What is FSM?

Ferdie’s Soccer Magic (FSM) is a soccer skills acquisition program that specializes in teaching individual ball skills for a higher level of success and enjoyment. It is designed to positively affect individual skill by focusing on the habits that lead to Exceptional soccer skills. FSM is marketed toward soccer players of all ages and abilities but particularly targeted toward boys and girls 7-16 years of age.

BACKGROUND

In the mid 1980s after three years living in the pioneer valley of western Massachusetts, I came to believe that soccer participation opportunities in my region did not come close to fulfilling genuine athletic and developmental needs of the community. The soccer training paradigms at the time were either recreational approaches (typical town soccer organizations that incorporated “parent coaches” with little coaching or soccer experience), or the opposite- high-pressure recruitment-oriented “premier” club organizations. Moreover, even the premier clubs did not have skillful players to recruit so they opted for bigger, stronger and physically gifted individuals who could plough people over. Soccer camps are the primary source of soccer education in North America and what I experienced was little more than “baby-sitting” with a soccer ball at one end, and college recruiting camps at the other. True soccer education was very scarse. Players were rarely exposed to advanced skills, and games were more or less track meets with a soccer ball. This lack of knowledge and education became more apparent when I started coaching high school, and my frustration grew worse when I assumed the role as Head Soccer Coach at a women’s college program. It became immediately clear that my passion for the game would die if I continued as a COACH.

Instead, I would become a TEACHER, focus on the youth, and make a difference in an individual’s approach and understanding of the game. My ambition was to contribute to society by exposing our youth to a higher, more pleasant and fulfilling way of life through soccer. My love of the game, the joy of teaching, and my passion for skills led to the creation of Ferdie’s Soccer Magic Academy in1993. a skills development institute that will dedicate 100 percent of it’s time researching and teaching individual skills to America’s youth soccer players. FSMA has grown to encompass multiple weeks of summer camps, winter classes and custom programs for individuals and clubs around the country.

HOW IS FSM PROGRAM DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CAMPS?

Yes we have a philosophy like any other camp, except that ours goes several steps further to give you an advantage. First, to maximize your camp learning experience, we decided to specialize and focus 100% in a specific area of your development- Individual skills acquisition. We do this only, and therefore do it well. Secondly, we established a model of the type of player we wished to create, we identified the characteristics and elements of that model, and then developed a systematic and methodical process to teach those elements to our players. Over time they develop the unique elements of our model player thus "#10. Soccer Magic players have a distinctive expression on a soccer field as they go about getting their job done. Thirdly, we devised a way to quantitatively measure each player's ability, meaning we could follow and chart a player's development through time. Though quantitative, this measure gives a very objective and real indication of a player's ball-handling ability. This innovative method has changed player's attitude toward their development by making them more involved, and holding themselves accountable for their progress. Success is virtually a guarantee.

Soccer is an international sport, so your development must have an international perspective. This is why we travel the globe in efforts to bring you the best and latest concepts in player development, and expose your children to elements from other cultures. From a worldwide perspective, African and South American players seem to possess skills that allow them to succeed anywhere in the world, not to mention their ability to adapt and fit into other cultures of the world. FSM program draws from those sources to help us develop players of international quality. Open mindedness and international awareness are virtues greatly stressed at FSM.

We conceive concepts that help us invent and design tools for greater understanding and love of the game

We are not a college program so we do not run camps to recruit players. Infact you use Ferdie's Soccer Magic skills program to help you succeed at a college camp when you are 16.

Our motto “It’s all about love” teaches a wonderful parallel between success with a soccer-ball and success with life. Kids love it and parents just go ga-ga over it.

Our emphasis on a higher level of skill makes us very attractive to players, coaches, and parents alike.

FSM combines African and Ghanaian highlife music and colorful African garments to create a fun and festive environment for learning.

The secret to our success? RESPECT and REGARD. Kids absolutely adore us because of how we respect and regard them.

The FSM focus on building individual confidence in our children through sport is well received by parents and members of the community. Thus, over 70% return for further education, an outstanding customer retention record.

FSMA is a full-time year-round institution dedicated solely to individual skills acquisition. We research teaching methods, styles of play, cultural influences and habits for a better and easier approach to acquiring skills. Information gathered from our research forms the underlying principles of our program. We consider ourselves a soccer educational institute, not a camp. You attend our program to acquire skills. We are currently developing and creating new learning tools to help make it easier and fun for you to acquire skills.

Contact us at:

Ferdie's Soccer Magic
752 Bay Rd
Belchertown, MA 01007

Tel: 413 253-4888
ferdie@soccer-magic.com