“We may be starting with a small number of teams, but we are very big on quality development. We’re very fortunate to have people involved who have had tremendous success in developing successful players and successful teams.” Topping that list is NOSC director of coaching and player development, John Michaelson. Michaelson has been coaching Minnesota’s leading premier level girls’ team for the past five years. That team is NOSC’s first official team for 2014. The team enjoyed two State Cup titles and competed in USYSA’s Region II championships the past two years in a row.

One of Michaelson’s development cornerstone’s is his D.R.E.A.(M) training philosophy. According to NOSC’s website (www.northoakssoccer.org), D.R.E.A.(M) is a philosophy that leans heavily on developing important life skills like discipline and responsibility to draw out a high level of effort framed with a positive attitude to develop exceptional technical and tactical soccer skills.

Michaelson knows players develop successful life skills every bit as much as they do athletic skills when they have high-level expectations to manage. He says, “When you are being highly challenged in a sport, it forces us to be ultra-disciplined and very responsible in other areas of our lives in order to successfully compete at the highest athletic levels possible. The discipline and responsibility developed through this process absolutely translate to being successful in the classroom, in the workplace, in our relationships and with our kids.”

The North Oaks Soccer Club provides a unique development option for players and families looking for intensified skill work that helps players develop a deeper understanding for the tactical elements of the game. The era of the Blast is here! It’s an exciting time to be part of soccer.

NOSC will open its first official season in 2015, just after the first of the year. Check it out atwww.northoakssoccer.org or contact John Michaelson at doc@northoakssoccer.org.