Dutch Pro Academy Training Sessions Vol 2 PDF

World Class Coaching in conjunction with Terry Michler’s Dutch Touch sponsored a 9-day coaches tour of Holland and Germany.

Coaches from Europe, the US and the Caribbean were treated to an outstanding overview of soccer in the Netherlands, with an emphasis on player development and coach education.

As well as a full program of observing pro, youth and top amateur teams playing and training; seminars and the opportunity to question and interact with top coaches, we enjoyed excellent hospitality, food and friendship as well as unseasonably sunny weather with a little bit of tourism thrown in for good measure.

In addition to crisscrossing the small country of Holland, we ventured into Germany for a tour of Schalke ‘04’s impressive Veltins Arena and training complex as well as a pleasant stroll along the splendid Rhine promenade in old town Dusseldorf.

Our tour group, made up of club, college, school and youth national team coaches was based at the comfortable Hotel De Oude Molen (“Old Mill”) in the picturesque town of Groesbeek, Gelderland, 15 km from Nijmegen and 2 km from the German border.

Though a small town, Groesbeek is home to two of the region’s top third division teams, De Treffers and Achilles FC.

Though technically described as amateur teams, in reality they are high-level semi-pro clubs more similar to AAA baseball farm teams in the US or to high level Conference football teams in the UK.

Each own modest stadiums; full training facilities, clubhouses with bars, restaurants, executive lounges and fanshops; as well as large youth and amateur divisions.

Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the eastern part of the country.

While the cities of Nijmegen - the oldest city in the Netherlands – and Arnhem and their famous Rhine bridges are perhaps best known to many Brits and Americans as ground zero for WWII’s Operation Market Garden, (“A Bridge Too Far”), soccer-wise they are home to Eredivisie clubs Vitesse Arnhem, NEC Nijmegen and to De Graafschap based in nearby Doetinchem.

Our tour was organized by Jan Pruijn, currently the Head of Technical Affairs at Ajax Cape Town. Pruijn has served as the head of the Ajax International Youth Development where he was responsible for the establishment of the “Ajax-way” program for Ajax branches in South Africa, Ghana, and Belgium.

He has also served as the head coach of NEC Nijmegen and Helmond Sport as well as working for the KNVB, the Lebanese F.A., A.F.C Amsterdam and De Treffers FC.

Additionally, we were hosted by former KNVB instructors Harry Jensen and Theo Dirks, former NEC youth coach Remco Ten Hoopen, Trekvogels coach Joost Van Eldon and coach and author Terry Michler.

The Coaches Tour was held in conjunction with a game and training tour for a selection of U14 CBC Dutch Touch players and parents from the St Louis area as well as a tour of the women’s soccer team from Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Journal Glossary:

• KNVB (Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbal Bond) or the Royal Netherlands Football Association; the equivalent of the English FA or the USSF headquartered in Zeist.

• “Point forward” or “point back”: Refers to the arrangement of the three midfield players in the 4-3- 3 formation. “Point back” is with 1 defensive and 2 attacking midfield players and “point forward” is with 2 defensive and 1 attacking midfield players.

• Eredivisie (Honor Division), Dutch 1st division or highest level of professional play in the Netherlands.
• Eerste Divisie (First Division), second tier of professional play in the Netherlands and often referred to the Juliper League after its sponsor; not to be confused with the same name for the Belgian first division.

• Topklasse, semi-professional play. The third tier of Dutch soccer.

• Hoofdklasse, the highest level of amateur play, and the fourth tier of Dutch soccer.