Surf Nation

NES values the sense of community the most. Being part of a network of like-minded clubs from all over the country helps us discover best practices and better our club.

Surf Select is also a key component for both our players and coaches. The ability to experience international soccer opportunities is a big plus in our coaches’ and players’ development.

As we start to close out 2023, what are some of the key indicators that define the year?

• 2 DPL National Championships this year establish our girl’s program as one of the best in New England and beyond.
• 95% retention on the coaching staff is a testament to a healthy environment, where coaches are supported through their development and licensing (12D License completed)
• 30+ college commits in the calendar year for the 3rd year in a row, despite us being only a 3.5-year-old club, which is an incredible achievement. Full list here: https://newenglandsurf.com/college-alumni/
• Incredible growth at the U8-U12 level, which set the foundation for a bright future.

The future looks bright as we continuously look for ways to strengthen our coaches, teams, players, and families!

New England Surf has a really interesting player development model; what have been some of the key points and education for players, coaches & families that keep the club aligned?

Style of play,

Playing through the Thirds:

✔ Attack Minded

✔ Dominate Possession

✔ Press from the Front

✔ Dominate 1v1s

✔ Compact and Together

Coaching Philosophy: With the Ball: CONSTRUCT-CREATE-COMPLETE, Progression – Destabilize – Finish

✔ Without the ball: DENY-DELAY-DISRUPT, Impede – Reorganize – Protect

✔ We lose the ball  –Win it back as quickly as possible

✔ We win the ball–Attack as quickly as possible

✔ Set Plays and Restarts

How is the Club continuing to focus on coach education, development, and recruitment?

We aim to have every single coach in the club with at least a D license in 2024. We have a system for which we sponsor the cost of the coaching courses, reimbursing 50% at completion and 50% a year after. This incentivizes our coaches to be aggressive with their coaching education. We also offer support in terms of shared methodology and best practices. We have a club-wide technical framework with weekly phases, team concepts, behaviors, and objectives to be trained. As for next year, we expect to continue to recruit new and good coaches via word of mouth, as the quality of the product on and off the field for players and coaches will attract the best staff in New England.

Now you look at 2024, what are some of the KPI’s, goals, and challenges you have set for the Club and need to overcome as a whole?

There are massive benefits to our affiliation with Surf Nation at all levels of our organization, from access to best-in-class tools such as Elite Soccer Clubs registration/event management software and premium access to The Coaching Manual coach education database to uniform contract negotiation.

The National Surf Select Program allows our players and coaches opportunities to compete in top national and international events, where they can make connections with players and coaches from around the world. The Surf Nation Community allows us to learn from and associate with coaches from diverse backgrounds through coach education opportunities in the exclusive Surf Nation Development Series.

As you start to reflect on 2023, what are some of the key highlights this year you would like to share?

2023 has been an exciting year at Utah Surf. We’ve had multiple teams compete and perform in high-level events. We’ve also shared in the excitement and success of our younger teams as they learn foundational concepts on the soccer field and in team environments. We had the privilege of watching one of our players who experienced a life-threatening – never walk again diagnosis recently re-enter training with her team this past month. This year, we were able to expand more into a neighboring metro area, creating teams of various age groups that are competing and thriving. We also formed a partnership with another neighboring club to offer additional pathways for our players.

The future looks bright as we continuously look for ways to strengthen our coaches, teams, players, and families!

As you start to plan for 2024, what are some of the Club’s KPI’s and goals you have set for the club?

LA Surf said it best – “We want to see continued growth in all areas of our organization.” We want to ensure that our players have every possible opportunity to grow and excel on the field and in their lives. We’ll continue to look for ways to partner or collaborate with coaches and teams to help our players reach their goals. We want to ensure that our coaches have the opportunities and access they need to advance their coaching portfolios – through continued focus on in-house coach education and other opportunities through Surf Nation. We want to maximize our efforts to add value to the players, coaches, and families in our organizations. We want to see more teams competing at the national level. We want to see more of our players playing at the next level.

Given the Club’s large geographical footprint in the state of Utah, how would you best describe your player development pathway from Grassroots through to your Elite program?

Collaboration is key. We have teams in 4 different metropolitan areas. We strive to help players who need more – whether it be higher-level competition, different types of coaching, increased competition, or just more soccer in general, to get what they need. Collaboration happens within age groups in their respective regions, as well as across regions and across age groups. In keeping with the Surf mission, we are primarily focused on providing the Best of the Best experiences and opportunities for our players.

The club oversees the Mountain Regional Select program; as you move into year 2, what are some of the lessons you have learned in creating additional experiences and opportunities for players wanting to be part of the select program?

This year, we tried to expand and increase visibility for the program in order to give more players the opportunity to participate. The Surf Select Program is a unique opportunity for players to experience a tryout process and be exposed to additional coaching from different coaches as well as different players. This provides players the opportunity to expand their skill set in adapting to various soccer environments. The program is invaluable for the players that are wanting these types of experiences and opportunities. Every player can benefit from the Surf Select program!

