Focus on fun
Soccer academy
teaches skills, emphasizes positive attitudes
Wed May 31 2006
By
Martin Zeilig
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PATRICK
DI STEFANI acknowledges it's important for the young people enrolled at
his soccer academy "to have fun" while they're learning the skills. "We
teach them to apply the skills they learn," said the owner/director of
focus 9 elite athletic training, which operates out of the
Di
Stefani started the company in 2002 after he returned to
"I
was also taking care of a number of pro athletes in Europe doing
strength and conditioning training, specializing in speed and
quickness," said Di Stefani, 41, a native of Belgium, who first
immigrated to Montreal in 1992 and to Winnipeg -- after spending time
in Toronto -- in 1994.
In
1997, he had an opportunity to return to
"I
got all my accreditation for strength, conditioning, speed and agility
in
He
added that focus 9 was created to provide junior and senior athletes
with the opportunity to receive instruction -- for soccer and other
sports -- from technically skilled and experienced coaches within a
secure and professional training environment.
"We
offer physical fitness, technical skill development and
character-building through team sport and athletic training programs,"
said Di Stefani, who also is the head coach of conditioning and
strength at CMU, as well as the dryland instructor for the hockey
goalie school run by former NHL player and current assistant coach of
the Manitoba Moose, Rick St. Croix.
He
emphasized that focus 9 provides training for athletes in all sports.
"In
the fall, we'll be offering programs to schools from grades 1 to 12. It
will be an opportunity for them to get extra fitness activities during
the week," said Di Stefani.
In
its first year of operation, 35 youngsters came through his soccer
camp, while last year 250 kids attended his soccer summer camp. Since
last year, he's also been working with Rob Gale, the Canadian director
of the Charlton Athletic Football Club in
"We're
doing soccer training for girls and boys ages six to 16," said Di
Stefani.
He
added they're also conducting a lot of seminars for various soccer
clubs.
"We
teach the coaches how to conduct a proper practice. We basically
educate them about training techniques. I also do seminars addressing
all the physical needs of kids. For example, you don't physically train
a seven-year-old the same way you would a 16-year-old," explained De
Stefani.
His
soccer-specific academies run from the beginning of October till the
end of March with month-long spring and summer programs. "It's
very important for me to keep up with all the latest techniques in
conditioning," said Di Stefani, who still goes to
