D.C. United and Clube Atlético Mineiro to host coaching symposium
Event to take place Aug. 6-10 at RFK Stadium
"We are pleased to launch our first annual coaching symposium with the goal of providing cutting edge information on the development of the youth soccer player," said Kasper. "Atlético Mineiro has developed some of the top players in the world and we are grateful that they will share their coaching methodology and philosophy with our area youth soccer coaches. Specifically, Atletico Mineiro and D.C. United will address the necessary steps in developing players aged 10 to 16."
The symposium has been structured to provide coaches with instruction and insight into the development of the young soccer player. The sessions begin with information and direction for developing players at the U-12 level and progresses further each day until a focus on the U-16 player on August 10. The full schedule is as follows:
August 6:
Lecture by CAM on Coaching Philosophy & Methodology (6 p.m. - RFK Stadium VIP Room)
August 7:
Practical session - U-12/U-13 focus (6 p.m. - D.C. United Training Fields)
August 8:
Practical session - U-14 focus (6 p.m. - D.C. United Training Fields)
August 9:
D.C. United v. LA Galaxy (7 p.m.) - Hospitality tent in Lot 8
August 10:
Practical session - U-16 focus (6 p.m. - D.C. United Training Fields)
Figueiredo serves as the Chief Scout to CAM and is himself a former member of the team, having played for Atlético Mineiro for six years. He has a Master's Degree in Management and is a former coach and currently directs the club's youth initiatives.
Marques serves as a consultant to not only CAM, but also the Brazilian National Football Confederation (CBF) and the Vikings Futsal Association of Australia. He possess a Master's Degree in Sports Sciences and is a former player, coach and manager of the futsal team Arsenal Esporte Clube in Brazil.
United entered into a strategic partnership with CAM on May 4 of this year. The relationship between the two clubs was created to seek opportunities to enhance the sporting and commercial success of the respective clubs by sharing expertise and experience as well as creating new opportunities for the clubs - this is the first step in that partnership.
Clube Atlético Mineiro is located in Belo Horizonte in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, site of the U.S. National Team's historic 1-0 win over England in the 1950 World Cup. Though Atlético Mineiro is 88 years older than United, the two clubs share a similar history in their penchant for being the first club in their country to win various competitions as they are created.
Like D.C. United in MLS Cup '96, Atlético won the first-ever Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Brazilian First Division) in 1971. "O galo" (Atlético's common nickname, meaning "the rooster") also won the first-ever Minas Gerais state championship in 1915, a title they have gone on to win 38 time - more than any other club in the state, which includes rivals América-MG and Cruzeiro. Last year, Atlético Mineiro won the Brazilian Série B and earned promotion back to the top flight, where the club had spent every other season since 1971. The club was named last year by Placar (scoreboard) magazine - a Brazilian publication - as the third best team in the history of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (1971-present), behind only storied clubs Såo Paulo and Corinthians. From 1971-2006, Atlético Mineiro has more top four finishes than any team in the first division.
