# "Our Coach/DOC went to Europe and...."



## timbuck (Aug 14, 2019)

I hear about lots of coaches going to Europe for a week or so during the summer.  Sometimes they take a team with them to play.

Some questions:

Are these usually just boondoggles?  A guy gets to go home and see his family with the club paying for travel expenses.
When they go to watch a team train (which is what they all say)-  Do they arrange this is advance? 
Do they just call up Aston Villa and say "Hey, I'm a coach in the US, can I come and observe how you train kids?
Do they have a buddy that is a coach at Leicester City or Tottenham that hooks them up with a stadium tour?

How much do they really watch a team train?  1 practice for 1 age group probably doesn't teach you a whole lot about youth development for that club.
When they do play against a team -  Is it against their top teams or is it against whoever says "sure, we'll play the Americans."
Do European basketball coaches come over here and try to meet with AAU, college and/or pro teams to learn how they teach American style basketball?


----------



## Grace T. (Aug 14, 2019)

Isn't it a question of the contacts of the particular coach and/or program?  For example, those soccer tours some companies offer are just basically for fun...you say get to see an AC Milan game and train a little with a few scrimmages with some sightseeing thrown in...the coach that goes usually gets his vacation comped in return for chaperoning.   If the coach has some real contacts with the club, it might be different.

It's the same the other way around, though in Spain one of the few part time jobs students studying abroad can secure is rec basketball coach (along with English teacher) given the restrictions of the immigration laws (for example, a job as a waiter or shop clerk is impossible to secure, since Spaniards can do them).


----------



## Simisoccerfan (Aug 14, 2019)

Is your kid representing the US at the national level?  If not then it is clearly a boondoggle.  Just a way for the coach to get an all expenses paid European vacation.  If you have the extra money and don't mind paying for the coach then go for it.


----------



## Real Deal (Aug 14, 2019)

Simisoccerfan said:


> Is your kid representing the US at the national level?  If not then it is clearly a boondoggle.  Just a way for the coach to get an all expenses paid European vacation.  If you have the extra money and don't mind paying for the coach then go for it.


Or it could be a great, fun, and worthwhile experience.  I'm sure some programs are better than others.  If you are getting the opportunity to play against or train with a legit Euro squad, then I can't see why it is bad?  It is surely limiting to say that any program that  takes you out of the country is a boondoggle.  Do research.


----------



## Multi Sport (Aug 14, 2019)

timbuck said:


> I hear about lots of coaches going to Europe for a week or so during the summer.  Sometimes they take a team with them to play.
> 
> Some questions:
> 
> ...


Some club coaches who come over from Europe need to fly back because of their work visa...


----------



## Multi Sport (Aug 14, 2019)

timbuck said:


> I hear about lots of coaches going to Europe for a week or so during the summer.  Sometimes they take a team with them to play.
> 
> Some questions:
> 
> ...


Some club coaches who come over from Europe need to fly back because of their work visa...


----------



## Not_that_Serious (Aug 14, 2019)

timbuck said:


> I hear about lots of coaches going to Europe for a week or so during the summer.  Sometimes they take a team with them to play.
> 
> Some questions:
> 
> ...


1. If its done through the club, usually about selling parents. Don't know any club paying travel expenses for anyone - maybe if they sell enough parents to go on the trip.
2. Usually team they are going to do see they are doing business with. Money made on both sides.
3. Yes they usually get to watch training and participate. Sometimes they will do special training sessions geared to the level of the kids coming - they know the kids coming arent as skilled as the kids at their academy. Sometimes they will just throw them with kids from the "academy" - might be kids attending their camps that arent actually academy kids. Most times its several days.
4.They scrimmage during training. Can be amongst kids there. Might be against actual team. All depends on how they set up the visit as everyone runs things different.

