The Portage Soccer Club has appointed Blake Glass as its first Director of Technical Development in a move that highlights the club's emphasis on player development. Blake Glass has 19 years of experience as a college head coach, including 15 at Western Michigan University, after starting at Spring Arbor College, and he's coached ODP and TKO teams along the way. Blake also has 10 years of experience as the State Director of Coaching for the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) where he's been responsible for conducting coaching clinics all over Michigan.

During an interview with The Keeper, Blake said "I'm excited about being appointed to this new position. The Portage Soccer Club Board has charged me with developing a master plan for the training of its players. The purpose is to standardize technical development at each age group and ensure that players progress from year to year. I will be assisting the team coaches in planning and implementing training sessions which are appropriate for their particular age group. The work of determining what a player should be capable of (what "skills" they should be able to perform) at a particular age has already been well-studied by national and international coaching associations. My job will be to help make sure that PSC coaches are training players properly to meet those standards."

"The emphasis will be on players making progress as individuals so they are fully prepared to make the move to the next age level each year. We will develop some training procedures that will be common to all age groups. This will allow players to feel comfortable as they move upward through the club."

Glass continued, "I am very excited about the training site being developed by the Portage Soccer Club on Cox's Drive. This will be one of the premier practice facilities in the state to go along with one of the nicest competition venues in the 9-field complex on Bishop Road. At the new practice complex, we will be able to have multiple teams and multiple age groups training at the same time. One way this will benefit PSC players is by allowing us to pull certain players from their team practice to train as a group by positions. For example, we will be able to bring together the strikers for a half hour session on shooting."

"The practice facility will have portable goals so coaches can set up various practices and give players more opportunities to finish any exercise with a shot on goal which is not always possible at other practice sites. This really will give an advantage to Lightning players as the ability to replicate game-like situations will finally be available to them on a regular basis." It's generally recognized that finishing (scoring) is an area most soccer teams need to improve, and limited access to goals at some practice sites may contribute to this shortcoming.

The Club is equally excited to have Blake on staff. According to Pete Strazdas, PSC president, "player development has always been the top priority of our Club, and while we have a track record of success few can rival, we can do better. Blake Glass has the knowledge and experience to facilitate the development of our youth while maintaining a constructive atmosphere conducive to unlimited growth. We already have excellent coaches, and coupled with our new Director of Technical Development, as well as the new practice facility, our coaches will be better able than ever to teach and lead our players to higher levels." The Portage Soccer Club is a non-profit organization with an elected board of directors that puts the interests of the players first and foremost. More information about the club, and tryouts slated for the week of June 18, is available at www.portagesoccer.com.

Prepared for The Keeper on June 13, 2007