Soccer program a hit in Aroostook
By Kevin Sjoberg
Robbie Krul was heading toward a career in professional soccer in his native country of the Netherlands, the 2010 World Cup runners-up, before his path took a detour.
It was in the mid-1990s when Krul made his way to the United States to play collegiate soccer at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, N.H. He had intended to stay for one season as “an adventure in America,” but he met his wife-to-be, Caribou native and Franklin Pierce women’s soccer player Tammy Thibodeau, and decided to remain in the United States for awhile longer.
They married and ventured to northern Maine to start the Dutch Soccer Academy in 1997. Success was not immediate, as only seven children ranging from the ages of 5 and 16 attended the couple’s first camp.
“Our number-one focus back then was to keep our instruction very basic and not so serious,” Krul said.
Since that time, however, the popularity of DSA camps has exploded. This summer, day camps will be offered in 15 locations – eight in Aroostook County, six in other communities in Eastern Maine and one in New Hampshire.
In addition, DSA held its annual overnight camps the first two weeks of July at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
More than 1,000 students participated in the day camps last summer, with another 400 enrolled in the overnight camps. Combined with a European tour offered to high school students every April (although this year’s to England was postponed to November due to the volcanic ash) and a flourishing indoor program held between October and May in both Caribou and Presque Isle, the Dutch Soccer Academy has become one of the most popular youth activities offered in Aroostook County.
“Sports are important, and in soccer, you have to run a lot and it’s a great way of staying active,” Krul said. “Plus it’s an easy game to be passionate about.”
Krul and his staff of 10 other full-time coaches, who are employed during the overnight camps and a few of the day camps, have all received coaching training. The lessons DSA use are inspired by the KNVB (Royal Dutch Soccer Association) and Coerver training techniques.
Eight members of the coaching staff come from Holland, while two others are from England.
“DSA coaches are chosen based on their experience with children as well as their playing and coaching credentials,” Krul said. “We customize our programs to accommodate the needs of our beginning players as well as our advanced students.”
One of those coaches is Daniel Williams, a native of England now residing in Presque Isle.
“I got involved in DSA just by chance,” Williams said. “My best friend’s brother had just come back after working with Robbie and Tammy for the summer and I asked him if he could recommend me as I was always bored when the soccer season finished back home.
“It just so happened they were stopping over in a London airport for an hour, so I drove to meet them and it all went from there,” he added.
Williams believes the success of DSA is the result of a combination of things.
“Hard work and organization is one major aspect,” he said. “The work Robbie and Tammy put in year-round on games and camps really pays off when it comes to the summer.”
He said his philosophies measure up well with the Kruls.’
“We all share a real love of the game which we want to share, not just with kids but everyone,” Williams added. “We want to make learning soccer an enjoyable experience.”
The day camps got under way June 14. Towns hosting camps this summer in the County are Limestone, Easton, Washburn, Fort Kent, St. Agatha, Houlton, Caribou and Presque Isle.
South of the County, camps are slated at Bangor Christian School, Hope (two separate weeks), Camden, Waldoboro, Vinalhaven and North Haven, as well as Londonderry, N.H.
DSA day camps are designed to develop skills in “a fun and exciting soccer atmosphere,” according to Krul. “We teach soccer by playing soccer and relating various soccer moments to game situations.”
Williams added that “everything in the academy is done with a ball and since the kids get to run and touch a ball so much during the week, you can really see the improvements from Monday to Friday.”
The two weeks of overnight camps, which wrapped up July 9, are geared toward the more serious player and the goal is “to unite players from different regions and create a competitive and exciting soccer atmosphere for students to play and learn,” he added.
Players are exposed to the European soccer culture and are challenged by playing with other students of similar ability and passion for the game, according to Krul.
Local players also have the opportunity to play year round by being part of the indoor program. Presque Isle’ sessions are held at the Northern Maine Community College gymnasium.
“If kids see improvement, they want to continue to play,” Krul said. “At every level, soccer is fun and there are opportunities for those who just want to play to have fun and those who want to take it to another level and be really competitive.”
Krul said he feels there has been significant improvement in the level of soccer in the area, as evidenced by recent successes by varsity soccer teams in regional championships during the fall high school sports season.
“It’s something for the kids to be proud of and something I’m proud of, knowing we’ve narrowed the gap in talent level with teams downstate,” he said.
Contributed photos
Dave Allen Graphics
JOSH ALLEN of Presque Isle turns the corner on a defender to prepare for the shot during the Dutch Soccer Academy overnight camp, which took place at UMPI earlier this month.
DUTCH SOCCER ACADEMY Director Robbie Krul and coach Bas Naber instruct the senior Dutch Soccer Academy campers during the first week of this year’s DSA overnight camp held at UMPI. Coach Naber is an accomplished soccer instructor and one of the youngest coaches to ever be named head coach of a team in the highest amateur division in Holland.
HEAD TRAINER Aaron Tomlinson treats a Dutch Soccer Academy camper with a minor injury. With so many participants in the overnight camp, the training staff was always busy attending to the aches and strains of the campers.
