MLS NEXT — Player Development · 2025–2026
Development Stages &
Positional Roles + Key Qualities
SC Wave Soccer Club · MLS NEXT
SC Wave provides an enjoyable and positive environment for soccer players. Our mission is to promote individual development of all our players and assist them to reach their full potential, both within the game and outside of the game of soccer. Our players focus on proper preparation through discipline, determination, dedication, hard work and teamwork while playing with a passion and competing every time they step on the field.
SC Wave will develop complete soccer players with excellent soccer intelligence, technical skills, and a competitive mentality. Players will learn to love the game and will compete at their appropriate level, while experiencing life-lessons beyond the game. We aim to prepare our players to the next level of College Soccer and in some instances professional soccer.
Our attitudes and behaviors reflect what we deserve.
Collective achievements generate individual benefits.
We respect the environment; referees, opponents, teammates and facilities. We are proud to represent the club and our community.
Giving up is not an option. You fail only when you quit.
We are brave and confident to create/generate something unpredictable.
Recovery Day — technical/skill day (free play). Tactical Focus: Individual
Tactical Focus: Group / Team
Organizational Sessions — set pieces/plays, patterns, detail oriented, Game Preparation
Waukesha and/or Franklin, WI
Futsal Training 1× per week — focus on technical and tactical benefits, translation to the outdoor game
Speed / Agility / Strength Program
MOSH (Franklin) and New Berlin, WI
Recovery Day — technical/skill day (free play). Tactical Focus: Individual
Tactical Focus: Group / Team
Organizational Sessions — set pieces/plays, patterns, detail oriented, Game Preparation
Waukesha and/or Franklin, WI
Proactive and objective ball possession utilizing our positional play principles to create space and attack the opponent's goal.
When losing possession, we seek to react quickly, in an organized manner, immediately to recover the ball or protect our goal.
Defensive organization seeking to gain ball possession high up the field utilizing a mid or high compact block structure. If we can't, we will look to force opponent to pre-established trapping zones.
Immediate reaction to vertically attack opponent if space is available or keep the ball as we restructure our attacking organization.
Player Behaviors and Team Tactical Principles based on stages of development — U13 through U19 age groups.
Develop the Key Qualities — Development of the individual qualities of a player in a team concept (e.g. roles and tasks of players)
| Zone | Attacking | Defending |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking 1/3 | Different types of runs to get behind/between last line of defenders; Find key players where they can succeed; Find space to combine and become a passing option; Get numbers in the box; Move away from defender = creating space | Mix of zonal and man to man; Pressing: Recognize the moment to make play predictable; Look to always pressure the player on the ball; Stay and keep it compact, limit the space between lines and units |
| Midfield 1/3 | Movement of players to create numbers up; Full backs and wingers occupying different channels; Find space to combine and become a passing option; Create numbers up on one side to find teammate on the other side in open space or 1v1; Move away from defender = creating space | Keep the ball in front of us, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball in your zone; Zonal defending – communicate player movement; Stay and keep it compact, limit the space between lines and units |
| Defending 1/3 | Create numbers up to move the ball forward; Beat the first defender by passing or dribbling; Create diagonal passing lanes to support teammate; Find separation away from defender = creating space; Occupy 5 vertical lanes with 5 defenders | Get compact and stay compact – don't allow passes through you; Get behind the ball, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball; Inside the box man mark, outside the box mark space |
| Zone | Transition A→D | Transition D→A |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball immediately, get compact/organized; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play back; When first pressure gets broken, drop deep and get organized/compact; No pressure on the ball, drop/delay | Play the highest player on the field if possible; Dribble towards the goal and shoot on target |
| Midfield 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball immediately, get compact/organize; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play outside; Zonal defending – don't cross in front or behind each other | Play the first pass to the closest player ahead of the ball; Pass backwards if you can not go forward |
| Defending 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball immediately, get compact/organize; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play outside; Zonal defending, man to man within the box; When first pressure gets broken or no pressure, drop deep (edge of the D lowest point of confrontation) and get organized/compact | Play the first pass to the closest player ahead of the ball; Pass backwards if you can not go forward |
Execute the Key Qualities Successfully — Development of the specific qualities of a player in their position to maximize their contribution to the result of the game
