The Drew Cunningham Mentorship Program is an amateur to professional pipeline to identify disabled athletes, empower high potential talent, and catalyze international power soccer careers in the United States.
Are you obsessed with perfecting your spin kick? Do you want to meet the top power soccer athletes in the U.S.? If you said yes to any of these, you need to apply to the Drew Cunningham Mentorship Program. Let’s call it the DCMP. This is a serious commitment. You will be tested. You will be mentored by a world class power soccer athlete. You will persevere with hard work. Don’t wait. Apply today.
The Drew Cunningham Mentorship Program (DCMP) is an amateur to professional pipeline. The DCMP is an annual award that pairs the awardee with a U.S. Power National Team (USPNT) athlete for a 6-month mentorship program to support and accelerate the awardee’s path to the national team. The mentor and mentee will meet virtually for 4 sessions and once in-person at Nationals.
The DCMP awardee will be afforded exclusive exposure and experience at an official USPNT training camp each year to observe the national team train, participate in team meetings, meals, and activities, and build relationships with USPNT athletes and staff while in camp. The DCMP will provide transport to and from the domestic USPNT camp, and room and board.
This is a highly competitive opportunity built in the image of Andrew “Drew” Cunningham to honor a legend of the sport and two-time member of the USPNT.
Applications open November 14, 2025 and will close December 19, 2025 (11:59 PDT)
“Growing up I was lucky enough to have attended U.S. Power Soccer training camps when I had just started playing. Seeing soccer played at that level made me fall in love with the sport. Those athletes were my heroes and I’m lucky enough to get to play with some of them today.”
– Zach Dickey, USPNT
“My growth as a power soccer player after the DCMP year has improved by providing clarification on several things in different aspects of the sport and personally, including giving me a boost in self confidence. It also helped me see that I can do hard things and be independent in my future.”
– Luke Bertsch, 2025 DCMP Awardee
Andrew “Drew” Cunningham grew up in Central New York. His love of power soccer began at the age of five, his jersey emblazoned with the number 25. Winning the Champions Cup in 2012 and the Premiere Cup in 2015 he eventually gained a reputation for a “beat ‘em up” style of play.
In 2017 Drew represented the US on the national stage at the 2017 FIPFA Powerchair Football World Cup in Kissimmee, FL. Drew was one of the youngest players to ever play on Team USA. In 2022, he earned a spot on the inaugural U.S. Power National Team player pool under the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Extended National Teams program.
At an early age, Drew’s drive for victory was only outpaced by his knack for smack-talk. Drew was one of the most competitive and skilled athletes on both sides of the pitch, all while supporting and lifting his team to elite levels of competition.
His sardonic sense of humor stood in contrast to the care and empathy that would take form when mentoring young, aspiring (and perhaps quiet) athletes. Drew understood their journey because he knew exactly what they were going through.
Drew’s constant drive to grow and evolve as an athlete, his need to be a part of a successful team, and his determination to compete at the highest level, are essential to highlight in his memory.
The mentor-mentee relationship is the foundation of the mentorship program. The DCMP committee will pair the awardee with an elite national team athlete matched by similar play style and personality. Over the course of 6 months, the mentor and mentee will meet in person at Nationals, and virtually to discuss goals, analyze film, build skills, and work on relationship building. The mentorship program culminates in a 2-day visit to a USPNT training camp (date and location TBD).
The DCMP helps young athletes reach elite levels of competition by placing them in a professional environment to envision their path to a career in power soccer. This is an immersive experience that will challenge and inspire.
Additional details on the application requirements can be found in the online Application here.
There is no application fee.
For any questions, please reach out directly to Peyton Sefick at peytonsefick@gmail.com
This is a free program made possible by generous donations to the USPSA in Drew Cunningham’s honor.
The applicant can use assistance in physically filling out the application, however the content needs to be the direct words and voice of the applicant.
Yes. We encourage repeat applications.
Please refer to the guidance in the online application here (See the lower section titled, “Supporting Material: Video Samples”). If you do not have links to pre-recorded games from the MK Battery Conference cup or other tournaments, please submit videos of you performing the two listed drills - Four Cone Dribbling and Rapid Fire (See Option 2).
No. You must choose either Option 1 or Option 2 detailed in the online application in the lower section titled, “Supporting Material: Video Samples.”
Please reach out directly to Andrew Hida at (hidavisuals@gmail.com). Please do not wait until the last minute to troubleshoot video uploads.
While adults may be eager to participate, the age cutoff at 16 (FIPFA World Cup age requirements) aligns with Drew Cunningham's strength of mentoring younger athletes. The program is designed to reflect Drew's image of an emerging athlete, focusing on the growth and development of power soccer skills at a critical age when guidance can have a long-term impact on an athlete’s journey. This ensures the mentorship focuses on nurturing young talent similarly to Drew’s experience.
For any questions, please reach out directly to Peyton Sefick at peytonsefick@gmail.com
“Getting the chance to meet my heroes at such a young age, and how they treated me, like part of the team, and believing in me…that gave me all the confidence I needed.”
– Riley Johnson, USPNT
