Gordon Kljestan has been around the beautiful game his entire life. His father placed a soccer ball in his crib and the rest is history. Gordon became a star at Seton Hall before going on to play for the LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Cleveland City Stars, and Tampa Bay Rowdies. His incredible journey in the pros also included a stop in the MISL, playing for the New Jersey Ironmen.
Now his return is to the Galaxy is in a different capacity, as an academy coach. This new position gives Gordon an opportunity to give back to the sport he loves and return to the team where it all began.
Kljestan simply wanted to take some time off when his playing days were finally over. He wanted to plot out the next step in his life, but that all changed when the call came and a position with the LA Galaxy’s academy was offered.
“Growing up here, I was a always a huge Galaxy fan,” Kljestan commented. “When I got drafted here, I couldn’t have been more happy. And being back here in Southern California now, it’s pretty awesome to work with kids at such a high level.”
Kljestan believes in the academy system as the way to get players to an even higher level. It is something that has been prevalent in Europe for years, but is just now catching on here in the States.
“I wish the academy system was around earlier when I was a kid,” Kljestan added. “The opportunities kids get nowadays in the academy system are paramount compared to anything when we had when we were younger.”
Imagine where the current generation of professionals would be had the academy system been in place when they were younger.
The proper training is essential to a player’s development, but is just one piece of the overall puzzle.
“They get more training by better coaches in a better environment,” Kljestan continued. “The setup is better, the equipment is better and with our academy, the families don’t have to pay anything. It is a way to attract the best players so they can grow and develop.”
The Galaxy pride themselves on having a fully-funded youth academy. Many clubs put dollar signs before development, but the Galaxy want the best players period regardless of whether they can afford the best training or not.
This is a big step for American soccer as it opens the game to everyone. This allows a more diverse population of players to be involved with the sport, meaning the potential for better players on the pitch is great.
Kljestan and the Galaxy academy staff share a common set of values. They focus on discipline, making sure that each player knows that they represent the club on and off the field.
Players are taught to be both tactically and techincally sound. They are exposed to formations that they will see in the future. They are molded into flexible players that can play multiple positions, a trait that is important in club and collegiate soccer alike. Too many players have become too specialized in only learning a single position in a single formation. You won’t ever see that with a Galaxy academy player.
Kljestan believes that players should be students of the game; he feels that this is just as important as training.
“I think the more games you watch the better you become. We make sure they attend home games and watch players that play their positions so they can pick up the litte things they may not see in training.”
Gordon favors a 10 month season, knowing that bad habits are sometimes fostered during the high school season. It is also the way we have to do it to compete with clubs around the world, who operate under a similar calendar.
Kljestan has a lot of experience with Homegrown Players as the Galaxy set an example for the rest of MLS with their signing of local players. It is an exciting prospect for Gordon’s players.
“It’s something players can look forward to,” Kljestan commented. “It shows kids it is possible. It is a huge motivation and shows us what we are doing is right.”
A great example is the meteoric rise of Jose Villarreal, who scored against Vancouver on July 18, salvaging a 2-2 draw on the road. He has become a regular with the first team and reserves despite being only 18. Jose’s brother, Jaime, is a star striker with the Galaxy’s U-16 squad.
“Our goal is getting our league closer and closer to being one of the top 10 in the world,” Kljestan continued. “In the past players came here to finish their careers; players are now coming in their early 30s. Our league is developing to compete on the world stage. In an ideal world we want to be able to challenge European teams anytime, anywhere.”
Perhaps the coolest aspect of the Galaxy’s academy is the interaction players have with the senior team. Yeah, that’s right David Beckham is at academy training every week. Players like Todd Dunivant and Andrew Boyens also work with the players on a regular basis.
And you can’t argue with the academy’s infrastructure.
“We have the best setup in America,” Kljestan concluded.
There is year-round great weather, two full fields for academy use, an Athletes’ Performance strength/conditioning program, a full-time trainer, the list goes on and on.
The academy literally takes on the best of the best and they are willing to hit the road to do it. This past year trips to Dallas, Seatte, and even Spain were on the agenda.
“We’re always travelling,” Kljestan commented. “We are lucky to have a club that backs us with a budget for these trips. It helps our players get them experience in different environments against great competition.”
The sport is lucky to have Gordon among the coaching ranks. He is a trendsetter and even though it is early in his coaching career, he has quickly become of the best on the West Coast. Simply put his future is very bright.
What our sport needs is more Gordon Kljestans, former pros that will share their passion and experience with the next generation of America’s great footballers. And then we can compete with the world.
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