Part 1 – European Education Tour 2017

This first part of the European Education Tour is to get to know the clubs and football associations of Holland and Germany, 2 of Europe’s powerhouses in soccer. The member clubs of these associations are incredibly decorated for their youth development and playing honors at the senior levels, and have been of huge support to the National efforts of the senior teams.

KNVB Royal Dutch Football Association
President: Michael van Praag
Vice President: Bert van Oostveen

The football association has a philosophy of working together, have people love the sport, and to keep soccer attractive, accessible, and enjoyable to as many people as possible. Dutch football through its leadership at the top with its association has kept deep roots in the community with their clubs as social organizations to better the communities, and at the larger scale the integrity of the soccer community. A youth academy and a training center where member club associates work together for the betterment of soccer in Holland and its players. KNVB focus’s on both the grassroots programs and its elite clubs.

Vitesse Arnhem

Vitesse Arnhem vs Ado Den Haag – 11/26/2017

Manager: Henk Fraser
Owner: Alexander Chigirnsky

Sees the game as being bigger than just the sport in its self.  The club combines two regional areas, Vitesse and Arnhem, 2 regions working together for a collective goal, improving the community through social interaction, living standards, and a mutual commitment between club and community.  The club focus’s on 3 pillars, with health being an important part of the club, encouraging all to be involved in sports participation, and reaching out to those who are less fortunate. Players have a big role at the club to connect with the community being involved in out reach programs for fans, the club’s identity is very important to its mission of benefiting the community. Recently purchased by a Russian owner in 2010, the first Dutch club to be owned by a foreigner.

Ajax vs Roda JC Kerk – 11/26/2017

Ajax Amsterdam

Manager: Marcel Keizer
Chairman: Hennie Henrichs

The Board of Directors contains former players, giving soccer decisions to soccer professionals, Ajax is also the only Dutch team to be an IPO. World famous for its youth development program with some of the worlds most talented players coming through the long term development pathway of the youth system. The 1-4-3-3 is coached through youth in to the senior team, all players in the youth system coached the same way as the seniors. Ajax are known for their attacking, fast, creative style of play, pressing high up the field staying away from their own goal. Ajax relies on its youth development to filter in to the senior squad. Players are developed through the AJAX TIPS model, technique, insight, personality, and speed.

AZ 67

AZ Alkmaar vs FC Twente – 11/24/2017

Executive Director: Robert Eenhoorn
Technical Director: Max Huiberts
Chairman: Rene Neelissen
Manager: John van den Brom

AZ was formed in 1967 after the merger of Alkmaar ’57 and FC Zaanstreek. AZ has been twice awarded the best youth academy in Netherlands, creating a pathway for its youth to make it to the senior squad. Over half of the current senior squad have come from its youth program. The clubs director of football is responsible for the youth development, with its coaching staff buying in to the playing culture of AZ 67. The youth program provides education support to enable youth players so every player can obtain a diploma.

German Football Association
President: Reinhard Grindel

Direct members of the DFB are only its five regional associations and its 21 state associations, along with the German Football League, whereas the clubs participating in the German football league system are members of the state associations covering their district. Germany hold their associations and development to high standards, every day setting standards for the development of (top) football, with passion to lead the players to the top and the teams to titles. The goal is to further develop German football and to establish its academy as a seal of quality in the world. With the most competent team, the best infrastructure, the latest technology and science, we shape the success of our players, coaches and referees. We turn talent into quality. And quality wins title.

Schalke 04

Schalke vs Borussia Dortmund – 11/25/2017

President: Clemens Tonnies
Head Coach: Domenico Tedesco

The common goal is for athletic success, through long term development of their youth. Schalke is committed to the following; Sporting Development, Commitment of Members, Fans, Employees and Sponsors to Schalke 04, Economic Development, and Social Responsibility
It’s educational goals and focuses are tailored exactly to the current skills of the players. The focus is on the teaching of basic techniques such as dribbling, passing, shooting. At the same time, special attention to the development of general coordinated skills to support and enhance the execution of basic techniques. These programs are held in the schools during school time, held for periods of 6 to 8 weeks and repeated. A child-oriented, individual and constructive but also goal-oriented form of coaching is paramount and  generates a sustainable willingness to learn.  Not only the improvement of the footballing skills of the participants is in the foreground. It’s also about the feeling, with Schalke 04 in the heart, to have a great time together, to compete in fair competitions, to achieve goals together and to go home as friends. We want to secure the lifelong enthusiasm for football among the youngest.
Schalke 04 management board consists of 3 current members, never less than 2 and no more than 4. Christian Heidel is responsible for soccer operations.

Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke – 25/11/2017

Chairman: Hans-Joachim Watzke
Head Coach: Peter Bosz

Borussia Dortmund stands for intensity, authenticity, cohesion and ambition. It has a ig role in the social element of its fans, with its authenticity and cohesion creating a bond where fans remain loyal, and share its values with the Dortmund region. Dortmund is the second biggest sports club in Germany and the 11th biggest football team in the world.
Borussia Dortmund e.V. is represented by its management board and a board of directors consisting of president Dr. Reinhard Rauball, his proxy and vice president Gerd Pieper, and treasurer Dr. Reinhold Lunow. Football at Dortmund is run by the organization Borussia Dortmund GmbH. This corporation model has two types of participators: at least one partner with unlimited liability and at least one partner with limited liability. The investment of the latter is divided into stocks. The organization Borussia Dortmund GmbH is the partner with unlimited liability and is responsible for the management and representation of Borussia Dortmund GmbH. Borussia Dortmund GmbH is fully owned by the sports club, Borussia Dortmund e.V. This organizational structure was designed to ensure that the sports club has full control over the professional squad

Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund – 12/1/2017

Bayer Leverkusen

Chief Executive Officer: Michael Schade
Head Coach: Heiko Herrlich

The club was founded in 1904 by employees of the German pharmaceutical company Bayer, whose headquarters are in Leverkusen and from which the club draws its name. It was formerly the best-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports including the RTHC Bayer Leverkusen (rowing, tennis and hockey). In 1999 the football department was separated from the sports club and is now a separate entity formally called Bayer 04 Leverkusen GmbH.
In contrast to many other German football clubs, which hold close ties to their working-class roots, Bayer Leverkusen strives for a clean, family-friendly image. The BayArena has the reputation of being one of the most family-friendly football stadiums in Germany. Ironically, Bayer 04 was the first Bundesliga club whose fans identified themselves as Ultras and the city of Leverkusen is one of the old industrial cities of Germany.

The youth academy hopes to develop its most talented youth players to quickly make the step up to the first team. They achieve this through a combination of targeted individual practice, with team training plus balanced games to ensure players develop to the thier fullest. Bayer 04 Leverkusen expect its teams to play attacking technically good football, and ultimately be successful. More significantly is the importance of developing the players personality, as follows:

• • A performance-related and self-motivated attitude to playing and training
  • Self-critical analysis with own performance and with the input of the coach
  •  A friendly attitude
  • The ability to share team spirit and get on with each other

Fremont YSC… will be in Europe!
Executive Director Dai Redwood has been selected by NorCal Premier Board of Directors to visit European giants including Ajax, Feyenoord, Borussia Dortmund, and Schalke 04.
At Fremont we are always looking to learn as much as we can to provide an environment for players to not only learn soccer, but to grow as people for the future.

Days away from Kick or Treat 2017. Fields are being prepared, coaches tournament bags put together, and most importantly… costumes are being made. Join us at Central Park, and Hopkins Junior High on 10/28 & 10/29

The hugely successful and popular AfterSchools program begins Session 2 this coming Monday, October 30th.

The program is at a select number of schools, but anyone can register if able to arrive at the start time from a nearby school or if home-schooled within the area. Please click on the following links for registration, school list and session times.

Program Info –https://fremontyouthsoccer.com/afterschools/

Registration – https://fremontyouthsoccer.com/registration/

A big part of sports performance comes from the food intake of the individual. A simple analogy is how you wouldn’t fill a performance race car with gas from Arco down the road. Not only is the diet and nutrition important for sports performance, but also for the wellbeing of an individual to make it through each day and for longevity and standard of life.

Diet is not what people think, it’s not cutting out all your food and eating nothing. Diet is a structured nutrition plan towards achieving your lifestyle goal. The same being for the importance of nutrients, macro and micro. It’s the source of the nutrient that is important, there is a huge difference with sugar, and orange is great while being sugar, but a slurpee is terrible due to the manufactured sugars and colorings.

