The Pembina Valley Panthers Soccer Academy in Carman, run by local soccer coach William Hoogerdijk, has quickly become the premier destination in southern Manitoba for kids ages six to fifteen who want to improve their soccer skills.
Hoogerdijk started the soccer academy in October 2012 with about 15 players, mostly from Carman, practicing in the Dufferin Christian School gym on Saturday mornings.
By this time, Hoogerdijk had been coaching soccer in the area for ten years at various levels, including men’s, youth, community, and high school programs.
“I realized during those years that players could have an understanding of how the game should be played but were often disadvantaged by not having the ability to control the ball quickly regardless of the situation and then be effective in using the ball against opponents,” said William Hoogerdijk. “The soccer academy was a response to what I found lacking in many players.”
Over the years, the soccer academy continued to develop, and more players from the Winkler and Morden area became involved. A larger venue was needed, so a move was made to address that and the increased enrolment from Winkler and Morden.
For a brief period, sessions were held in Carman and Winkler until all sessions eventually moved to Winkler. The soccer academy now involves a team of 15 coaches training over 85 young players from six to fifteen.
“It is particularly enjoyable working with these players, especially the ones who stay with the program, and seeing their development over the years. For many, it starts with a realization of what they’re capable of doing with the ball. That leads to a growth in confidence and a willingness to try new things during the game. I have found many of the players gain a sense of confidence and calm over the years, so they have time to make good decisions during game situations. It is amazing to see that growth, not just in skill and ability, but also in a love for the game.”
Many of Hoogerdijk’s soccer academy players have used the skills they developed to become leaders on their teams in the various Pembina Valley community soccer programs. Soccer academy players have also become very effective members of the area’s different high school soccer programs.
A number of former players are also currently using their skills to contribute to various university soccer programs in the area. Some former players have now returned to the soccer academy as coaches. In the end, the development of soccer skills and understanding has led to a lifetime of opportunity in the sport.
The academy’s focus for kids is on developing excellent ball mastery in the players, combined with a solid understanding of gameplay.
The academy training sessions each involve ball mastery work in a warm-up situation to develop essential skills with the ball. This is followed by a speed drill, which will work on foot speed, ball control, and game thinking.
“We then move on to working on 1v1 and 2v2 attacking and defending, which builds essential skills in working with the ball against an opponent,” said Hoogerdijk. “These skills are then put into a more game-like practice in some small group play drills. The session wraps up with a small-sided game where everything we have done is put into a real game context to test the players’ abilities to perform under pressure. The last few minutes of each session are spent reviewing what was covered, including the skills introduced, and providing the players with a bit of a homework challenge to prepare them for the next session.”
All of the academy sessions are full for this season. Demand increased this year to the point where planning is already in place to expand the program for the upcoming 2025-26 season. This includes a plan to increase the number of sessions offered to accommodate the additional players and add more coaches to the team to keep the coaching ratio to one coach for every four or five players. The Saturday morning small-sided games sessions will also be adjusted to provide players with an improved full-game experience.
Parents who are interested in signing their children up for the 2025-26 soccer academy season should check out the Pembina Valley Panthers Soccer Academy Facebook page in early June for the registration form or email Hoogerdijk at pvpsocceracademy@gmail.com to request a form.
