Interview Blog

Andy Dorman (3/2016)

Andy Dorman played in the MLS for New England Revolution (2004-2007 & 2013-2015) as well as in England for Crystal Palace (2010-2012) and Scotland for St Mirren (2008-2010). Dorman also represented the Wales National Team at senior level.

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How did the opportunity to move from the UK to play at Boston University originally come about?

I played for the Welsh Schools U18's and a lot of the college scouts came to watch the games. Nothing worked out with the schools that came. But my high school PE teacher used to coach in US and had contacts over here and thats how I ended up in contact with BU.

In what ways did college soccer in the US compare to what you had experienced in the UK growing up?

It was completely different. To find out all the competitive games were crammed into a three month period and the rest of the year was spent getting ready for the short season was tough to comprehend.

I was used to playing a lot of games in a short space of time because at the end of the UK season we d be playing games twice a week to make up games that were cancelled because of the weather. But they weren't in the temperatures that the US college games were.

Also, the playoff system was new, you need to make sure you're peaking at the end of the season in US. This was important in the UK but you could still be very successful if you're consistent all season and lose a little bit of momentum at the tail end of the season.

Who do you consider to be the stand out players you've played with/against?

I've been very fortunate to play with/against some very good players. I was in a few Wales squads where i was lucky enough to see first hand Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Craig Bellamy train and then play. I didn't get to play with them but my debut was away to Croatia and I got to chase Modric and Rakitic around for 60 mins. They were the best I ever played against.

The best Ive played with would be a toss up between Clint Dempsey, Shalrie Joseph and Jermaine Jones. I’d say at the time I played with Clint he was half the player he went onto be so I probably didn't get to appreciate his better years. But I got to play with Shalrie at his peak and he was awesome. He made everyone better around him and kept our team in every game with his drive. Then with Jermaine he is a ridiculous athlete and his passing ability is something you don't fully appreciate until you see him train every day. He came to the Revs after a great World Cup and lifted the whole club and we came very close to winning the MLS cup.

How has the MLS evolved since you made your debut in 2004?

I think the main reason for the change is the investment. Now the MLS has evolved into a league where nearly every team has their own stadium which is suited to playing good entertaining soccer and making sure the product on the field is a good as it can be. In 2004 games were played on fields that weren't suited to soccer, either they were poor quality turf, not watered, or poor grass fields. Add on top of that the way the players are treated with better travel routes, hotels, food, gyms, money and also better players because of the higher salary caps, minimum wages and DP's and the league is a lot different.

What was the highlight of your playing career?

I think I would have to say my professional debut for the Revs against San Jose at home and then my Welsh debut against Croatia, listening to the national anthem in the warm up knowing what was about to happen.

Who were the main influences during your career?

Obviously my dad but I think coach wise, my BU coaches Neil Roberts, Andy Fleming and Brian Devaney. They gave me the opportunity to play in USA and my career/life would have took a much different route if it wasn't for them.

What influence has the US Development Academy had on MLS clubs such as New England Revolution?

I think they give the clubs a great structure to bring players through in the mould that will help the club and player be successful. And because of the salary cap these academy players become very important pieces in the MLS teams. The clubs usually get the players for a good salary and these players are from the area so they are comfortable living here and don't need time to settle. Plus they grow up supporting the team so they have that love for the team which gets you an extra 10% on the field and the fans see this and love watching home grown players play.

Nick Woolf (2/2016)

Nick Woolf is our Director of College Soccer Prep, a new Soccer 1 on 1 service launched in January 2016. Woolf had previously held the role of Assistant Coach at Tufts University having also played for Tufts as a Goalkeeper.

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Tell us a little more about your college playing and coaching background?

As an undergraduate at Tufts University, I played goalkeeper on the men’s varsity soccer team. Tufts competes in the NESCAC – which is widely regarded as the most competitive league in all of Division III soccer.

Playing soccer at Tufts was, by far, the most rewarding experience of my college career. The bonds that I formed with my teammates and coaches still stick with me today, and the various skills I learned – from time management to competing under pressure to working as a team – are very useful in professional settings off of the field.

After graduating in 2014, I joined the Tufts men’s soccer staff as an Assistant Coach. With my focus primarily on goalkeeper coaching and recruiting, I was exposed to every aspect of the recruiting process from the lesser-known side of things. I interfaced with Admissions Offers; I screened thousands of emails from prospective student-athletes; I toured top recruits around campus and helped “pitch” them on Tufts. The season culminated in the program’s first-ever National Championship, which was incredible to be a part of.

What do you wish you had done differently during your personal recruiting process?

When I was in high school, I was pretty uninformed about the entire recruiting process. I operated under the assumption that schools would find me, and that schools that had strong academics would have weak athletics programs. This is not even close to the reality; in fact, it’s the opposite.

If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I would focus on improving two areas: my approach to communicating with coaches, and my strategy around picking showcase camps to attend. Both are areas of much confusion that I’ve gained clarity in having been on the other side of the table, as a coach.

What do college coaches look for when evaluating high school athletes? What does Admissions look for?

Obviously, this varies from school to school, but – in general – a lot of it comes down to what needs a coach’s team has. That is, coaches are typically looking for high school athletes that play specific positions they’re trying to fill. For instance, if a coach knows he is losing his starting right-back, he’ll be more inclined to look for right-backs. Within that, there’s a baseline level of technical skill, athleticism, and playing ability (which, again, varies by school or division).

On the Admissions side; they’re looking for well-rounded students that fit the average academic-profile of their student population. They want you to be within the “range” in terms of your GPA and test scores, but additions such as essays, recommendation, community service and work experience all play a role. Given that, the stronger you look as a student, the more appealing you are as a college recruit.

What are some common mistakes you see recruits make when reaching out to coaches?

When I was at Tufts, I read some pretty poor emails from prospective recruits. The most glaring mistakes are spelling the coach’s name wrong (or mixing it up with another coach entirely), sending an essay versus a succinct note, and having a service send the email on your behalf. There’s usually very little personalization in the emails, and it’s easy to tell that it’s just a template being used to contact multiple schools. Coaches receive thousands of emails every day; to get noticed, you need to know what types of subject-lines and content will help you to standout.

What's your overall philosophy when it comes to getting recruited?

I truly believe that there is a fit for every high school student-athlete who wants to play soccer in college. But even more important is finding the right fit from an academic standpoint. A very, very small percentage of collegiate student-athletes go on to play soccer professionally. It’s not impossible, but it shouldn’t necessarily be the goal. The goal should be to find a school that’s the right fit for you as a whole person; a school that will get you the best education possible and set you up for success later on in life.

How can College Soccer Prep help to assist high school athletes?

We provide tried and tested resources that are highly customizable to help high school students maximize their visibility and effectiveness in getting recruited. At the very least, we’ll help to better inform you about the process and give you actionable tools and frameworks to leverage.

Davor Dvanajscak (1/2016)

Davor Dvanajscak is the founder of DD Training Camps. The Camp is an affiliate of Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb that features their Academy Coaches and provides exposure for US-based players to be scouted. Dvanajscak also coaches for MA-based club NEFC & Be Ahead of the Game.

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Which players did you idolize growing up?

I think for me one of the best players I ever remember was Robert Prosinecki. You name it, he won it. Prosinecki won the U21 World Cup in Chile with former Yugoslavia against Brazil. Brazil was winning 1-0 and Prosinecki scored free kick for 2-1. Prosinecki was named the tournament's best player. Prosinecki is one of few who played for Real Madrid and Barcelona. Under his belt he has Champions league trophy with Red Star Belgrade, he was an absolutely incredible player who was born to play soccer. He would watch defenders make a movement with their feet and he would make a move with his body and ball in opposite direction, something like Ronaldinho (one of my favorite players ever) would do. His free kicks were incredible also, he scored one in El Clasico. Injuries killed him and unfortunately he end up his career sooner then expected.