Children are at an important stage where they need calories and nutrients for their natural growth in to adulthood, and to support the demands being placed on them for sporting performance.

It’s incredibly difficult at this time to eat healthy. A huge amount of money and the lobbyists will make you believe what benefits their cause above the needs of the consumer. The following notes are a good way to minimize money and the medias influence on your healthy eating –

• Eat foods with the least amount of ingredients.
• Don’t believe the box, marketing will make anything look healthy
  • Stick with food that’s least packaged and not in a box that needs freezing or last for months on a shelf.
• If it once lived, grew, or flew, then it’s a better option.
• Organic is your best option, but again check the ingredients list.
• Enter the superstore with a list. Supermarkets are staged to get consumers to buy the junk.
• Healthy food is cheaper.
• Weigh your food with scales, don’t just read the serving size.

The attached presentation will aim to help with educating the importance and different types of nutrients and the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet.

Within this presentation you will find a link to a great app that will help with keeping track of your dietary goals.

Fremont YSC Nutrition

The Fremont YSC curriculum is age appropriate from its U4 beginning, through till the end at U19. This approach to long term development enables the player to develop all areas of their game through social, physical, technical, and tactical development. The development of the player is worked on by enhancing the process, these being soccer actions. At each coaching moment one of any of the following is improved, the position, moment, direction, and speed.

One session which was introduced to the curriculum 2 years ago, focuses on the phase of play, Game Build Up.

The session gives the players a challenge of transferring the ball from side of the grid to the other, using players around him to support, and with the pressure of 2 defenders in the same playing area. Important coaching points to be used during the session include –

• Create and use space
• Play between the lines and through seems
• Getting open (losing the defender)
• Numerical superiority

This practice is introduced in the U9 curriculum and remains in the curriculum through till U19, while additional coaching methodologies of phase play, functional play, and coaching in the game. At a recent coaching education opportunity with the Earthquakes Academy, we came to learn that the practice as of this season has also been introduced to their practices following their own educational trip to France. While providing an environment for players to enjoy their time playing soccer, encouraging players to make mistakes and try new skills, we will always have the players long term soccer development at the forefront of our curriculum.

Please additionally read the following article –

http://www.maximumtrainingsolutions.com/what-are-the-odds/

The season for many teams begins this coming weekend, September 9^th. All players born 2005 and older are also now entering a period where they may be thinking of their playing options in college. We have a partnership with iSoccerPath, and I hope the following information will also help with players finding their pathway.

No matter what level of play you are at, there are options for playing in college. Yes, you should be realistic with where you want to play, this being cost of the college, does it provide you with the education you want, does your grades get you in, are you at the level of the soccer program they have? There are a lot of factors, and being on a top competitive team is not the answer to these questions. A few important points to consider –

• Scholarships are not what you are told. Very few if any soccer programs will give you a full ride through college. There are multiple sources for gaining financial aid, relying on the athletic scholarship will not be wise. Research the additional resources for financial aid in which the colleges can offer you.
• You need to put the work in. Don’t expect coaches to fall over you and chase you down. Find out who the coach is, introduce yourself through email, making it personal to them and what you like about their program. Research them and ask about their achievements (too many coaches have insane ego’s). Ask to watch a college practice session, go to games, drop in on unofficial visits to the campus.
• Let coaches know your game schedule, keep them up to date if playing games in their area, invite them to come and watch one of your games.
• Select the college ID camps that suit the needs of you. Is it the right place, with the right coaching, and the right education.
• Your education is what’s most important. Get the grades you need, and study the courses you have an interest and passion in, every college has a soccer program. Use sports as a release from stress, make it your go to for pleasure and stress relief.
• You will be in college for up to 4 years, pick somewhere you like. No point in being somewhere you do not enjoy for 4 years, pick a city/town that suits your personality and social needs.

Important areas to start working on now –

• Coaches want to see disciplined athletes they can work with. Discipline, respect and integrity are not only important characteristics for a college recruiter, but also to take in to other aspects of your life, career, relationships, personal standards.
• Clean up your social media. This is the downfall for so many. Social media has become an open diary in to your everyday life, nothing is secret anymore, and all can be seen on a screen. Conduct yourself appropriately and take responsibility for your appearance on and off line.

