The purpose of this letter is to explain why we have chosen to partner with ACF Fiorentina as well as offer a clear idea of the ACF Fiorentina/ Norcal Premier Soccer, Club Partnership Program - its goals, benefits, responsibilities and any associated costs.
I have had the great fortune to have visited and studied at over 50 Soccer Clubs world wide - many professional, some amateur, and some a combination. This experience has been both exhilarating and humbling.
At top level Professional Clubs such as Barca, Ajax, Chelsea, BVB, PSV and ACF Fiorentina and amateur Clubs Quick Den Haag, Westfalia Herne 04 and Armenia Bochum, I have been lucky to spend time examining these clubs, their teams, their coaching methodology and their structure from top to bottom - both youth and adult.
These clubs have presented lectures from Directors of Soccer, CEO’s, Coaches, Physios, Board Members and even players.
My intention is not to preach from a mountain top, but rather to share with you the experiences and give the background from which my opinion has been formed that ACF Fiorentina is amongst the top clubs in terms of vision, personal, structure, and execution of youth development.
We believe the opportunity for our NorCal Soccer Clubs - our directors, our coaches and most importantly - our players - to have the ability to work with a club of this size and level is our good fortune. We believe this to be an important step in bringing our top clubs to the top of the US Soccer youth pyramid - shoulder to shoulder with MLS and other professional soccer organization - by following and emulating world wide standards rather than historically accepted US Youth Soccer standards.
All NorCal Clubs will become a “Level One Partner” by registering with NorCal Premier Soccer. It will be your Club and your coaches decisions to embrace the opportunities offered by this automatic partnership.
If you are interested in becoming a “Level Two Partner Club”, please contact Paolo Bonomo or I. We will follow up with you about this proposal.
Thank you very much Benjamin Ziemer
leaguemanager@norcalpremier.com
LEVEL ONE PARTNERSHIP
Coaching Education and Player identification:
- ACF Fiorentina assistance in educating our NorCal Premier PDP and Coaching Education staff which will enable us to present NorCal Premier Soccer Basic Level Courses (no cost to coaches: see dates below)
- An introductory ACF Fiorentina Course with Director of Youth Professor Vergine (no cost to coaches: see date below)
- Advanced and Master Courses in the ACF Fiorentina Method twice a year (there will be a cost for these courses see dates below)
- Assists the NorCal PDP staff in implementing the Fiorentina Method in our Player Development Program sessions which are open to all coaches.
- Players may be identified by ACF Fiorentina to be taken to Florence, Italy for a training period with their teams (no cost to the players)
These Level One Activities are open to all NorCal Clubs, coaches and players.
LEVEL TWO PARTNERSHIP
The “Level Two Club Partnership Program”, is an advanced partnership for selected Clubs that would like to work in partnership with ACF Fiorentina including following their curriculum and model of developing youth players technically, physically, and tactically.
Although this is open to all interested Clubs, in order to participate at this level a club must have a Director of
Coaching, a coaching staff who works together and a Club technical structure which allows for proper implementation of the program. This level is for Clubs who are interested in working at the highest level for the purpose of developing youth players.
The “Level Two Club Partnership Program” provides:
- Participation in Advanced and Master Courses held twice a year
- Mentoring in the ACF Fiorentina Training Philosophy through bi-monthly meetings
- Online Coaches Education with videos and other educational material.
- Club Visits by NorCal/Fiorentina Staff
The Level Two Club Partnership Program has a small associated cost and Clubs must apply and be accepted into this level. Clubs not initially selected may re-apply after a year of Level One participation.
NorCal Premier Soccer - 2010 Coaches Education Program
During 2010 NorCal plans to offer three or more Top Level Coaching Clinics with Directors of Coaching from Professional Clubs - One in winter/spring and two during the summer.
The first course will be held this March 17 - 20th. We will also provide the Basic ACF Fiorentina Course which will provide a Basic Certificate from ACF Fiorentina.
ACF Fiorentina Coaching Clinic Program:
Course #1 - March 13th - 14th Basic ACF Fiorentina Method – Woodland Soccer Complex - FREE
Course #2 - March 17th ACF Fiorentina Introductory Course - Presented by ACF Fiorentina Vincenzo Vergine - Site TBA - FREE
Course #3 - March 17th - 20th ACF Fiorentina Advanced Course – Presented by ACF Fiorentina Vincenzo Vergine - Site TBA - see cost below
Course #4 - March 17th - 20th ACF Fiorentina Master Course – Presented by ACF Fiorentina Vincenzo Vergine - Site TBA - see cost below.
The pertinent information for the ACF Fiorentina Advanced/Master Coaching Course is:
When: Wednesday, March 17 - Saturday, March 20
Location: To be held in the Bay Area (site tba).
Times: AM classroom session - PM field session.
Attendees: The Master Course will be only for coaches who have completed the Advanced Course held last July. The Advanced and Master
courses will be heldsimultaneously.
Cost: There will be a $400 charge per coach for the Advanced and Master courses.
Why ACF Fiorentina?
After much research, discussion and thought, we, Norcal Premier Soccer, have decided to partner with ACF Fiorentina because of the following reasons:
Proven Track Record:
It would be the height of arrogance to suggest ACF Fiorentina have the only way to develop youth soccer players. Honestly put, they have their way developed by Pantelone Corvino and Professor Vergine during 20 years of experience - from the dusty soccer fields of a lower division Italian Club to Champions League Club - ACF Fiorentina.
The approach of Professor Vergine is very scientific and was developed many years ago, out of necessity, because the owner of their club Lecce told them they had no money to buy players - they must develop them
from the youth.
Because they had to develop players from their own system all of the energy and research was developed from that reality.
During their 20 years as a team, using a combination of the classroom and on the field practical and scientific field work, they have, together, developed players for the highest levels of Italian soccer Serie A and the Italian National team.
ACF Fiorentina currently has five players on the U17 Italian National Team. Corvino (Tech Director) and Vergine (Director of Youth) were hired by Fiorentina 3 years ago (this is their 4th season) and the U17 team is considered their first group of players.
Willingness to share with us:
ACF Fiorentina is willing to partner with us to improve our NorCal Clubs and their thousands of coaches. They
are willing to share with us, their experience, their expertise and offer their guidance to assist us to offer our players and families a connection to a “World Class Youth Development Program”. While many NorCal Clubs will have the opportunity to send their Club coaches, they will send us their Director of Coaching – Professor Vergine and occasionally their Director of Soccer - Corvino.
Supported by the Board Room and the Locker Room:
The CEO of ACF Fiorentina, Sandro Mencucci, has twice visited Northern California and believes, as we do, that if we improve our coaching and develop our member Clubs structure we will be able to offer our players a chance to develop to their potential and have a more rewarding involvement with soccer – the sport that so many younger players love to play.
This offers an incredible opportunity to work with a Soccer Club in which the entire organization believes in and supports the project.
The principle aim of the methodology is the individual players development:
Simply put their scientific approach combines a concentration on the overall development of the player in the physical, technical, tactical and mental areas. The players are first evaluated and then the Club develops an individualized training plan for 4 - 6 years.
This plan includes extensive work on psycho-motor skills, coordination, endurance, involuntary muscle movement, flexibility, technical training team tactics, and individual tactics. These areas are then broken down into categories (see attachment).
Depending on the players age these areas are trained more or less for instance a U9 - 10 player will not work on endurance or team tactics rather their trainings will focus on developing psychomotor skills (most often with the ball), technique and individual tactics.