One of Wikipedia's facts is also true, Prosinecki's national coach Ciro Blazevic (one of the most respected coaches in Croatia) told Prosinecki's father when Robert was a child "If Robert ever becomes Pro I will eat my diploma." ...and Prosinecki end up playing for the Croatia national team under Ciro Blazevic in the 98 World Cup in France and won third place. At the time Croatia should have won it all but they were unlucky against the hosts France starring Zinedine Zidane. In that same team Zvonimir Boban, Robert Jarni, Davor Suker, Slaven Bilic, Igor Stimac and others played.

How has a small country such as Croatia consistently developed top class players?

First you have to take in consideration that Football (soccer) is a national sport in many countries, especially in Europe. Every kid in Croatia dreams of becoming the next Luka Modric. That's why all ex-Yugoslavian countries like Serbia, Bosnia and especially Croatia have unbelievable soccer players. Development is something that many people like to call a talent, but talent is a mix of incredible hard work and dedication. I would also say that sport in Croatia is something that drives kids to become better in life. I have studied many things in my coaching career and I’m convinced that genetic plays huge role in sports. The most important thing is that as of today Dinamo Zagreb for example is investing is youth coaching, resources, education, professionalism etc. When you mix them all up you end up with many great athletes.

Tell us a little more about your involvement with Dinamo Zagreb?

I’ve been working with Dinamo Zagreb for several years now. I met with the youth director at the time, Mr. Romeo Jozak and his assistant Mr. Ivan Kepčija and talked about bringing Dinamo Zagreb Academy coaches to Boston. Dinamo put the system in place where over the summer they have soccer camps all over North America. I have to be honest it was hard at the beginning, and now two years in the row D&D training camps and Dinamo with help of "Be Ahead of the Game" made that happen.

Dinamo is at the top level in the world among youth academies (you can read all about it). The way that Dinamo Zagreb operates, its people and work with the academy program is of a top level and that attracted me to get involved and help them search for talent in USA. It’s of mutual benefit and good for soccer in general. Dinamo coaches come to US and get exposed to a soccer environment, players get top level education and learn a different style of coaching. It can only be a positive experience since soccer is booming in US as we speak. In our case we sent some players from the US to Dinamo, including Amos Thomas who currently plays for the US U17 National Team and Dinamo is keeping an eye on his development.

How do youth players in Croatia and the US differentiate in your opinion?

When you look at the final point, which is the quality of top Croatian players in the world, it seems like there is a big difference when compared to top American players. However, the starting point is the same when it comes to genetics. So the answer must lie that somewhere on the path, Croatian kids have a better environment (culture, competition level) and do better work (training) to maximize their potential. Croatian kids are better technically, they work so hard to practice and all that comes from the disciplined training. Dinamo kids for example start from age and already work hard and learn to be disciplined and respectful of the elders. At the same time, they are allowed to express themselves, to be creative in practice and have fun. In the US, kids usually play more then one sports and soccer doesn't come first, so even at the club level it is not extremely important for them to be the best. In Croatia competition is huge and only the best end up playing for top clubs like Dinamo. Kids playing soccer in the US are not necessarily going to end up playing professional, but for Dinamo's players that is the one and ultimate goal.

Dinamo are not only making good players but also making responsible kids who even if they don’t make it pro will still be a great kids. We educate them on daily bases to be focused at all times. Kids will always be kids but they have to understand that when they wear Dinamo jerseys they are part of huge organization that is always under the scope of all the pro scouts. Soccer is in kids DNA and only the best survive in Dinamo. American kids have a strong work ethic, which is good if the work is proper. We want them to dream, sleep and breathe soccer in order to become the best they can be.

Who are the next set of potential stars to represent the Croatian National Team?

In my opinion, I think new potential would be Alen Halilovic who is now 19 years old and he was bought by Barcelona together with his two brothers and is currently on loan in Sporting de Gijón. Halilovic is an extremely talented individual and his father was also a great player, he played in Spain and was a coach with Dinamo Zagreb. Halilovic's style of play is related to Messi and you can tell that if you ever watch him play. Good names that come from Dinamo Academy recently are Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Jozo Simunovic (Celtic), Filip Benkovic, and Ante Coric (plays now for Dinamo's first team) & Andrija Balic (Hajduk Split).

Last year was the U17 World Cup in Chile and Croatia showed they were a talented team. Some young players in that squad, like Davor Lovren brother of Dejan Lovren, Nikola Moro captain of National Team and Josip Brekalo will be also end up being good players. Look out for these players in the next couple of years.

Allan Russell (7/2015)

Allan Russell is the founder of Superior Striker; the world’s first complete striker specific training program for Professional & Aspiring Professional players. Russell played Professionally in both the Scottish and English leagues including with Kilmarnock FC in the SPL before moving to the U.S. to play for Carolina Rail Hawks & Orange County Blues winning 2 regular season NASL Championships.

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What training methods and philosophy does Superior Striker promote?

Quite simply, I build complete strikers.

Essentially, what I do is I train players in specific situations and with certain methods that continually feeds their mind and muscle memory with information that maximize’s match day performance. Strikers are judged on their goal scoring and my training shows them how to be far more productive on and off the ball to become ruthless, intelligent and consistent.

What inspired you to focus on 1 on 1 coaching?

I feel it's the quickest way to building a complete Striker. Seeing all levels of players I train instantly improve and take their game to new levels is amazing. This continually inspires me to be the world’s top striker coach.

Was it a long-standing ambition of yours to play/coach in the U.S.?

Since playing in tournaments in the U.S as a youngster for Glasgow Rangers I always envisaged myself playing in the U.S at one point in my career.

Can specialized 1 on 1 training help benefit Professional-level players?

With the correct coach that has experience, intelligence and a deep knowledge of the game then by all means specialized 1 on 1 training is very beneficial for top level Pro players and beginner youth players.

Striker’s have different pictures built up in their mind from midfielders and defenders. Training methods have to be built around the pictures coaches want to build in the mind of what is essentially their game changing and game winning players. Training strikers to maximize their game day performance technically, physically, tactically and mentally is what I love.

Along with playing Pro for 18 years my ability to not only study strikers but also defenders, midfielders and teams allows me to build scenarios, plays and technical perfection into strikers I coach. This is what I specialize in and I love every time I step onto the field to do this.

What advice would you give to a youth player looking to advance in the game?

Young players looking to advance into the game have to live it like it’s what makes them breathe. Don't train just to make it as Pro player, train harder and more intelligent than anyone else. Study the game to become the one of the world's top players. Build an encyclopedia size book of game scenarios and position specific situations in your mind which will allow you to be productive in any situations that arise on the pitch.

Don’t always join the winning team as a young player. Commit to the coach who is going to teach you the most and educate you, to make you great in the future.

Lee Jones (6/2015)

Lee Jones is the Owner/Founder of Joner 1 on 1 Football Training, based in Sydney Australia. Jones played at youth level for Everton FC & youth/professional level for Wrexham AFC before moving to Australia joining Northbridge FC.

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What’s your soccer playing background?

From age 6 to 15 I played for Everton FC in the English Premier League. From age 15 to 22 I signed my first professional contract for Wrexham AFC (League 1 team at the time). At the age of 22 I came to Sydney, Australia to play Semi Professional for Northbridge FC.

What brought you to Sydney, Australia from the UK?

I wanted a change from the UK; I also had a friend in Australia who played soccer. I wanted to see what opportunities there were available in Australia, I’ve been here for 3 years now and haven’t looked back.

What inspired you to focus on 1 on 1 coaching?

It first started with the parents of the teams I was coaching requesting private sessions. At first I hadn’t had any 1 on 1 coaching experience but decided to give it a go. With all the sessions I’ve had growing up I believed it wouldn’t be too difficult to adapt my sessions into a private training setting. Once I started it was great seeing a player develop and become better over time. I got a huge kick from seeing that and it was my fiancé who pushed me to start a business. I also believe that breaking down a player’s technique with detail can’t be covered in their regular team training.

