KNVB FC is a youth soccer club with an emphasis on improving the soccer culture in Nevada with the philosophy, methodologies and principles implemented across the Netherlands.
Most developed soccer countries in the world who have performed well at the international level, have a “soccer culture” as a foundation for all citizens to enjoy. The United States is still in its infancy in this department and while work is being done, a lot of work still needs to be done.
The naive Short-Term winning mentality still predominates many parents, coaches and club administrators environment. Many claim to have the secret sauce to developing players better than anyone or promise that they’ll make your kid a professional, all you need to do is join their travel program that cost $10,000 per year which are often paid for by the 2nd, 3rd, 4th lower level teams within the age group. Dangling the carrot that by joining their club will get you that college scholarship in their “special unique college program” if you continue to pay the $3,000 club dues each year plus fundraisers they enforce on you.
Our highest priority is to create an atmosphere that promotes the enjoyment of participating in the sport of soccer. Learning and winning can't happen when players feel like the game is a chore or a job. When you watch any Dutch sport, there is an orange celebration happening in the crowd, you can't miss it. This has to be fun for all involved or what's the point. Ajax, Feyenoord and many top clubs across the Netherlands, prioritize enjoyment of the game first and foremost…we know…we played there, trained under the best coaches there and coached there. Enjoyment is the first thing that’s emphasized in the Netherlands.
At KNVB FC, developing players is our 2nd highest priority. Equipping players not just with the technical creativity, but also instilling a strategic & tactical intelligence that allows individuals and a team as a whole to control the game with an aggressive attacking mindset while keeping possession of the ball from the build-up to finishing in the final third of the field. A lot of clubs talk the talk….over 20 years in…look at the state of soccer in our town. We can be the hub of technically gifted players, tactically sound players if our coaches are 1. knowledgeable and 2. care and unfortunately, most can’t put a check mark on either.
Winning should always be the goal but sacrificing the enjoyment and development for short term wins is a mistake. A desire to want to win must always be there, and the journey taken towards results must not sacrifice the enjoyment and development of the players and the team. This is a unique formula often overlooked by naive soccer families who don't recognize the difference between environments where they think their kids are gaining the benefits of being on a winning team to only find out that the direct style of play and coaches focus on accolades has eventually led to their son or daughter to no longer want to pursue the game at all. At KNVB FC we emphasis the long term happiness of playing the game the right way vs the short term pleasure of meaningless results.
