CASL Program vs UNC Womens Soccer/Anson Dorrance

CASL vs UNC
Brian LeFevre and I are currently in North Carolina taking an NSCAA coaching course. We are staying with my friend Tim Healy(former XU player) in his condo for 10 days. Through Tim we were given the opportunity to checkout the CASL facilities and their program. CASL Technical Director Damon Nahas not only gave us a tour of WRAL(CASL Soccer Complex) but showed us the CASL way. Brian really wanted to see a UNC Women's training session, but I wanted to see the beach on our break. Damon arranged for us to attend a UNC training session. I am glad we attended the session but still wished I would have gotten to the beach.
CASL
CASL is one of the top youth soccer programs in the United States. They have 1200 teams in their program with a Soccer Complex/WRAL boasting 26 fields, with 1 stadium turf field and 2 turf fields used for training. The majority of the fields have lights with bermuda grass and are well kept. It is an amazing soccer complex. When you enter the complex at night you will see not only a huge number of teams training but all wearing the club colors of red, black, and white. The players all wear the same training gear and they even have the same water bottle with the CASL logo. It is quite a sight to see. The first sessions start at 4:30 and last from 1hr and a half to 2 hours.
When the players arrive they immediately start juggling. Then the coach asks the team to warm-up which is done on their own. From there they either start with moves or a passing sequence. The session then builds from 1v1 to 2v2 or 1v3 to 5v5 keep away , finishing, and then a game. All the players are talking and communicating very loudly and always giving 100% effort. It is really neat to watch not only the intensity of the players but their communication skills. The sessions are fun for the players through sheer competition and the will to get better.
The session ended with the players and coach shaking each others hand. I watched three players from different teams stick around to work out more. One player asked her coached if he would stay a bit longer to work on her shooting technique. How often does this happen with our players?
UNC
Not only is the UNC campus beautiful but all you see is Carolina blue, even the trash bags are Carolina blue. If you can get over all the Blue then it is one of the most gorgeous college campuses in the country. The soccer stadium is directly on campus and the field is very nice but the stadium is below average with seating of about 1,100 with only one side for spectators. The UNC womens soccer program has won19 National titles. Anson Dorrance has not only been the coach for UNC but has also coached USA to the World Cup Championship.
The team trains about 3 miles off campus at Finley soccer park. There are 5 bermuda grass soccer fields with a pavilion/shelter and 4 trailers for the teams to go into. Each soccer team has 3 full time medical trainers and 1 student trainer. The coaching staff is Head Coach Anson Dorrance and his 5 Asst. Coaches with 4 statistician/managers. Everyone involved in the program is always doing something.
The session started at 4:00pm and kick off with an incredible speed, agility, and strength warm-up. The players went from station to station doing every exercises at 100%. It was not only tiring to watch but very impressive. Right as they finished a 1989 Acura pulls up to the practice onto the field. The car is the worst car in the lot and has not only dents but a huge scratch down the side. As the girls are getting water Anson Dorrance jumps out of the not so nice Acura and begins coaching. He starts with targets on the outside and 4 defenders with a Hawk in the middle. He only works with the first squad. The head Asst. works with the 2nd squad. The number of players training that day was 30 players with 5-7 out watching with injury. He then moves into separate positional training exercises for the players. Then they move into a competition of 1 player driving balls in the air while two player challenge to win the ball. The following sequence is a series of heading exercises. Last they finish with an 11 v11 game. I will say every player is not only competing against each and giving 100% effort but they are all very fast, quick and skillful. When I mean fast and quick think of a lightning bolt. The session was loose in regards to the coaches but intense for the players. They really got after it.
CASL/UNC Program
The common theme to both programs is that coaches and players uphold the highest standard of excellence. Every player in both programs competes with extreme intensity and passion for the game. Through the competitive environment created players realize that they must get better. Every person involved in the program is responsible to give their maximum effort and highest quality. I hope we can create this kind of environment.