Ultimately it is a lot of hard work, dedication, and lots of selling yourself. This is now true for not only college recruitment, but also the rest of your life. We have partnered with iSoccerPath as we believe in their program, and this is the best resource for getting ahead in your recruitment.

Today the Recreation Program Play begins.

The following article from fourfourtwo is a great insight to why our program works. It is outside of traditional and conventional thinking of soccer in the US, but is hugely popular with players. Players get to think for themselves, supporting problem solving and creative thinking.

FourFourTwo Article

Play is important, and it works.

Our Competitive curriculum also incorporates weekly free play tournament, and plenty of small sided games.

Youth Sports are a fantastic way to give kids a chance to learn valuable life skills, provide an outlet of stress and anxiety from educational and social stressors, and provide a sense of belonging to a collective group.

There are so many valuable benefits and positives to participation in youth sports. We must though be aware of the demands being placed on the player. These are still kids, in bodies still developing and growing.

Stress, whether it be emotional, psychological or physical, can be detrimental to the body and can lead to weaknesses throughout the boy which can then lead to an increase in the incidence and severity of injuries. Such injuries even at a youth age can end the participation in certain sports for kids, and prevent them from going on to play at higher levels or later in life.

Great Video on Overuse Injuries – https://youtu.be/L9Hg201U26g

Poor Practice

When playing a sport, you need to be fit for that discipline, fitness work should be specific to the activity and demands being placed on the body. Soccer is not played on an incline, nor with weights around ankles, and I’m still yet to see a player run around in circles around the outside of the field. The fitness work needs to be specific to the distances, speeds, and duration of work within the game, and appropriate to the movements and skills set performed. There is also a need for coaches to differentiate between low fitness levels and fatigue. Extensive training to a fatigued player puts them at a risk of higher incidence of injury, often it’s rest that is needed not more sprints.

Tournaments

The main reason for injuries is overuse. Overuse weakens the active muscles which protect and support the body, and once weakened the incidence is increased. We now have tournaments (Invitationals and Showcases) that offer 6 games in 3 days, that’s half a season in one weekend. The highest level of professional players who play and train for a living will at most play 6 games in 4 weeks in major tournaments, so why do we put young amateur athletes in this environment? Recently a club had to pull a team from league play due to a number of players sustaining ACL injuries from tournament play during the summer months. Ligament injuries are not the only injuries sustained from overuse, as the muscles weaken the player is unable to avoid collisions and reckless challenges, both of which can cause additional injuries other than soft tissue.

Injuries can happen in any sport at any time, and even when going about your normal day. The benefits to participation in sport greatly outweighs those for not playing. Proper attention to the players needs is important, accountability on coaches actions needs to be addressed, and keeping youth soccer specific to youth players is paramount. Together we can all enjoy the experiences and lessons learned through youth sports, and ultimately ensure the kids have fun while learning.

This past weekend Fremont YSC was well under way with its preparations for the Fall 2017 season.

We started the weekend with our Parents Welcome Meeting for the 2017 Fall Recreation Program. The meeting was for parents of all players registered to play this season, from players as young as 3 years old and up. The following links are for the presentations that were held this past Friday.

U4 to U8 – Click Here

U10 and Above – Click Here

Coach Education

Saturday was the Recreation Volunteer Coaches turn. In preparation for the season we hosted the volunteers at Irvington High School for an education session on the age appropriate curriculum’s for all the age groups. Sessions gave volunteers the opportunity to see sessions taking place, and to get an understanding of the program and session structure. We are incredibly grateful for volunteers who support the program. We have no expectation of the coaches to bring out the next Messi, we fully support the volunteers, and happy to have such wiling people to help put together a program for kids to play.

We’ve got players, now for the fields

Sunday our coaching staff got together at Central Park Soccer Complex to put together finishing touches on the fields ready for the season. Goals, flags, nets, and our containers were worked on ready for the opening weekend of games this Saturday.

As always Don Hugie was huge for Fremont YSC, and we can’t thank Don enough for his continued support and work with the club and its facilities.