Now given all that, there are coaches who go over sees and take kids over on their own. Coaches with actual ties to clubs. A friend of mine takes kids (has taken teams) over to Europe every year. For him it isn't a money making venture. His friend over in Europe use to run professional club academies and has ties to them still. The coach himself also use to play in Europe so the experience is a bit different. Kids train for the week (at an actual academy), go to a professional game and sometimes even stay with kids from the academy - interesting experience when the kids dont even speak the language of the other kids. One year he took a very good team that was becoming a bit cocky...and came back humbled.  Some kids who attend the trip want to go to see if can get "exposure" with a club. My friend usually laughs but sometimes parents just need a reality check and see the difference between soccer training/level in the US and Europe. Sometimes they come back and work harder and sometimes they come back and accept their level will not be the level they experience. I see more companies/coaches offering to take kids to real academies to train but parents need to be weary. Most of the time its about them making money off the trips or getting a kickback on kids who are upsold to stay and train in Europe. A lot of places will train kids for a ton of $$$$ and then send them back home knowing they were never good enough to be considered in the first place. My friend will take kids and if they are good enough to stay in Europe all he gets is the satisfaction of them succeeding. I might have my son go next year, but a few grand feeds all my kids for a couple months, maybe.


----------



## Not_that_Serious (Aug 14, 2019)

Multi Sport said:


> Some club coaches who come over from Europe need to fly back because of their work visa...


Some coaches might not even be able to leave the country due to overstaying work visas.


----------



## End of the Line (Aug 14, 2019)

Simisoccerfan said:


> Is your kid representing the US at the national level?  If not then it is clearly a boondoggle.  Just a way for the coach to get an all expenses paid European vacation.  If you have the extra money and don't mind paying for the coach then go for it.


You are absolutely right.  Why else would a coach take his team somewhere he has connections, access to facilities, and can provide his players with insight regarding the region and its culture?  He should instead take them somewhere he's never been and doesn't know anyone.  Better yet, don't take kids anywhere since they learn everything they need to know right here in Simi Valley.


----------



## Poconos (Aug 14, 2019)

End of the Line said:


> You are absolutely right.  Why else would a coach take his team somewhere he has connections, access to facilities, and can provide his players with insight regarding the region and its culture?  He should instead take them somewhere he's never been and doesn't know anyone.  Better yet, don't take kids anywhere since they learn everything they need to know right here in Simi Valley.


'cuz the balls aren't round in europe or something, right? . . . get real.  do you contemplate flying your children to germany to improve their math/engineering skills?  doubtful at the grade school/HS level.


----------



## SageMajor (Aug 14, 2019)

Back when my DD was around 12 her coach set up a really cool thing for us.  We were going down to Argentena and he set us to meet with one of his friends who had ties with BOCA.  He set up for my DD to train with the Argentina youth national team as well as get tours at BOCA and San Lorenzo.  The friend took us to several games and helped guide us around.  This was not through my DD's club, but rather us knowing that he was from there and talking to him.

As to doing a team trip my DD's team in college went to europe and it was a mess. 

I would say it really depends on connections and how good they really are.  Talk to people who did the trip in previous years, but really think of it as a Vacation and plan on it as such.  Its a tour and most tours get several people fully/mostly covered so make sure that its either in the budget or know that the coach just isn't paying for any of it.  you will know they are getting it covered it its all done through a travel agent.

Sage


----------



## End of the Line (Aug 14, 2019)

Ladera Ranch Cruyff said:


> 'cuz the balls aren't round in europe or something, right? . . . get real.  do you contemplate flying your children to germany to improve their math/engineering skills?  doubtful at the grade school/HS level.


Uh, where did I say anything about becoming a better soccer player?  By all means, carry on wasting your and your kid's summer in Ladera Ranch trying to make them into a great soccer player, since that seems to be very important to you.


----------



## Poconos (Aug 14, 2019)

yes, of course, we should defer to our kid's soccer coach to teach them about issues that DON'T make them a "better soccer player" right?  come up for air.  your posts are about quantity rather than quality.


----------



## LASTMAN14 (Aug 14, 2019)

timbuck said:


> I hear about lots of coaches going to Europe for a week or so during the summer.  Sometimes they take a team with them to play.
> 
> Some questions:
> 
> ...


This is not a new concept because of the growing influx of coaches coming from abroad. It has been going on for some time. I had the opportunity to travel, see and play in England/Scotland over a 2 week period. Our coach a Geordie from New Castle set up a series of games against academy teams, as well as trainings.  We were also lucky to have the opportunity to play on NUFC training center. It was a great experience where we learned to be ambassadors.


