The legendary FC Barcelona youth academy gave some local aspiring soccer stars the chance to sharpen their skills in Squamish.
The FCB Escola held March break camps though the week at Brennan Park for players from U6 to U16. On its website, the academy describes the aim of the soccer camps as allowing boys and girls to 鈥渆xperience first-hand a training methodology that has allowed FC Barcelona to become one of the most successful and admired teams in the world for its game style and its values.鈥�
The Vancouver academy鈥檚 technical director, Jordi Arasa, said that throughout the week the instructors went over different elements of the game.
鈥淓very day the technical skills are involved,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat we offer here is a taste鈥�. Coaches and players are getting the ideas that we want to transmit.鈥�
FCB Escola offered the March break program in 麻豆社国产in part because of the strong level of interest in youth soccer. Training in the sunshine surrounded by the mountains offered a bit of a bonus for Arasa and the academy team 鈥� an environment he described as 鈥渁wesome.鈥�
The 麻豆社国产Nation partnered with FCB Escola to bring the program to town. Wilson Williams, the 麻豆社国产Nation program director for adults鈥� and kids鈥� programs, said he was impressed by the soccer club鈥檚 philosophy.鈥�
鈥淲e wanted that philosophy engraved in our community,鈥� he said, adding that the Nation is looking at more ways to provide programming to help young people, especially through sporting activities. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to pave the road for our young, giving them life skills.鈥�
FC Barcelona is renowned for its style 鈥� the Barca way 鈥� that focusses heavily on passing and ball possession, which has made it one of the most successful clubs in the world. Arasa said with the young players at camp, they focus on the importance of playing as a group and working with teammates more than as individuals.
Through the sessions, the instructors will work with small groups on skills such as passing on one part of the pitch, while on another, they teach other players through quick scrimmages. At the end, the instructors and players gather in a huddle before letting out a boisterous cheer 鈥� for example, 鈥渦no, dos, tres, Barca!鈥� last Thursday.
On Friday, after they had completed the last drills and scrimmages, the FCB Escola presented coaches presented certificates to the young participants.
FC Barcelona has been held up as a model for developing young players both for the professional and national team levels of soccer.
The team鈥檚 main youth academy in Barcelona was even the subject of a 60 Minutes segment in 2013, which described it as 鈥渕ore seminary than summer camp.鈥�
The club has expanded its schools throughout the world, including Canada. On its website, FCB Escola states more than 5,000 players from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and B.C. have gone through programs in Canada since 2013.
Arasa, who worked with youth academies in India and in Barcelona before moving to Vancouver, finds the process of training young soccer players in the Barca style satisfying, especially when they move up through the soccer ranks.
鈥淚t鈥檚 even nicer when a player you bring into the academy becomes a professional,鈥� he said.
But he says the academy cannot take all the credit for teaching skills to the young players.
鈥淭hey have a lot with them already when they come to the academy,鈥� he said humbly.聽
