Each year, LMSC identifies a pool of Under 8 boys players and a pool of Under 8 girls players to train together during the fall and winter. The purpose of this program is to develop our top younger players for the Travel Team Program, starting the following fall season.

The players train together under the direction of the LMSC Under 8 Coaching Staff, which is comprised of experienced youth soccer coaches and high level soccer players, most of whom played at the college level. The coaching staff does NOT include parents of U-8 players. All coaches in the Under 8 Developmental Academy are non-parent coaches.

All coaches in the Under 8 Program are experienced soccer players and coaches. We do NOT have parent coaches involved in the program. Instead, we hire very experienced soccer people who do not have children involved with the team.

• THE UNDER 8 BOYS TEAM in 2008-9 will be headed up by Biff Sturla, President of LMSC. Biff has been coaching in LMSC for 26 years and at the high school level for 13 years. During that time, his teams have won 13 state championships. In 2006, Biff was voted Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association's Boys Coach Of The Year as well as the National Soccer Coaches Association Of America's Regional Coach Of The Year. He was a finalist for the NSCAA's National Coach Of The Year Award. In 1999, Biff was voted Philadelphia Inquirer Coach Of The Year.
  
  
• THE UNDER 8 GIRLS TEAM in 2008-9 will be headed up by Danielle Fagan and Pete Gangl. Danielle is an 11 year veteran at LMSC. Danielle is also the current head coach for the Conestoga High School girls varsity. In 2007, she led her team to the school's first ever State Championship. Danielle also served as an assistant coach for the Villanova University Women's team. She has been heading up the Under 8 Academy at LMSC for three years.

  Pete Gangl is a ten year veteran coach in the LMSC Travel Team Program. He has coached several LMSC 'A' travel teams over the years, all with great success. Pete is currently the head coach for the LMSC Under 15 Mustangs, our boys 'A' travel team.

LMSC will have two or three tryouts for each Under 8 team. Tryouts are held in late May and early June. Players wishing to be a part of the Under 8 program MUST be at tryouts. Players should make every effort to be at ALL tryouts listed. We will post tryout dates for all age groups on our web page (in the Travel Team Tryout section) in March. LMSC will pick a team of up to 24 boys and a team of up to 24 girls.

To be eligible for the 2008 - 2009 season, players MUST be born between August 1, 2000 and July 31, 2001, no exceptions!!!. Per United States Soccer Federation policy, all players making a team will be required to submit a copy of their birth certificate to show they are of the proper age.

While tryouts are held in the spring, the official Under 8 season will not start until the fall, after Labor Day. Players making the Under 8 Academy are eligible to sign up for the LMSC Fall Pre-Season Travel Team Camp if they desire.

FALL SEASON - Each pool of players trains twice a week during the fall (one weeknight practice and one Saturday practice) and plays one game a week (Sunday afternoons). The players also participate in a tournament in mid-November against other Under 8 teams in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

WINTER SEASON - Both Under 8 groups participate in indoor soccer leagues at a local indoor facility and train on occasion in local area school gymnasiums, pending gym availability. Both the indoor leagues and the training are run under the supervision of the LMSC U-8 Coaching staff. While we do not know the exact winter schedule, it is anticipated that the boys teams will have their league games on Mondays (late afternoon and early evening) while the girls teams will have their league games on either Fridays (late afternoon and early evening) or Sunday late afternoons

SPRING SEASON - The U-8s will play a limited amount of spring soccer outdoors, in advance of the Under 9 travel team tryouts which will be held in late April and early May. At that time, players move on to the regular Travel Team Program and will compete regularly against teams from other local area soccer clubs. Teams at the Under 9 and Under 10 travel team level consist of 11 - 13 players. LMSC will field up to four travel teams in each age group. All Under 8 program activities in the spring are informal and do not take precedent over any other sporting activities that the players have. Players are encouraged to play other sports in the spring season.

Please note that this program is geared towards our most talented and committed soccer players. All players in this program must have a high commitment to the game of soccer and to developing their skills. The program runs in the fall and the winter. This is a much more extensive program then our intramural programs. Players who would not be able to commit to training and playing in the fall and winter should instead play in the Fall Intramural Program. Again, this program is geared for players who wish to eventually move on to the LMSC Travel Team Program.