This afternoon we received an update from both US Club Soccer and NorCal Premier, with guidelines for the Conv-19 outbreak.

As per the guidelines please see as follows –

• Local clubs to make their own decision on practices based on their county guidelines.
• NorCal Premier will be suspending all competitions until March 31^st.

As an organization we are under the 1000-person threshold for canceling mass gatherings of people, and all events are outdoors. We will be monitoring both Alameda County guidelines, and the policies set by the school district through their communication with county superintendents. Please see the following link – https://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/pf4/cms2/news_themed_display?id=1579858471843

The following are the measures being taken by Fremont YSC, and we ask for your co-operation –

• Practices and programs will continue as normal
  • Parents, please remain in your cars and do not gather at the playing location during practices.
  • When picking up your child, if your child is younger and needs guidance back to the car, please come and pick up your child, but do not hang around to create any gatherings.
• Take the following preventative measures –
  • No handshakes, hi fives or huddles at practices.
  • Do not share any drinking containers.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    • If a player is feeling sick, please keep them at home, and do not send to practice until back to full health.
    • If any player or immediate family member is tested as positive for Coronavirus, please contact the club ASAP.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

We understand everyone will have a different approach to how they want to combat and prevent the virus, and while we feel it is still safe to continue as per the guidelines from local districts and the county, if you do not feel comfortable attending a practice or session, then please stay home and return to practices when you are comfortable.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep up to date with the Fremont Unified School District guidelines.

The following contains information about the weeks practice. The email will outline the sessions that have been completed and what the players worked on. We have a player centric, proactive curriculum which ensures the players will cover all the necessary mechanics, skill work, and give players a chance to be decision makers and creative players. Through the long-term development from U8 to U19, the players will pass through different stages and priorities as outlined in the program welcome meeting.

While during practice the players will be given the tools they need, if an individual wants to push on with playing at a higher level and performing to the best of their ability, practicing at home will always give them that extra edge, and we can’t encourage enough for those with passion for the sports to practice in their own time. This also avoids unnecessary over-training of structured practices continuously throughout the week.

ADP Training Pool, U8 and Competitive Ages

• Passing 3

Players working in pairs, moving around the playing area passing between gates. Competitions and conditions placed upon the practice to encourage intensity of the session, and challenges to the players, while still allowing freedom of the player to make mistakes and decisions. Opponents added for transition from technique to skill acquisition where the action of the pass is now in a game related activity.

• Small Sided Games, Free Play

Free play is vitally important, and more of this is needed in youth sports. https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/ This gives empowerment to the individual player to perform with creative actions and to use the game situation to problem solve, not relying on the instructions from external sources outside of the games context.

Fundamental Learning Stage

Mesocycle – Defending

Game Day Reference –  Defending in 1v1 Situations

11’s to 08’s Competitive Teams

• Pressure as 1st Defender

In a 1v1 situation, the player defending works on the approach to engage with the attacker in possession of the ball. Players are taught how to press by the speed of approach, the body shape on approach, and the adjustment to slowing down to affect the possessors space in possession of the ball. As players get older or have a greater understanding, the introduction of a second attacker changes the situation where the defender must now press at an angle and change body positioning based on the spaces.

• SSG 1

A game with multiple scoring options. Small sided games allows for the player to be in a game situation, while experiencing different game scenarios through the constraints and conditions placed on the game. This optimizes the players cognitive and socio-affective structure.

• Thursdays Free Play

Free play is vitally important, and more of this is needed in youth sports. https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/ This gives empowerment to the individual player to perform with creative actions and to use the game situation to problem solve, not relying on the instructions from external sources outside of the games context.

Specific Learning Stage

Mesocycle – WE, Switching Point of Attack

Game Day Reference – Switching play to find 1v1 in wide corridors

07’s to 05’s

• Physiological Development – Shooting 2

A physiological conditioning session where high repetition of sprints, and progressing into speed endurance, to match the needs of a position specific to wide corridors where players need to attack advanced spaces at speed and recover upon losing possession of the ball. The technical session is around shooting, where the game structure conditions players to find open spaces of co-operation, away from the possessor of the ball, but where the target is to shoot when opportunity is available.

