Stars Academy - The 5 Pillars of Player Evaluation

At Stars Academy, our player evaluation and coaching philosophy are based on 5 key pillars. Together, they shape a complete, balanced athlete and person. However, we intentionally prioritize Technical and Physical development as the foundation upon which the others are built.

Technical (30 stars)

Soccer is fundamentally a game of skill. A player’s ability to control, pass, dribble, and shoot the ball consistently and under pressure determines their effectiveness in any position or system. Without strong technical skills, tactical understanding and athleticism have limited impact.

Our priority:

We give the most weight to technical development because mastery of the ball is the great equalizer. A technically gifted player can adapt to any game model and overcome physical or tactical disadvantages.

“The ball is the teacher.” Our sessions and evaluations center around ball contact repetition, precision, and confidence with both feet.

Physical (25 Stars)

Soccer is an intensely physical game. Players need to move explosively, change direction rapidly, endure long minutes, and hold off defenders. Physical development ensures that players can apply their technical skills in real match conditions for the entire game.

Our priority:

We weight physical attributes just behind technical because a strong, athletic foundation allows a player’s skills to shine under pressure. Youth players also develop physically at different rates, so we focus on movement quality, coordination, speed, and injury prevention — not just size and strength.

“Skill + speed + endurance = match impact.”

Tactical (20 stars)

Understanding the flow of the game—where to be, when to pass, how to support teammates, and how to react to possession changes—is critical at older ages and competitive levels. Tactical awareness transforms players from “individual talents” into team contributors.

Why it’s weighted less:

Tactical understanding grows best once players have strong technical and physical foundations. A player must first be capable of controlling the ball and moving effectively before advanced decision-making can be expected.

“Soccer intelligence thrives on technical security.”

Mental (15 Stars)

A player’s mindset dictates how they respond to mistakes, feedback, competition, and pressure. Focus, confidence, and resilience build long-term success far beyond wins or losses.

Why it’s weighted less:

Mental attributes are essential, but they don’t immediately affect ball control or game fitness. We coach mental toughness alongside technical and physical work, but it’s assessed with slightly less emphasis in the star system.

“We build players who embrace challenge, not avoid it.”

Social (10 Stars)

Soccer is the ultimate team sport. Communication, teamwork, leadership, and respect are non-negotiable for success on and off the field. Players who uplift teammates become irreplaceable.

Why it’s weighted less:

While social skills are essential to the team environment, they have minimal direct impact on an individual player’s technical or physical performance in games. Still, we assess and value these qualities heavily in our overall club culture.

“Great players are good teammates first.”