----------



## espola (Aug 14, 2019)

Our trip to Gothia Cup was a dream vacation.  We had a Scottish coach, and English tour guide (his company set up the travel, hotels, and little incidentals) and a parent who spoke Swedish.


----------



## Calisoccer11 (Aug 14, 2019)

I would just look at it as a great experience and memory.  I would only do it though if I liked the coach that was proposing this trip.


----------



## ToonArmy (Aug 14, 2019)

LASTMAN14 said:


> This is not a new concept because of the growing influx of coaches coming from abroad. It has been going on for some time. I had the opportunity to travel, see and play in England/Scotland over a 2 week period. Our coach a Geordie from New Castle set up a series of games against academy teams, as well as trainings.  We were also lucky to have the opportunity to play on NUFC training center. It was a great experience where we learned to be ambassadors.


How much brown ale did you drink? One of these days I'm going to make it to St. James and sing with the Geordies


----------



## LASTMAN14 (Aug 14, 2019)

ToonArmy said:


> How much brown ale did you drink? One of these days I'm going to make it to St. James and sing with the Geordies


I was under age at the time. But I did drink the “dawg” with my dad. At the time you could only get the 22oz bottles here.


----------



## End of the Line (Aug 14, 2019)

Ladera Ranch Cruyff said:


> yes, of course, we should defer to our kid's soccer coach to teach them about issues that DON'T make them a "better soccer player" right?  come up for air.  your posts are about quantity rather than quality.


You obviously have much lower expectations for the people who spend time with your daughter. That's fine. I don't care how screwed up your kid turns out.


----------



## End of the Line (Aug 14, 2019)

LASTMAN14 said:


> I was under age at the time. But I did drink the “dawg” with my dad. At the time you could only get the 22oz bottles here.


Check it out Ladera Ranch.  Even the weatherman supports the occasional soccer trip abroad.  He'd probably even agree Scotland in the summer is a better idea than Denver in late April.


----------



## Simisoccerfan (Aug 14, 2019)

If you buy into this trip I got a coach with an English accent for you.  He must be good, he has the accent.


----------



## End of the Line (Aug 15, 2019)

Simisoccerfan said:


> If you buy into this trip I got a coach with an English accent for you.  He must be good, he has the accent.


You are absolutely right.  Do not ever let a Brit coach your children.  Do not ever let them travel to England.  And above all else, do not listen to British newspapers.  For example, the lying UK Telegraph recently published an article that says this:

Analysis of more than 165,000 female athletes in the US found those taking the oral contraceptive were significantly less likely to suffer knee injuries.  The apparent protective effect of the drug was particularly potent in teenage sportswomen, the data showed.​In fact, according to the article, female athletes aged 15 to 19 were a whopping *63 percent* less likely to get injured while on the pill.  Crazy talk, right? 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2019/05/02/go-pill-avoid-sports-injury-scientists-suggest-major-study/


----------



## MWN (Aug 15, 2019)

In my hometown (Temecula), we have a coach (PG with Hawks) who takes an oversees trip with the boys every year.  My son never went on the trip, but many of his HS teammates have (who are also former teammates) when he played for the club.  The kids and parents that went on the trip all loved it.  Many of the parents spoke glowingly of how much their son's enjoyed the trip.  They played a few games against some of the lower level academy teams, toured a few of the first division facilities and all the boys generally had a blast seeing and experiencing things they never had previously experienced ... all with the camaraderie of their teammates.  An experience of a lifetime for most of the boys, who tended to go back trip after trip.  

There are also companies that make arrangements for these types of trips and business is good.  I know of an Irish company that does this.
---
The study mentioned by @End of the Line: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2019.1600334

BTW - Those lying Brits relied on a study from the biased east coast athiest intellectuals at Brown University so its a double whammy of misleading statements?????


----------



## lastkid (Aug 26, 2019)

My son's team went to England and it was a great trip.  Nobody went into it with delusions of coming back with crazy new skills.  They had fun, got to train at a top Premier League academy, played local teams at their skill level, saw an English National Team game and a couple of Premier League games.  Did a few stadium tours and site seeing.  Good team bonding and a new appreciation of the passion for futbal in England.  Besides just being a fun trip if you like to travel, the boys did return with greater enthusiasm for the sport.


----------

