Rampage United bring Manchester United Academy coaches to Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — Preparation was a bit different this week for the first-place Cedar Rapids Rampage United.

The second-year Premier League of America outdoor soccer team welcomed youth academy coaches from renowned English professional soccer powerhouse Manchester United for a week of instruction for area kids, coaches and even the professionals.

'They are quality training sessions,' said Rampage United midfielder Jacob Johnson, who will help Cedar Rapids (4-0-0, 12 standings points) face the Madison 56ers (1-3-2, 5) Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Kingston Stadium. 'They have a lot of wisdom to share. It's always a great opportunity to see different perspectives and to grow in that regard. They've been top-quality. It's awesome that they've been able to come to a smaller city than they usually come to.'

Before he played at Cedar Rapids Washington and Coe, Johnson was a standout Cedar Rapids youth soccer player for several years. The current generation of area youth players converged on the Tuma Soccer Complex in Marion this week for morning (U8-U12) and afternoon (U13-U18) instructional sessions with the visitors from England.

'It's all about fun,' Manchester United Academy Coach Gary Sampson said. 'See if they can enjoy it. Get them to love football, really. Show them a few techniques and skills and show them a few bibs and bobs that we do back at home. The younger ones, it's definitely got to be fun. It's got to be enjoyment and the environment's got to be right for them to develop.'

Sampson, 34, is in his seventh season of coaching. He spent eight years as a player with the Manchester United youth program before turning professional at age 17.

Other coaches include Danny Byrne, 32, who signed with Manchester United at age 14 and also turned professional at 17, and the academy's director of coaching, Scott Harris.

Their role with Manchester United includes traveling to schools to identify soccer talent and coaching all age groups at both the pre-academy and academy levels. Their teaching philosophy emphasizes individual development, while the scorekeeping and subsequent wins or losses wait for the U18 level.

All three coaches are former teammates of Kieren Keane, the Director of Coaching at Evolution Soccer Club in Naperville, Ill. The London-born Keane, 35, signed a professional contract at 15 and enjoyed a 15-year playing career in England, Scotland, Germany, Spain and the United States.

This is the third summer that Keane has invited academy coaches to the United States for instructional camps, but the first time the group has extended beyond the Chicago area. After attending Saturday's Rampage United game, the quartet will lead weeklong camps in Milwaukee and Chicago.

'We want to have a longer-lasting impact beyond the week,' Keane said. 'Lucky for us, we're bringing probably one of the best academies in the world into Iowa. ... We want all of the local coaches around to see what these guys are doing and they can hopefully implement the same methods that produce some of the best players in the world.'

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com