Where do you draw inspiration from for session content?

At first I used ideas from all the sessions I’ve had in my career. But then I started to put a program together where I would work on a specific game component each week. A lot of my session ideas are my own but I do watch a lot of YouTube, Facebook & Instagram videos to see what new drills are out there.

Is there much competition for 1 on 1 soccer training in the Sydney area?

Yes, since I got the ball rolling a lot of my fellow coaches do private sessions also (the power of social media I believe). There’s a very high demand of players requesting sessions, therefore I’ve since hired another coach to help out.

How do youth players in Australia & the UK differentiate in your opinion?

In a lot of ways! First things first, players in the UK eat, breathe and sleep soccer. Whereas in Australia they don’t take it so seriously and play 2/3 different sports. i.e cricket. Facilities are also improving although there are a lack of high quality soccer facilities in Australia.

The lack of opportunity compared to the UK plays into it, there are probably 3x more Professional clubs in the UK compared to Australia. I think soccer is slowly taking over, especially since the success of the National Team recently.

What next for Joner 1 on 1 Football Training?

I would like to open my own indoor warehouse, increase the number of coaches working for me and work with more elite level players. I’ve coached 1 on 1 sessions back in the UK when I went back home for a month with some of my connections who play professionally. I also aim to keep on learning, improving my coaching skills and knowledge.

Brian Farber (5/2015)

Brian Farber is the Category Manager for Soccer at SKLZ. The SKLZ brand offers skill & performance training products and programs for athletes to use at home and in training environments. Farber has also represented several clubs at MLS, NASL & USL level and currently plays for San Diego Sockers (Major Arena Soccer League). Farber recently helped win the first ever Arena Soccer World Cup for the U.S.

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Who are SKLZ soccer products targeted towards?

SKLZ soccer products are aimed at all level of players and coaches. We want to grow love and trust in all phases by offering something for everyone no matter where you are in your soccer career. We just want to help you reach your goals with our products.

How do SKLZ products work in conjunction with 1 on 1 soccer training?

1 on 1 training focuses on what a coach cannot do with a full team. To really learn and develop the skills necessary to get better you need to focus on one element of your game at a time with full focus. A player needs to spend 10,000 hours to become an expert and the hours don’t add up if you only train with your normal team training. Many of our products are aimed for the home environment to spend hours mastering your technique in the back yard rep after rep with real direction.

How do SKLZ come up with new product ideas?

Product ideas come from all over the world. I just received a product from Ireland that is very interesting for the soccer market. We spend a lot of time developing our own ideas but were always open to good ideas and helping an inventor bring their soccer product or idea to the world market.

What new soccer training products do SKLZ have in the pipeline?

We are launching 16 new products in June. I would say between all of those products the most exciting product is the Quickster Soccer Trainer. This product literally stops people in their tracks when they see it in use. It is a two-sided rebounder and one side gives you a ball on the ground with realistic spin as if your passing with a teammate and the other side allows you to work on settling the ball from the air with your feet, thighs, and chest. You can work on half volleys and full volleys continuously and even defensive and offensive headers. There is not another product out there that can help you get realistic reps like this.

Does your own soccer playing experience help enable you to foresee which products could be of benefit to players/coaches?

Playing at a high level absolutely helped me identify quality products or innovations that can help a player improve but combining those experiences with coaching has helped me even more. I grew up in a small town in Idaho and high-level coaches were hard to come by. Once I became a pro I began coaching and only then did I realize on how much I missed out on as a kid. I was never challenged by my coaches to improve my weaknesses and when I coach I push hard to help the athlete get rid of bad habits they have developed. I am constantly thinking of ways to help a player improve. Although much of the improvements come from the will and efforts of the athlete there are a lot of products that aid in that improvement.

Are there plans to expand upon the soccer-related videos and blogs on the SKLZ website?

Absolutely, we have only scratched the surface. The soccer launch is June 2015 and were going to take the soccer world by storm. You will see.

Where are SKLZ training products available to purchase?

Our website is a great place to get comprehensive information on all our products. If you cannot wait to receive the product in the mail then you can find our products in nearly all national and regional sporting goods stores across America as well as online with Soccer.com and Amazon.

Lee Billiard (3/2015)

Lee Billiard is the General Manager of the Boston Breakers (2011-present), a women's professional soccer organization that competes in the NWSL. Billiard was also instrumental in forming the Breakers Academy Program, which includes teams that compete in the ECNL.

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What are your goals for the Boston Breakers first team leading into the 2015 season?

The main goal is pretty simple; get into playoffs and win the NWSL Championship. Besides that we want to make sure our players are developing. Every player, no matter of status, wants to develop and improve on their game. No difference for our pro players, so part of our goals is to develop these players. We want them to move on to the next level within national team programs and be as successful as they can possibly be. Our goal on field is to create an exciting, young, hard working team that is fun to watch and fans can really get passionate about. A lot of hard work was done in the off season to bring in the kind of players we feel can achieve that consistently over a period of time and based on pre season so far….we are on the right track for that to happen.

Are you confident that the NWSL will continue to go from strength to strength?

Absolutely, the league is stable and as awareness continues to grow the league will grow. I think it is no secret that there are a handful of teams who are looking to enter the league in 2016/17 as part of expansion. Currently, we have two MLS organizations fielding women’s pro teams (Portland and Houston), I think that is a big statement of how secure the league is and the business model the NWSL has, gives longevity for teams. Obviously each market has its own challenges and not all markets can be compared to each other, but each market is showing success in growth of its fan base, its programing and awareness. All good signs this league will be around for a long time.

What qualities have you seen in top international female players that separates them from the rest?

The biggest quality I see is how they think about the game. Just a little bit more of a quicker thought process and execution to play consistently at a high tempo with the ball. It’s about doing the simple things exceptionally well on a consistent basis.

What inspired you to form the Boston Breakers Academy?

I've been involved in the development of youth players for a long time now, so it’s been something I wanted to start as soon as I came through the door at the Boston Breakers. It’s a natural fit for us as an organization, we have an overall development philosophy and we have passionate staff/players who want to give back to the game they love so much. The academy program allows us to get our Boston Breakers brand out in the open more, and what better way than having 1000 talented youth players in our jerseys sporting our logo.

It completes our development pyramid, making us the only women’s organization in the nation that has that complete pyramid from U6 to the pro level. We want youth players to become passionate about the Breakers, we want them to go all the way up the pyramid and become a pro player. I look forward to the day many years from now where I am signing a player to a professional contract who started in our program at a young age and was developed “the Breakers way”.

What future plans do you have for the Academy?

We want to continue expanding the program and develop players in a professional environment where they can be mentored or coached by a professional player and coaching staff. Internally we are very excited about the academy program and how it will develop over the coming years. What we do at the professional level we want to trickle down all through the academy program and into our development training centers. It’s going to be really exciting!

How has club-based soccer evolved since you arrived in Massachusetts

Definitely expanded! In Massachusetts it’s now a very saturated market, a lot of clubs providing different opportunities at different levels. I have seen the professionalism of youth clubs grow and the talent level has really exploded over the last 5 years alone. More youth players are choosing soccer as their number one sport and now there are lots of options to help develop that player. It’s great for soccer in general and we’ll continue to be a big part of that from our grassroots activations and partnerships within town soccer programs to our more advanced competitive development in our academy. The player talent pool has increased since I first came to the US and it’s been really pleasing development for me to see and be a part of.

Matt Whitehouse (3/2015)

Matt Whitehouse is an Elite Skill Development Coach, specializing in private 1 on 1 training as well as coaching at Academy level with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC & Chesterfield FC. Whitehouse also contributes his thoughts & expertise through his blog 'The Whitehouse Address' and publications 'The Way Forward' & 'Universality'.

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What inspired you to focus on 1 on 1 coaching?

