Frequently Asked Questions

MI Rev 42840 Merrill, Sterling Heights 48314

Greg Grant 45300 Mound Rd, Sterling Heights 48317 (teams only)

Total Sports 46039 Grand River, Novi 48374

533 S Lapeer Rd, suite C, Oxford 48371

783 Industrial Ct, Bloomfield Twp 48302

Mundy Sportsplex 5431 Hill 23 Drive, Flint 48507 (seasonal)

All our trainers have extensive soccer backgrounds. Most have played at the collegiate level and/or professionally. Learn more about the NLT staff at our Trainers Page.

You can always find our class schedules and camp info online. If you would like to be added to our email distribution list or have a question not answered by the FAQs, please email Marissa at nextlevelinfo9@yahoo.com.

Email is the best and quickest way to schedule training/schedule a drop in/report an absence/etc. Most all general training questions/how to can be found in the FAQs as well. The trainers are on the field all day and are not able to speak on the phone or reply to texts.

One of the things that sets NLT apart is our close focus on child development and applying it to our training. We attend professional development sessions with child development experts to make sure we are on the cutting edge of new theories and techniques that help us tailor our programs to best serve the various age groups.

An eight-week session is $280/class. If you plan to attend the full eight-week session and pay in full by week one, you receive a discount and pay $245/class.

If you prefer to pay as you go, classes are $35/ea.

Drop ins are $35/class.

We do not offer make up classes so please consider your schedule before paying in full.

You may pay for classes via cash or check (made to NLT) at training. If you prefer to pay via credit card, we can send you a link. Please know there is a 3% fee to pay by cc. We also accept Venmo, and our username is ABNLT9 (9007; Aaron Byrd).

We understand life happens, so we give you two weeks to make payment in full.

Our fields are full field turf so regular indoor gear is fine, either turf shoes or cleats. Shin guards are not required, but you’re welcome to wear them. No equipment is required, but we do recommend each participant bring a soccer ball and water. We have both on site in case someone forgets.

Parents are welcome and encouraged to sit and watch classes if they wish. We ask that you remain a silent observer and allow us to do the coaching/training while you enjoy watching your athlete develop, grow, and have fun. Please do not coach from the sideline.

We do not cancel classes except in extreme events, such as dangerous weather or a power outage. Though school may be canceled, our training does not begin until much later in the day and most roads are in order by the time training begins. If we do have to cancel classes for whatever reason, we will post an announcement on our website and send an email to those impacted by the closure.

If we cancel class, we will offer make-up for the missed day. If you decide not to come to class due to the weather, we will not offer you a make-up date.

We do not offer make-up classes. Unfortunately, no matter how we try it, make ups are costly to our business. You are welcome to pay as you go should your schedule not be consistent enough to attend every week. Please note you have the option to pay as you go as we will not offer refunds should you miss class. We understand things happen and we are willing to work with you, but please be aware of this policy when selecting your payment method. If you are worried your training schedule will conflict with your class, please pay as you go.

• If you have paid in full and you can no longer train on your scheduled day, which would result in 4+ missed classes, we will do our best to move you to another class.
• If you have paid in full and you will miss 1-2 classes, we will not move you to another class those weeks as those would be considered make up classes.

We no longer offer refunds.

Too often have we turned people away because we are full only to receive an email stating that someone has decided to join the school basketball team, etc and can no longer train with us. This is costly to our business, and it means that someone who really wanted to train with us couldn’t because we didn’t have a spot. We also receive emails requesting refunds for missed classes. We will no longer issue refunds for classes not attended as this is also very costly to our business. This applies to everyone, whether you’ve signed up for 8 or 5 or 2 classes, etc. Regarding refunds due to injury, we follow MSYSA guidelines regarding injury related withdrawals, meaning we will refund for injuries, but require a note from your child’s doctor before issuing a refund.

We follow MSYSA guidelines regarding injury and illness related withdrawals, meaning we will issue a refund or credit, but will require a doctor’s note before issuing.

