A WINNING CULTURE

It is good to see that work continues on creating a better playing environment for players in the USA. However, if children are treated like professional players something is going into a very bad direction and that will also not be easy to change. My daughter studied in Florida (Gainesville) when she was 17 and from here we learnt how competitive school was at that time (1991-1992). With 'best student' of the week; ‘best football player of the week;' etc. How can you change a 'culture'?

The advantages of my country is that it is very small and that we travel max four hours to get from the north to the south or west to east. The other advantage is that our Association is leading in vision, strategy and promotion of the game. After the generation of Van Persi, Robben, Van de Vaart, Schneider, etc. we now produce van Dijk and Wijnaldum (Liverpool) , Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Delpay (Lyon) and many more.

 This is the result of our club system where we produce well educated youth coaches through the KNVB working with kids from 5 years onwards and in a system where every kid rich or poor can join the club.

 From 6-8 they play locally, with one match each week. 10 months per year.

 From 10 to 12 years there is a competition for each kid but no promotion or relegation and when there is a team who wins too much with high scores the team is half way the season put into a better competition so that scores of losing 10-0 or even more is no longer possible.

 From 12 years and older the real competition starts and the player together with the parents can choose to be part of a selection system where the best play the best and where your son can even be scouted by a professional club (Academy)

 These Academy players, like Ajax, Feijenoord, PSV Eindhoven AZ Alkmaar etc. are recruited from amateur clubs and transport, study, care of the family is arranged by the club. They train 4 to 5 times a week and play 40 to 50 matches per season plus 3 or four tournaments abroad.

The kid can also choose for a recreational pathway and just train and play for fun. Mostly training is twice a week and a game on Saturday.

From 4 to 12 kids should have fun and play for fun. The involvement of parents should be minimalized and leave their children in professional coaches, specialized in coaching children. These coaches should not try to be a copy of famous coaches but invest in their own personality and be a guide for the children to grow as a grown up soccer player and also human being.

Rob Baan

Emeritus - Youth Technical Director (Netherlands)

Current - Technical Director (Rotterdam) 

?Koach Karl’s Notes: 

 Thank You! Coach Rob Baan for sharing your insights with FUNdamental SOCCER!

I am also hoping that YOU (the reader) will join the discussion; because your input may help another program improve and that is what this forum is all about. Should you have any questions for Coach Bann? Please send them to me!

 Finally, I pray that everyone is and will continue to be Healthy and Happy!

 Your FUNdamental, Koach Karl (Karl Dewazien)

• Emeritus State DoC of California Youth Soccer Assoc. 1979-2012
• Author - FUNdamental SOCCER Books Series
• Producer - ‘FUNdamental SOCCER -Practice’ DVD.
• Clinician at: www.fundamentalsoccer.com