After working in the US for a few years I saw the focus and importance of 1-1 training and realized that this wasn’t an area used effectively enough in the UK. For me 1-1 coaching can really enhance a players skill-set which is essential for the level of technical excellence required in the modern game. I don’t believe that conventional team/group sessions can enhance these qualities sufficiently, which is why 1-1 training should be part of a players development program.

Now it shouldn’t come at the expense of team sessions, as it is important players use their skills in team environments; practices and games, in order to improve their understanding of the game. What 1-1 coaching seeks to do is enhance the players quality with the ball, their skills and control. If they are better in these areas then you will see more confident, composed and effective players. The reason I do 1-1 training is because I believe it is important for a player’s development.

Do you feel there’s an increasing popularity in 1 on 1 training within the UK?

It is slowly becoming more popular, however there are very few coaches offering this type of training. Parents are starting to see the need and importance of getting their young players the extra training required to aid their development. However the limited amount of coaches who offer this training is limited. I can see it becoming a growing business in the coming years as it does appear 1-1 training has become more popular. In previous years you wouldn’t hear about 1-1 football training, now that is changing. The key however is that parents/players find good coaches who care about the player’s development and who aren’t in it solely for making money.

Do you see technical deficiencies in English-based Academy players?

I wouldn’t say technical deficiencies, perhaps more tactical in line with the technical. We have some very skillful, creative players in England yet perhaps these players aren’t intelligent enough to use these skills effectively in games. Their understanding of space, movement and positioning seems lacking in many players. This may be because of the separation between technical and tactical coaching, instead of focusing on both to achieve the objectives from both sides.

Technical development has become more about ball mastery and skills in unopposed practices rather than using these skills, and passing and receiving is a skill neglected by many it seems these days, in real game situations. This will only help enhance the players ability to impact games. What I would say is lacking with English players is the ability to move the ball and receive at speed. Pass speed is too slow and 1st touch on receiving needs to be further enhanced. When I watch top young foreign players they move the ball with such speed and quality.

How did you go about revamping the youth academy structure at Chesterfield FC?

The key to our success has been education. We have worked with the coaches and parents to help educate and inform about the philosophy and methods we have introduced. Because of this people in the club are aware of what we seeking to achieve and how we are seeking to do this. Through workshops we have explained the structure, organization and long term development plan which we believe will help produce a top quality footballer.

I was recruited to introduce a philosophy and program for the 9-16’s which would develop technically excellent players who possessed skill and creativity. The problem before I arrived was that there wasn’t any real structure to the coaching program. This led to a lack of focus in the work each age group was working towards. Because of this there had been a culture previously of a ‘free for all’ type approach where coaches would decide what to do each session. This lacked the structure and development plan required for what I believe young players require to build a continued understanding of the game. By having greater structure you can have a greater focus on a players development. Instead of reacting after each game there is now a plan in place where each weeks focus is planned. It is a proactive way to develop players which for me improves learning and development. If this sounds restrictive it is not, our coaches and philosophy seeks players to express themselves within the structure.

We want to produce thinking players, who are intelligent, who can solve problems and who have the skill-set at their disposal to deal with the demands of the game. Our coaching program seeks to enhance the technical, tactical, physical and psychological elements required to aid their development. Each age group and phase has distinct learning objectives which are built upon and enhanced as the players moves up the Academy pathway.

Have you adopted Coerver training methods into your Academy sessions?

The Coerver method has become something which is a key part of my training. Through all age groups we have players develop their ball mastery and skills, putting an emphasis on ‘effective use of skill’. We promote 1v1/2v2 practices in all our sessions to help improve a players attacking and defending ability. The Coerver method is seen in the majority of my sessions. I seek to produce exceptional individuals who can also be part of a coherent and cohesive team. The Coerver method for me is the best tool for developing the technical side of the game. As well as this is it enjoyable and energetic. It is not overly complex which allows for positive development.

What advice would you give to a youth player looking to advance in the game?

I would advise a young player to do everything they can to enhance their game. To do more than any of their peers. Go and study the game, watch games and take notes. Watch the best players and see what they do in games. Research the work top pro’s did when they were young, the sacrifice, the extra work. Become a student of the game, analyze and learn the game and then go practice it. Do the extra work to improve on your game, enhance your strengths and improve your weaknesses.

Find a 1-1 coach who can help your development, find a personal trainer who can improve your athleticism and core strength. Understand psychology and seek to become a master of your mind and be great with your mindset. And above all, enjoy the challenge of improving, embrace the challenges, push yourself to get better and do it with a smile. Too many young players fall into their comfort zone, they stop doing the extra work, they get comfortable. But to become a top player you need to keep pushing yourself, constantly seeking to do more and get better.

Tell us a little more about your online blog & publications?

I’ve been writing the blog ‘The Whitehouse Address’ for several years now. It has become an important part of my coaching as it gives me a chance to formulate my ideas and thoughts on all elements of the game, both youth and pro’s and allows me to get a logical perspective on my thoughts. It has been great to see how well received the blog has been and it’s great to receive correspondence from people who have found it useful for them.

Through the success of the blog has come two books also, ‘The Way Forward’ and ‘Universality’. ‘The Way Forward’ allowed me to put together all my thoughts on youth development and coaching and gave an opinion on why English football has fell behind other nations. ‘Universality’ is where I see the game moving towards both in a tactical and technical sense. These ideas shape my present coaching of young players as I believe the game is moving towards this ‘universal’ type of player. Therefore what we do with young players is key for the future. Both books give my opinion and ideas on where the game is heading and what is required for us as coaches to develop players who can succeed in the future game. Again, it has been fantastic to receive such glowing feedback from both books, it does seem the books have struck a chord with many coaches, parents and fans of the game in general.

Simon Darcy Clifford (2/2015)

Simon Darcy Clifford is responsible for introducing Brazilian Coaching techniques to the UK & now throughout the world as founder of the Brazilian Soccer Schools franchise. Clifford previously held the role of Head of Sports Science at Southampton FC, providing technical skill sessions to the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott.

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What inspired you to launch Brazilian Soccer Schools?

Back when I did, which was in 1996 England had just failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in the USA. On my Sports Science Degree, we had a look at the FA Prelim badge and I got involved in coaching at this point. What I was doing on the academic side seemed to be at odds with the way we were teaching football to young players and thought there must be a better way, there was nothing revolutionary there. In 1996 I met Juninho (then of Middlesbrough) and went over with him to São Paulo, Brazil and what they did there did seem revolutionary to me and it was an incredible experience and quit my job as a teacher and wanted to change things and positively affect English football.

How do Brazilian Soccer Schools help to develop players?

I still think Brazilian Soccer Schools is a little bit ahead of its time in that regard because we put a huge emphasis on the ball, being competent with all surfaces of both feet and all body parts. Some of the things we introduced almost 20 years ago I still feel there’s room for in England. It was inclusive, it was fun, it didn’t matter what level you played at we would improve you if you put the hours in. If you are ball orientated and willing to work hard day in day out like some of our kids in the early days you’re bound to have some success.

What did your role with Southampton FC entail?

There was a lot going on behind the scenes at Southampton before I eventually arrived in September of 2005, I didn’t really want to go and said no to them about 5 times and eventually they almost forced me to go. Myself and Clive Woodward were given the job of revolutionizing the Academy, revolutionizing the facilities and what we did on the training ground back then was a bit ahead of its time.

The plan for myself and Clive long-term was to be Manager & Assistant Manager of the club, but we had all sorts of problems with Harry Redknapp and Dave Bassett. The initial planning was great but it was difficult beyond that and ended up being more trouble than it was worth. I only stayed until November and could see we were on a hiding to nothing. We had the likes Gareth Bale & Theo Walcott as youth players at the club, we got these players training and thinking differently with the football and we had a morning session with them that used to begin each day at 6:30-7:00am. We made them look at how hard they wanted to work and how good they wanted to be. Although it was a short time I think some good came out of it. Most of what we wanted to do there is now happening in football, but in those days you had a lot of opposition.

How can English Professional clubs improve their Youth Academy structure?

