SoccerNation News and San Diego Football Academy Announce Partnership

SAN DIEGO - Oct. 9, 2013 - PRLog -- Soccer Nation News http://www.soccernation.com/ is proud to announce a new partnership wtih San Diego Football Academy.

After a track record of developing players who have gone professional, including current Chivas USA player Eric Avila, SDFA founder and Technical Director Johnson Asiedu will now share his insights and philosophy of coaching with SoccerNation News readers.

In addition, SoccerNation News will publish a new bi-weekly column on Thursday beginning on October 10, 2013, reporting on the successes of the two-and-a-half year old SDFA. While still a young club, SDFA has had great success both on the pitch and off helping to develop players athletically and academically.

With a lifetime of experience playing and coaching on three continents, Asiedu brings a unique perspective to working with players. Even after going professional, many of his players return to work with him to sharpen their skills or simply review what they have learned from him.

“Player development is a process and needs to be age-appropriate. Parents, players and coaches should not focus on winning and losing,” says Asideu. “My pro players come back to train with me – they could be anywhere in the world, but they still call me and ask to train. They want to come and practice with me. The pro players remember and want the consistent disciplined training.”

Launched in 2010, SoccerNation News had over 1 million readers last year and is on track to reach 1.7 million readers in 2013. Editor-in-chief Diane Scavuzzo said, "SoccerNation News is a voice of our soccer community and I am thrilled to welcome SDFA as a news partner.”

“There are over 300 youth soccer clubs in the Southern California area. Our new partnership with SDFA will help us report on what is happening in our amazing world of youth soccer.”

If you are a family with a kid who loves to play soccer, SoccerNation News has all the news you need on what is happening in the world of youth soccer. With articles on how local teams become National, Regional and Local champions as well as guides for success on and off the field, SoccerNation News is the voice of youth soccer in our digital world.

“We cover the top soccer stars like Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Ronaldo and Messi, as well as the hot new pros such as Neymar and Stephan Shaarawy. Equally important, we cover local youth soccer players,” said Scavuzzo. “We have launched a new Southern California – San Diego specific section to spotlight our great Southern California players and top youth soccer clubs. There are many talented youth soccer players in America's eighth largest city. We are here to celebrate players, coaches and families who support the sport known as the world's beautiful game. Creating powerful partnerships with important San Diego-based youth soccer leagues and clubs like San Diego Football Academy is important for our readers.”

Asiedu understands the importance of a global perspective for young athletes. In early 2013 the club became an affiliate with Glasgow, Scotland, based Celtic FC and has used that connection to provide players with exceptional training opportunities. In addition, the club has sent teams to play in Europe, including at Ajax where Asiedu spent time in the youth program.

“Here we almost all play the same style of soccer,’ Asiedu explains. “When you travel abroad, kids see how different the game can be played. It is important to realize that soccer is a global sport and there are many different styles of the game.”

Partnering with SoccerNation News will provide Asiedu and SDFA the opportunity to share their philosophy and methods with over a million readers. With a focus on the “total player” – someone who is “technically, academically, tactically, physically and socially trained and developed” – SDFA knows that great coaches make the difference.

"At SDFA, we look for good coaches before teams," Asiedu says. "So, for us it's not about numbers, players or teams; it's about good coaches who can implement and follow our philosophy.”

Working with Johnson Asiedu and SDFA will provide SoccerNation News with the unique opportunity to follow an up-and-coming club through its development. SoccerNation News is proud to partner with youth soccer clubs that truly understand what it means to play the world’s game.

“Reaching for the stars inspires everyone,” said Scavuzzo, “and sharing news is key to helping everyone reach a bit higher.”