| Zone | Attacking | Defending |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking 1/3 | Vary the type of runs to get behind/between last line of defenders; Find key players where they can succeed; Utilize space and triangulate to create passing options; Get numbers in the box; Find separation away from defender = creating space | Stay and keep it compact — Vertical 5–7 yards and Horizontal Compactness 3–5 yards; Get behind the ball, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball; In box man>zone, outside the box zone>man |
| Midfield 1/3 | Movement of players to create numbers up; Wide Players occupying different channels (full backs/wingers); Utilize space and triangulate to create passing options; Create #s up one side to exploit opposite side isolation (1v1, open space); Find separation away from defender = creating space | Keep the ball in front of us, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball in your zone; Zonal defending – don't cross in front or behind each other; Stay and keep it compact — Vertical 8–10 yards and Horizontal Compactness 5–7 yards |
| Defending 1/3 | Create numbers up to advance ball forward; Break first line of defenders on the dribble or pass; Create diagonal passing lanes — break lines of pressure with diagonal pass; Getting unmarked, creating space; Occupy 5 vertical lanes with 5 defenders (Appropriate spacing of back 5) | Stay and keep it compact — Vertical 5–7 yards and Horizontal Compactness 3–5 yards; Get behind the ball, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball; In box man>zone, outside the box zone>man |
| Zone | Transition A→D | Transition D→A |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play back; When first pressure gets broken, drop deep and get organized/compact; No pressure on the ball, drop/delay | Play the most goal dangerous pass immediately; Dribble toward goal and shoot on target |
| Midfield 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play outside; Zonal defending – don't cross in front or behind each other | Play the first pass to the closest player ahead of the ball; Keep the ball if you can't play forward |
| Defending 1/3 | Pressure the ball immediately; Numbers behind the ball immediately, get compact/organize; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play outside; Zonal defending, man to man within the box; When first pressure gets broken or no pressure, drop deep (edge of the D lowest point of confrontation) and get organized/compact | Play the first pass to the closest player ahead of the ball; Keep the ball if you can't play forward |
Execute the Key Qualities Successfully in Order to Win the Game — Development of the specific qualities of a player to be the best player in their position to win the game
| Zone | Attacking | Defending |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking 1/3 | Vary the type of runs to get behind/between last line of defenders; Find key players where they can succeed; Utilize space and triangulate to create passing options; Get numbers in the box; Find separation away from defender = creating space | Stay and keep it compact — Vertical 5–7 yards and Horizontal Compactness 3–5 yards; Get behind the ball, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball; In box man>zone, outside the box zone>man |
| Midfield 1/3 | Movement of players to create numbers up; Wide Players occupying different channels (full backs/wingers); Utilize space and triangulate to create passing options; Create #s up one side to exploit opposite side isolation (1v1, open space); Find separation away from defender = creating space | Keep the ball in front of us, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball in your zone; Zonal defending – don't cross in front or behind each other; Stay and keep it compact — Vertical 8–10 yards and Horizontal Compactness 5–7 yards |
| Defending 1/3 | Create numbers up to advance ball forward; Break first line of defenders on the dribble or pass; Create diagonal passing lanes — break lines of pressure with diagonal pass; Getting unmarked, creating space; Occupy 5 vertical lanes with 5 defenders (Appropriate spacing of back 5) | Stay and keep it compact — Vertical 5–7 yards and Horizontal Compactness 3–5 yards; Get behind the ball, force play wide; Look to always pressure the player on the ball; In box man>zone, outside the box zone>man |
| Zone | Transition A→D | Transition D→A |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play back; When first pressure gets broken, drop deep and get organized/compact; No pressure on the ball, drop/delay | Play the most goal dangerous pass immediately; Dribble toward goal and shoot on target |
| Midfield 1/3 | Pressure player on the ball as soon as possible; Numbers behind the ball; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play outside; Zonal defending – don't cross in front or behind each other | Play the first pass to the closest player ahead of the ball; Keep the ball if you can't play forward |
| Defending 1/3 | Pressure the ball immediately; Numbers behind the ball immediately, get compact/organize; Ball orientated press, Create numbers up around the ball; Force play outside; Zonal defending, man to man within the box; When first pressure gets broken or no pressure, drop deep (edge of the D lowest point of confrontation) and get organized/compact | Play the first pass to the closest player ahead of the ball; Keep the ball if you can't play forward |
In all moments of the game.
