SDFC is a technification program. We are not a club, therefore we focus on individual player development in a group environment. Dribbling cones and working on pattern plays do not develop players. 

Soccer is not complicated. There are rules, there are habits and there are cause and effect. Once players learn these fundamentals they will learn that every touch counts. They will learn why they should move to left or right. Why they should dribble to one side or the other. When to pass and when to drive at a player. Most importantly, what to do off the ball and how to read the game. Players learn how to scan the field, they will learn how to decipher between good information and bad information. 

All SDFC trainings are recorded and every player is evaluated. The SDFC methodology is developed using the Total Football Methodology, Tactical Periodization made famous by Vitor Frade and Pepijn Lijnders’. Technical development methodology

“I try to make our players aware how Robben creates space for himself . . . he consciously positions himself, creating space to receive the ball and what he does with it, and how this affects team mates . . . whether it is holding, moving, dropping, accelerating . . . it is all about timing” – Pepijn Lijnders

One of the biggest debates in youth football is that academies not only take the fun out of the game for young players, but that they may also be guilty of training every player in the same way, with the same methodology and ideas applied to every individual. It is argued that the repetition and constant reinforcement of said ideas essentially prevent a player from using their natural instinct, thus reducing the ‘edge’ some players have. This is particularly the case with forwards and attacking players. We have seen this in FC Barcelona for instance. All their forwards and attacking players are bought, never developed. 

With claims that the players can indeed see their development stymied by a lack of freedom, we recreate street soccer environments and tournaments internally and externally. 

We help players become masters in their own position before trying to improve elsewhere, although other coaches argue against this. We concentrates on positive feedback to ensure a healthy mental well being (Whale Done- by Ken Blanchard).

SDFC sessions focus on the following nine areas:

Connecting Plays – exploiting space, through positional player and passing interchanges. Take as few touches as possible.

Creative Plays – A focus on how to keep the ball while also aiming to create 1v1 situations. For instance, Arjen Robben is the master of this, with his off the ball movement just as important as on it.

Scoring Capacity – Focus on keeping the striker in the game and how best to service him in any scenario. The assist is perfected here.

Coordinative and Conditioning – Sessions focused on the mobility of players and technical co-ordination, thus improving the individual.

Individual Tactical Plays– A focus on teaching of the when and where, the incorporation of the technical learnings into the game situations through the situational training model

Individual Technical– A focus on the individual abilities of each player, based on the skills required for each position. The individual technification training focuses on who the player is, their natural temperament and abilities. Our goal is to allow the players to become the best they can be without turning them into robots based on repetition. We consider the whole player rather than a player training against cones or being forced to be turned into robots. 

Group Tactical/Associative Plays– To gain tactical understanding of the game. Incorporating the individual abilities with the individual tactical aspect of the game, along with the creativity and abilities to serve the good of the team. Most importantly learn how to play collectively with and most importantly without the ball. 

Mental and Psychological Strengthening– We focus on teaching the right mindset required for excellence. We start focusing on teaching players that there with freedom of choice, comes a responsibility.  We use the Chaos theory to help players understand that their actions affect all (Chaos theory is an interdisciplinary theory stating that, within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization. The butterfly effect, an underlying principle of chaos, describes how a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state (meaning that there is sensitive dependence on initial conditions). A metaphor for this behavior is that a butterfly flapping its wings in China can cause a hurricane in Texas.)

We teach players that the only person they have control over is themselves. We work on their attitude and focus on and off the field. When to be aggressive, tactical fouls, transition of mind from offense to defense and vice versa. 

Leadership Training– We teach the 6 core values that SDFC is built on. Accountability, Community, Humility, Integrity, Meritocracy, Respect. In each training we incorporate one of more of these core values. We use soccer as a vehicle to help create leaders on and off the field. Players are taught that leadership starts within. We must first learn to lead ourselves, our attitude, our focus, our words and our actions. We teach players that we can have a bigger impact in our society and we have a responsibility to be the best human being we can be.  

Community Work– Perhaps the biggest and most important aspect of SDFC is the community work and involvement of the parents and players. All our families are involved in numerous food, shoes, clothes, gear drives that have benefited kids in Mali, Mozambique or Tijuana. We work with homeless shelters across town and have helped orphanages in TJ. We have raised money, cooked and served homeless individuals in downtown San Diego. The greatest satisfaction comes from giving and this is a major pillar of SDFC. 

In 2019 we had our graduating class of 14 players that went through the program since inception. Not only did they become Elite players in their positions, furthermore SDFC was able to assist then in getting noticed and recruited by National and International Football Clubs.