Euro Tour 2017 - The synergy of Vitesse

From the moment you arrive at Vitesse you can see and sense the synergy. 

Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. 

It isn’t difficult to understand why Vitesse has been recognized by UEFA as an international level youth academy. 

The club takes a holistic approach to development where everything revolves around the individual player. 

As was noted many times “teams are important but they do not debut with the first team...”  

This club truly cares about the whole person. Soccer, Rehab/Recovery, Mindset, Lifestyle and Performance (strength training, nutrition etc.) are all part of the pathway at Vitesse for their players.  

However based on my day in Vitesse what makes them special is the people and the culture that exists as a result of this holistic philosophy. 

First not all clubs have a willingness to share. Their mindset is if we share something that makes you better it makes us all better.  Then perhaps you will share something with us. 

Second and is the level of specialization and attention to each area. When Daniel Coyle wrote about what it means to be a master coach in The Talent Code he surely had Leo van de Kraats in mind. He is 70 years old and coaches the U8 team. He told us all his players added up equal his age. 

While the synergy from first team thru the youth academy may not be possible most places in the United States the holistic approach to youth development at Vitesse is a model for us