Our policy, found here and in every class confirmation, states:

To give you the best training possible, we limit the number of participants. When you register for a class and fail to show you are taking a spot from someone we have turned away. This is especially true in the winter sessions as they are our busiest time of year. If you fail to show without reporting an absence you will be removed from the rosters and billed for the missed class.

When you take a spot in a class and fail to show, we lose revenue. We understand things come up, but we expect you to communicate that to us. We have no idea that Jane is sick or that you can’t find a ride.

No. We hold no affiliation with any clubs or teams in Michigan. We work with athletes from all clubs and do not promote any one specific club or team. This allows us to train players from all arenas, be it club, rec, or school. We do not coach any teams so we can keep our exclusivity as a training organization. Players from all teams or clubs are welcome to (and do) participate. We do offer group/team training at our facilities, but it is organized by the coach/manager and is available to any team or club. We do not coach any teams, nor do we promote any clubs.

We are very lucky to have partnered with Under Armour, giving us the ability to offer the best quality training gear out there. We have a selection of clothing in stock at our facilities, but if your item is not in stock where you train, please email Marissa at nextlevelinfo9@yahoo.com with your order. You may also fill out an order form (found on our website) and give it to any trainer along with your payment.

We do not require you to commit to the full session. However, due to our small class sizes we first fill the rosters with full time participants and schedule drop ins when we have room.

To register for a class please visit our website and fill out the registration form. Please include additional information i.e., ‘will be absent 12/12,’ or ‘carpooling with Alice Winters’ in the comment box on the form.

To schedule drop-in classes please select the drop in option on the registration form and include the dates if you plan to attend as a drop-in.

If you register for the full eight-week class session, you will receive an e-mail confirming your placement. If the class you requested is full, we will email offering available classes. Please note it takes a few days to get through registrations before we can send confirmations.

Yes. As long as there is room in a class, we are happy to have you join us. Please note that our training is progressive so it may be intimidating for younger kids or those new to our training to join midway or later.

To schedule drop-in classes please select the drop in option on the registration form and include the date/s you’d like to attend. Classes are $35/ea to drop in. Because we maintain a player:trainer ratio, we will take drop in requests and confirm weekly. To avoid overloading classes, please do not drop in without confirmation.

Class sizes vary from session to session, but we cap at 14 participants. Our desired maximum trainer:player ratio is 1:14, but in most instances that number is smaller. We keep our classes small so we can offer individualized attention and instruction, though depending on the age & skill level of a class we may cap at a smaller or larger number.

We train all players at all skill levels from beginners to professionals. We do not have a level or skill requirement, but the player should be passionate and dedicated to improving their game. Because our training is intense and fast paced, we do sometimes have to move kids around to classes that better fit their skill set. If your athlete is 14 and has never touched a ball before, we are not going to place them in an older class. It is not fair to them, nor to the other participants, and we may have to start them in a younger class.

Our classes are all ages 7+, though we will make an exception for a 6 y/o if they are on the cusp.

First by age, then by skill.

When we begin the registration process everyone signs up for a class in their age group that fits their schedule. From there, the trainers review the rosters before we send confirmations to make sure classes are generally a good fit. Once the session begins, the trainers use an ongoing evaluation process to make sure each player is in the class that is best for their development and will move kids around once they get an idea for the skill level of each class.

We do offer college and pro training and have a very large group of dedicated athletes who attend. These classes are by invitation only and cannot be registered for. If you are a college or professional athlete, please email nextlevelinfo9@yahoo.com for more information.

We offer several different types of classes, including Technical Training, skill specific training (Opposite Foot and Shooting & Finishing), and position specific functional training (Mid/Forward/Back). We follow international guidelines regarding position specific functional training and offer those classes to athletes aged 13+.

A Technical Training class will cover such skills as first touch, speed of play, change of speed, change of direction, 1 v 2, 2 v 3, and other foot skills. We recommend you begin in a Technical Training class before taking a skill or position specific class.

