Florida Fire Juniors

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Thursday, June 2nd 2016 - The Florida Fire Juniors “Your Hometown Soccer Club” proudly announces a local partnership with the Marco Island Soccer Club - Surge.  The Florida Fire Juniors (FFJ) are the official youth soccer Club of Major League Soccer – Chicago Fire Soccer Club train and play locally in Naples, FL with licensed professional soccer coaches up to 10 months of the year.  With over 400 boys and girls participating in the 2015/16 season and already over 600 attending ‘Official’ Club tryouts this week ranging from recreational U7 to competitive U18, the Florida Fire Juniors are proud to be able to provide boys and girls in East Naples more opportunities to learn the game of soccer and continue to excel through the partnership with the Marco Island Soccer Club - Surge.  Through the partnership, Florida Fire Juniors will provide training to children 6 years old up and work closely to train coaching staff.

Marco Island Soccer Club Directors of Soccer, Chadd Chustz and Amir Nadler both agree that, “this merger is between two like-minded Clubs with a focus on technical and tactical development of youth players at every level. Now, the East Naples and Marco Island area players will have an opportunity to join a high level Club that provides an established professional coaching staff and the best professional environment for young players.”

Chadd Chustz, who remembers how is passion for soccer was gifted to him by his wife goes on to say, “The Surge and FFJ partnership represents several years of planning and hard work coming to fruition. Amir introduced me to FFJ several years ago when his children started playing with the Club. We met with a few of their Board of Directors at the time to get advice on how to run a youth soccer club. We were impressed by the professional approach, organization, and emphasis on player development. Florida Fire Juniors approaches soccer like you would any other subject. You start with the basics and continue the progression based on a proven soccer based curriculum players need to learn to be successful.”

Amir Nadler, who finds soccer as his passion and a huge part of his life since he was four or five years old, goes on to say, “All of my life I have played, coached and watched soccer. It just makes sense to bring the majority of the local soccer players into one Club. It means better soccer for our entire county. It means that there's soccer for every child that wants to play.”

Paul Williams, Director of Coaching for the Florida Fire Juniors and ex-English professional soccer player goes on to add, “We are very excited at the prospects of partnering with an organization that share our philosophy on long term player development”.  Steve Sawyer, Academy Director for the Florida Fire Juniors and soccer graduate of Brown University, continues Williams sentiments by stating, “I'm thrilled about the opportunity to offer our programs to more young soccer players in Southwest Florida. Both Chadd and Amir have done a great job with Surge thus far. Their commitment to individual player development made this partnership a natural fit."

“I can't say enough good things about the FFJ Academy Director Stephen Sawyer and Director of Coaching Paul Williams. I learn something every time I watch them coach. The coaching staff and Club leadership creates an atmosphere of commitment to making your child better, both on and off the field. This is what we want to bring to East Naples and we truly believe it will be revolutionary for youth soccer in the area.” Chustz states.

East Naples Tryouts for boys and girls born between 2005 and 2010 are scheduled for June 11th & 12th from 10am - 11:30am both days at East Naples Community Park at 3500 Thomasson Rd.  For more information, visit www.floridafirejuniors.com or e-mail [email protected].

Who are the Florida Fire Juniors?

The Florida Fire Juniors, "YOUR HOMETOWN SOCCER CLUB' located in Naples, FL, is a first class professionally run organization that will produce teams who will consistently compete at the highest level and consistently develop players who play at the highest levels. The Florida Fire Juniors ‘a professional Major League Soccer approach with a local focus’ maintains the infrastructure for player and team development that produces the highest quality player and team results. As part of the Chicago Fire Player Development Program, Florida Fire Juniors players have access to unparalleled opportunities for soccer development…opportunities that no other club can provide. Youth to professional, top quality leadership and coaching, always ahead of the curve and leading the way.

The Florida Fire Juniors are the official youth soccer Club of Major League Soccer – Chicago Fire Soccer Club and proudly sponsored by Germain BMW of Naples and the Naples Daily News.