Our overall strategy is to develop players who will progress through the Centre age groups into the Youth Team and then move to the First Team. This is something that we will be striving to achieve in the near future.

The Centre operates a 36- week Football League programme which sees the our Under 9s to Under 16s train twice a week and fixtures played either home or away on Sunday mornings against regional Football League opposition.

The Centre of Excellence develops teams at Under 9 to Under 16 age groups as well as our Under18s Youth Team.

The Centre itself draws on the skills and experience of a variety of people including the coaching, medical, welfare and administrative staff.

The aims and objectives of the Hartlepool United Centre of Excellence are as follows:-

Centre of Excellence Aims:

- To identify and recruit the most talented boys, within the locality of the Centre of Excellence
- To provide quality coaching, education and welfare at all age groups, and at all levels
- To enhance player development, incorporating the principles of LTPD and the FA's 4 Corner Model, providing individuals with both technical, physiological, psychological and social knowledge to achieve their full potential
- To identify, recruit and develop the most talented coaches within the locality of the Centre of Excellence
- To be advocates for and 'live' best practice in terms of developingplayers, officials and coaches in line with The FA's Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures

Centre of Excellence Objectives:

- To develop players to a standard consistent with the highest levels infootball
- To establish squads for Under 9s to Under 18age groups
- To establish a challenging and structured technical programme, incorporating the principles of LTPD, which is to be followed by all coaching staff
- To provide a suitable games programme for all age groups