I have this vision…
A team of parents – someone probably like yourself – trying to build out from the back and while doing so, their children are screaming absurdities at them.
Someone recently said to me, “there is so much noise in youth football development.”
I agree. 100%.
Definition of Noise: Any sound that interferes with one’s hearing of something or that causes distraction. Example: I couldn’t hear him over all the noise.
Yes.
There is “so much noise in youth football development.”
So much racket interfering with what is actually important.
Fun.
So much babel distracting us from getting to the point.
Learning.
How does one cut through all the commotion?
Simple.
Let Them Play.
In 2018, will you add or detract from the noise?
Will you play a part in the pandemonium?
Or…
Will you allow the kiddos to get on the pitch and just absolutely get after it?
“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” – Archilochos
So let them train… Let Them Play.
As always appropriate hyperlinks below for further reading and enjoyment!
Let Them Play: Football
Let Them Play: Music
Let Them Skate
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Olé Football Academy Releases “Let Them Play” Fund: The “Let Them Play” Endowment Fund is an Olé FA initiative aimed at confronting the 21st century pay – to – play model in order to provide subsidised play: music, art and sport opportunities to Porirua, New Zealand based students and ballers! More information to be released soon at poriruaproject.com.
“Let Them Play” – Opportunities To Play / 2018 Olé Football Academy Programme Overview
Young Olé Ages 15 – 18 – Western Suburbs Men’s 1st Team, Men’s 2nd Team, and U17’s
Young Olé 1 – Western Suburbs Grade 13 – Grade 14
Young Olé 2 – Western Suburbs Boys and Girls Grade 11 – Grade 12
Young Olé 3 – Western Suburbs Boys and Girls Grade 9 – Grade 10
Young Olé Jrs – Club Unaffiliated Boys and Girls Grade 7 – Grade 8
Skill Builders Term 1 registration is still open! – Club Unaffiliated Boys and Girls Ages 5 – 10
Samba Futsal – Olé FA Partnership Club Unaffiliated Boys and Girls Grades 7 – 12
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“Let Them Play” – Why Olé FA?
Kyle Adams Signs Professional Contract With Rio Grande Valley FC: “During my time at Olé, I became not just a better footballer, but was able to develop as a student and person. The set up is everything you could ask for with a great field, the best equipment and the coaches which match the best all over the world. Moving away from Auckland was a big decision but I knew that Olé was the best thing for my development. Living at the academy allowed me to learn how to look after myself in a controlled environment. The coaches onsite were always willing to help the players when needed. Olé was integral in securing my scholarship to San Diego State University and furthering my football career and education. I can truthfully say that I would not be the person I am, nor would I be where I am today if it weren’t for the Olé Football Academy.” – K. Adams
Cory Brown Drafted To Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps: “Without the decision to move to Olé I wouldn’t fully understand what it means to be a footballer. I realised it’s not just my natural talent that will get me where I want to be, but having the ability to take onboard criticism and grow from that. Olé taught me that everything I do off the field affects how I play, that’s in the classroom, what I eat and how I carry myself as a human. Without Olé I wouldn’t be where I am today.” – C. Brown
Elliot Collier Drafted To Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire: “My time at the Olé Football Academy can be summed up by one word “professionalism.” There is no environment more professional in the country than that of the Olé Football Academy. Olé was not just another stop along the way of my footballing career, but instead it was the beginning. Before coming to Olé I hadn’t truly experienced what it was like to “play football,” the level and style of play at Olé is rivaled by no other. I will be forever grateful for the time I spent at Olé as it has shaped me into the person, player, and scholar I am today.” – E. Collier
Ryan Thomas Voted Best Player In Dutch Eredevisie: “My time at Olé has shaped who I am today, as a footballer and a person. Olé provides great facilities to train and the residential experience is second to none when it comes to academies in New Zealand. Olé is set up to produce world class footballers and also help them become mature young men and women. The Olé culture really sets it apart from other academies. I haven’t seen such a distinct culture from an academy in New Zealand or Holland. There isn’t a better coaching staff in NZ to develop young players into the footballers they want to be, Olé has created the perfect environment for aspiring young players.” – R. Thomas
