Marcel de Jong, born in sa国际传媒 but with strong roots to his Dutch ancestral homeland, grew up with a cleat in both sporting cultures.
Having recently retired as captain of Island-based Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League, he has embarked on his post-playing as a development coach using a European model. Football 颅Fundament, which holds its first Island camp today at 4 p.m. inside the Commonwealth Games velodrome in Colwood, will stress 颅fundamentals.
鈥淢ost organizations put their best coaches on the older age groups. It should be the opposite. The best coaches should be assigned to the younger age groups at the grassroots level,鈥� said de Jong, who made 250 Premiership appearances in the 颅German Bundesliga and Dutch Eredivisie as part of his 17-year pro career.
That鈥檚 why his co-ed camps are for seven to 12-year-olds only, added the 56-time sa国际传媒 capped defender, who also played three seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS, before concluding his career on the Island in two seasons with PFC.
De Jong noted this is a model practised by top European Premiership clubs, which invite players into their academy programs at a young age.
鈥淲e can pass promising players along to the Whitecaps and PFC programs,鈥� said de Jong, president of the Canadian players鈥� union, known as the Professional 颅Footballers Association of sa国际传媒.
More than 40 youth players have signed up for today鈥檚 Island camp. A few spots remain open at footballfundament.com. Players must be seven to 12 years old. More than 70 young players signed up for last week鈥檚 inaugural camp on the Lower Mainland. The camps are compliant with the current Phase I provincial sports restrictions and guidelines.
Others involved with de Jong in 颅Football Fundament include Saudi Arabia U-19 head coach Damien Hertog, former 颅academy director of Dutch Premiership club 颅Feyenoord, Johan Henkes, CEO of 颅Dotcomsport, and former Vancouver Whitecaps residency program head coach and technical director Richard Grootscholten, now executive director of Polish Premiership giant Legia Warsaw.
鈥淲e know sa国际传媒 will be hosting the World Cup in 2026, and that the communities in sa国际传媒 have an undeniable passion for the sport,鈥� said Grootscholten.
鈥淔rom my time at Vancouver Whitecaps, I understand the needs of Canadian soccer, and grassroots soccer is definitely an area that needs development.鈥�
