Minnesota Thunder Academy

Minnesota Thunder Academy offers Thunder Sparks, a parent-and-child soccer program for ages 234, ThunderBolts coach-led training for U5b7U7, Juniors teams for U8b7U12, and ECNL, ECNL-RL, N1, and regional teams for older boys and girls. It also offers Thunder Edge winter ball-mastery and striking sessions, NextGen Training in small groups, and a Goalkeeper Program for U11b7U19.

Programs

• Thunder Sparks — Ages 2–4; boys and girls · 1x per week, 30-minute sessions; Fall, Winter, Spring · $110–$204 per session · Parent-and-child soccer; no tryout needed; register by season.
• ThunderBolts — U5–U7; boys and girls · 1x per week, 60-minute sessions; Fall, Winter, Spring · $125–$470 per session · Year-round, coach-led training; no tryout needed; register any season.
• Juniors — U8–U12; boys and girls · 3–4x per week, Aug–July (U8: 2x) · Year-round TCSL teams with licensed, paid coaches. Includes U8 and Pre-ECNL.
• Girls ECNL — U13–U18/19; girls · 3–5x per week, Aug–July (U15+ Nov–July) · Top platform for girls youth soccer. MTA is a founding club.
• Boys ECNL — U13–U18/19; boys · 3–4x per week, Aug–July (U15+ Nov–July) · A Boys ECNL team at every age, U13 through U18/19.
• Girls ECNL-RL — U13–U18/19; girls · 3–4x per week, Aug–July (U15+ Nov–July) · ECNL-RL Twin Cities conference, with showcase events and a June postseason.
• Boys ECNL-RL — U13–U18/19; boys · 3–4x per week, Aug–July (U15+ Nov–July) · ECNL-RL Midwest plus ECNL-RL Twin Cities or N1 locally.
• N1 — U13–U17; boys and girls · 3–4x per week, Aug–July (U15+ Nov–July) · National 1 League (formerly Minnesota NPL) for boys and girls.
• Thunder Girls Regional — U13–U14; girls · 3–4x per week, Aug–July · Year-round TCSL Regional teams for girls U13–U14.

At a glance

• Ages: 2–18 years old
• Price range: $110–$470 per session
• Current session: Winter 1 (Nov 1–Dec 20, 2026); Winter 2 (Jan 3–Mar 21, 2027); Spring 2027 (Apr 1–May 31, 2027); Spring/Summer 2027 (Apr 4–Jun 27, 2027); Fall 2027 (Sep 1–Oct 31, 2027)
• General schedule: Ages 2–4 program: Winter 1 Sundays 1:15–1:45 pm and 2:00–2:30 pm; Winter 2 Sundays 1:15–1:45 pm and 2:00–2:30 pm. U5–U7 program: Sundays 3:00–4:00 pm and 4:30–5:30 pm.

About the provider

The mission statement is: "Develop every player to the best of their ability." Leadership includes Greg Holker, Technical Director; Danny Storlien, Girls Director; Mark Yueill, Boys Director; Matt VanBenschoten, Juniors Director; Terry Leiendecker, Goalkeeping Director; Jeremy Driver, Executive Director; Tara Blastick, Operations Director; Maureen Brick, Finance Director; and Kate Zaver, Sporting Ops Director. The credentials listed include the only full ECNL pathway in Minnesota for boys and girls, 1,000+ college players, 40 professional players, 38 national team players, 34 Mr. / Ms. Soccer Minnesota winners, 18 Gatorade Players of the Year, 69 MN State Championships, 8 Regional Championships, 1 National Championship, 15 USC High School All-Americans, and 54 coaches, including former pros, college coaches, and D1 players.

• Thunder Edge — U9–U19; boys and girls · Saturdays, Oct 31 – Mar 27 · $520 · Winter ball-mastery and striking sessions, grouped by age and level.
• NextGen Training — MTA players; boys and girls · Small groups, max 10 per coach · Extra technical work for MTA players who want more.
• Goalkeeper Program — U11–U19; boys and girls · 1–2x per week, year-round · Specialist training for MTA keepers, led by a former pro. Included in player fees.

What families say

“The chemistry on my son's team is unlike anything we've ever experienced and we feel much of that is due to the example set by the coaches and club directors. We didn't know this kind of youth soccer existed in Minnesota and only wish we'd made the move earlier.” — Ashley B., MTA Parent

“My daughter has not only improved her skills since being part of the MTA program, she has gained confidence. It is truly a safe space for her and has been an incredible blessing to see her excited, happy and excelling.” — Amanda Jane F., MTA Parent

“I wanted to give him the best opportunity to first be coached by the best coaches in MN and second get some national exposure through ECNL. I believe that he has gotten both.” — Don R., MTA Parent

Last updated October 25, 2026.