Sasha Sneyd Receives Fully Funded Cambridge PhD Scholarship: “At Ole they teach you to have a vision, and for most of the players it’s to become a professional footballer. The coaches teach you to work relentlessly towards your goal, to pro-actively seek out opportunities, and to set extremely high standards for yourself and others. And although I ended up pursuing a different career – to become a professional scientist – I’ve found these skills invaluable, and I would not have got into Cambridge University without them. Overall, the thing I’ll take away the most is the proactive mindset, which (for me) is the idea that anything is possible if you’re dedicated enough. That’s something you can’t find many other places.” – S. Sneyd
Shae Bottom Voted NCAA D3 Player Of The Year: “My winter spent with the Olé Football Academy was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I have faced. I learned a new style of the game, a style focused on the creative, dangerous, simplicity of Olé Football. Creative because the immensely fast speed of play taught me to see the direction of the game before the ball was at my feet. Dangerous due to an increased awareness of the game around me that led to an elevated level of production. And simple because I learned to fit into a perfectly designed system of Olé Football that drove the individual skill-sets to collectively come together to form a disciplined unit. My game elevated, as there was no room for excuses, only progress. Through Olé Football Academy, I became a better teammate, player, and person.” – S. Bottom
Tyler Boyd Scores For CD Tondela In Portuguese Premiera Liga: “Declan has been a major part of my development and I wouldn’t be where I am without the countless hours he dedicated to helping me and the other academy boys. The hours I spent with him were hours filled with happiness, competition, learning, and pure football. I learned how to act as a professional from a young age and he prepared me for some of the challenges that I face today as a pro athlete. Declan is always learning and always searching for ways to improve, despite all the knowledge he has already attained and I think that is one of the reasons that he is one of the best coaches for player development that there is. I can’t thank Declan enough for everything he has done for me professionally and personally, still to this day we have a close relationship and talk often. Thanks again Dec.” – T. Boyd
Elijah Just To PEC Zwolle On Work Experience: “Visiting PEC has been a great experience all around! Ryan and his family have taken great care of me and I have learned a lot particularly about the day to day life of a professional footballer. The training at PEC has been very similar to Olé with loads of rondos, positional play and small sided games. I have enjoyed my time immensely and am looking forward to getting back to New Zealand to continue the work at Olé.” – Elijah Just
Xavier Green Receives Scholarship To The Ohio State University: “Olé has helped me immensely with achieving my goals. I believe The Olé Way has put me on the perfect path for success as a person, scholar and footballer for wherever I may go and whatever challenges I may face. Since the age of 14, I have been at ole. Without Olé I would have never had the opportunity to reach my full potential.” – X. Green
Declan Edge and Ben Sippola Featured On Just Kickin’ It Podcast: “There is committed and there is committed… A lot of the coaches around the place will say the same things that you just described there… It’s like bacon and egg, the breakfast. You have a chicken and you have a pig and they both contribute to the bacon and egg, but the chicken lays an egg and goes back to the coup and keeps living and lays another egg, but the pig has to commit himself 100% to the process. He’s not coming out of this in a good position.” – D. Edge
Todd Beane Visits Olé Football Academy: “Maybe football is more than breakfast babble. Maybe. But what I do know is that there are no excuses on the Tasman Sea. Whatever football is in Wellington, it will be thanks to good people rethinking and redesigning talent development. Olé. (Dedicated to Dave and Lesley Wilson and the coaches of New Zealand. Thank you.)” – T. Beane
The Olé Way Total Football Micro Documentary To Be Released (View Trailer): “In just a couple of weeks with Declan Edge I learned more about being a professional coach than any coaching course. On the pitch, of course, but most of all, off the pitch. – C. Vredin (IFK Östersund Youth Technical Director)
Olé FA Primary Schools Programme School Terms 1 & 2: To begin 2018, Olé’s Football In Schools Programme will be visiting six local primary schools to promote the beautiful game and an active and healthy lifestyle to Porirua children! So far, this year’s schools include: Discovery School, Natone Park, Cannons Creek, Postgate School, Papakowhai School and Porirua East. If you are interested in having Olé in your school please contact [email protected]
