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Growing up a soccer player in a country where
soccer takes second stage to many other major sports is not an easy thing.
Certainly, many of us have at some point dreamed of the chance to play
in a foreign club, with the chance perhaps of someday playing professionally
overseas. With the soccer-reigning nations half a world away in Europe,
this dream can sometimes seem like an impossible task to take on.
In 2003, something was taking root, however, that now makes this seemingly
impossible dream a reality to many youth and young adult players worldwide.
The International Fútbol X-Change.
The International Fútbol X-Change (IFX) operates unique international
soccer programs providing full immersion into the European game. The
Youth Year IFX, for high school aged boys and girls, is a study abroad
program coupled with top level soccer. Players are carefully placed
to live with a native host family, enrolled in a local public high school
to continue their studies, and placed to compete with highly competitive
foreign soccer clubs as fully rostered members of their youth teams.
Unlike many international soccer academies, IFX players receive not
only the benefits of having top level coaching from licensed trainers,
but also greatly enhance their development through immersion with the
foreign team, learning from European peers who can implement advanced
tactics and collectively expose weaknesses in opposing sides. In short,
IFX enables players to compete in the fiercely competitive European
football environment that has evolved over more than 100 years rather
than trying to reinvent it or replicate it in a soccer academy structure.
One of a recent Youth Year IFX participants wrote, “Over the
course of my stay in Germany I played for SV Alemannia Mariadorf, competing
in a top regional youth division of the U19s called Landesliga. On my
first day, I took the bus with the IFX Director to get to the grounds.
We talked with the coach and the head of the youth department for the
club and 20 minutes later started training. The first thing the coach
said to me was that we got fined if we were late to training, which
excited me because it meant they were serious. We started training and
I felt out of place pretty quickly. They were playing very quickly and
the quality of players was much better than I had ever seen. I just
wanted the session to be over. But for some miracle the coach kept me.
The next night I came and played much better and continued and continued
to improve until I felt completely comfortable in the training sessions.
I got on with all of the kids on the team and they were all thrilled
when I scored my first goal against Troisdorf which plays in the Bundesliga
for youth. When I returned to the U.S. after my year abroad, I asked
my friends what have you done, what have you guys been up to this year
and if they have any fun stories. Their answers consist of “nothing
really same old thing”. When they ask me the same question, what
have I done this year? Well, that’s something to talk about. Like
Nike says, “Just do it” because honestly you have nothing
to lose and a world of opportunity and experiences to gain.” –
Youth Year IFX Participant, Aachen, Germany 2008-9
For adult players looking to showcase their talent to European clubs,
IFX offers the Pro IFX program, a 30-day training period with a semi-professional
club. Participants typically are college players utilizing the immersion
program for pre-season preparation, college grads looking to jumpstart
their career abroad, or semi-professional and professional players looking
to further their careers. With IFX’s extensive network of clubs
and on-ground in country support upon arrival, players receive flexibility
and close personal attention during their program. The Pro IFX also
includes arrangement of accommodations.
“When I first arrived in Spain, I was overwhelmed with the new
culture and surroundings. But something told me to fear no more, it
was my time to grow. So I settled in and got used to everything and
then training started. I quickly saw how quick, strong and smart Spanish
fútbol is up close and was in awe. Training gradually got easier
and easier for me and I adapted to the level of play. Everything that
IFX set up was great. I was invited to play in "el tournamente
de nacional", where we played professional teams from Brasil, Columbia,
Ecuador, and many more. The tournament went great and I worked my way
onto the starting 11. Everything went by so quickly and before I knew
it, it was time for me to leave. I would highly recommend the IFX to
any player wishing to experience European football firsthand, with the
ambition of someday becoming a professional.” – Pro IFX
Participant, Madrid, Spain 2008
For further information on the International Fútbol X-Change,
please visit their website at www.ifxsoccer.com and place your profile
on Socceragent.net where we can view it and contact you.
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