The Making of Tomorrow’s Champions at NASA Tophat

At NASA Tophat, formed in 2016 as a result of a merger between Tophat Soccer Club (founded as an all-girls soccer club in 1982) and North Atlanta Soccer Association, it’s more than just about playing the game—it’s about building the players of tomorrow. Through partnerships with organizations like Girls Academy and tools like Veo, Tophat is changing the way young athletes grow, train, and succeed.

In the spring of 2024, Veo joined the club's U16 Girls' team at the prestigious Champions Cup, hosted by The Girls Academy. The Girls Academy League is the leading youth development platform for the best female soccer players in the United States and includes ten conferences, 94 clubs, and over 13,000 players across the nation. It has been a long-term partner with Veo. The same holds true for NASA Tophat, which adopted Veo approximately four years ago and has integrated it across multiple teams, making it a key tool in its coaching strategy.

Thanks to this commitment to both advanced coaching methods and technology, NASA Tophat has seen its players rise to new heights. A number of their talented players have now earned Division 1 scholarships, showcasing the effectiveness of the club’s philosophy and tools. These young women, who once started as hopeful players on the field, are now on their way to representing top-tier college programs, fueled by the development that began at NASA Tophat.

Commitment, Humility, Resilience, and Confidence

The club's philosophy goes beyond developing skilled players—it’s about shaping well-rounded individuals ready for any challenge. Troy Garner, the club’s Director of Coaching since 2010, outlines how the club’s values and approach to coaching have fostered success.

“The core values of our club are: Commitment, Humility, Resilience, and Confidence,” Garner explains. “As a club, our teams play a possession style in which we focus on playing through the lines, even at a young age. We don’t play a very direct style, even though that may lead to more victories at younger ages. The manner in which our teams play is predicated on all players being comfortable on the ball and all players being involved in our possession.”

This long-term vision is reflected in the club’s emphasis on technique from an early stage: “We know that our players will be more complete players in the long term if they are allowed to achieve confidence and competence on the ball. Thus, we have a tremendous focus on technique and its application from a very young age so that the players are able to play within our system and progress regarding their ability to manipulate and master the ball.”

‍

Garner’s coaching philosophy is also centered around encouraging decision-making and creativity: “We believe in a teaching methodology in which the coach gives the players ideas and choices. The coach then allows the player to pick from those choices and/or hopefully create some ideas or solutions to the problems that a particular game or situation presents. The coach is a teacher who offers ways to solve the problems while not telling the player the exact way to solve the problem or arrive at the solution. The player has to do that for herself.”

At NASA Tophat, individual skill development is at the forefront. “Tophat teams play to a standard, and we believe that we will be successful, from an individual and collective/team perspective, if we attempt to achieve that standard every time that we step on the field in training and in games,” says Garner. “The intensity and specificity of our daily training environment should give our players the absolute best chance of being successful during the week in training and on the weekend games.”

Garner also underscores the importance of mental toughness when transitioning to the collegiate level: “As a coach, I focus on the process of learning and competing, which will lead to the best outcome most of the time. To be successful in college, players must be mentally tough, consistently compete, and be adaptable as the style of play may change from game to game depending on the opponent. Therefore, we create challenging and demanding training environments with consistently high expectations so that their college training environment may be different from their club training environment, but it will not be more demanding.”

Video Technology as Part of the Journey

The philosophy isn’t just a set of principles—it’s a lived experience for the players who have grown within NASA Tophat’s system. The club’s approach has paved the way for a group of their talents to receive Division 1 scholarships and a future in college soccer.

“Committing to Syracuse University was such a surreal feeling. From getting to know the girls and seeing the campus and facilities, I felt an instant connection I hadn't experienced anywhere else. I could really tell how much they genuinely supported the girls, and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of the program,” says Madilyn Wright, a midfielder in the 2026 class.

‍

In addition to Madilyn Wright, her teammates Sydney Snow committed to Brigham Young University and Kelly Kennedy to Stanford University. For them too, it was a dream come true when they received the good news.

“When I committed to BYU, I felt so excited that not only was I going to get to play at my dream school, but I also was going to get the opportunity to play at an elite D1 level that would continue to develop me as a player and a person,” says Sydney Snow, while Kelly Kennedy has had the dream ever since she switched to NASA Tophat.

“When I found out I finally committed, it was like a big relief was off my shoulders and a joy I haven’t had in a while. Since I really started taking soccer seriously when I switched clubs to NASA Tophat, I knew I wanted to be a D1 soccer player.”

They all share in common that they grew up with video technology as a natural tool in their player development. For every NASA Tophat game, there’s a Veo camera on the sideline, which has also helped them off the field when analyzing their performances on the pitch.

“Veo has been incredibly influential in my development as a player. I've used it to review footage from almost every one of my games and my opponents. Whether I’m analyzing my own performance or my team is preparing for game day by studying our opponent, Veo has always been a valuable tool for improving our game,” says Madilyn Wright. She continues: “It allows me to break down key moments, such as positioning, decision-making, and technical skills, so I can make adjustments for the future. Veo has also played a crucial role in showcasing my skills to college coaches, giving them the opportunity to watch me play on their own time, even if they hadn’t seen me in person. It's a tool that has genuinely elevated how I approach my games and practices.”

Both Sydney Snow and Kelly Kennedy emphasize how Veo has helped them in their recruiting process. They’ve been able to easily create highlight reels, which they’ve sent to scouts.

“Once I was in high school, I started using Veo to help me in my recruiting process. I would clip highlights of the Veo games and put them in a highlight reel to send out to coaches. This was so important for me, especially with BYU, because it is located all the way across the country from me. I was able to consistently send them highlight videos during my freshman and sophomore years and stay on their radar even though I was in Atlanta,” says Sydney Snow before sharing her first experience using the Veo camera as a U14 player.

“My previous coach would have me send him three good clips and three bad clips from each game along with an explanation of what I did well and what I could improve on. I have consistently reviewed my recorded games on Veo since then.”

Through highlight reels on the Veo platform, Kelly Kennedy has also achieved the dream of becoming a D1 player. Now, she’s chasing the dream of continuing on the national team.

“Veo has helped me on my journey, watching videos with my dad or having to send videos to coaches. I think Veo played a crucial role in my recruiting process. My goals as a soccer player were to be a D1 soccer player and to continue my love for the sport on the professional side and hopefully continue on the national team.”

‍

‍Veo and Girls Academy Capturing Talents

In the summer of 2023, Veo's partnership with Girls Academy was taken to the next level. Expanding from being the Official Video Camera Partner to becoming the Official Video Partner, Veo now provides a comprehensive solution, including video capture, analysis, and league-wide video exchange.

For NASA Tophat, this partnership has been invaluable. “The players can see the games on their phones, which makes constant viewing (and therefore evaluation and learning) convenient. The cameras and video also allow the staff to evaluate the players and teams consistently to see positive or negative trends within the team or individual player dynamic and to make the appropriate changes so the players continue to grow,” says Garner.

This access to video footage has not only benefited the players by enabling self-reflection but also supports the coaching staff in tracking progress and refining training methods. Through this technology, Veo has become an essential tool for player development, contributing to a higher level of performance and learning.

For Girls Academy as a whole, Veo has become an integral part of player development and talent identification. With easier access to high-quality video footage, players, coaches, and scouts can collaborate more effectively, raising the standard across the league.

‍