• Player Movement and Body Shape

A possession session where players movement and body positioning adjusts depending on the position and direction of the ball, and supporting players. At younger age or level of ability, the priority is to get player adjusting body shape to open their body to the field on their first touch for a positive touch in to space. As players develop, the player movement of disguising the pass, moving in to the pass and allowing it to roll, and movement to see as much of the field as possible to take in as much useful information as the player can. Playing concept of before, during, and after, to optimize the players perception of the on field situation, the decision making of the action to be taken once in possession, and building on from the play once the pass has been completed.

• Thursdays Free Play

Free play is vitally important, and more of this is needed in youth sports. https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/ This gives empowerment to the individual player to perform with creative actions and to use the game situation to problem solve, not relying on the instructions from external sources outside of the games context.

Performance Learning Stage

Mesocycle – Pre-Season

Game Day Reference – N/A

04’s and Older

• Physiological Conditioning – Injury Prevention & Core Activation

A circuit of exercises to engage the core through hip hinge movements, and glute activation. A low intensity and low impact session for recovery purposes and re-entry in to the week of practice. A significant amount of time allotted to stretching, loosening up the posterior chain, and hip-flexor muscles.

04 and 02 age groups practice small sided rondos, in a low impact session for managing intensity following the weekend games.

• Physiological Development – Agility through Passing

A movement activity with the ball, in small groups where opening up the playing area, and moving off from the direction of the pass provides a practices where players game related agility is optimized. Players body positioning to receive the pass open to the next pass, and the body movement to disguise the next pass. In the moment of the action the ‘stop action reflex’ is challenges from the crossing movement of other players within the playing area, again forcing players to react and change direction at speed to maintain possession of the ball.

• Preseason Scrimmage

Age groups combine to play in scrimmages against each other, both playing age up and age down, with the priority of match day fitness, with the 11v11 perfectly replicating the demands of a match day. The physiological differences in age allow for players to be under pressure in both attack and defending principles where they cannot rely on their physical make-up but must rely on their speed of thought to overcome the disadvantage of physical size.

Every session is structured to facilitate all four pillars of the players development, and to include challenges, targets, and competition to get players to push themselves further. We are a program that heavily focuses on the players individual development, and not to get caught up in the race for trophies and excessive travel to unnecessary tournaments. If you ever have any questions about the Fremont YSC philosophy, and the proactive curriculum, we are always available to answer.

Breakdown of mechanics in technique – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/technical-tactical/

Fremont YSC Playing Identity – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/playing-identity-of-the-club/

To all club members, please take the time to carefully read through the following information provided by NorCal Premier.

With the recent cases of the COVID-19 virus in California, we wish to communicate to all NorCal member clubs, teams, players, coaches, game officials & families about best practices to protect everyone at soccer events. We encourage everyone to follow the recommended guidelines from the California Department of Public Health to protect themselves and those around them from any virus including respiratory viruses like COVID-19. To help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, please follow these important tips:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, like in this video from the CDC. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• All adults and children should stay home when sick. Share this video with your children and loved ones to teach them to cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Individuals with chronic health issues and/or individuals experiencing severe symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.
• California Department of Public Health does not recommend the use of face masks for general prevention and says that hand-washing provides better protection from infectious diseases.

At this time, NorCal competitions & events will continue as scheduled. We will continue to monitor the situation, and update if there are any changes to this plan. In addition to the CDC & California Department of Public Health recommendations, please see the recommendations below for NorCal games & practices in order for us all to protect ourselves and those around us.

• Players or parents feeling ill should not attend NorCal soccer matches or practices
• No handshakes, high fives, fist pumps, chest bumps, huddles, group celebrations, etc.
• No pre or post game handshakes between players, coaches & officials – teams should continue to show good sportsmanship by clapping or cheering for the opposition team
• Drinks bottles should NOT be shared
• NPL Games – home team should NOT provide water jugs for communal usage, each player should bring their own drinks bottle
• Referees only should sign the game card – there should be a verbal acknowledgement from coaches that the information is correct so that the referee may sign
• If you bring food or drinks to games, please ensure that you discard of any items yourself
• All players & teams are advised to carry & use hand sanitizer

We would like to welcome Adam Fettes to the Community Advisory Group at Fremont YSC.

