SoccerToday Youth Soccer Coach Interview Series – PART 2
Fort Lauderdale Strikers Partner with Youth Club Fort Lauderdale Select FC – Second Part of Interview
Last month, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers took a massive step forward in its youth development efforts by forming a partnership with premier youth soccer program Fort Lauderdale FC. The partnership creates a developmental pyramid and a direct path for Fort Lauderdale FC’s youth players to progress to Fort Lauderdale Strikers U23, and ultimately, the club’s professional team that competes in the North American Soccer League. READ PART 1
Youth Soccer News: The partnership between professional teams and youth programs is a trend that has emerged in recent years. The guidance that professional organizations can provide to youth players and their organizations helps to progress the overall development of soccer in the United States that tends to go beyond the pitch.
SoccerToday’s Chris Rael spoke with the CEO of Fort Lauderdale Strikers Sean Guerin, as well as Director of Coaching of Fort Lauderdale Select FC and recently appointed U23 Head Coach of the Strikers’ new NPSL team Olaf Henke to discuss the recent partnership between the clubs as well as the Strikers’ preseason trip to China.
In the first part of our interview, Sean Guerin and Olaf Henke touched on the recent partnership between the two clubs and their shared ambitions to elevate soccer development in the South Florida area. Both cited synergy between the organizations as a motive for the partnership and also discussed how they can develop homegrown players with greater ease together. Check out the first part of the interview here.
Chris Rael: What are your goals for your new position as head coach of the NPSL team?
Olaf Henke: I think it’s a great opportunity for Fort Lauderdale Strikers to promote our brand and have a team in the NPSL. It will be great to play against good opposition.
We also look forward to developing players within the abundant market we have in South Florida, and potentially identify players for the first team.
The NPSL team provides another level of development for our youth soccer players. It’s a great opportunity for those players who are coming out of their youth development or college program to continue and possibly make it on a NPSL or NASL team.
Chris Rael: How do youth and pro soccer club partnerships help develop players in a more efficient manner?
Sean Guerin: We now give our youth soccer players access to professional soccer players and professional coaches who have years of experience developing homegrown talent.
While Fort Lauderdale FC has great coaches, they do not have the same level of resources nor our depth of experience. Our partnership brings the youth soccer club to a whole different level. We are also sharing our professional assessment process, tools and technology to make sure we are providing these kids the best possible training and physical preparation.
Olaf Henke: Partnerships like ours provide youth clubs with the opportunity to use the professional method to improve the level of player development. We want more kids to see and feel what it is like to be at the professional level.
Chris Rael: What do you believe is your greatest challenge in the NPSL?
Olaf Henke: The length of the NPSL season. We’re looking at a very short season. It is made to accommodate the college eligibility of players, which I think is great but it shortens the season tremendously. You’re looking at a 3½-4 month season where you go into a very short period of games.
It is definitely a challenge because to form a team and develop a team takes time. It’s a little bit of a shame but at the same time it’s an opportunity for the players who are a part of it.
Chris Rael: How would you like to see professional soccer teams work with youth programs?
Sean Guerin: The MLS teams are doing a great job working with their USSF academies and affiliate youth soccer clubs. We’re also now seeing this in our NASL league. This mentorship is a great way to work with youth soccer clubs and help develop tomorrow’s stars.
Olaf Henke: I truly believe that one of the biggest obstacles we have in the United States is that it’s a monetary driven environment. Pay-to-play is a big problem in America.
Soccer is not the cheapest sport. Professional teams should have an influence on player development and let clubs know what they look for in a player.
What happens to a player who – at the younger ages – plays for a team that is winning everything but does not personally develop his or her potential?
Professional teams can help youth soccer clubs focus on development over winning and therefore develop better players.
Chris Rael: You are going on a trip to China; what are your goals?
Sean Guerin: Obviously we are very excited to take our players to China — One of the goals of this partnership was to create a global brand.
We just didn’t want to be limited to our little slice of the world in the NASL.
We needed to be a year around soccer club — building up our brand as well as our fan base — well beyond our surrounding area.
Obviously, we are well known in Brazil because of our part owner Ronaldo — one of Brazil’s best ex-strikers who is known around the world as “‘the phenomenon”. In China, Ronaldo has enjoyed great success with his R9 Soccer Academies — so it is natural for professional soccer organizations as well as youth clubs to be interested in our club.
We teamed up with Ronaldo to travel to China and play five different teams in five different cities.
We’re also hosting tryouts in all the cities, the goal is to bring back a player to the USA. It’s all about developing talent and bringing players to the next level of the game.
Chris Rael: How many players are you taking to China?
Sean Guerin: We’re taking a team of 23 players on the trip.
Chris Rael: How is the trip being funded?
Sean Guerin: Our partners in China are covering the costs. The Chinese government as well as business leaders who are developing soccer clubs want us to visit for same reasons as why we are going over there.
Chris Rael: How have you prepared for this trip?
Sean Guerin: These guys have been training hard. Our season starts April 2nd and I’ve been extremely impressed with the staff. They take it extremely seriously, non-stop, around the clock.
The training outside of the practice field is impressive, these guys are ready. They came back early January and 4 days later they played FC Schalke 04, then Independiente Santa Fe out of Colombia, Corinthians from Brazil, FC Shakhtar Donetsk out of Ukraine and Orlando City two nights ago. So these guys have been working hard.
Chris Rael: Where else have you traveled with a soccer team?
Sean Guerin: Last year, we took a team over to Brazil. After we return from China, we start the season and then we’re going back down to Brazil. We are talking to several teams from Europe and India – exploring the options for future trips.
Chris Rael: What inspires you to coach?
Olaf Henke: What doesn’t? I’ve been involved with the sport since I was six years old. I loved soccer as a child and continued to love the game as a player — and this makes me hope to pass on the passion.
I am inspired to pass on this passion to younger players and open their eyes to my vision of the game. That is my biggest goal and, of course, I get a lot of satisfaction developing youth soccer players.
Chris Rael: When did you start playing and where did you play at?
Olaf Henke: I grew up in Germany and played for local clubs where I grew up. I continued playing at the adult level until my early thirties and then a knee injury ended my career.
Chris Rael: What do you think needs to change in youth soccer in the United States to make it more competitive on the world stage?
Olaf Henke: I would like to get to the point where the structure allows us to develop players with the focus on player development versus chasing trophies. I would like to see a deeper focus on league play. The development academy has it as a model and what players are allowed to do is very strictly structured. I think that system is something we can apply at the lower levels and change the focus from playing 3-4 games on weekend.
I would like to see that change and promotion of that kind of environment.
Photo Credit: Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Ronaldo image in yellow jersey – Credit: Maxisport / Shutterstock.com
Source: NPSL, Ft Lauderdale Strikers and Ft Lauderdale FC
