Michigan Jaguars FC

I've been at the Jaguars for about 9 or 10 years now. I joined in 3rd grade, so when I was around 8 years old. I mostly joined them just because, honestly, because of the location and just it was a convenient spot. We didn't know much about the club, but I've stuck with it all these years and I really enjoy it. The culture is what's kept me at the club all these years.

This one is definitely going to have to be last year my girls' 2009 played in NAL National Academy League, and we won the national championship in New Jersey. We won the final in penalties. It was just a great moment when we scored that last PK. It was electric. Everybody was so happy and we were already super close knit, that team, and it was just a perfect way to cap off the season.

I think playing for the club has made me both a better soccer player and a better person. I think I've learned a lot both on and off the field.

One thing that's really special about Michigan Jaguars, I think communication wise, it's just everything and everyone's so interconnected. Like as a player, I feel like what if I have to miss a practice because something came up, I can always hop in with another team, like multiple teams, you can always find them practicing together, and the facilities are really nice. Wickham, Dodge Park. Those are the two I usually play at, but I don't really have any problems with those. The fields are nice, well kept. As for the scheduling, I'd say it all works out pretty well, like practices 2 or 3 times a week, games on weekends. It all makes sense and like I said before, if I can't make a practice, I can always figure something out with my coach to make sure I'm still getting in the work I need for that week.

I would definitely recommend the club to my friend. I think there's just something for everybody there. Like you won't be disappointed whether you want to play at like the highest level or you're looking for something more low key, chill. Like you're going to have fun with your friends anyway. The environment's very welcoming. All the coaches, all the parents, all the players, it's like everybody knows each other. Everybody's friendly with each other.

I've been playing soccer since I was around 10 years old, and that's when I started with the Michigan Jags. I've never played soccer before, and the Michigan Jags really made my experience fall in love with the sport. So when I joined the Jags, I started on the white team. So I did that for about 1 season. After my year at the white team, I joined the green team, and I also did that first season, which was a little step up from the white team. After my year with the green team, I made a semi-big jump and joined the NLC team. During my year with the NLC team, the GA was invented. I did not make the GA team at the time, and that was my 8th grade year. So, I spent my 8th grade on the NLC team, and that was a big jump for me because I really started to care more about soccer. I did more next level, I did more impact, I did more private training, home training, just to make sure my freshman year I was on the Girls Academy team. And I learned a lot. I really think Daniel Cor was needed for me because I need to kind of catch up a little bit more than some of these girls, because some of these girls have been playing way longer than I have. That was only like my 3rd or 4th year of soccer ever. So I think that year was definitely needed, and it really made me grow as a player too that year. So. My freshman year came and I started with the Girls Academy, and that was a very big jump for me, but I'm very thankful for my teammates and my coaches that really caught me up and made me really grow as a player and just even a year playing Girls Academy. And I think ever since then my freshman and sophomore year, like I've grown as a player. I've learned a lot about myself as a player. And I think that's a big thing is that with the Jags I've kept growing each year. And I think a big thing that's also attracted me with the club was my teammates. My teammates are amazing people and ever since the white team, like I've never had a problem with any girl, any coach. They've all been amazing. And that's a big thing for me is that I want a family with my soccer journey and I got one. The staff, the coaches, this whole environment, great environment. I love my team, I love my coaches and literally like I love, we're amazing. My team, we have been Champions Cup finalists, national finalists, and honestly like we're just we're just going up and I'm really, really proud of where we've been. I'm proud of where I'm at. Thinking about just being on the white team, that was a while ago, but looking back and seeing how far I've came, it's not only me, but I'm really thankful that my club even brought me up.