Skill specific classes focus on certain skills within the game. For example, Shooting & Finishing will spend very little time on passing, trapping, and dribbling, instead focusing mainly on learning to strike a ball and scoring goals. In an Opposite Foot class athletes will work solely on strengthening their weak foot and learning to master the ball with their weak foot and build confidence as a two footed player.

Our Functional classes are Mid Forward Functional (MFFT), Outside Back Mid Functional (OBMFT), and Forward Functional (FFT). Position specific classes are geared 100% towards the nuances of that certain position. For example, our OBMFT class spends most of the session working on opening up, playing balls down the line, attacking down a line to serve a cross, attacking to combine with a forward, etc.

All our training sessions are progressive and build week to week. However, the skill sets in the game do not change. As kids and classes develop, we introduce new skills and combination patterns to continually challenge them. We do not progress or move on if classes are behind certain skill sets as we want to make sure they understand and can grow and build properly in important skill components.

As soccer is a fast-paced sport, all classes incorporate various aspects of these skills during our training drills, but we do not specifically train for speed, agility, & quickness. If you are interested in concentrated training in one of those areas, a gym or personal trainer would be best.

We recommend those new to our training begin in a Technical Training class in their age group. If you cannot find one or would like to work on a specific skill, you may register for one of those in your age group.

No, please do not register for a class outside your child’s age group. There are many factors that determine why someone may ‘play up’ and not all are skill based. In addition, it is not fair for the older athletes who are more developed players to have to slow down or check themselves so your child does not get hurt. Our trainers monitor classes very closely and will move your child to a developmentally appropriate class if needs be.

No, please do not register for an older class even if you were in one during a previous session. Several factors contribute to our decision to move someone to another class and those change dramatically from session to session. For example, it may be you were moved because the class you initially registered for had a lot of new kids and we bumped you up because you’ve trained a couple sessions. The class rosters change from session to session because people’s schedules change from session to session, so the conditions that led to you being moved may no longer be a factor.

We do, yes. If you are interested in having your team train with NLT, see the FAQs below for more information. Please email Marissa at nextlevelinfo9@yahoo.com with any questions or to get on the scheduling list.

Team training for the full 8-week session will be $2400 for up to 18 participants. We require payment in full by or before your first class. Payment should come from one source: one check (made to NLT), one Venmo (ABNLT9; 9007; Aaron Byrd) transaction, one cc payment (3% fee), or one cash payment (exact amount in sealed & labeled envelope). As group leader you are responsible for collecting payment from your club or your families. We understand these are unique times and are willing to work with you regarding payments. If you would like to discuss payment options, please email Marissa at nextlevelinfo9@yahoo.com. Please contact us for pricing if you have more than 18 participants.

Because team training is a flat rate NLT will not issue a refund should one of your families drop out of training. If you would like to issue them a refund that is at your discretion, but NLT does not require you to do so. Please make sure your families are aware of this policy.

If your training day falls on one with only 7 weeks of training, we will prorate cost.

Individual cost can be determined by dividing the flat rate of $2400 by the number of participants. For example, if your team has 10 players, the individual cost is $240.

No, individual members of team training do not receive make up classes. We include this information in every team confirmation, but as we send confirmations to the team organizer, we ask them to make their families aware of our policies.

Teams pay a flat rate regardless of the number of participants, so we do not issue refunds to individual members. You are welcome to ask your organizer for a refund, but that will increase cost for the remaining participants, and we do not require them to issue you one.

We offer a variety of summer camps during July & August. Most camps run Monday-Friday from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.

Our summer camps are all ages 6+. Many people with younger children opt to start out attending half days but are welcome to switch to full day if they wish.

Yes, our camps are all ages, and we have a large group of skilled older players who attend. We typically group participants 13+ together.

