Girls Academy Uses Veo to Transform Youth Soccer Development
Emma Jensen
Girls Academy Commissioner Trish Hughes explains how Veo's automated cameras solved their massive operational challenge of analyzing hundreds of games across 28 fields during week-long tournaments.
"There's a lot of footage that is used, as Kelly indicated, to break down the game and teach the kids about the game analysis and all that good stuff," says Trish Hughes, Commissioner of the Girls Academy.
Hughes discovered this during the organization's summer showcase and playoffs event in California. The massive scale of Girls Academy competitions creates unique challenges for player development and coaching analysis.
This represents how modern youth soccer organizations are leveraging technology to provide professional-level development opportunities for young female athletes.
Girls Academy's massive operational challenge
Trish Hughes has been Commissioner of the Girls Academy for several years, overseeing one of the largest youth soccer organizations in the United States. Her experience spans the transition from the former Development Academy system to creating an independent pathway for elite female players.
The Girls Academy now serves over 36,000 young women across 233 clubs nationwide. Hughes manages events involving "hundreds of games going on over the course of seven days, 28 fields from seven in the morning till 10 at night," she explains.
This operational complexity represents the challenge facing youth soccer organizations: how to provide meaningful development opportunities at scale while maintaining quality coaching and analysis.
The problem with traditional game analysis methods
Before implementing comprehensive video analysis, Girls Academy faced significant challenges in providing consistent player development feedback across their massive events. Traditional coaching methods couldn't scale to match the organization's growth and ambitions.
"We want to provide an experience to every single kid," Hughes emphasizes, "so that every kid as part of that journey feels cared for. They feel like they have an opportunity."
Without systematic video capture and analysis, coaches struggled to provide detailed feedback to players across hundreds of simultaneous games. The sheer volume of matches made it impossible for staff to observe and analyze every crucial moment that could impact player development.
The stakes were high: Girls Academy serves as the primary pathway for young women seeking collegiate and professional soccer opportunities in the United States.
How Veo solved Girls Academy's scale problem
Hughes partnered with Veo to address the massive logistical challenge of capturing and analyzing footage across their events. "They work in support of recording all of the games," she explains, highlighting how Veo handles the technical complexity behind the scenes.
The automated camera system allows Girls Academy to maintain consistent video coverage across all 28 fields during their week-long events. "The documentary has really enabled us to tell truly our story, the human side of the story, and what the modern athlete needs," Hughes notes.
Veo's platform supports both tactical analysis and storytelling. Coaches can "break down the game and teach the kids about the game analysis," while the organization captures compelling content that showcases player development journeys.
The partnership enables Girls Academy to scale professional-level analysis across their entire network. Hughes sees this as part of a broader vision: "We believe the Girls Academy is truly a destination for young women to grow as humans while experiencing a great soccer journey."
Transform your youth soccer program today
Hughes' experience demonstrates how video analysis can support large-scale youth development programs. Ready to discover what comprehensive game coverage can do for your organization? Veo experts are standing by to help you get started.
"There's a lot of footage that is used, as Kelly indicated, to break down the game and teach the kids about the game analysis and all that good stuff," says Trish Hughes, Commissioner of the Girls Academy.
Hughes discovered this during the organization's summer showcase and playoffs event in California. The massive scale of Girls Academy competitions creates unique challenges for player development and coaching analysis.
This represents how modern youth soccer organizations are leveraging technology to provide professional-level development opportunities for young female athletes.
Girls Academy's massive operational challenge
Trish Hughes has been Commissioner of the Girls Academy for several years, overseeing one of the largest youth soccer organizations in the United States. Her experience spans the transition from the former Development Academy system to creating an independent pathway for elite female players.
The Girls Academy now serves over 36,000 young women across 233 clubs nationwide. Hughes manages events involving "hundreds of games going on over the course of seven days, 28 fields from seven in the morning till 10 at night," she explains.
This operational complexity represents the challenge facing youth soccer organizations: how to provide meaningful development opportunities at scale while maintaining quality coaching and analysis.
The problem with traditional game analysis methods
Before implementing comprehensive video analysis, Girls Academy faced significant challenges in providing consistent player development feedback across their massive events. Traditional coaching methods couldn't scale to match the organization's growth and ambitions.
"We want to provide an experience to every single kid," Hughes emphasizes, "so that every kid as part of that journey feels cared for. They feel like they have an opportunity."
Without systematic video capture and analysis, coaches struggled to provide detailed feedback to players across hundreds of simultaneous games. The sheer volume of matches made it impossible for staff to observe and analyze every crucial moment that could impact player development.
The stakes were high: Girls Academy serves as the primary pathway for young women seeking collegiate and professional soccer opportunities in the United States.
How Veo solved Girls Academy's scale problem
Hughes partnered with Veo to address the massive logistical challenge of capturing and analyzing footage across their events. "They work in support of recording all of the games," she explains, highlighting how Veo handles the technical complexity behind the scenes.
The automated camera system allows Girls Academy to maintain consistent video coverage across all 28 fields during their week-long events. "The documentary has really enabled us to tell truly our story, the human side of the story, and what the modern athlete needs," Hughes notes.
Veo's platform supports both tactical analysis and storytelling. Coaches can "break down the game and teach the kids about the game analysis," while the organization captures compelling content that showcases player development journeys.
The partnership enables Girls Academy to scale professional-level analysis across their entire network. Hughes sees this as part of a broader vision: "We believe the Girls Academy is truly a destination for young women to grow as humans while experiencing a great soccer journey."
Transform your youth soccer program today
Hughes' experience demonstrates how video analysis can support large-scale youth development programs. Ready to discover what comprehensive game coverage can do for your organization? Veo experts are standing by to help you get started.