Adam is a huge soccer fan, from his playing days as a child, and to now watching his boys practicing and playing with Fremont YSC. Adam is bringing his expertise in Business Development to the group, and we all look forward to having him join us on our soccer journey. Adam fits the Fremont YSC profile of understanding the need for kids to play, and how the kids are the central focus of a youth organization, allowing the kids to take ownership and to be in an environment for the athlete to grow not just as a player but also as a human.

Earlier this month Fremont YSC Director of Coaching, Gavin Carvalho, attend an educational event with Raymond Verheijen. Raymond Verheijen is held in high regard throughout world soccer, having coaching positions with the Dutch national team, Welsh national team, and consulted for world heavy weights Argentina.

Individual Training within the Team Environment
Presented By Raymond Verheijen

100% of all sports coaches in the world want their players to give 100% when they are on the pitch, so why are coaches not giving 100% of their effort at the same time?

With statements like this, Raymond Verheijen set the tone for the day of instruction by letting all the coaches in attendance know that he wanted, and we needed to be as good as we can be at every possible opportunity.

Addressing the individual player
“Players can learn from what a coach says, but more from how the coach behaves on and off the field”
Every player learns in their own way, be it visual, auditory or kinesthetic and our responsibility as a coach/educator is to find the most optimal method of learning for each individual player. At Fremont YSC, each activity is shown with a group of players where the coach describes the activity and the focus for the auditory learners, demonstrate the activity for the visual learners and run the activity for the kinesthetic learners. This process ensures that every player’s optimal learning style is addressed, and each player has the best opportunity to learn.

Tactical Situations
The individual player’s roles and responsibilities can be communicated and demonstrated to the player within the team’s tactical sessions. It is a challenge for the coach to use the optimal learning method to address the educational needs of the player in that moment. Coaching the individual player during the game situation provides for the optimal coaching opportunity as you are working within the reference point. The player can see the direct impact of his learned actions to reinforce the behavior.

Football Analysis
Coaches must create the environment in practice and games that allows the players to see the problems, try out solutions, fail and learn the correct solution. The most ideal way is to allow them to play the game with minimal stoppages and offer short, concise instructions to players when they are off the ball.
Players can evaluate and find solutions in the game, It is our responsibility to ask the right questions to help them find the answers.

References
Raymond Verheijen focuses on the “what”. The “What” relates what you are going to teach, the point is made clear that the “how” cannot be told to us as our environment is completely different to his and the vice versa. The “What” is made clear by using reliable references.
Each coach must have a reference for each practice session and activity that is a part of it. This ideally is the real game scenario, a 11v11 game played on a full-sized soccer field. The coach can recognize areas to improve from the real game scenario to then address directly in the practice sessions. This would qualify as Objective Knowledge References as they are real game scenarios and can be relied upon.
It is important that we refrain from using Subjective Knowledge References, which refer to personal experiences and interpretations of those experiences. For example, a coach that reflects on his past playing days and says “Back in my day, we used to run 30 laps and do push ups after every practice, we were the best around”, that is the “Coach’s truth” as opposed to “The Truth”. Today’s truth is that those activities can be incorporated into the soccer practice through purposeful practice that is relevant to soccer specific fitness. We also cannot use a Barcelona vs Madrid game as a reference point for U13 Boys as their environment and more importantly, they’re “truth” is different than ours.

Per Verheijen’s Philosophy, Soccer is comprised of 4 different parts, very simple they are:

1. Communication: Refers to the tactical ideas and composition of the team and club. Sessions create complex scenarios and involve many players.
2. Decision Making: Refers to the execution of technique. Guided discovery is the primary coaching tool that is used. Asking the players purposeful questions about the in game scenario to engage them, help them find solutions which are they’re own which gets their buy-in and develops trust.
3. Executing decisions: Refers to the technical ability (dribbling, passing, shooting and defending) to execute the decisions. Focused on in the younger age groups, can be small sided to encourage repetition but must still have opposition.
4. Fitness: Ability to execute soccer specific actions at an optimal rate for the duration of a 90 minute game.