You maybe need to have the Academy separate from the first team, including the youth player’s contracts. That has to be all taken away from the first team Manager, which is slowly happening and there should be separate departments. You have a lot of young players who are in their first of 2nd year of a Pro contract but some Managers are giving big contracts to older players for a quick fix rather than looking to bring on the younger players. These are the sort of problems that we had at Southampton, some of the coaching staff at the club thought the likes of Walcott and Bale weren’t any good and didn’t want them around, it was a battle to get them any first team experience and this is still a problem in the game. If a manager is going to give contracts to 2-3 17 year old he might be in the mindset of when these players come through he won’t be here anyway.

I believe at the lower levels things are improving in terms of the coaching and there’s a much more positive philosophy around England. Its big problem getting experience for 16-19 year olds and I’m not sure whether the Championship is going to become the main English League as the Premier League (especially with the new TV deal) can do what they want and don’t need the FA, they don’t need anybody, it’s a European League played on British soil.

We have to be realistic about that and look at how our young players are going to get opportunities, the U21 leagues (EPPP) in England aren’t of the required standard for players to develop. You’re never going to get a Germany situation here where everyone pulls in the same direction, in this country there’s a lot of politics and infighting and the Premier league has got to a position where they don’t need anyone or anything. There’s no way that youth players are going to get experience with the likes of Chelsea or Manchester City.

In what way did ex-Everton Academy coach Tosh Farrell adopt Brazilian Soccer Schools training methods?

Tosh Farrell worked for Colin Harvey at Everton coaching the U8-U12 players. Colin asked for me to get involved with the Everton Youth Academy and passed me onto Tosh. I went down to Everton to meet Tosh and thought he was one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen in every respect. By late 1998 I was working with other clubs such as Manchester United & Middlesbrough and thought Tosh was the best of the bunch, as were his players. He got me involved quite heavily and wanted to use some of the drills/techniques I was introducing that I had picked up in Brazil. I coached with him a couple of times a week with the U8-U12 players and had a lot of interchange between Everton and BSS. He introduced the Futebol de Salão ball to all his sessions and its was nice to see him implement some of our methods that I had witnessed in Brazil into them as well.

What advice would you give to a youth player looking to advance in the game?

If a player is 13 or 14 and has had a reasonable background in the game, at that stage they need to put all aspects of their life into Football first and put all of the distractions aside. At 15 or 16 if a player still isn’t associated with a Pro club it’s still possible to do that in 2015. If you work hard every day, eat right, sleep right and look at where you are in your strength, speed and power. All those aspects can be improved. At that age you should be specializing in terms of your technical work relevant to your position.

As in any aspect of life, hard work will beat anything and as long as it’s the right work and smart work. I always say to young players you’ll never know whether you’ll be a player until 23, a player anywhere in the system needs to keep working and dream big. At age 13 or 14 anything’s possible, 15-16 the window of opportunity narrows slightly but its still achievable if you’re willing to put mind, body and soul towards your goals. I know players that have been complete write offs at 10, 11 or 12 who worked extremely hard for 8 years or more and got themselves to the very top level of the game in England through sheer hard and smart work. When you’re not getting instant results people around you will say you’re wasting your time and will never make it, you never will if you listen to the negativity. As long as you believe and you keep going in this world, in 2015 anything is possible despite all the money and hype in the game. You need good guidance and to be doing the right work, if you’re willing to put football first, it’ll put you first in return.

Michael Watts (2/2015)

Michael Watts is Head of Performance at Aston Villa FC (2013-present) working with International players such as Christian Benteke & Ron Vlaar (pictured). Watts had previously held the role of Head of Performance and Strength & Conditioning at Norwich City FC (2010-2013).

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What inspired you to get into the field of Strength & Conditioning?

It was more an inspiration to get into coaching, after I had spent the summer of 2002 coaching soccer with Pro Excel in the US I saw a national advert to become a fitness instructor with David Lloyds Fitness Centers here in the UK, they were looking for people who had the desired enthusiasm and people skills. I used the coaching skills I had learnt that summer with Pro Excel in my interview and this is what started me on my path to become a Strength and Conditioning Coach. David Lloyd educated and trained me in the NASM pathway.

What’s your philosophy for training a Professional Soccer Player? How does it differ from other athletes?

Training pro soccer players is very different from any other sport or discipline. Professional English Soccer is a sport that requires a weekly performance peak (game day) so periodization is a challenge and needs to be carefully planned and considered.

When training soccer players you are trying to train all elements of athleticism in a week, every week for 46 weeks a year here in England. Physical training such a speed and agility, strength and power work are implemented but need to run inline with soccer training sessions.

I prefer intensity over volume and look for intensity to taper down toward the end of the week as game day approach.

High speed running and accelerations/decelerations are important training elements that need to be performed during the week so that players are fully prepared to compete. These are the high intensity actions that can decide the result of a game. These actions are best done as far away from the game day as possible as not to cause too much fatigue and muscle soreness.

Have you seen an evolution of dietary methods during your time in the Professional game?

For sure, in my 10 years of working within Professional Soccer there has been a bigger focus on nutrition and individual diets. I see now a more considered approach to nutrition and that it is an everyday discipline and not just something to be considered once game day approaches. The introduction of nutritionists is now becoming more common within the Professional game.

What Strength & Conditioning exercises would you recommend that youth coaches incorporate into their training sessions on a consistent basis?

Speed, agility & quickness drills! I would always look to get youth players to work on their footwork and agility. Soccer is a game that requires explosive changes of direction, if you cant do this I believe it will limit you as a player.

What are the biggest mistakes/misconceptions you’ve encountered in soccer-based fitness training?

Volume! Running around continuously to build an aerobic base. For example doing a 30 minute run to get you fit for soccer, it doesn’t transfer, soccer is an intermittent sport, so train intermittently.

How does the Strength & Conditioning training differ from pre-season to regular season sessions at English Premier League level?

Pre-season training is a good opportunity to work on lower body stability, strength, endurance and power. More gym based strength sessions occur during this phase of the season.

On field conditioning can also differ as more formal conditioning drills (running without the ball) can occur. Formal running planned correctly can add a lot of value to soccer training sessions as it's possible to accurately plan the desired intensities & volumes by controlling running speed & distances. These sessions can also be individually tailored around position, age & training history.

What fitness testing methods do you utilize at English Premier League level?

I like to perform some field tests and some lab based tests.

On the field I like the sub max aerobic test. It’s a 4 minute test that is run at a continuous speed of 14km/h. on collecting the data we look at the last 30 seconds and take the average Heart Rate as a measure, Max Heart Rate and we also look at the recovery time between the 4th minute and the 5th minute.

In the lab we do 6 second watt bike power test and 30 second anaerobic test. It’s a good gage of a players maximum power output and also the fatigue index.

I also like to do body composition testing using the caliper ISAK anthropometry method. This gives us somatotypes and skin fold sums. I am not a huge advocate of body fat percentages. There are so many different calculations that body fat can vary between calculations, depending on where the measurements are recorded.

Testing varies from club to club and trainer to trainer, all the tests have their own pros and cons but I feel its important to collect data that can be collected easily and non invasively and also have a reason and purpose to collecting data, don’t just collect data for collecting data’s sake.

Justin Rennicks (2/2015)

Justin Rennicks (Hamilton, MA) is a member of the U-16 New England Revolution Academy & U.S. U-16 National Team. Rennicks has been participating in private training with Phil Tait Soccer 1 on 1 since 2011.

Imagery provided by the New England Revolution.

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How has being part of the New England Revolution Academy enabled your game to develop?

It’s developed in different ways; my speed of play, first touch and adapting with other players. How I’ve been playing growing up has changed obviously playing with the Academy now. But it’s all about how I move the ball, as well as my speed, agility and stamina.

How was your experience of representing the U.S. National Team at the U-16 Aegean Cup?

