Club passes method to soccer players

Program director promotes style in Temecula Valley area

The Southwest Soccer Club is now using a worldwide training system to teach its sport to boys and girls ages 6 to 19. Known as the Coerver coaching method, it emphasizes ball mastery, receiving and passing, speed and individual skills, and skills development.

Rachid Elbekraoui, the club's director for the boys program, said the founders of Coerver approached him to promote the method in the Temecula Valley and San Diego areas. Elbekraoui is the technical director for Coerver.


"I will be introducing the Coerver coaching method to other soccer clubs in the Inland Empire. The method is already used by soccer clubs on the East Coast, and it's a proven method of teaching. There are less injuries," Elbekraoui said.


The club's first Coerver training camp was held in December and attracted about 75 players.


The next camp is scheduled to take place during spring break at the John Blanche Memorial Soccer complex in Temecula.


"Our job is to develop kids to play in high school and go on to the college level. They dream about getting a scholarship, but that takes talent, luck and good coaching," Elbekraoui said.


The club's youth league has 32 teams with about 400 to 450 kids enrolled. Elbekraoui said that's about a 20 percent increase going into this year.


Tryouts for boys ages 8 to 14 will be held Feb. 21 and 24 in Temecula and Feb. 20 and 23 for girls ages 8 to 14.


The club will also host its summer classic tournament in June and expects 200 to 300 teams to attend.


Any children interested in playing soccer or for information on tryouts in the boys league contact Elbekraoui at (951) 232-1649 or visit Southwest Soccer Club on the Web.


For information on the girls league, e-mail Jenny Lawlor admin@southwestsoccerclub.com