Verheijen stresses the importance of inputting the players into an “uncomfortable” environment to create the optimal learning experience, i.e. a challenging environment that is relevant to the game and activities/games that finish on goal, which is like the real game. The challenging environment can easily be created by inputting opposition into the majority of soccer activities that include the transition from attack to defense (we to they) and defense to attack (they to we).

We would like to take this moment to ask that everyone remind their child of the importance of being accepting of all players, no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or anything that could isolate an individual for being different. Occasionally we hear of a young child say something inappropriate to another player, and sadly the individual does not realize the tone or content of what they are saying. Kids can be mean at times without realizing what they are saying, understanding the context, or the affect it can have on the receiver.

Something we love within Fremont YSC, is the diversity of the membership, and cultural melting pot where we can all learn something from each other’s background. Even on staff we have individuals from north America, Central America, Europe, and Asia.

With today being President’s Day, it is a timely reminder of how unity and acceptance of others is so important in life, and for the development of young people as humans. The current Presidential leadership has a lot of hatred, fear, and discrimination. Please help us today to explain to our young players on the importance of being good people, as they are the future.

Soccer should be a place of harmony, enjoyment, and a safe environment where we are all accepted, no matter the level of play, and especially the socio-cultural identity of the player.

We can’t wait to see you all on the fields, where we come one.

Stronger Together.

The next installment of the Euro Academy Trip from December 2019.

Culture can cover many different areas, and blend in to other topics that differentiate the US and European soccer experience. The last post covered the difference between winning and development, and this is down to culture. This post will explore the culture in which soccer is lived.

In Europe, soccer is life, it is everything you breathe. When growing up your local town football team is everything to the player, and the team you follow stays with you, to change your team is unheard of, no matter how bad it might get.

“You can change your wife, your politics, your religion, but never, never can you change your favorite football team.” – Eric Cantona

Throughout the corridors of the academy clubhouses, the names of players who came through the youth groups are highlighted with pictures from the past, and quotes from their journey to the professional level. While these players are at the best academies in their respective countries, they feel no pressure in winning, but are encouraged to embrace a process and do what they can to be better every day. The education is vital for these players, as the reality is there is such a small chance of making the elite level even when starting from this position.

“As a kid, you obviously dream of being a professional footballer. I would watch players like Ronaldo of Brazil and pretend to be him on the playground. But I don’t think about trying to become one of the best in the world or anything like that. I just play football.”
– Gareth Bale

The game days is spectacle, where thousands of fans descend upon the stadium in their teams colors, arriving in plenty of time to start the chants of players and the club during the players warm up, and the continuous waving of flags and cheers to support the teams on the field. It’s this passion that bleeds in to the youth player. Young players will get hold of a ball before, during, and after school, with limited structured practices where kids go out and pretend to be the player they dream of becoming and learn through getting multiple contacts with the ball without an adult shouting at them to do it differently. Kids play in 2v2, 3v4, multiple age group, and a variety of playing surfaces, with no cones are structured goals, where they use their creative thinking and problem solving to get a small game going. No adults, no referees, and no league tables. This is street soccer, the most efficient and effective way for a player to learn. Our challenge in the US is the over structure of the game, and the adultification of telling the kids what to do, how to do it, and when to do it, not giving the youth player the freedom to make their own decisions.

Where the culture bleeds in to other areas of youth soccer, is the direction and dream of the player. In Europe the dream is to play for the team you support, to represent a foundation of a community, whereas in the US, the dream is of the illusive college scholarship. One rewards the intrinsic motivation and desire of a player, while the other is transactional.

How Can You Help

• Encourage and support the youth player in believing in the process. Support their development through empowering the player to make their own decisions in an environment free of pressure.
• Stop chasing brackets, trophies, and league championships. These are just a short term result of a priority placed on winning, and not the long term growth of a player. Its this pressure that burns out a player and results in the 70% drop of of players at 14.
• Make the game intrinsic, create a passion for the sport over the importance of a transaction in putting in money now for the reward of a scholarship.
• Be aware of the life lessons that are available through sports participation, being respectful, humble, passionate, and having a purpose, will set the player in a positive direction for their adult lives.

