Announced today, South Jersey Elite Soccer Club and South Jersey Barons Youth Academy will be merging to form an elite soccer academy aimed at providing the highest level of developmental training through the beginner ages through high school. The focus will be player development and to provide as many opportunities for the players during the college placement process.
In 2007, Don D’Ambra, the Head Coach/Player of the Philadelphia Kixx, founded the South Jersey Elite Soccer Club (SJ Elite) aimed to cater to the serious soccer player. Within two years, the club has established themselves as a premier club in South Jersey fielding 9 teams all competing at a very competitive level. SJ Elite consists of a professional coaching staff committed to establishing a structured and competitive teaching environment. “Our long time goal at SJ Elite was to form a nationally recognized developmental academy.” D’Ambra states, “By merging with SJ Barons, that goal is now within reach. Cliff Simmons (Founder of SJ Barons) and I both agree that the landscape of youth soccer has changed dramatically within the past few years and in order to stay competitive, clubs must provide a consistent standard of teaching while instilling a passion for the sport. I am excited about the potential of this merger and hope to make a positive difference in many kids lives.”
In 1996 the South Jersey Barons Soccer Club was founded by Cliff Simmons who served as President of the organization until late 2009. Originally the club had only a professional team that played in the second division of the D-3 USL Pro League and then transferred to the PDL in 2003. In 1999 after seeing a need to develop young players in the region properly, Cliff Simmons formed the South Jersey Barons Youth Club, Inc. Since that time the club has grown into the region’s largest private youth academy. The club has both boys and girls teams playing from small sided soccer through Super 20’s. “Combining our clubs into one organization not only makes us a large private youth academy, it brings together some of the most talented players in South Jersey to be coached by the highest quality coaches in the industry ultimately making us a more significant force to contend with in the soccer community overnight” said Chris Ferrari, President of SJ Barons.
By merging, the newly formed South Jersey Elite Barons Soccer Academy will become the areas premier provider of player development. Both clubs saw a need for following a national trend of establishing a structural progressive training curriculum. Players will now have the benefit of receiving the highest level training at all ages without having to jump from club to club to match their skill level. The merger will be effective immediately pending legal agreements.
The club will operate as a 501© 3 not-for-profit organization registered in the State of New Jersey. At the present time, the club will obtain use of various facilities in Winslow, Mantua, Glassboro, Clayton, Franklin, Logan and Washington Township areas. The new club will progressively search for the potential development of facilities that the club will need for their long term strategy. Total Turf Experience (www.totalturf.net) which will be a state of the art indoor/outdoor sports facility located in Mantua, NJ will be one of the affiliated sites that some teams will train and play games when the construction is completed.