Yeah, I would definitely say playoffs every year for us is so much fun. Thankfully we've qualified for playoffs every year, and that's such a fun thing to do because it takes place in Norco, California, and it's always hot there. The fields are so good, there's so many scouts, and it's honestly like such a fun experience. Like the intensity is so high, and, for us, playoffs is an all year prep. So we're prepping all year for it, and it's just so much fun, actually like being there and competing every game. Everything matters, every goal matters. Everything matters. And that's so much fun. Like the intensity is always high. And obviously you've got to win all your games or you're done. And if you make it out of California by winning all your games, you get to go to Virginia, and Virginia is where you could take home a title. You got to win 3 more games there. Last year, my team did pretty good. We made it out of California and went to Virginia, won 2 games, but then we lost in the national finals, unfortunately. But honestly, that was still like one of my favorite experiences was just honestly making it to Virginia. That's such a big experience, and the memories we made was so high, and honestly, I loved every minute of it. I loved the intensity by just being there and playing every game, yeah, even though we lost, like, I know we'll get it back. So I think like that's one of my favorite experiences at the club.

I would definitely say our trainings are very beneficial and impactful for all players. Each training, every drill has a reasoning behind it, and will make you a better player. If you don't think it, I promise, each staff will make sure you understand the drill and understand the reasoning behind the drill. And with the coaches, I think they've also impacted me a lot. They really take pride in their players and making sure every player understands everything, and they really make sure you highlight your, your pros about yourself, and make sure that you are the best player that you can be in each camp, in each practice.

Starting with the facilities, we're thankful to be in an indoor facility, so that means we could train in any weather possible. We have two 11v11 fields indoors. We have an 11v 11 field in a dome, a 9v9 field in a dome, along with a 277 fields inside. So that's always good that we can train in any weather possible in Michigan. Our scheduling's pretty good. So, we have an app called Sprocket, and on Sprocket, you can see basically everything going on from practices to games to extra stuff months in advance, and it says, like, for games, what color to wear, what time to get there. So, scheduling's pretty good, and there's a group chat where, if anything changes, you'll be told immediately. And for communication is like the same thing. We have good communication, we have a group chat with just players on it, just coaches on it, and everyone types in it probably at least once or twice a week, making sure everyone's caught up, everyone knows what's going on, and if you need anything else, you can reach out to any coach at basically any time and they'll answer, just, texting them one on one and they'll be there.

I would. I've had a good experience. I've been here since my soccer career started, and I would recommend it to a friend, you'll have a good experience. You meet your best friends along the way, and you'll grow as a player.

I've played for the Jags for 11 years. I started in 2nd grade, and I actually started playing Jags because my brother had played a few years prior, and he really had a good experience through it. So I decided to give it a try. I stayed with the Jags because through everything, all 11 years, I felt my coaches always had the best intent for me. They wanted me to be a good player on and off the field. And it was such a family environment. I met some of my closest friends through the Jags, and I'm super grateful for that. I also felt like everywhere I go, everyone wanted me to reach my full potential and be the best player that I could.

Every year, the Jags host a summer camp where you split into your team, and then you work with a different college coach each day. And it's always my favorite. It's a great start off to the season. And it's super fun to play all the small side of the games. You also split off and scrimmage other teams. And additionally, it's great to get out in front of college coaches in a different setting than just an ID camp.

The Jags have helped me grow a lot as a person, both on and off the field. I feel that my coaches and my teammates are always pushing me to be better, a better player, smarter player, and to have more confidence in myself. I also have had an amazing opportunity where I've been able to play with the Jags semi-pro team, which is super amazing. I'm getting to play with some very high level soccer players who have taught me how to be better on the field and off the field.

I think the Jags did a really good job when it came to scheduling teams in the same age group. I was always able to sub for the team above mine if needed, because our games are never at the same time, making that a possibility. And I thought that was really helpful, especially because playing with two different groups, I think it helps you improve as a player and gets you in front of different levels of college coaches.

I would 100% recommend anyone to play Jags. I think that they have a team for everybody, whether you're just getting started or you've played for 10 years. I think that they do an amazing job of making you feel like you're at home, no matter who you're playing for, what team you're on, who your teammates are, and that's not something that you can find at a lot of other clubs.