“I don’t believe skill was, or ever will be, the result of coaches. It is a result of a love affair between the child and the ball.”
Roy Keane

The recent trip taken by the Fremont YSC Directors, gave an opportunity for great insight in to how other countries, successful countries, are developing their players. This post will be exploring the differences in how Europe confronts the challenge in prioritizing winning vs development.

It’s important to remember that these are huge clubs, with multi-million dollar budgets, and are the elite of soccer, with some of the worlds best coming through their academies. Notably was how these academies worked together, to find the best pathway and environment for the player. The following are differences between the US model and that used in the Netherlands.

All players are used, very few players need to sit out, and the game system develops throughout the playing event. With the focus shifted to the development of the player, there is less time and resources placed on the demands of lining multiple fields, specific outlines, and players within the game are given the freedom to regulate and decide on appropriate parameters of the game, and this even goes as far as not needing referees. This keeps the money within the game and not out to referees, this could save clubs a fortune, and get clubs to work closer together, but this made possible by no focus on results. When the importance of the scoreline is taken away there are less confrontations and any need for referees.

With the focus and importance placed on the scoreline, there is less investment in the process. It also means coaches cannot make decisions based on the benefit of the individual player, but what will get them the win, but that is the adult world. Coaches need to be rotating players through different positions, and setting out the players to achieve a solution to a given problem through the practice topic.

This is where winning and development cannot co-exist, as their priorities are different, and the process is different, therefore not pulling in the same direction to reach a common goal.

How Can You Help

By investing in and supporting the process, this gives both the coach and players freedom to make mistakes, learn, and grow. From the players perspective, the chance to play without stress gives them an opportunity to try new skills and be a decision maker on the field. Reading up on the clubs vision and philosophy will help with understanding the direction and purpose of the club. The focus on a game day from a parent should be age appropriate and specific to their own child, and not based a comparison with a different player. The importance should also be placed on the player being out and playing, and that you enjoy watching them play.

Some things we cannot change, and this needs to come from the higher organizations that govern soccer in the US, but at a local level we can all help with making change.

An Elite Coaches Insight – https://www.ted.com/talks/valorie_kondos_field_why_winning_doesn_t_always_equal_success?language=en

This past December the directors from Fremont YSC went on a tour of Germany and Holland to visit some of Europe’s most successful academies.

Click here for a more in depth look at the information and details from the trip – https://www.dropbox.com/s/r8vyd9d3xas5vq9/Coach%20Education%20Tour%202019.pdf?dl=0

The trip included visits to the clubs, and game analysis of Eredivise and Bundesliga games.

The tour was an insight in to areas of benefit for us in reference to soccer in the USA vs Europe, the structure of grassroots programs and academies, and the challenges we face in the US to make soccer better for the youth player.

Over the coming weeks we will be releasing posts on where we are right now in the US in reference to youth soccer, the challenges we face as a club, and how we can all work together to make Fremont YSC a leading educational soccer program.

We already have the methodology and structures in place, but the experience gained from these trips and the visit of the elite like Frans Hoek, will continue to drive us in the right direction and do what is best for the youth player.

This Tuesday 14th January, we had the incredible opportunity at Fremont YSC, to have the personal education experience of Frans Hoek.

Frans have been the senior staff coach at Europe’s biggest clubs, including Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United, while also coaching the Netherlands to 3rd at the 2014 World Cup. During this time Frans has coached the best in the world, including Pep Guardiola, Wayne Rooney, and Lionel Messi.

The directors had the opportunity to discuss and present the operations of the club, from its vision of developing every individual no matter their soccer history through modern methodology and a clear playing identity. The importance we place on the individual as a human and not just an athlete, and our philosophy of an holistic approach to the player development and growth.

Frans with all the knowledge and experience of the elite on soccer coaching gave us incredible insight and direction with areas in which we can continue to grow as an organization.

The staff coaches were also put through their paces and guided on a discovery of the mastery of soccer language, structure, and the reference in the analysis of performance. Reality based practice is the modern and very European approach to coaching, and the staff performed on field this discipline in coaching with the help of the Senior Boys team as the demonstrating players.

A great event, and opportunity for the club, and an experience I am sure the players will reflect on for many years, and an educational opportunity for the coaches to continue to grow from.