The Soccer School represents the starting point of the Club’s sporting and educational development project, the beginning of a journey made up of passion, expertise and values. It is here that the youngest players take their very first steps in the biancorosso world and it is from here that the future of AC Monza is born.
All Soccer School activities take place at the Centro Sportivo Silvio and Luigi Berlusconi-Monzello, the beating heart of the biancorosso world. Training in the same environment that hosts the First Team and the entire Youth Academy allows the youngest players to breathe in the atmosphere of professional football from the very beginning, strengthening the Club’s identity and their sense of belonging.
In line with the methodological approach adopted by the Club, the child is placed at the very centre and foundation of all the work carried out. Each young player grows within a structured and highly qualified environment, strongly focused on personal development even before athletic development, with full respect for individual learning times, personal characteristics and each child’s educational needs.
The main objective is not immediate sporting results, but the development of the very young footballer.
The coaching staff, led by Andrea Biffi and Fabio Grassi in close collaboration with Mattia D’Aietti, Andrea Figini, Federico and Natale Cardinale, Francesco Cravotta and Pierino Leoni, plays a crucial role in this process: “The excellent results we achieve at the weekend are simply a consequence of the great work we do during our weekly training sessions. The mindset we want to pass on to our young athletes is to approach every match, event and competition with the same enthusiasm, the same courage and the same desire to show their talent. Seeing what has been done during the week then put into practice on the pitch on Saturdays and Sundays is always incredibly rewarding”, commented the two coaches.
Play and enjoyment, as well as motivation and responsibility, are central elements of daily activity, as Andrea Biffi underlined: “At this stage of the growth and maturation process, the opponent takes a back seat. At this age, children need to play and to gain as much experience as possible, whether positive or negative. What truly matters to them on the pitch is having fun, being completely free to do whatever comes to mind and facing every kind of challenge with courage, the right creativity and all the talent they are capable of, regardless of who they are up against”.
“Improving self-esteem, believing more and more in themselves and in their abilities, and experimenting are also crucial elements we insist on at this stage of development. For a more complete and well-rounded growth, for example, we have our boys play in different roles on the pitch”, added Fabio Grassi.
“The children we work with are amazing: they always train at full intensity to keep improving and they learn incredibly fast. Every week we notice constant progress”, Grassi commented.
“Fabio, the entire staff and I constantly stimulate our players. From a very young age we encourage them to bring out all their ideas, creativity and imagination; then it’s up to us to train and refine their technique and individual qualities to the highest level, above all through the enhancement of major technical skills. Playing spectacular football the way we do here in Monza is very difficult, but at the same time it is also a great source of pride”, Biffi stated.
Particular attention is also paid to educational and relational aspects, with the aim of creating a healthy, safe, inclusive and stimulating environment in which every child can feel valued and express themselves to the fullest.
In addition to being a Soccer School coach, Fabio Grassi also serves as the Psychologist of the biancorosso Youth Academy, a key figure and point of reference for all the youngsters who are part of the great AC Monza family.
These are the words of Dr. Grassi: “Our intention is to make everyone who walks through the gates of the Sports Centre feel like part of a family. Especially at this age, it is normal for children to need a gradual settling-in process when they join a professional and prestigious Club like Monza, so our aim is to become a sort of extension of their families. In this way, we can help them manage their emotions, take care of them, accompany them throughout their red-and-white journey and make them feel safe, just like at home”.
CLICK HERE to discover the full weekend schedule of the AC Monza's Youth Academy.
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