winter.” 4th Grade Green, led by Coach Lindsey, finished with a 24-16 win against the Darnestown Cougars. Although it was a close game in the first half, our fourth graders played tough defense which ultimately secured the win. Going into the second half, the girls ran a full court press which caused quick turnovers and quick buckets for us. Genevieve Chapman consistently attacked the basket and finished with two “And 1’s” by the end of the game. When asked to comment on her team’s performance, Coach Lindsey stated, “I’m very proud of how much the girls have grown. Around this time last year, we made it to the championship, but lost against this same team. For the girls to come back after a lot of practice and hard work with no fear…it makes this win that much better.” 5th Grade Green Girls, led by Coach Ken, also experienced a Championship win last weekend. Much like 4th Grade Green, Coach Ken’s team started off slow with the score only being 2-2 in the first quarter. While the team got a lot of good attempts on the offensive end, shots just weren’t falling. In the second quarter, we went down 6-2 which could have seriously discouraged the girls and caused them to give up. However, our girls weren’t done yet. Entering into the second half, due to Tallulah Garnett and Norah Dempsey’s effort on the offensive glass, we got a lot of second chance opportunities. By the end of the third quarter, PPA was on an 8-0 run. Going into the 4th quarter, the girls were up by 14-8 and continued to rely on rebounding and defense which ultimately won them the game. The final game of the day was a PPA showdown. 6th Grade Green Girls, led by Coach Michael versus 6th Grade Blue, led by Coach Destini. Both teams have strong rosters filled with girls who are extremely dedicated to the game and even more competitive. In the first quarter, we saw the true reasoning behind coach Destini’s winning record this season. 6th Grade Blue was aggressive and played very well as a team. Although 6th Grade Green was missing Caroline Conroy and Mia Wolf, the team rallied together and adjusted to the high intensity man to man defense they were up against. Vivian Lapointe stepped up in major ways on both the defensive and offensive ends. “Viv was great! She hit a few key baskets that really helped shift the momentum of the game and her effort on defense was incredible.” Coach Michael shared after the team win. By the final buzzard, 6th Green Green pulled away and secured a final score of 26-12. Overall, PPA had a great showing last weekend and we’re very proud of our girls. This weekend, Premier Hoops looks forward to a lot of tournament play. You can expect to see PPA at the Maryland Flames League and PV Thunder Halloween Hoops Fest. Play On!

About halfway through their season, the Washington Spirit knew they needed to make some changes. Standing in the bottom half of the league, Team President Ben Olsen hired a new Head Coach, Kris Ward, and a new Assistant Coach Annie Worden. Annie Worden, or as we know her, Coach Annie, is the Head Director of PPA's Premier Soccer and has been the face of PPA Premier Soccer since its inception. As one of the only female high level Club Soccer Directors in the region, her experience in the soccer community is rare. Before starting a career as a coach, though, Annie had a dream to play professionally. After leaving Fordham University as a star soccer player with the Rams, she got her shot with the Chicago Red Stars. In her first pre-season camp, she tore her ACL, severing her tendon, and her dreams to play. After the injury, she decided to leave her playing career behind to help build PPA into a top soccer club in the DMV. Fast forward to late 2021, and Annie got a call from her friend Kris, who was recently hired as the new Washington Spirit Coach. He invited her to join his staff. By late 2021, Annie was on board with the Washington Spirit. "I was juggling coaching with the Spirit, coaching 2 PPA teams, and still managing as Head Director of Premier Soccer, which was growing really fast. So it was a lot to handle," Annie recalls. Despite the busy schedule, Annie's impact on the Spirit was clear. "We didn't lose a game after I joined the staff. All the way to the championship," Annie recounts with a wry smile. This Summer, Annie was presented her NWSL championship ring. And her dream of being a professional women's soccer player finally seems to have come full circle... Congrats, Coach Annie!!!!!!

What a start to October! PPA's Development Leagues just wrapped up 2 weeks of its fun and popular Spirit Week. We saw lots of costumes, signs, and of course great game play. PPA Spirit week is a special event in our Development Leagues. It started just a few years ago, with a just few teams who got excited to add face paint at their games. Since then, PPA leagues have designated one week each season to promote team spirit. We encourage players parents and coaches to bring out their best and let's just say this Fall didn't disappoint! The first weekend, October 8th and 9th, the Development Hoops Leagues kicked Spirit Week off with a bang! As our Lead Director, Damario Clarke, put it, "Spirit week was awesome this year. It seems like every season; parents are getting more and more involved. I couldn't believe some of the costumes I saw. Makes me wonder what Halloween Gameday is going to look like!" Two weeks later, October 15th and 16th, the Development Soccer League followed suit. As one of one of PPA's most popular coaches, Lucas B, put it "PPA has always had a tradition of trying to develop players between the lines and outside them. PPA Spirit week is a perfect example of why we're so focused on going beyond just games. When you see so many players laughing and smiling, you know you're doing something right." With over 1000 players participating in Spirit Week this Fall, I think it's safe to say this may have been our best yet. Thank you to everyone who made this weekend so special! And enjoy the pictures below!

Priority Registration for Winter 2023 Development Basketball and Development Futsal Leagues are now open. About PPAs Development Program: PPA's Development Program mixes the fun of recreational sports with the quality of club sports. Players of all levels are welcome to play. Parents can form their own teams, invite friends to join, and choose if the team will have a professional coach or a parent volunteer coach. Registration Information: Due to high expected demand, PPA will run registration over two phases. Phase 1 gives priority to returning PPA players. Phase 2, open to the general public, will honor registrations on a first come first serve basis. Priority Registration: Opens 10/24 General Registration Opens Nov 1 Late Registration: Starts 12/15 (+$25 registration fee) Forming a Team: Parents can form their own teams and invite friends to join. Click here to learn more. Joining a Team: Players who are invited to join a team will get a code from the team manager to register. Otherwise, players can also can register as free agents, and a PPA Directors will place your player on a team in their age group. Click here to join a team. Winter Development Hoops Leagues: 8 week season w/ Tournament at the end of the Season Each team has 1 practice during the week and games on the weekend. Games will be held at or near Georgetown Day School. Teams will be organized in league age groups: k - 8th grade Open to boys and girls of all levels. Parents can form teams and choose a PPA coach or Parent volunteer coach for their team. Update (11/2/2022): Pro Coach Availability has filled for hoops leagues. If you wish to form a team with a pro coach please fill out this waitlist form. Prices vary from $225 - $495 depending on age group and coach preference. Learn More: https://www.ppateam.com/developmenthoopswinter Winter Development Futsal Leagues: Each team plays games on weekends, practices are not included in the season. Games will be held indoors and outdoors in NW DC, Chevy Chase, Bethesda region. If your team is interested in practicing, you can request a clinic here. Leagues age groups: k - 8th grade Open to boys and girls of all levels. Parents can form teams and choose a PPA coach or Parent volunteer coach for their team. Prices: $125/player for Parent Coached Team, $225 for Pro Coached Team Learn More: https://www.ppateam.com/development-soccer-winter Performance Clinics Clinics will give opportunities for players to meet weekly with PPA Coaches to train athletic skills. About the Player Progression Academy (PPA) The Player Progression Academy (PPA) is a premier youth sports academy located in the Washington, D.C. metro area with programs for children ages 3-18 years old. PPA offers various athletic programs ranging from intro level sports for Tots to highly competitive travel teams. The club mission is to build a positive and successful athletic experience for all players, and to translate those experiences into real life lessons that reinforce PPA’s core values. Our motto is to develop players between the lines, and outside them. Learn more by visiting our website.