Clifton Park is the latest US-based football club to become part of Everton’s growing International Academy Affiliate Programme (EIAAP).

The New York side is the first from the Empire State to partner with the Blues' globally renowned soccer development programme.

The EIAAP initiative will provide Clifton Park with access to the finest coaching knowledge from Everton’s distinguished Academy to support the growth of the Saratoga-based club and its player development programmes.

The EIAAP programme includes:
- Full access to the Everton Academy curriculum
- Weekly support from a dedicated Everton Academy coach
- Holistic approach to player, coach, and club development
- Technical support from Everton’s training ground Finch Farm, home to the Men’s, Women’s and Academy teams
- Business and marketing support from some of soccer’s most knowledgeable staff based at Everton’s UK headquarters in the iconic Royal Liver Building in Liverpool

Everton International Technical Lead, Paddy Byrne, will visit Clifton Park later this year to assist in sharing the Everton Academy curriculum and teaching methods used at Everton Finch Farm training ground, along with working with the Club closely to develop both player and coaching skills.

In addition, staff from Clifton Park will have the opportunity to visit Everton’s facilities for further education and training and get to see how a Premier League club operates.

This summer, Clifton Park will also host their first Everton International Soccer Camps, open to players of all levels between the ages of five and 18.

Formed in 1976, Clifton Park Soccer Club welcomes more than 2,000 players each year across its youth and adult programmes. Three years ago, it launched Evolution, its dedicated player development programme for Under-8s to Under-18s, which attracts more than 350 players from across the Capital District. The EIAAP will play a key role in supporting the programme’s growth, as well as wider club development.

Clifton Park is well-versed in Everton’s footballing ethos – it is home to a number of Everton supporters, from board level to coaches, all of whom have welcomed the exciting new relationship.

Clifton Park Soccer Club President, Bruce Rosenthal, said: “We have been one of the biggest clubs in the whole Capital District since 1976, and this partnership marks a new chapter for us. We want to build on our proud history and continue to grow but do so in a sustainable way. We are confident that we can do that with Everton’s well-established youth academy programme.

“This partnership will allow us to create well-rounded coaches and attract even more players who want to develop with the support of a Premier League Club Academy. We hope that it will help give our strongest players, those who have the quality to play at a high level, even more of a competitive edge.”

Clifton Park Soccer Club Vice President, Patrick Rabideau, added: “Everton’s philosophy – how they approach player development by putting the player first and focussing on skills – matches ours perfectly. We want our players to benefit from the knowledge that Everton’s Academy has built up over the years and use that to their advantage.

“We are also delighted to hold our first Everton International Soccer Camp this summer, open to players of all levels between the ages of 5 and 18. Our season tryouts also start in June 2022. 

“We have a lot of Everton fans at Clifton Park, but we chose to work with the Club because their International Academy Programme is robust, player-centred, and has a proven player development focus, designed for long term results. The whole Club is excited about what it means for us as we look to the future.”

Everton International Technical Lead, Paddy Byrne, said: “We are proud to have Clifton Park Soccer Club as our first International Academy Affiliate Programme partner in New York.

“As well as being a great community Club, Clifton Park also attracts talented players from across the Capital District looking to develop their skills. I am looking forward to working with the whole coaching team at what is an exciting time for them, as they look to evolve and expand their work in player development.”

To register for this summer’s Everton International Soccer Camps at Clifton Park, or for the 2022/23 season tryouts in June, please visit: https://cliftonparksoccerclub.com/