It was crazy, because I got my first goal on the U-16 National Team on my debut, which was awesome. Going in was scary, well not scary, but a little bit nervous because these kids are all Professionals already playing at the top. Going in there was fun, but challenging definitely.

Who have been the key influences so far in your playing career?

I would say definitely my coach Bryan Scales (Revolution Director of Youth Development & U-16s Head Coach) has been a big influence because he’s taught me all the way, I’ve known him for about three or four years now and he’s just taught me really everything I know, along with Gary Hall, who was my U-14s coach.

There’s Zach Herivaux (U-18 Revolution Academy) who I’m here with now (training with the first team in Tucson, AZ) who I look up to because I’ve known him for a while. I’ve been to trips to Florida, Texas throughout the year with him and I’ve always looked up to him as a bigger player and someone I’d aspire to be like.

What do you consider your career highlights to date?

Definitely my debut goal (for the U16 U.S. National Team) versus Romania, currently being in Tucson, AZ training with the Revolution first team & going to all team trips with the Revs.

What are your long-term playing ambitions?

Personally I would love to go Professional, but I’d like to go to college first. Go to college, play there and then go Pro.

Jackie Bachteler (1/2015)

Jackie Bachteler is an MA-native, currently based in Sweden as a Professional Soccer Player & Director of Coaching at TikiTaka Football Academy. Bachteler has been consistently involved with private 1 on 1 training as both a player & coach over the past decade.

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How did the opportunity to play/coach in Scandinavia originally come about?

I graduated from Florida Southern in 2010, two days after graduation I was on a flight over to Finland to play for GBK Kokkola. It was a great first professional experience! I was able to coach in Finland also; I worked in a Finnish soccer school, a Swedish soccer school, and helped my club with camps. In Finland most people in the school only spoke Finnish or Swedish, so I learned and I’m now fluent in the Swedish language.

The next year I got recruited to play for IFK Gävle in Sweden. I thought this was a great next step for me because not only was I able to play in the Swedish league but I was also named head coach of IFK Gävle’s second team which played in division 3. Besides that I also worked as a coach in three local soccer schools, and put on the first girls soccer camp for girls in Gävle!

That year in Gävle my coach brought me to a TikiTaka coaching development presentation run by Tony Gustavsson. I knew Tony was recently the former assistant coach of the US women’s national team along side Pia Sundage and the head coach of Tyresö FF so I was extremely excited to meet him and hear his coaching philosophy and what TIkiTaka was all about. During the presentation I could not believe how much Tony and I have in common when it comes to coaching philosophies... We talked afterwards and we have such similar views it is scary. Tony and his father Borje offered me a job as a coach and help grow TikiTaka in Sweden and possibly the US!

The following year (2013) I went back to Sweden and played for Gustafs GoIF and worked for TikiTaka Football Development. For TikiTaka, I was in charge of Tyresö Academy on the girls side, ran sessions for many clubs in the Stockholm area, directed the TikiTaka Tyresö Soccer Camp, my staff included the A team in Tyresö with players such as Marta, Vero Boquete, Caroline Seger, Christen Press, Meghan Klingenberg and many more. The quality of the whole camp was out of this world!! TikiTaka spread really took off in Sweden last year and I became co-owner alongside Börje and Tony.

Playing-wise I transferred to Tyresö FF and played on the B team but had the honor to train with the A team and play with Vero, Marta, Press, etc. It was a dream come true. This past year I transferred to Djurgården and played in the Elitettan.

As for TikiTaka I continued to work with clubs around Stockholm, work as the football coach in Olympen Skolan, and am with the Academy in Tyresö, as well as their Flickallsvenskan team. Tyresö was invited to compete in the G17 Elite in the Gothia cup. I was named the head coach and it was by far the best coaching experience I have had so far. We competed against teams such as PSG (France), St. Gabriel (Spain), Eskilstuna (Sweden) etc.

TikiTaka is launching in the US and we had our first successful clinic in Milwaukee WI with St. Anthony’s school. There will be many more camps and clinics to come. I will head back to Sweden in January and play for Tyresö FF again. I am excited to be playing for them again as well as continue to work with TikiTaka!

How does playing for clubs such as Djurgården & Tyresö in Sweden compare to your playing experience in the US?

In the US I have played in many professional environments and Djurgården/Tyresö are also extremely professional. It’s a much more tactical and technical game in Sweden, where as the US places a bigger emphasis on fitness and the physical and mental side of the game.

What training methods and philosophy does Tiki Taka promote?

The TikiTaka method is based on four key factors: Overall perspective, motivation, balance and JOY. TikiTaka comes from experience, proven techniques, scientific studies and the analysis of successful clubs and nations.

TikiTaka training is where all the parts in soccer (technical, tactical, physical, mental) interact to form a whole; training is very match-like with a high degree of decision-making.

How do youth players in Sweden & the US differentiate in your opinion?

My opinion is that US players are more physically fit than players in Sweden but the youth players in Sweden are smarter tactically overall in the game. I believe this is because players in Sweden are constantly watching soccer. Americans do not watch nearly enough soccer. Players can develop just as much or more by just simply watching and studying the game.

What 1 on 1 coaching involvement did you previously have in the US?

I’ve been an individual trainer since I was 14 years old. I’m a very technical player and it made me easy to help kids of all ages improve technically. When I was in college I worked as an individual trainer for both boys & girls aged 7 to 16. I would have at least 10 individual sessions each week throughout college.

Did you participate in 1 on 1 training or skills-based camps/clinics growing up?

Growing up I did participate in 1 on 1 training session. I had a trainer for a few months and I was lucky enough to have my coaches’ stay after training with me to work on shooting, take on moves etc.

What do you feel are the benefits of 1 on 1 training for players?

The technical benefits that occur during individual training are tremendous, both technically and mentally. It not only increases a player’s confidence with the ball but also, can give the player the opportunity to make technical strengths stronger and improve on weakness. It can also be a place where they gain ideas on different aspects to train on their own.

Mark Cinelli (12/2014)

Mark Cinelli is the Regional Director of Sports Performance for CATZ located in Needham, MA. The Competitive Athlete Training Zone is a Sports Performance Training Facility that helps people of all ages and abilities realize their athletic potential. He is currently serving as the Head Sports Performance Coach for the Boston Breakers.

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What services do CATZ Needham provide for soccer players?

We believe combining a great coach, the right environment, and a proven training program provides the edge athletes need to accomplish their goals and realize their potential.

CATZ Sports Performance training will prepare you for the unique demands of your sport. Defining moments in sports occur at full speed in a chaotic and unpredictable environment. We equip our athletes with the physical tools necessary to perform at the highest level and excel during those moments.

Soccer teams we've worked with include: LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew, Chivas USA, Toronto FC & Boston Breakers. We've also trained members of the USMNT, USWNT and Women's England & Canada National Teams.

How long have you been involved with CATZ?

I've been involved with CATZ for 11 years. I started as an Assistant Director Of Sports Performance and I now hold the role of National Director Of Sports Performance & Coaching.

What training schedule do you provide for the Boston Breakers?

We typically train with the Breakers anywhere from 4-6 days per week. Working along with the coaching staff we will set up a weekly rhythm that works well with their practice and game schedule. Throughout the week there will be strength training, fitness/conditioning, agility and speed training.

How can soccer players help prevent future injury?

To compete successfully, an athlete must be able to sustain a high level of athletic performance (explosive power, increased speed, strength, flexibility, agility and balance) for the duration of a game. Games are won based on the body’s ability to quickly and efficiently recover, replenish, and repeat bouts of maximum muscular effort as often as possible.

The goal of the CATZ Sports Performance Program is to train the muscular, skeletal, proprioceptive, ligamental, cardio-respiratory and nervous systems to work together. This harmonious synthesis of the foundations of athleticism leads to an elevated level of training.

Which food groups would you recommend for soccer players both pre-game and post-game?

