The NWSF Academy, powered by NWS Spirit FC, is a series of premier training programs designed to support and enhance the development of players aged U8 to U18 from across the North West Sydney Football (NWSF) community. At its core, Academy offers additional weekly training sessions all year round, complementing local club commitments and focusing on the core principles of the “NWSF DNA”: fostering holistic player development, with a focus on intense skill development, in a challenging, competitive environment.
Register now for the 2025 Winter Academy trials!
The Academy programs emphasize individual player development through expertly designed sessions delivered by experienced NWS Spirit FC coaches. It is open to both male and female players and serves as a bridge between grassroots participation and representative pathways, ensuring players have the opportunity to develop their skills and progress towards representative environments, while continuing to train with their local clubs. The Academy’s collaborative approach strengthens the NWSF/NWS Spirit FC ecosystem, supporting the long-term success of both our players and local NWSF clubs.
The Winter Academy is the first step in the NWSF pathway, exposing local players to representative football and providing an opportunity to accelerate their development. Taking place from May to August alongside the NWSF competition season, NWSF players are selected through a scouting and trial process to participate in a 15-week program, including match play sessions. This is our core offering that underpins our association player development delivered by NWS Spirit coaches at the all-weather synthetic surface at Christie Park. Winter Academy is for both field players and goalkeepers. Full logistics can be found below, and you can learn more about the football program at nwsfdna.com/academy.
You can register for the 2025 Winter Academy trials by clicking here.
Players in the Winter Academy are assessed and scouted throughout by our NWS Spirit FC coaches with a view towards progression and selection into our full-time representative programs. To further enhance this process, new in 2025 will be Academy+, a five week program exclusively for those selected in the Winter Academy. Commencing immediately after NWSF’s Grand Final Weekend, this targeted coaching program will specifically focus on preparing players towards representative environments, in intensive football-focused sessions.
Summer Academy is a further 10-week program, aligned to the school dates of Term 4, exclusively for those selected in the Winter Academy, delivered by Spirit FC coaches to develop the NWSF DNA during the summer, to enhance individual player development by focusing on core football actions & holistic player development. Players selected in the current year’s Winter Academy are eligible for the Summer Academy. We offer Summer Academy for both field players and goalkeepers.
During the summer (Term 4), we also offer Academy X-Factor as an additional extension program exclusively for selected Academy participants. These are small group sessions to help our local players take their football to another level, with smaller group training sessions (maximum ratio of 1 coach to 8 players), specifically focused on the development of players X-factors! Our X-Factor coaches feature coaches from our NWS Spirit FC performance program and First Grade players, with different session types available, including Skills, Strength, Speed, Striker and Goalkeeper.
Players who are not selected in the Winter Academy during the trials in April, can access further training opportunities via the Development Centres. These are delivered in Preseason, Term 3 (Spring) and Term 4 (Summer). Find out more by clicking here.
U6 and U7 players are eligible to participate in Rising Spirits. Rising Spirits is a non-selective program that operates on a term-by-term basis. It focuses on developing a love of the game in our NWSF Miniroos players by providing a fun, safe environment. Click here to learn more about the Rising Spirits.
Winter Academy 2025
Trial dates and times (field players and goalkeepers)
- Boys trials / Monday April 28, 2025 / Christie Park
- U8 and U9 (born 2017 and 2016) – 4.30pm to 6pm
- U10 (born 2015) to U13 (born 2012) – 6.15pm to 7.30pm
- U14 (born 2011) to U18 (born 2007) – 7.45pm to 9pm
- Girls trials / Friday May 2, 2025 / Christie Park
- U8 (born 2017) to U11 (born 2014) – 4.30pm to 5.45pm
- U12 (born 2013) to U18 (born 2007) – 6.00pm to 7.15pm
You can register for the 2025 Winter Academy trials by clicking here.
Session dates (field players and goalkeepers)
- Week 1: Monday May 5, 2025
- Week 2: Monday May 12, 2025
- Week 3: Monday May 19, 2025
- Week 4: Monday May 26, 2025
- Week 5: Monday June 2, 2025
No training on the public holiday: June 9, 2025 - Week 6: Monday June 16, 2025
- Week 7: Monday June 23, 2025
Academy matches: Saturday June 28 2025 & Sunday June 29 2025 - Week 8: Monday June 30, 2025
No training during the school holidays: July 7, 2025 to July 18, 2025 - Week 9: Monday July 21, 2025
Academy matches: Saturday July 26 2025 & Sunday July 27 2025 - Week 10: Monday July 28, 2025
- Week 11: Monday August 4, 2025
- Week 12: Monday August 11, 2025
- Week 13: Monday August 18, 2025
For clarity, Academy goalkeeper sessions, which were previously held on Friday evenings, are on MONDAYS in 2025.
Session times (all at Christie Park)
- Rising Spirits (U6s & U7s): 4.30pm to 5.30pm
- Academy U8 & U9s: 5.45pm to 6.45pm
- Academy U10s to U14s: 6.45pm to 8pm
- Academy U15s to U18s: 8pm to 9.15pm
Please note…
- As sessions are on Christie Park’s synthetic surface, sessions will go ahead even in wet conditions.
- Should extreme weather occur such as a thunderstorm, we will contact participants via email.
- There are no makeup sessions provided for Academy sessions.
The Academy pathway
The Academy forms part of the talent foundations and talent development environments that exist in the NWSF pathway.
The Academy is the pathway for local players to progress towards NWS Spirit FC’s Junior and Youth programs. We are very proud of the close relationship formed between NWSF and NWS Spirit FC to ensure that the representative club is proudly local. Academy players are scouted closely for consideration to be selected into Spirit squads throughout the duration of the program.
Many Spirit players, like Rubi Sullivan and Kyle Shaw (who are both now A-League players for Sydney FC) began their representative football journey in the Academy, and it continues to form the foundation for talented players across the association.
Learn more about the Academy football program
Parents can find further information on the Academy program, our curriculum and information about how it connects to the NWSF pathway and representative programs at nwsfdna.com/academy. This is where recordings of Academy special presentations can also be found.
Parking
Parking is available at Christie Park but to avoid carpark congestion please consider street parking on Talavera Road, near Macquarie University, or parking at Macquarie Shopping Centre. These are highlighted in the below graphic.
