Under the leadership of BRYC’s Training Coordinator for the past few seasons, Joan Smith, BRYC has strived hard to have the best trained coaches among the area’s recreational clubs. To help reach that goal, BRYC regularly sponsors Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) licensing courses. VYSA watches all the trends across the world in soccer theory and training. They tailor their education to reflect those trends, and to maintain consistency with US Soccer policies and practices. The training is separated by age groups to target the specific needs of players as they grow, develop and learn. For coaches, therefore, it’s important to keep their license up to date as the licensing courses get more involved and intense as the kids and coaches progress.

For the first time ever, in March, in preparation for the spring season, BRYC hosted all four licensing courses at the F, E, and D levels required of our coaches as they move from coaching the U5’s to the U19’s, and 37 of our coaches enthusiastically took to the field!

The coaches weren’t the only ones.  Boys and Girls from eight different BRYC squads from U7 Boys up to our U16/19 Girls and even our Friday Night Lights group took the field to be "coached".  BRYC thanks all of them for their commitment, working together to constantly raise the bar and provide our club with the most well trained recrecreational soccer coaches in the area!

Under the leadership of BRYC’s Training Coordinator Joan Smith for the past few seasons, BRYC has strived hard to have the best trained coaches among the area’s recreational clubs. To help reach that goal, BRYC regularly sponsors Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) licensing courses. VYSA watches all the trends across the world in soccer theory and training. They tailor their education to reflect current trends, and to maintain consistency with US Soccer policies and practices. The training is separated by age groups to target the specific needs of players as they grow, develop and learn.  It’s important for coaches to keep their license up to date ce courses get more involved and intense as coaches progress.

In March, in preparation for the season, BRYC hosted all four licensing courses at the F E, and D levels required of our coaches as they move from coaching the U5’s to the U19’s, and 37 of our coaches enthusiastically took to the field! The F License course was a five hour program, held at Robinson High School. On March 9, fourteen BRYC coaches (below left) worked with Garrett Budd of VYSA to earn their F License for the U6-U8 age group. The next day, eleven BRYC coaches (below right) trained with Lucas Cook to earn their F License for the U8-U10 age group.

Over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, seven BRYC coaches (unfortunately unphotographed) spent 18 hours over one weekend on the turf at Wakefield Park working with Jim McLane of VYSA to receive their E License. U12 Boys coach Scott DiRocco commented, "I just completed the E Certification course instructed by James McLane. It was one of the best courses I have ever attended. Coach McLane was extremely knowledgeable and maintained a great demeanor throughout the course. While it was physically demanding, it will pay dividends to BRYC down the road."

Finally, five BRYC coaches, among a committed group from all over the area, made it through the VYSA D License Course led by Paul Shaw at Robinson High School’s upper turf field. The D course is a grueling soccer boot camp, including 36 hours of training and testing over two weekends! This is the first license course that includes a test that coaches must pass in order to receive their license. Coaches are awarded a National Certificate, a State Certificate, or a request to re-test. Our BRYC coaches were persistent in their pursuit of their license, even training in the SNOW!

But the Coaches were not the only BRYC personnel participating in the training! VYSA requests that players attend the training so that the coaches can work with players of an age that corresponds to the training. Eight BRYC teams sent players to assist with the VYSA training. BRYC extends a hearty thanks to the players from John Connell’s U7 boys, Jim Clark’s ODSL U12 girls and Mark Cashion’s U14 girls for assisting with the F and E Training. The senior divisions lent their teams to assist with the D Training, and we thank Mac Squires and Doug Alcorn’s She Devils (below right), Josh Rock’s Psych, and Gene McHale’s Storm. Special thanks go to James Sullivan’s DANGER!ous girls who cheerfully filled a 3 hour session, AND to John Kelleher’s Friday Night Lights (below left) who lent two teams to provide a total of 4 hours of player assistance. Three of the Lights even came back for more, having enjoyed helping out so much that they volunteered an additional three hours!

Thank you to ALL the players and the coaches who took part in the licensing courses in March, working together to constantly raise the bar and provide our club with the most well trained recreational soccer coaches in the area!!