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For young American soccer players who dream of playing at the highest level, going to Europe is the ultimate goal.
Unfortunately, US-based players chasing the European dream have some hurdles to overcome. FIFA regulations restrict international transfers for players under the age of 18, so unless the player has an EU passport, he will miss out on a crucial and irreversible formative period in what is arguably the best football development environment in the world. I will miss it. By the age of 18, most players are nearing a crossroads in whether to pursue a professional career, look to college as the next step, or move to another lower level entirely. This does not mean that the path to Europe is closed, but it becomes significantly more difficult.
This is where Talentproject comes into play. Talentprojekt was conceived and created as a way to bridge the way for young American soccer players to access the advanced and accelerated development environment mastered by European systems without violating FIFA laws or compromising his NCAA eligibility. it was done.
Talentprojekt opens doors to America’s best young talent that were previously closed to them. Our study abroad program is based in Germany and offers the best that the European training system has to offer. This means the opportunity to train twice a day in a high-intensity soccer development environment, the opportunity to interact with talented players from around the world, and the opportunity to compete. In a match against a top professional academy.
Mark Dillon, founder and CEO of Talentprojekt, said: “As a youth player, there is not a huge difference in the level of raw talent between an American player and a German player.” “Putting players at the right age and in the right environment is absolutely paramount to maximizing their soccer talent,” says Dillon. “The Talent Project aims to close the gap between American and European players by incorporating talented American players into the German development system, and to help Americans reach the highest levels if they are given the same benefits and opportunities as German players.” I’m trying to prove that I can compete.
Talentprojekt operates out of Deutsche Fussball International (DFI) in Bad Aibling, Germany, halfway between Munich and Salzburg, Austria. This is a boarding school specializing in soccer that was renovated from a former US military base. In addition to the cultural experience of living and playing abroad, the school’s schedule is flexible and includes twice-daily training sessions, as well as regional teams and top teams such as Bayern Munich, Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and RB. Weekly matches against Rebel’s professional club academy are also possible. Leipzig, to name just a few.
One player who has used his experience with The Talentprojekt to sign with a German professional team is Mika Hamm (pictured), who currently plays for FC Ingolstadt’s U19 team. The Georgia forward credits his five months with the Talent Project for his success so far. Not only has he attracted the attention of German clubs, but he has also improved his skills both technically and tactically, helping him adapt to his speed and level of play. into German.
“The best thing about Talentprojekt is that it puts you in an environment where your only goal is to do your best and improve,” Hamm said. “You’re surrounded by great coaches. They all want to see you improve and they give you the tools to do that.”
Talentprojekt’s mission is to create better global citizens on and off the field. They take a holistic approach to developing the whole person first by establishing professional habits and teaching important life skills like self-management, cultural agility, respect and appreciation. Masu. Developing players is important, but to truly succeed, it is first important to develop people. In addition to maintaining high academic standards, off-field players are enrolled in mandatory German classes, providing a dual language element to the experience. The player will also enroll in a self-paced, American-based virtual school to provide him with the flexibility he needs in his schedule while maintaining American school accreditation and his NCAA eligibility.
Obviously, the key factor is the opportunity to face a level of competition not available in the United States. This allows players who normally stand out from disadvantaged family backgrounds to reach their full potential after several months of training in our professional development system.
“Here, kids learn the importance of being completely focused until the first whistle,” Dillon said. “Over time, our players have closed the gap in performance. Training intensively twice a day, with direction and intent for each player, has improved the speed of play, You start to see an increase in your speed of thinking, your level of fitness and tactical awareness.”
Ham added: “It allowed me to focus on the weak areas of my game and really work on them. The games we played put me in different situations where I had to find solutions. Ta.”
Although the game itself is not about competing for a championship, it still presents a significant opportunity. Although classified as a friendly, the match is anything but. Talentprojekt’s American Eagles go into every game with something to prove, and the German team goes into every game wanting to prove they’re (still) better than the Americans. The American boys quickly learn the speed and physicality of the European game, and coaches from other clubs can see how they fare against their peers from Europe’s high-level, well-known clubs.
Away from the game, the cultural experience of living in another country and learning a new language are some of the more surface-level demands for these young athletes. Then there is the reality of living far away from home, family, and friends at an early age. Hamm said this helped him grow off the field as well.
“I’ve had to take on more responsibilities, especially being thousands of miles from home,” he said. “I think that was the biggest thing. I also had to learn better time management.” “The schedule we had didn’t allow us to do a lot on the fly. So we had to make sure we completed what needed to be done first.”
In the short term, the organization will continue to work to identify U.S. players with the right mix of talent, potential and motivation to move overseas. His Talent ID Camp is scheduled to be held in Northern California in early February, with other locations to be announced soon. Dillon and his network of partner clubs, coaches and scouts are scouring the country for the next wave of American talent to make their mark on Europe.
Moving forward, the organization announced the launch of Talentprojekt Femmes. They aim to replicate the model on the women’s side, and are tentatively planning to be based in France. As the women’s game continues to grow in stature and priority on the world stage, the Talent Project strives to provide the same opportunities for young female players looking to expand beyond what the American system can offer. . The women’s game has gained significant momentum over the past decade, with prominent European clubs investing in women’s programs and increasing the resources available to them.
Talented young American female athletes will have the same access as male athletes to train and compete in the world’s best development system. Details are still being determined, but the success of the men’s program provides a blueprint to follow. The program aims to replicate what has worked well in the past, giving young players a platform to make the most of their talent, with a focus on development between the lines and beyond. I am.
Athletes and families interested in learning more about the program can visit the website www.talentprojekt.com for more information and to apply for pre-screening.
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