First internships for SLSG pay off

Both coaches took the opportunity to further their skills and experience while in Rotterdam. 'It was another outstanding experience with Feyenoord', said Dale Schilly afterwards. 'The club and its' staff continue to impress with their willingness to discuss openly the ideology and methodology of the club from Academy to First team and from technical to operational. For a club such as ours, which is in the very early stages of creating our own structure to develop players for our first team, I can hardly think of a better organization from which to learn as Feyenoord has a meticulously planned level of organization which has resulted in a proven track record of developing their young players into professionals.'

Blake Decker, head of the academy in St Louis, came away with a similar positive experience. 'Our decision to join with Feyenoord in this master educational partnership is continually reaffirmed by the quality of the content and substance offered by the club to our players and staff. The opportunity for two of our players to spend a week training at Varkenoord with the Feyenoord Academy is a tremendously demanding and beneficial experience that is impossible to re-create in the United States. Furthermore, as an Academy Director, the chance to sit down with the technical and operational leaders of a professional Academy that is recognized world-wide for their player development process was both enlightening and inspiring. The fruits of those discussions will bare out as we take the information gained and work with our own staff to assess how St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois can best utilize the knowledge gained to improve our own player development processes.'

St Louis Scott Gallagher will be back at the Feyenoord Academy in March, when their U13 and U14s will be put to the test.