On your first day of camp (Monday for most campers), please line up at the tables for check in. If you have paperwork or payment to turn in or need to fill out camp forms, please line up at that table to complete your registration. If you are simply checking in, please let the trainers know who you are checking in and grab their camp t-shirt/s. Campers are not required to wear their t-shirt, it is your gift with purchase. Please note t-shirts are for those attending all day camp for the week.

No, adults only need to check in on their camper’s first day of camp. After that, you are welcome to drop kids and leave. Groups will meet every morning in the spot assigned on Monday morning. You may set up tents in the same area all that week.

Because we offer many different camps and ways to attend camp, our pricing varies, so be sure to look at the camp flier for most up to date pricing information. We accept cash, check (made to NLT), Venmo (ABNLT9; 9007; Aaron Byrd), or CC (3% fee).

For our 5-day summer camps, the cancellation policy is as follows:

• Cancel within 1 month of the event – 100% refund (e.g. camp 7/2 cancel by 6/03)
• Cancel within 3 weeks of the event – 75% refund (e.g. camp date 7/2 cancel by 6/10)
• Cancel within 2 weeks of the event – 50% refund (e.g. camp date 7/2 cancel by 6/17)

For cancellations occurring with less than 2 weeks’ notice no refund will be provided as we have already scheduled our trainers at this point based on the number of participants registered for camp.

Throughout the years we have had several children with medical conditions from diabetes to severe allergies participate in our camps. As long as the condition is fairly easily controlled, and we are aware beforehand it should not be a problem. We have an allergy list at camp and review it with camp trainers at each camp. In addition, there is always an adult in the tent able to help should a problem arise. If your child requires an EpiPen they can keep it in their bag for easy access.

Kids should come dressed appropriately to play soccer. They should bring a ball, plenty of water, and sunscreen. While we no longer take a long lunch break, we suggest bringing snacks as kids are burning a lot of energy in the sun. We recommend fruit as it is also very hydrating.

Since our camps run 9:00-1:00 we do not take an extended lunch break. However, we do recommend packing snacks as kids will burn a lot of energy running around at camp. In addition to mini breaks throughout the day, we will take a 15 minute “lunch” break so kids can eat.

Yes, campers can refill their water bottles at all camp locations. We offer frequent rehydration breaks and have cases of water on site in case someone forgets their water bottle.

Yes. We pick up all items left behind at the end of the day and put them in a pile on the field by the tent the following morning for reclaiming. If you are not able to get your items before camp ends for the week, please email us and, if we find it, we will try to get it to one of our locations for you.

Each of our camp locations has some form of shelter that we can use in case of a storm. If it is simply raining, we will play through. If there is thunder & lightning, we will take shelter and wait it out. In the unlikely event the storm rages all afternoon, we will call parents to pick up and offer a make-up day at one of our other camps. We will not offer a refund for the missed day if you opt not to attend another camp.

Yes, summer in Michigan is often hot. Since we are also out running around in the heat, we are aware it can be uncomfortable. We offer frequent breaks for rest and water throughout the day, and we take about an hour for lunch. During these periods the kids are welcome to sit in the shade and rest. As most locations are open fields with very little shade, you are welcome to bring a tent as well. Tents must be taken down at the end of each day.

Yes, you are welcome to set up a tent to provide shade for your children. You are responsible for tent set up and take down. Tents must come down every day.

Yes and no. We offer water breaks and kids should take that opportunity to have a snack if they desire, but adults should instruct their kids to make sure they are keeping on top of these things. We are more hands on with the youngest group, but the older kids should be responsible for drinking water and reapplying sunscreen.

While we no longer have an extended lunch break, you should still pack some food and snacks as they will likely want to refuel during camp.

Yes, you are welcome to stay and observe camp. We ask that you please leave coaching to our staff and observe silently. Please note some locations only allow use of their parking lots for drop off and pick up so if you are going to remain you will have to move your car.

You will not receive a confirmation for summer camp. When you submit your registration, you are signed up for the camp. You will only be notified if the camp is full.

We do offer sibling and team discounts. Please see the current camp flier for the most up to date pricing and information.