NF Academy coach Ricardo Silva takes about his experience
NF Academy coach Ricardo Silva talks about his experience
One of NF Academy key for excellence are the coaches, who are in direct contact with the players and their parents. We know that even when the coaches quality is above average, it is not only his knowledge that will make the player evolve. The coach must have the ability to stimulate the players’ interest and motivation, find the best way to teach and reach the young players, and manage his emotions and those he works with.
NF Academy coach Ricardo Silva talks about his experience
One of NF Academy key for excellence are the coaches, who are in direct contact with the players and their parents. We know that even when the coaches quality is above average, it is not only his knowledge that will make the player evolve. The coach must have the ability to stimulate the players’ interest and motivation, find the best way to teach and reach the young players, and manage his emotions and those he works with.
Being a full time coach at NF Academy
You are an experienced coach, and part of the full time coaching crew at NF Academy. How has that experience been so far?
It has been a very demanding and enriching experience. I’m faced daily with challenges for which I must find answers and the adequate solutions for the overall needs of the players, as a group as well as individually.
Another daily duty is to follow-up several players individually through our programs, NF Career Management and NF Club Experience, which contemplates a very personalized, meticulous and detailed follow-up of each athlete, both in person and by video call or video analysis sent by the athletes.
NF Club Experience is for players that are ambitious, that want to get international references, that want to test themselves with different environments, cultures and that want to know how Portuguese clubs train. It’s a great opportunity to train with players that play in a different way so it will be a new challenge and challenges help players to develop.
NF Career Management is a unique program that will ensure players development with a close follow up and guidance from a professional NF coach. Through this program, NF Academy will create opportunities with Portuguese clubs for professional contracts or to play abroad as an amateur.
READ ALSO: Take the next step with NF Career Management
The Nordic player
How do you evaluate the recent NF Academy programs?
-It’s clearly very positive. With the diversity of duties and programs, I feel that I’m in a constant state of evolution. I can even say that I’m now a better coach, more competent, and with a larger range of solutions.
It’s also been very positive to interact with all the athletes we receive on these programs, to help them grow, to see how important it is for them, and in a way, to be a part of their growth as an athlete and person.
Which characteristics would you point out on the Nordic players?
Generally, the Nordic player is more disciplined, more committed to his goal. They are very opened to advices, and always try to apply them both in practice as well as on a match. One other important characteristic that I can identify in most players, is that they tend to make good decisions while under pressure.
Wanna join our teams for the summer tournaments? Find out more here
The upcoming summer programs
Each program has an overall goal of helping the player to evolve through different contexts, adjusted to his characteristics and level.
We will soon be having our Summer Programs, which are, for the most part, Tournaments. Players are invited to be a part of our selections, bering in mind their characteristics and level, because it’s important to us to give them challenges to develop them, but fitting to their overall skills.
We will also have our high level exclusive program, NF High Performance, targeted for the best athletes, and where they will live a 10-days experience in a professional environment, with all of the best resources available. We will also be facing top Portuguese teams in this program, and the best NF Academy coaches. It will be a very limited program, designed for the players that are close to becoming professional players.
NF High Performance is an elite program which the main objective is to provide players a professional pre-season environment and experience in a top sport complex in Portugal where top teams train and even the Portuguese national team.
Players will play against top Portuguese teams like Sporting CP and Estoril de Praia, where will be able to showcase their skills to them.
NF High Performance Camp takes place in Rio Maior from 18th-28th of July 2022.
UPCOMING NF ACADEMY EVENTS
| Date | Program | Country | Place | Age Group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 - 12 Jan 2025 | NF Selection Riga Cup | Latvia | Riga | 2010 | |||
| 16 - 19 Jan 2025 | NF Selection Riga Cup | Latvia | Riga | 2011 | |||
| 22 - 26 Jan 2025 | NF Selection Riga Cup | Latvia | Riga | 2008-2009 | |||
| 30 Jan - 02 Feb 2025 | NF Selection Riga Cup | Latvia | Riga | 2012 | |||
| 05 - 09 Feb 2025 | NF Selection Riga Cup | Latvia | Riga | 2013 | |||
| 16 - 22 Feb 2025 | NF Elite Training Camp Week 8 |
Portugal | Lisbon / Estoril | 2010-2016 | |||
| 23 Feb - 01 Mar 2025 | NF Elite Training Camp Week 9 |
Portugal | Lisbon / Estoril | 2010-2016 | |||
| 12 - 17 Apr 2025 | NF Selection Costa Daurada (BOYS) | Spain | Salou | 2009-2014 | |||
| 12 - 17 Apr 2025 | NF Selection Costa Daurada (GIRLS) | Spain | Salou | 2007-2010 | |||
| 17 - 21 Apr 2025 | NF Selection Future Cup | Sweden | Gothenburg | 2008-2015 | |||
| 14 - 24 Jul 2025 | NF High Performance | Portugal | Rio Maior | 2009-2006 | |||
| 28 Sep - 04 Oct 2025 | NF Elite Experience Fall Week 40 |
Portugal | Lisbon / Estoril | 2010-2016 | |||
| 12 - 18 Oct 2025 | NF Elite Experience Fall Week 42 |
Portugal | Lisbon / Estoril | 2010-2016 | |||
| 26 Oct - 01 Nov 2025 | NF Elite Experience Fall Week 44 |
Portugal | Lisbon / Estoril | 2010-2016 | |||
Check the complete Event Calendar here.
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