Waltham, 3rd February, 2011; Mass Premier Soccer, along with sister organizations Maine Premier Soccer, Florida Premier Soccer and New York Premier Soccer have each successfully implemented a revised club development program which is designed to help develop and grow the partner clubs in their territory.
The MPS Club Development Program has undergone significant expansion and remodeling under the direction of recent hire Nick Dunbar, the new MPS Academy Director. The former MLS camps and NASC executive has provided extensive input to the model based on his 20 years of experience working in young player development across the USA and the Football Associations of both England and the Dominican Republic.
“The goal of the MPS Club Development Program is to provide administrative support, program development action plans, guidance on coaching methodology and direction on style and standardized systems of play,” said MPS Director of Coaching Peter Bradley. “The most important component is ensuring that there is a good fit between the organizations on philosophy and mission.”
MPS has successfully implemented Club Development Programs at Maine Coast United (Maine), Rochester Futbol Club (New York) and FC America (Florida).
“When MPS contacted us at first we wanted to see whether this would be a good fit for our players, parents and coaches and what we have found was exactly what we were looking for,” said Maine Coast United President Todd Whitcomb. “The MPS coaching philosophy fitted our own philosophy of developing players and everything discussed has been followed through with honesty and integrity.”
A key element to the relationship is the education of the US based coaches currently within each organization. Coach education and professional development are founding principles of the MPS model with weekly sessions directed by MPS senior staff members. The club often brings in guest clinicians such as NCAA college coaches, US Youth National Team coaches and NSCAA representatives also.
Peter Bradley has recently conducted a professional development training day for NYPS partner club Rochester Futbol Club and FPS partner club FC America. These coaching symposiums are designed with a classroom seminar and on field component to allow the existing coaches within the club the opportunity to benefit from an education series.
The professional development training days provide the existing coaches in the club the opportunity to provide input on an action plan which will best serve the club moving forward. The open forum allows an exchange of ideas and gives the current club coaches a platform to relay their insight and visions.
"It was a pleasure to host Peter Bradley, the DOC from MPS, at our recent professional development day,” said Rochester Futbol Club Director of Coaching Nelson Cupello. “Our US based coaches found this extremely beneficial and the general consensus was that each individual took away something to make them better coaches.”
Since inception in 2001, MPS has sought to develop the most technical players in the state at the very youngest ages. In the past two years, the club has developed two US U14 National players through the club’s unique School of Excellence (SOE) program. Through the Club Development Program, MPS has brought the SOE model to partnering clubs with success.
“We were attracted to a partnership with FPS as we sought to enhance our offerings to younger players,” said FC America Director of Coaching George Sasvari. “The FPS School of Excellence Program complements the existing infrastructure at the club and will continue to provide a source of quality players for our Premier Program.”
It was imperative that partner clubs share a common belief that player development should be the common theme in all programs.
“The initial feedback we have received from each partnering clubs has been that the relationship has benefited the players, parents and coaches in their club,” said Bradley. “We look forward to building upon our existing partnerships and bringing our professional player development model to new clubs in the future.”
For more information on the MPS Club Development Program, please contact MPS Academy Director Nick Dunbar of 781-891-690 ext.18 or ndunbar@mpsbr.com
