Center of Excellence

QUICK INFO:

The Center of Excellence (COE) is a high-level supplemental training program for boys aged 13 and younger that is designed to prepare potential academy-level players for the next step on the Sporting KC player pathway. Players in the COE receive high-level training directly from Sporting Kansas City Academy Coaches.

FALL

Spring 2026 Center of Excellence Details

When: Spring (February-May)

  • Camp attendance is required; select players will be invited to register for the Spring session.
  • Participation in the SKC Center of Excellence is supplemental to all activities with the participant’s current club team.
  • The SKC Center of Excellence is a CLUB NEUTRAL program.
  • Trainings are held once a week for U-14s and U-13s (Mondays) and twice a week for U-12s and U-11s (Tuesday & Wednesday)
    • U-14 and U-13 training will be held from 5:30-7:00 PM at Swope Soccer Village
    • U-12 and U-11 trainings will be held from 4:15 to 5:30 PM at Swope Soccer Village

FALL 2026 CAMPS

THERE IS ZERO COST FOR CAMP. THIS PROGRAM IS CLUB NEUTRAL, PLAYERS FROM ANY CLUB ARE WELCOME!

Who:

U-11, U-12, U-13, and U-14 Boys (2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 birth years)

When:

Teams
Date
Time
U-14 (2012 Birth Year)
Monday, February 16
6 PM - 7:15 PM
U-13 (2013 Birth Year)
Monday, February 16
6 PM - 7:15 PM
U-12 (2014 Birth Year)
Tuesday, February 17, and Wednesday, February 18
6 PM - 7:15 PM
U-11 (2015 Birth Year)
Tuesday, February 17, and Wednesday, February 18
6 PM - 7:15 PM

Where:

Swope Soccer Village - Complex Map.jpg

Swope Soccer Village : 6310 Lewis Road, Kansas City, MO 64132

*Please contact jamie.macgregor@sportingkc.com if you are interested in trying out but cannot attend the above tryout date.

TRYOUT REGISTRATION
COE WAIVER
Jacob Bartlett became the first player to progress from the Center of Excellence to the Sporting KC Academy and then to the Sporting KC First Team.

In 2017, an aspiring 11-year-old soccer player from Overland Park, Kansas, enrolled in the Sporting Kansas City Academy Center of Excellence. Through this immersive program, Jacob Bartlett received high-level training from Sporting KC Academy coaches twice per week.

This marked the start of an impressive rise that saw Bartlett earn a spot on the Sporting KC Academy, represent the club at the U-12 through U-19 levels, gain professional experience with Sporting KC II in MLS NEXT Pro, earn minutes for the University of Notre Dame, and sign a First-Team Homegrown contract.

Jacob Bartlett, 2025, after the Sporting KC vs Charlotte game

Now a Sporting KC first-team member, Bartlett began his journey eight years ago when he joined the Center of Excellence. He has since become the first player to progress from the COE to the Sporting KC Academy and onto the first team.

The 2025 Spring COE Camp provides an opportunity for each player to become the next rising star to make the jump that Bartlett did.