We are Part of the World’s Greatest Football Family!
We are Liverpool.
An Authentic Academy Training Experience
LFC Michigan gives travel soccer players ages U7 to U19 the ability to train with LFC-Accredited coaches who teach the principles and methodologies that are at the center of what is taught at LFC’s Academy in Liverpool. In addition, our popular youth development programming, Mini Reds and Reds Junior Academy, for ages 4-11 is offered at several of our sites.
World Class LFC Academy Curriculum
We provide an authentic Liverpool FC experience, as we have a true relationship with the Academy in the UK. We have recurring technical calls and site visits with/from the UK, and every soccer practice session we run comes directly from drills perfected at the Academy.
Values of Ambition, Commitment, Dignity & Unity
Our club values, known as “The Liverpool Way,” apply to both players and coaches. As a club, we hold ourselves to the highest standard and pride ourselves in creating a supportive environment where all players thrive both on and off the field. Off the field it prioritizes family and community, while on the field it provides the building blocks necessary to draw out the best of what we want from our players and our teams.
Licensed & Liverpool FC Accredited Coaching Staff
We are committed to furthering the education of all our coaches, and provide many opportunities for their personal growth. All LFC Michigan staff members participate in the LFC Coach Accreditation program, a coaching education initiative driven by the Academy in the UK. This internal coach qualification program supports our staff with their coaching path to ensure that all coaches are coaching The Liverpool Way. Playing and coaching The Liverpool Way is unique to our club and our members will reap the benefits of having our coaches instructed and reviewed as they work through the LFC Accreditation program/initiative.
Commitment to Player Development
LFC International Academies exist to provide the best coaching program and experience for all our fans and young players, allowing them to develop and reach their full potential.
Pathway for Every Player’s Developmental Journey
From our Mini Reds and Reds Junior Academy developmental programming to state, regional and national competition, LFC Michigan has something for ages 4-18 in every stage of soccer development.
College Coaches & College Support
Our staff is composed of college coaches and former college players of all levels, all with the necessary experience and connections to help guide you in your college selection process. Check out our Alumni list, including the most recent class of LFC Michigan seniors to commit to play soccer at the next level here!
Competitive State, Regional, & National Teams
LFC Michigan is a member of Michigan State Youth Soccer Association and competes in National League Team, MSPSP, Director’s Academy, MSDSL, and MYSL league. In addition, our Boys compete in National League Club v Club and our Girls complete in US Club Soccer’s prestigious ECNL and ECNL Regional League. In the Fall or Spring seasons, qualified teams participate in Jr State and State Cups. We also complete in USL’s Academy for boys U16-U19 and Super Y summer league for U11-U17 boys and girls.
Multiple Locations to Serve Southeast Michigan and Windsor
We have five sites in Southeastern Michigan and two in Ontario: Central at UWM Sports Complex, Ann Arbor, North Oakland, South Oakland, Hartland, Windsor (ON) and Mississauga (ON).
Commitment to Improved Fields & Facilities
We are constantly working to strengthen our relationships within the communities we serve to find the best fields and facilities for our teams.
Mission
Our mission is to develop every player holistically. Our objective is to offer the most authentic Liverpool FC development program and club experience, whilst ensuring all player learn to love the game. We focus on the complete development of each individual both on and off the pitch, through experiences that will help them:
- Reach their full potential through positive influences
- Learn beneficial skills that can be used throughout their lives
- Shape them through experiences that help them to succeed as they become young adults
Vision
Our vision is to be the leader in developing children through soccer in Michigan.
Values
The Liverpool Way is an ethos that captures the spirit and character of LFC and its worldwide family of players and fans. It is a set of principles and values — Ambition, Commitment, Dignity, and Unity — that centers everything we strive for on and off the soccer field. Off the field it prioritizes family and community, while on the field it provides the building blocks necessary to draw out the best of what we want from our players and our teams.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
As a club, we are committed to promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion. To that end, we have put together a “Club Diversity Statement” as a pledge that we will always strive to create a welcoming environment that is as inclusive as possible, where those who may see themselves as different, still see themselves as part of our family.
Please read our statement below. We also invite you to watch LFC Foundation’s “Red Together” video here:
www.liverpoolfc.com/redtogether
Player Pathway & League Participation
History
Before becoming Liverpool Football Club International Academy Michigan in 2016, its predecessor Force Football Club had been serving the Michigan youth soccer community for 20 years.
“Bloomfield Force” started as the “travel” soccer component of the Bloomfield Hills Youth Soccer League (BHYSL) back in the 1990s by Dr. Bill Nixon, Robert Sisk and Rick Pinkos. These three, with the help of Bill Powers, created a travel component to the league’s existing recreational program. This created an opportunity for the best soccer players to develop their abilities in order to prepare them for High School soccer.
The club, which originally started with only four soccer teams, offered Andy Wagstaff a position as a club trainer which evolved into a full-time Director of Coaching position in 1995. At that time Andy was still playing professional soccer for the Detroit Neon, but his enthusiasm for the game enabled him to create some new policies that helped shape the future of the club.
The first policy implemented was to start soccer teams at U10 rather than U12, continue beyond U14, and play all the way up to U18. Next was to hire only soccer coaches who are considered qualified and, most important, initiating a grassroots program called the “Center of Excellence.” This grassroots soccer program enabled the Force to select the best young players from the BHYSL and start training them under the direction of the new Director of Coaching.
Those first young soccer teams that started with the club went on to achieve great things. The Boys 1990 age group eventually won the State Cup for Michigan at U18 and became the club’s first boys’ team to compete in the Regional Championships. Several of those boys went on to play collegiate soccer at Princeton, Oakland University, Michigan, MSU, and Washington University.
In addition, the Girls 1989 age group went on to win back-to-back USYSA National Championships, the first time ever in Michigan. Members of this team went on to represent Michigan, UCONN, Villanova, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Oakland University, and this group also produced two National Team players in Jackie Carron (University of Michigan) and Laura Heyboer (Michigan State), who started with the Bloomfield Force at U12 and U14, respectively.
It was in the early 2000s that Andy first began to work part-time with Liverpool Football Club’s Academy, where he was responsible for training soccer players and communicating to the parents of the U6-U8 age group. One of his accomplishments while there was designing a program called “Mini-Soccer” to scout local talent in conjunction with connecting the local community to the academy. The soccer program was successful and used by the club for many years.
Many years later, in February 2016, this experience helped open the door for Force Football Club to form a partnership and become “Liverpool FC International Academy Michigan.” This partnership united our reputation for high quality soccer player development, leadership, and professionalism here in Michigan with the rich, storied tradition of Liverpool Football Club in England. The new identity has enhanced our level of soccer training and competing, but in many ways, we are the same great club that has been serving the Michigan soccer community for almost 30 years.
Since June 2016, the club has expanded from one site in Bloomfield/Pontiac (Central at UWM Sports Complex) and added four sites more sites in Southeast Michigan (North Oakland, South Oakland, Ann Arbor, and Hartland) and two sites in Ontario (Windsor and Mississauga), and has grown from about 450 soccer players to nearly 3,000 players, including travel teams ages U7-U19 and youth development programs for new and recreational soccer players ages U4-U11.
