Lars Ricken made his Borussia Dortmund debut 25 years ago and never left. He is now shaping the club’s academy
As an evening filled with whimsical stories about Jürgen Klopp’s antics draws to a close, I try to pay the bill at the downtown burger-house in Dortmund, but the barman brings the jokes to an abrupt halt. “We don’t accept card payments here. Nobody in this city does!” Jens Volke, one of the staff on the Borussia Dortmund media team, interjects to explain: “There’s a movement in which locals don’t want to use credit cards, to stop Big Brother watching our every move.” I make my way to the cashpoint thinking that things are done differently around here.
Academies we have visited, observed and learned from:
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A 'youth professional' is a player between ages of 6 and 18 who has been identified by professional club as someday having the potential as making it as a full-time professional player. These players are trained, day-in and day-out, using the best at latest development methods, philosophies, exercises and techniques by some of the best youth trainers in the world.
Over the last 17+ years YPT has traveled extensively across Europe to clubs such as Real Madrid [Spain], Club Brugge [Belgium], Inter Milan [Italy], SL Benfica [Portugal], PSV Eindhoven [Holland], Manchester United [England], AC Milan [Italy], Ajax of Amsterdam [Holland], Bayern Munich [Germany] and others for the sole purpose of observing and learning how young players are trained and developed at the absolute highest level of the sport. We have been extremely fortunate to doors opened to us that don't normally get opened to outsiders and we feel a strong obligation to pass on as much of what we have learned as we can to thise who can use it most: Americas better young players and coaches.
I really think that the reason for Joseph's success on the National Team and in Europe is because of the good training habits he has been exposed to at YPT.
Phillip, father of Joseph
Designer
Your training is top notch. The kids I talked to really liked it and would like for you to come back.
Wes, Susquehana Futsal: League
Director
Designer
We don't even see anything like this in Europe.
Phil Brogan: Manchester United academy trainer
Designer
From all that I can gather, YPT appears to be THE best camp in the USA. Two players on my team who attended the camp in 2007 told me that the quality of training and players at YPT is miles ahead of any other camp they've been to.