Before Competition:

Food: 1-2 hours before - Carbohydrate Rich Meal (cereals, turkey sandwich, oatmeal & peanut butter, apple slices/banana peanut butter, yogurt & fruit, whole grains such as bread & pasta) as well as a small amount of protein and fat.

Fluid: 1-2 hours before - 16-20oz Mixed water and sport drink (50:50).

During Competition:

After about 1 hour of continuous exercise we begin to run out of our immediate energy stores (Glycogen), consume carbohydrate in fluid form (Diluted Gatorade 50:50) at around 8oz/30 mins. This helps keep our carbohydrate stores from diminishing = Sustained Performance. On average a soccer player will run 5.6 miles during the course of game & 30% of all goals are scored in the LAST 15 minutes of play.

After Competition:

Need to replenish our glycogen stores as soon as 15min-2hours after competition: Sooner the better! During this time our muscles act almost like a sponge and can uptake carbohydrate and protein faster = Faster Recovery. Perfect time for a small meal: carbs, protein, small amount of fat (sandwiches, pastas, lean meats, bagels).

Fluid: The general rule is to replace water weight lost during exercise due to sweat. Soccer players can lose 16-24oz of sweat per hour of a practice or game so aim to take in at least 30-40oz of fluid.

Suzane Pires (12/2014)

Suzane Pires is a Brazilian-born professional soccer player with the Boston Breakers. Pires joins the Breakers for the 2015 NWSL season having started 11 matches for the Breakers Reserves in 2014, scoring six goals and recording five assists in WPSL play.

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How did you develop as a player growing up in São Paulo, Brazil?

I can't even remember the first time I've ever kicked a soccer ball. I just know that I was very young. As soon as I was able to walk my Brother and Father introduced me to my life-long passion.

From when I first touched a soccer ball until I was 10 I had only played for fun with boys and my Brother would train me since I was a little girl. He would teach me how to do tricks such as the Rainbow, the Snake, the L and V moves. I would also always watch my Brother and Father play at a high level, which I think helped me develop a competitive personality and love for the game. At age 10 I played for a co-ed Futsal team; that’s where I started to develop as a player learning tactics and positioning. I then received a scholarship to play for a Private Middle School in São Paulo at the age of 11.

I believe my strength of being a technical player is because I was born and grew up in Brazil. When you're a kid in Brazil, it's more important for you to nutmeg an opponent than to score a goal! I would play soccer at least 7 hours day, this includes during lunch at school, team practices and playing pick-up with boys. Brazilian coaches encourage you to take risks and be creative, which made me love the game.

Which players did you idolize growing up?

I loved Ronaldinho Gaucho when I was kid, that was my nickname among my teammates! I loved how when he was under pressure, he'd make it look so easy to get out of it. Also, the way he'd set his teammates up with a great assists, his free kicks, and his tricks always amazed me.

I've always also loved watching my Brother play, I would try to copy the things he'd do in games. I think it's important for us to have someone who is close to us as an idol.

How did the opportunity to play college soccer at Southern Connecticut State originally come about?

The opportunity to play for SCSU came about in a game that was playing in Germany (I moved to Stuttgart, Germany when I was 14 years old along with my family).

One day I was playing for my High School in Germany; we won the game 10-0 and I had scored 9 goals. After that game someone came to speak to me asking if I wanted to go play in the US, I replied “Absolutely!”. From then on my Father made videos of me playing and used them for recruitment to US colleges.

I had around 20 offers from different schools, the phone wouldn't stop ringing at our house. Colleges such as Notre Dame, James Madison, Southern Connecticut were interested. I didn't know much about college soccer so it was tough to differentiate between them. In the end I chose Southern and I don't regret one bit of it. The coaching I received at Southern improved me as a player and as a person on so many levels and if I had the choice again today I would choose Southern.

What are your personal goals leading into the 2015 season with the Breakers?

My personal goal is to train as much as possible to be the fittest I can be in order to be ready for pre-season both physically and mentally. My goal is to help the team the best way I can on and off the field to win the NWSL Championship. Playing for the Breakers is a dream come true, therefore I want to give it all I've got in every practice.......every game.

What are your long-term playing ambitions?

My long-term ambitions are to be selected for the Brazilian National Team and help them win the World Cup and Olympic Games.

What advice would you give to aspiring female players?

My advice would be to play soccer as much as possible; everyday, many hours a day. The more you play the more comfortable you get with the ball, the more you trust yourself to take risks during a competitive game. I would also advise aspiring players to use both feet when playing, once you get to a competitive level it makes a huge difference when you can shoot, dribble and pass with your less dominant foot.

Lastly, I would advise young players to surround themselves with ambitious and motivated people who can help them to reach their goals. During my career I had people who truly believed in me, even when I had doubts. Therefore I think it's important to keep the people who believe in us in our lives as they have the ability to pick us up when we fall.

David Copeland-Smith (11/2014)

David Copeland-Smith is the Director/Owner at Beast Mode Soccer; Internationally recognized as a leading figure in individual technical development. Following his success as a field presenter at the 2014 NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia, David has continued to grow BMS into the go-to technical training system trusted by many of USWNT, USMNT, and NWSL players.

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What inspired you to launch Beast Mode Soccer?

I had been providing players individual technical sessions for about 10 years before I actually branded with the name of Beast Mode Soccer.

The fact is, coaches do not have enough time to dedicate to developing each and every player on their team, and I was fed up seeing players who were 13/14/15 who had been playing at a relatively high level for over 4 years who were technically inept and really didn't have even a good basic foundation but relied on their physical attributes.

We kept getting more and more requests for sessions because of the results our players were seeing on the field and it got to the amount that I had to make a choice: Coach teams and continue to do technical sessions, or start exclusively offering 1 on 1 development.

After talking to a lot of influential people in my life, most of which said it would not be possible to form such a business, I chose to do it, I love a challenge!

What coaching involvement did you have prior to launching Beast Mode Soccer?

I coached at home in the UK, local teams, individual sessions etc, got my UEFA licenses, then moved to the USA in 2002 and worked with a camp in Upstate New York, then later with Major League Soccer Camps. For MLSC I was a Player Development Officer. This allowed me to travel around Florida working with various clubs training teams and in the camp environment. After I left MLSC I worked independently for various clubs as a Skills Development Trainer, showing coaches how to get players to train on their own to improve. Again, I was always more interested in the bio-mechanics and movements of technique building and skill development.

When I moved to California I decided to only work with one team, and start studying the bio-mechanical side of technique. I also started to read heavily about the mental side of sports development and how I could utilize that into our system, and became basically obsessed with making every player that I worked with the absolute best that they could be.

Which Pro players have you worked with 1 on 1?

This is one of the many reasons I absolutely love 1 on 1 technical development; Every single soccer player on earth can benefit from it.

Honestly, we have worked with a phenomenal amount of pro players. Ali Riley (New Zealand and FC Rosengard in Sweden) was our first player that turned pro. Ali started working with me while in High School, then to Stanford for college then turned pro with FC Gold Pride. Ali was actually responsible for the name Beast Mode Soccer, during a session she hit the top corner and screamed that, I went home and registered the name!

All of the pro players that I have worked with all share one thing in common, and that is an absolute relentless pursuit of excellence. They are 100% allergic to standing still and always want to improve. Here are a few of the players that have done Beast Mode Soccer sessions; Ali Riley, Alex Morgan, Landon Donovan, Abby Wambach, Christen Press, Stephen Ireland, Mana Shim, Liz Bogus, Whitney Engen, Kelley O'Hara, Allie Long, Omar Gonzalez, Tobin Heath, Bobby Warsaw, Beverly Goebel, Sarah Huffman, Leslie Osborne, Bianca D'Agostino, Rachel Van Hollebeke (née Buehler), Jill Oakes, Angela Salem, Chelsea Stewart, Sydney Leroux, Rachel Daly and a lot more.

What do you feel are the benefits of 1 on 1 training for players?

The benefits of 1 on 1 training are huge. As I said before, each and every player in the world can benefit from the individual attention of a skill specialist. The fact is, if you truly want to play at an elite level, you HAVE to put the individual technical work in.

