Choices International & the West Ham United Foundation provide a premier high-performance gap-year solution for talented US players navigating the transition between elite youth soccer and the collegiate game.
Based in London, our residential development programme is strategically designed as a high-performance bridge for late developers and uncommitted recruits who need an additional year to mature physically and tactically before stepping onto a college campus. Crucially, our structural framework allows players to undergo intensive development while strictly protecting their NCAA 5-year continuous eligibility clock.
What We Deliver for Players:
Elite Immersion: Players are immersed in a professional training environment led by UEFA-qualified West Ham United Academy staff, competing in regular fixtures against top-tier UK academies.
The NCAA Readiness Dossier: Through our sports science integration with the Human Performance Department at the University of East London (UEL), athletes undergo rigorous testing. We return players to the US equipped with comprehensive GPS tracking metrics, physical data profiles, and tactical video analysis—demonstrating they are ready for the collegiate level.
Holistic Development: Beyond the pitch, players benefit from a culturally enriching London experience and structured daily timetables, ensuring they mature into independent student-athletes.
Partner With Us in Kansas City:
We are actively building institutional talent pipelines with college coaching teams, recruiting coordinators, and youth club directors. If you have talented recruits who aren't quite ready for your roster space this year or who are caught in a roster crunch, The West Ham United Foundation International Academy is your trusted overseas development solution.
Visit our booth to discuss how we can serve as a protected development corridor for your recruits.