Dover Soccer Academy Sets New Goal
- dovernow.com staff
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Sportsplex starting local development, competitive program for kids 3-13 The Dover Sportsplex has developed a new year-long program to develop young soccer players. Dover Soccer Academy will serve children ages 3-13, offering a mix of training and conditioning, practices, and matches.
DSA Director of Soccer Training Stephen Zuluaga was a three-year center-midfielder on the Dover High School varsity team. He earned second-team all-state honors after leading DHS to victory in the 2017 NJSIAA state sectional tournament. That season, the team set a record for most wins (21-3-1). Zuluaga played center-midfielder at Centenary University. He has taken the lessons from coaches and mentors and developed the message of the new program’s three-point mission as “Train Smart. Play Fast. Stay Local.”
“We built the DSA model to provide affordable, local access to exceptional soccer training for boys and girls, from ages 3-13,” says Zuluaga. “We will offer competitive, skill-boosting programs with localized games and play; operate entirely within one central location to avoid travel burdens, and build a community-based player pipeline for all age groups.”
Zuluaga will be assisted by Ethan Herrera, a Dover resident who played varsity soccer at Dover High School and then professionally in Colombia with Once Caldas U20 and U23 and in Spain, with Racing Rioja in the Segunda RFEF.
“We have a simple vision: To be the most accessible and impactful grassroots sports academy for children in the area, with minimal travel and maximum growth,” Zuluaga says. “We will focus on training our players to develop quick decision-making skills, emphasize fast transitions, and become well-conditioned players who all reach their soccer potential.”
Programs will include weekly practices and scrimmages. Prices vary for programs, based on age and level of training; you can pay for the full program or by individual session. Special workshops and clinics will also be scheduled. For more information, go to doversportsplex.com.
