00 Mentoring for Athletes 10–16

Every decision that shapes a young career, guided by someone who has sat on every side of the table.

Parents of promising young soccer players face high-stakes calls—which academy, which club, when to move—with very little qualified guidance. Startup Sports Agency's mentoring program pairs your family with an experienced agent and academy director to make those calls with real information, not guesswork.

Take the 3-Minute Survey See What's Included

Currently in market research & pilot planning — your input shapes the final program.

What Guides This Program

Focus age range10–16

Led byFIFA Licensed Agent

Program cycleEvery 6 months

Individual performance analysis partnerAfter90

01 The Problem

Talent isn't the hard part. The decisions around it are.

Most families with a talented young athlete are navigating a path they've never walked before—evaluating academies, weighing club offers, deciding when a move makes sense, and figuring out what actually matters at each stage. These decisions compound over years, and getting them wrong can quietly cost an athlete real opportunities.

“Families don't lack support for their kids. They lack a qualified second opinion when it matters most.”

02 The Program

A development plan and a mentor, not just a report.

This is a complete, multidisciplinary mentoring program—built through the collaboration of certified professionals across different fields, not just one coach's opinion. Every family gets a structured, evidence-based read on where their athlete stands, and ongoing guidance to act on it. Membership and pricing details will be announced soon, at launch; here's what's confirmed to be included.

Included

Day 1 Report

A full evaluation of the athlete's characteristics, best-fit position, strengths and gaps—plus a multidisciplinary development plan built from it.

Baseline assessment

Included

Ongoing Mentoring

Recurring 1:1 sessions to guide decisions and track progress against the athlete's development plan.

Every cycle

Included

6-Month Report

A re-evaluation combining after90 performance data with expert analysis, to measure real progress—not just time passed.

Every 6 months

Included

Partner Network Discount

Member pricing on private training, physical preparation, sports psychology, nutrition, and other specialists as the athlete's needs evolve.

Ongoing

Included

Member Platform

A personal login where your athlete's data lives—stats, video, photos, and reports—built to store and track development evaluations over time, not just a single snapshot.

From day one

Included

Specialist Content

Exclusive webinars and workshops over Zoom, live and recorded, from leading professionals in the game—coaches, football directors, physical trainers, nutritionists, and sports psychologists, including academy staff who have developed players now among the biggest names in world football.

Ongoing

Included

Community

A private WhatsApp community of families on the same journey—alongside João and the network of specialists—to share educational content, ask questions, and support each other along the way.

Ongoing

after90 Performance data and reporting are coordinated with after90 by Lucas de Sá—a former college soccer player on scholarship in the US, now an assistant college coach and academy coach who knows the academy-to-college pathway firsthand. Follow after90 on Instagram →

03 Who's Behind It

One person, both sides of the desk.

João Filipe de Sá

Academy Sports Director · Sports Lawyer · FIFA Licensed Agent

João brings a rare, complete view of player development—from the boardroom to the touchline. Brazilian by background, he played through the country's own youth divisions before later managing a Brazilian club's academy pipeline—the same kind of system that has sent players to Europe's top leagues and the World Cup. Over 10 years as a FIFA licensed agent, football director, scout, sports lawyer, and performance analyst, he has helped shape the careers of young athletes at every stage, and now coaches within the US youth soccer system.

01FIFA Licensed Agent10+ years representing and advising athletes

02Former Football DirectorManaged club operations and athlete pathways from the inside

03Brazilian Academy BackgroundPlayed through Brazil's own youth divisions, then managed a club academy in the same system

04ScoutEvaluated players for clubs and academies

05Sports LawyerDeep knowledge of contracts and the legal side of a career

06Performance AnalystData-driven, on-field evaluation background

07US-Based CoachActive today within the American youth soccer system

FFAR Art. 13 João is certified in FIFA's framework for working with minors and their families. Under FIFA's Football Agent Regulations, an agent can only sign a minor within six months of their contract-eligible age—which is exactly why this program exists: to give families qualified guidance for the years before that window opens, not just after.

FIFA Football Agent License · #202312-5558 · Status: Valid · Authorized to represent minors since 09/09/2024

LinkedIn →

04 Case Study

What this path can look like.

— Tamara Bolt

From a 14-year-old prospect to Brazil's senior national team.

Tamara Bolt began working with João at age 14. She went on to turn professional in Brazil, then transferred abroad to Washington Spirit in the NWSL. In September 2026 she earned her first call-up to Brazil's senior Women's National Team, with the 2027 World Cup on home soil now firmly on the horizon.

Age she started

Brazil

Turned professional

NWSL

Washington Spirit

2026

First Brazil NT call-up

05 Network

Relationships built over a career, not a search engine.

When it's time to explore a move or an opportunity, having the right relationship matters as much as having the right athlete.

Americas

Direct contacts across MLS academies, NWSL clubs, and the Brazilian academy system João worked inside—the same pipeline behind many of the country's exports to Europe.

Europe

Relationships inside academy and first-team structures across major European football markets.

Asia

Growing ties with clubs and academies across Asia's expanding professional pathways.

Private Training Physical Preparation Sports Psychology Nutrition after90 Performance Data

06 Research

This program is being built with the families living it right now.

We're finalizing pricing and structure based on direct input from parents of young athletes. If that's you, three minutes of your time shapes the final program—no membership or commitment required.

Take the Survey → Takes about 3 minutes