The Surf community has an amazing support network. The leadership support and staff support for our club have been great, allowing us to give a better experience for our players and membership. Allowing our players to experience Surf Select and give our players the experience of playing with other players around the country.

 

As you have started the 23/24 Season. What are some of the KPI’s and goals you have set for the Club?

One of our club’s biggest goals is to continue enhancing our training environment. Expectation and overall experience for our players is the foundation we look to build upon to allow our players to continue developing.

 

How are you focusing on Coach development and assessing buy-in from your staff?

The buy-in has been great from a coaching perspective.  Having directors in certain age groups allows us to help coaches improve the overall environment and help give coaches the tools to be successful.  We are continuing to encourage our coaches to gain higher licensing through US Soccer which will only further develop each staff member at the club.

 

Looking back on the 22/23 season, please share any highlights from a Team, Player, or Coach perspective.

We had a pretty successful 22/23 season for our older age groups.  Three boys teams ( 2009, 2007, 2006) went on to the ECNL Playoffs, with our 2007 boys making it to the last 16.  Our 2009 Girls Academy team made it to the Elite 8 of Girls Academy in St Louis.

Provide a quick snapshot of the Club’s overall Player development pathway.

We have restructured the club, which we believe will help put more focus on the development of each individual player within the club.Pre Academy (U6-U9)
Academy (U10-U14)
Competition Phase (U15-U19)

Learn more about South Carolina Surf at https://southcarolinasurfsoccer.com/

The knowledge of the leadership within Surf Nation is important for us to share in and stretch our thinking on what is possible for our players.

Surrounding yourself with innovators inspires you to think outside the box, look at ways that have been successful in other clubs or areas of the country, and implement them in your own organization. We have taken initiatives shared within Surf Nation and brought it back to LA, adding our own twist, and we have seen them aid us to be better each day.

As you reflect on 22/23 Season, what key success indicators defined the club’s year?

The 2022/2023 Season was successful both on and off the field at LA SURF.

On the field our staff have thrived. Creating a culture of excellence for our players. We have developed and improved our foundation levels at LA Surf. Our LA Grassroots program has given local players an opportunity to explore the game, fall in love with the sport in a fun, supportive and professional environment. The club teams continue to reach the top levels of the game locally and regionally and have shown whether you are in the San Fernando Valley, Torrance, Hollywood or La Canada, there is a common goal to be the Best of the Best and players are maximizing their potential. Our Elite Program is one of the best in the country. Top talent are mentored and stretched to be the best they can be, chasing their goals with excitement and enthusiasm.

All of this is supported by the best administrative staff in the industry, working tirelessly to keep us moving forward. We are proud of our accomplishments and have looked to social media to spread word of the benefits at LA Surf and with numbers increasing across the board, people are taking note and finding their way into our network.

Now you look forward to 23/24. What are some of the KPI’s and goals you have set for the Club?

We want to see continued growth in all areas of our organization. We want to maximize the indoor facility in Pasadena, share more benefits of the partnerships we have cultivated in Sport Performance and Health and Wellness, putting the player firmly at the core of our environment. More teams winning championships at the National level. More players committing to college. More access for our players to USYNT programming and more boys signing with pro clubs. This is the next stage of our progression and commitment to be the Best of the Best in what we do while making sure every single player has a great experience wearing Surf Blue.

You have a really interesting player development pathway, how do you keep the coaches aligned on the Clubs vision through to the Elite program?

LA Surf is a large and robust organization but also has a small village feel. The club directors in each region are specialists not only in their field but they also take the time to understand the goals and desires of the players and families that participate in their region. This gives us a unique ability to train, develop and identify talent. The collaborative nature of our staff ensures that each player can find their way and not only explore the game but land in their optimal spot on the team that best fits their needs and ability. Communication, transparency and advocating for players to be evaluated gives us a really good foundation to make sure players move through the club to the appropriate teams, at the appropriate time.

The boys you have had great success being in the MLS feeding players onto professional youth academies, now you have qualified the Girls program to the GA Champions league – what do you put this success down to?

Leadership and drive. Our leaders are truly invested not only in team success but also individual coach and player advancement. For the Boys we have proven our development plan and coaching nurtures talent. With humility, we understand that coaches and players have aspirations to compete at the top level of the game. At some point, we exhaust our ability to keep them progressing. We know that professional organizations are watching our players and through our growing relationships with their Academy staff, we can help facilitate upward movement. For Girls, we have developed a grit within our program. A strong desire to be better. Again, Leadership is critical. We are blessed to have the staff we have, and they work smart to make us difficult to beat, hard to play against with a will to score goals. Across the age groups we performed well last season and secured a Champions Cup spot. It’s just the beginning.

Learn more about LA Surf at https://wearelasurf.com.