OUR LEAGUE

St. Jude’s FC is part of the Peel Halton Soccer Association (PHSA) as an Ontario Recognized Academy (ORA). Ontario Recognized Academies are the grassroots component of a greater strategy aimed at developing soccer talent in Ontario so that Canadian soccer players have more opportunities for professional advancement as well as to provide the skilled players to allow Canada’s national team to regularly advance to World Cup play.

All children participate in grassroots community soccer programs such as the academies. All ORAs are required to use the Long Term Development Program (LTDP) which ensures consistency and uniformity of instruction across Ontario. The following illustrating explains how this breakdown moves players throughout the different pathways of Ontario soccer.

Once a child reaches the age of twelve, the Ontario Player Development League kicks in. Players choose to participate in either recreational or competitive teams through the Academies.

The recreational teams are illustrated by the Soccer 4 Life Pathway which leads to the Active For Life program which is basically recreational leagues.

The competitive players take the Talented Pathway which leads to play in League 1, which is a semi-professional league of teams throughout Ontario. Players who are good enough to make a League 1 team then compete for the opportunity to play professionally or play for the national team.

At St. Jude’s FC, the developmental divisions match up with the Grassroots component of the Player Pathway, and at age 13, the divisions are split into recreational and competitive play based on interest, skill-level, and also registration numbers.

Players starting at St. Jude’s FC in an Under 13 division or higher will have the choice to play on either the recreational or competitive side, depending on where they see their soccer career headed.

If you would like to sign up for any of our teams in any of our divisions, we invite you to explore the options below!