The S.T.E.P. program was developed with the following goals in mind:

Provide a program for players graduating Hotspurs Youth Academy who wish to continue develop, train and play at the elite level.

Provide a program designed to prepare players who are interested in pursuing soccer at the Collegiate/University level/Adult Competitive

Provide an opportunity for players to be showcased at major tournaments geared to recruiting soccer players for post secondary educational opportunities (Scholarships)

Designing the S.T.E.P. Program has been a working collaboration between Duane Barker, CSA National "B" licensed coach, and Maria Karadakis, B.Social Sc. (Honors) in Leisure Studies, and under the overall direction of Boris Bajagic, CSA National "A" licensed coach and the Nepean Hotspurs Club Head Coach.  In addition, this program was developed with consultation from Mr. David Benning, Technical Program Manager of the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), & Glen Shields Club Head Coach and Mr. Deesh Bhattal, CSA National "B" licensed coach, former U.S. Olympic Development Program (ODP) coach and current Technical Director /Director of International Sports Academy for Glen Shields Soccer Club. 

Players participating in the S.T.E.P. program are committed to the program for 10 months (Oct 2009 – Aug 2010)

Training

The players in the S.T.E.P Program will receive technical and tactical instruction from all of the previously referenced coaches along with additional members of the Hotspurs technical staff: Adam Knight, OSA Provincial B licensed coach, and Kingsley Knight CSA National B licensed coach.   In addition S.T.E.P. players will benefit from participating in auxiliary programs and consultation with experts specializing in the fields of strength & conditioning and injury treatment & recovery. This program is designed to run primarily through the soccer "off-season" (September – April) however players in the program will be gathered back together for summer showcase tournaments and will train as required to prepare for these tournaments.

Showcase – US/Canadian Colleges/Universities

The intention of the program is to showcase the best Hotspurs players ages 16 and up who are graduating from Hotspurs Youth Soccer Academy. This would provide exposure to players who are looking to enhance their opportunities to acquire soccer scholarships at educational institutions across the US and Canada. In addition this program would provide the possibility of participating in various National Teams Programs, since players will be working with the staff of Canadian Soccer Association as well.

While attending showcase tournaments are optional, the players who express interest in attending will be provided the opportunity to attend provided the S.T.E.P. coaches feel that the candidate meets the requirements for work ethic, ability, scholastic marks, and SAT scores to ensure the player has the best chance for success.

The S.T.E.P. coaching staff will provide guidance and assistance to prepare players for attending these tournaments, by providing instruction on conduct, resumes, player profiles etc.

League play

Members of the Nepean Hotspurs S.T.E.P. Program will participate in the highest level of competition made available (relative to each individual player's age category) and the appropriate course of action for optimizing their development.  Each player will be assessed individually to decide how and where they will play against the highest level of competition without sacrificing their in-game effectiveness.

NEPEAN HOTSPURS

SENIOR TRANSITIONAL ELITE PROGRAM          S.T.E.P.