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Steve Bottjer ,

December 9, 201 3

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Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That eternal question has perplexed thinkers for hundreds of years. When analyzing the development of soccer players all around the world, it is well accepted that the dilemma is not that circular. What came first, the great player or the quality coach? The answer is arguably the latter. It is also a truism that Anthony Capotosto, Manager of Operations & Head Coach of the University of Toronto Men’s Soccer Team, holds dear. Capotosto, who is also the head coach of the Toronto FC junior academy team, is the organizer and driving force behind the National Soccer Coaching Conference that will be held in Toronto from January 31st to February 2nd. See also: RedNation Interview Series: Richard Bucciarelli According to Capotosto, the conference is an important piece of the overall player development process in Canada and one that can play a key role in pushing the country forward as a soccer nation and a competitive country at the International level. “I had spoken to my athletic director (at U of T) about the need for more coaching education, not just at the local level but on a national scale for the sport of soccer,” Capotosto told RedNation when asked about the genesis of the event. “Our athletic director has been very supportive of this initiative from day one. What we are doing is essentially using the resources that we have available through the University to put on this conference. The goal for all of this is to hopefully raise the standard of play in Canadian soccer.” “The feedback that I have received is that it is something that is really needed for Canadian soccer,” Capotosto explained. “One of our mandates is to make this a true national event where we are drawing in coaches from all parts of the country. Being in downtown Toronto, the location is ideal and it is very accessible for a lot of coaches. Using the resources available through the University of Toronto is also key. We have hotels on Bloor street that are within walking distance and we have the Varsity Centre, that is an ideal venue to hold the on field sessions, as well as a 500 seat lecture hall at the Ontario Institute for Studies and Education.” NSCC Featured Clinician: Tony Fonseca: The conference will feature some of the biggest names in Canadian soccer coaching, including Canadian Soccer Association Technical Director Tony Fonseca, Toronto FC legend Danny Dichio, FC Edmonton Head Coach Colin Miller, Ottawa Fury Head Coach Marc Dos Santos and Canadian Women’s National Team defender Candace Chapman. The event will also feature several top clinicians from the United States, including US Men’s National Team Assistant Martin Vasquez and former United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Tony DiCicco. “We definitely want to make this a uniquely Canadian event,” Capotosto said. “We will always have Canadian representation as far as speakers and clinicians are concerned. I think a very important part of this event is to promote Canadian coaches and then to show the soccer community in Canada that we do have good coaches that are out there and that have something to offer.” “Obviously, there is also connection to the United States in terms of proximity,” Capotosto added. “But it is also about looking at what the U.S. has done with their game over the last 15-20 years, because the United States has had tremendous success on both the Men’s and Women’s sides. I think there is something we can learn from our U.S. counterparts.” Described as the biggest soccer event in Canada for professional coaching development, the conference will feature both on-field sessions and classroom sessions, with the program expanded this year based on feedback from participants from last year’s conference. NSCC Featured Clinician Colin Miller: “We have taken the feedback that we have received from all of the previous attendees and that is what is really driving this year’s conference,” Capotosto explained. “We are taking the feedback and trying to implement what the coaches want. One of the biggest pieces of feedback that we received was that they want to have more sessions and for it to run over a three day period as opposed to two. That is exactly what we have done for 2014 – we have extended the conference over three days and we are going to be having 16 on field sessions and four classroom sessions.” “Obviously, the quality of the clinicians was another thing that was mentioned,” Capotosto added. “So we have actually increased the number of clinicians from six to ten. We’ve tried to go after some more recognizable names in the North American soccer community.” NSCC Featured Clinician Candace Chapman: Asked what coaches of various levels will be able to take away from the conference, Capotosto admitted that a diverse program means that all attendees should come away from the event having learned a multitude of things. “I think with this particular conference, any coach can take something away from it,” Capotosto said. “We’re trying to be as diverse as we can with the session topics that are being offered and with the clinicians that are taking part. There is something for everyone, from the grassroots coach all the way up to the professional coach. I definitely think one of the strengths of the conference is the diversity of the clinicians and the sessions being offered.” Outside of the technical education attendees will receive, Capotosto is also particularly excited about the opportunity for networking and community building in the Canadian coaching ranks that the conference will provide. “The exchange of ideas is important and attendees will learn some new and effective ways of implementing and delivering training sessions,” Capotosto stated. “This is also an opportunity to confirm what you already know about the game, to hear it from a different angle and a different voice and get a different perspective on how to do things. Also, a big part of this is the networking and the collaboration with other coaches from across the country. For a coach from Ontario to be able to speak with a coach from British Columbia, you don’t always get those opportunities. So having everyone come together on a national scale provides a unique opportunity to exchange information, to talk about the game and to get different perspectives and ideas on how to bring the game forward in Canada.” “We definitely need to try to bring things together in Canada and to kind of understand what is going on in other parts of the country,” Capotosto added. “Canada is obviously a very big country and this is one of the ways to make it a little bit smaller with respect to the soccer community - to try to exchange information and get everyone on the same page. I think if we have a little bit more of that, I think we will see more success in the future.” To register for the 2014 National Soccer Coaching Conference visit: http://www.varsityblues.ca/nscc or call 416-978-3571 for more information. NSCC Featured Clinician Marc Dos Santos: