There is more than just great soccer going on at our Academy! Our student athletes take tremendous pride not only on the field, but in the classroom. When asked about the FC Copa Academic Guidance Program, this is what was said:

 

Rutgers Prep sophomore, Griffin Hooper from the Boys 2002 Black spoke about the academic guidance program saying, “Back in middle school when I realized that my grades were dropping, I scheduled a meeting with Lori and she kind of kicked me in the butt a little. We started doing things to help counteract what I call laziness on my part. We did weekly report cards with all my academic classes, which required me to get grades and comments every Friday from my teachers. This helped me because it really whipped me into shape.”

 

What is the end result you have taken from this program?

“Only being a sophomore in High School, who hasn’t fully adulted, it firstly gave me humility. It showed me that I may be a smart individual but if I don’t work at my education, my grades will suffer. Second, it gave me a standard to hold myself to and third it gave me better grades and better feeling for myself, Lori and my parents.”

 

Cris Mendes, parent of Lucas Mendes from our Boys 2007 Black team spoke upon the academic guidance her son received quoting, “FC COPA Academic guidance has been of great assistance to our son. He was extremely nervous and anxious before attending his first meeting with coach Lori. When we left the office, he couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful she was. Coach Lori listened to our son, she gave him an opportunity to self-evaluate and discover his academic strengths and weaknesses without any judgement. She was blunt with him and held him accountable for his choices. Currently, our son looks forward to receiving his report cards and to attending his meetings with coach Lori, which he does, every marking period.”

 

How has our academic guidance helped you personally as a parent?

“Personally, the FC COPA Academic guidance has helped alleviate my stress as a parent. Our son has come to understand that there is much more than just having athletic talent. He knows he has complete control of his academic success and he has learned to accept responsibility for his choices. He realized that if he is a good athlete and also a good student, he can attain whatever he sets his mind to. These were all values we tried to instill in him at home but when they come from the coaches, they had a lot more weight to him personally.”

 

Billy Englishby, FC Copa Academy Technical Director - Associate Head Coach at NJ Copa FC comments when asked to give advice in terms of academics to his older teams preparing to enter college saying, “Don’t procrastinate and take care of your business – make sure you take advantage of all of the resources you have available to you and don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. FC Copa Academy has some of the best resources and experience available within a Youth Academy available to you.”

 

The FC Copa Academy Academic Guidance Program was created to help each student athlete be the best they can be in the classroom to reach their ultimate goal of playing college soccer. While soccer is a huge part of our lives, it is equally important for our young players to understand that their effort in the classroom will shape them as they drive through their years to come. This program is here to assist and enhance the needs of FC Copa Academy Student Athlete.

 

As an organization, FC Copa Academy focuses on assisting players to prepare for beginning their college search. Helping players highlight their strengths and improve on aspects that colleges are looking for puts them in a better position when applying to colleges. The most important factor for college acceptances is academic standings and carrying over good habits that were created at a young age. We can assist our players in the process and logistics regarding collegiate information.