At Beast Mode Soccer we break down game footage of our players, study it, then formulate long term development program for that player based upon what we have seen and their own personal goals (both short term and long term). Our systems are very much 'building blocks,' based upon functional footwork and techniques, literally every movement and touch we do has a purpose.

Once the player has the technique down, we introduce spatial awareness training, which shows the player exactly when and where that certain technique will be used in a game, which starts the process of skill development, and then we introduce high pressure game type scenarios until the player is comfortable executing the skill at full speed.

We also implement The Better Soccer Blueprint: Personal with our players, which is a step to step guide showing players exactly how to own their technical, mental, physical and tactical development and really emphasizes the importance of self reliance in soccer. We have had phenomenal results with it, which spawned our award winning training system The Better Soccer Blueprint, allowing any player to train 'The Beast Mode Soccer Way' from their own home. Again, the feedback we get from players who commit to the system is unreal. Players who make goals, like the one player who was playing rec soccer, but wanted to make ODP and achieved that goal within a year following the Blueprint.

What advice would you give to a youth player looking to advance in the game?

Commit. It's a simple word. Every player who I have worked with who has made it to highest level has done so by making a commitment to excellence.

We live in a society that is becoming crippled with entitlement and laziness. We use the word 'talent' as a crutch, which people use to enable them to be o.k. with mediocrity. I get mad when I hear a commentator say Alex Morgan or Christen Press are 'natural born goal scorers' when it's absolute b.s.! These players have spent thousands and thousands of EXTRA hours on the field, smashing shot after shot into the corner of the goal so that it becomes a repetitive motion for them, there is absolutely NOTHING natural about that!

These players write their goals down, are organized and are literally obsessed with becoming the absolute best player that they can be.

My biggest piece of advice would be to form the habit of training on your own. It's hard sometimes, you will get up and really not want to do it, but its at that moment when you know if you actually REALLY want to be a pro soccer player. Most people want to wake up and train, but when it comes down to it, they just want to sleep in a little bit more! These people will make excuses for the rest of their lives about why they didn't make it, but at the end of the day when they are laying in bed, they know that they alone are responsible for not achieving their goals.

It always amazes me that players have all the time in the world to watch garbage TV shows, read trashy celebrity obsessed magazines, and play silly games on their phones, but they can't find an hour everyday to train their weakness' to become strengths? Do not be that player! Be the player who is at team practice early, and leaving late, doing extra, smashing goals and leading by example. We have a saying at Beast Mode Soccer 'Champions Do More,' be a champion!

What advice would you give to aspiring coaches?

Study. Study everything. Study everyone. Have no ego. I have read over 300 coaching related books, I have a collection of over 200 soccer DVD's and dedicate one hour a day to studying. Whether that be reading, watching a DVD, observing coaching sessions, watching other technical trainers (sometimes that can be a bit tricky!). Try to learn something new every single day.

I chose to purely focus on long term individual technical development a long time ago, and I have soaked up thousands and thousands of hours of information and developed the BMS training method which I feel is the most complete system out there, yet we are ALWAYS growing, and I know that I can learn from so many sources, for example, we use drills that we learned from the website of the author of this blog, Phil Tait! As soon you think you know everything, in my mind, you've lost. We follow the principle of 'Kaizen' which is Japanese for 'continuous improvement.'

Try to find a mentor, somebody who has been around coaching for a long time and aligns with your methodology and basically act as their apprentice.

It really is all about learning and being open to different opinions. A great resource is social media, but it comes with a warning! Do not become an arm chair coach relying on other peoples sessions from the internet, if you do that you are just a robot with no coaching style of your own. Experiment with your own sessions, build up a library and then share your killer sessions with everyone else!

What next for Beast Mode Soccer?

Great question! We are currently working on our third training program called 'The Soccer Vortex' which is shaping up really well. I can't really say a lot about it right now, but it will literally change the way players train on their own and look at development, it's very exciting!

2015 will see us add to our nationwide locations (currently Los Angeles, Richmond VA, Portland, Seattle and Utah) and the nationwide launch of the Beast Mode Soccer Level 1 Technical Training Certification. This is an awesome opportunity for soccer trainers to learn exactly how we develop elite level players, and why the top players in the nation can't stop talking about BMS.

It's exciting times ahead, but don't think I will ever slow down, you see, we practice what we preach, and I am on a continuous search for excellence and improvement!

Saul Isaksson-Hurst (11/2014)

Saul Isaksson-Hurst is the Director/Owner at MyPersonalFootballCoach.com & PDA Football 1 on 1. MyPersonalFootballCoach.com is an interactive individual training program proven to produce Premier League and International Players. He also has 9 years experience coaching in Premier League Academy football with Tottenham Hotspur FC and currently Chelsea FC.

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What inspired you to launch MyPersonalFootballCoach.com?

MyPersonalFootballCoach.com was born out of my desire to work with more players all over the world. I've been fortunate enough to have had a lot of success in developing and supporting players 1on1 into Academy football, signing for Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich. Players have also gone on to represent their country and play in the Premier League.

I was always restricted by time and location. I wanted to create something that players could access any where in the world, a way of empowering them and giving them the opportunity to find out what it takes and how to develop into a Pro player.

What coaching involvement did you have previously in the US?

I came out to the U.S. in the spring of 2002, originally just for two seasons, I ended up staying for 6! I fell in love with the place. I was living in Long Island and then New Jersey. I loved the culture, the people and the climate. I particularly admired the American’s attitude to football and their mentality toward training and development.

Who have been the key influences so far in your coaching career?

I've had several key influences. Tim Bradbury at Noga soccer; a true visionary, helped shaped my methodology which still stands today. Working with Chris Ramsey and Danny Buck when I first joined Tottenham Hotspur in the Academy as a coach. Now I'm lucky to be surrounded by world class coaches and players at Chelsea and can't help but be inspired.

How do youth players in the UK & the US differentiate in your opinion?

My experience is that there was very little difference between young players in the UK & US in terms of quality. America has unlimited potential and I'm sure it won't be long until they’re winning the World Cup.

I think there are more opportunities in the UK for players when they reach their teenage years in terms of elite development opportunities. There are many Pro club academies, these I believe are important to help players make the step up to Pro football. This is one area that America still has a little way to go. I’m sure they’ll get there though.

What advice would you give to a youth player looking to advance in the game?

The key for me is technical development and desire! I keep emphasizing to players the importance to be able to play off both feet, it's a simple idea that is possible for every player but just takes a lot of hard work. Also to be technically excellent in all areas, can you be the most technical player in your team? Lastly desire, I work with many players who want to make it into Pro clubs, and the majority of the time it comes down to this……how much do you want it? It's a tough game to get into and you have to want it more than the next player. If you’re not doing some sort of technical practice everyday you have no chance.

What advice would you give to aspiring coaches?

Coaches just have to get out there and do it; get as much experience as possible and see as many experienced good practitioners as possible. I’ve always had a real natural passion for the game, when I began coaching I made a decision to become a student of the game. I did a lot of reading from leaders in the field, books and DVDs on formations and training systems and most importantly watching and learning from top class coaches. Experience is the key as you can put all these things into practice and develop your own methodology.

What do you feel are the benefits of 1 on 1 training for players?

1 on 1 coaching is of benefit to all players, whether beginners or Elite players. My particular specialism is elite and aspiring elite players. If you want to be a top player it’s impossible without isolated technical practice. You look at any sport in the world and the top performers are doing isolated practice. The key is making that practice firstly challenging and then making it functional.

MyPersonalFootballCoach.com teaches you the fundamental techniques needed to be a Pro player but also gives you functional 'game like' practices to master them. These functional practices are microcosmic examples of game situations and help you develop technique in preparation for game time.

All the skill & technical training must be done with a a view of contextualizing that in a game situation for a player. Teach them a skill but most importantly teach them how and where to use it in a game.

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