Our Player Development Centre, which returns the first week of September, will be introducing a number of new features for the upcoming season aimed at improving the current offering.
During the 2017/18 season our PDC has gone from strength to strength with numbers increasing month on month and additions such as goalkeeper specific sessions and the under 16 shadow squad offering more than ever before.We are determined to continue this momentum, while maintaining our core values of hard work, pride, integrity, respect, development and fun.
Our PDC will be split into Elite Development and Academy for the 2018/19 season.
Elite Development members will remain at the current slots of Tuesday and Thursday 5-6pm, while Academy members will train for a compulsory two hours per week either 5-7pm on Tuesday or Thursday, or an hour 6-7pm on each day.
Places in the Harrogate Town PDC Academy will consist of four teams of nine players across all of our age groups, with additional places for players identied as showing potential by PDC coaches.
We believe the introduction of an academy will allow participants to get the additional coaching support they require to reach their maximum potential.
Both the Elite Development and Academy will benefit from a games programme consisting of at least one fixture per month and a minimum of ten per season, starting with Doncaster Rovers in September.
We now believe our PDC is at a level where teams can compete with other programmes and academies and that this will allow skills learnt in our sessions to be transferred to a competitive environment.
Additionally, our PDC teams recently competed in the Keepmoat Kids Cup at Doncaster Rovers and this season Harrogate Town will be hosting similar days.
The club will also be introducing a family meal club to be run by our first team chef where parents and children can attend after PDC and enjoy a meal, just as our first team would.
To further aid the development of our PDC members we will be introducing player reviews, extended sessions, specific skills workshops, train with the first team days and an essential skills booklet.
PDC IN ACTION
Prices for our PDC will remain at £29.80 per month for one session per week or £59.60 for two sessions per week, though the first payment will be £64.80 or £94.60 which includes £35 for the 2018/19 PDC kit.
We are also pleased to announce PDC participants will continue to receive a Harrogate Town Season Ticket completely free of charge.
We are very excited about the future of our Player Development Centre and continuing the growth of our youth development programme to shape the stars of the future.
For more information, or to get involved with our PDC programme please email daveriley@harrogatetownafc.com