Shervin Erfani MD Creates Sustainable Youth Development

The youth of today are faced with many challenges. They need capabilities and opportunities to navigate and succeed in our complex world. Shervin Erfani MD illustrates that one of the ways to achieve this is through creating environments or “ecosystems”, to help develop them in ways that will not only bring them personal success but allow them to contribute effectively to their local communities.

Sport is one area where life lessons can be taught very effectively. With over three million youth soccer players in the U.S., it makes sense to use the game to develop the youth. Soccer is a very popular sport in many communities and it is often seen to keep young people away from a life of crime.

The SDFC, a youth leadership academy, is designed to develop young leaders, using soccer as the common ground. It complements the competitive club soccer environment found in Southern California. It is run by four local San Diego fathers whose own children participate in the sport. These fathers are assisted by a highly qualified team, including top coaches and other professionals. The idea is to create an environment conducive to both the development of the players and the game.

The right environment

At the SDFC motivated players train together with other players, regardless of their club affiliation. The nurturing setting lacks the pressure of having to win, celebrating development instead. A progressive curriculum is offered, and the sessions are both intense and professional. Players are exposed to fellow players from all over Southern California and from all walks of life. The approach goes far beyond the game of soccer, using the game to develop socially and psychologically as well as physically.

Core values

The sporting environment is one suited to teaching core values such as accountability, the value of community, integrity, and humility. Future leaders need to own their own actions and make no excuses. They need to be able to look beyond themselves to the community they live in. They must understand that they always have room for future growth and that it’s important to do exactly what they say they will do. Two other important values are meritocracy and respect. They begin to understand that they have to work hard for what they want and respect others while doing so.

Learning how to work together in a team as well as developing as an individual within that team is possible. Players learn to respect one another and push themselves to perform the best of their ability at the same time. They learn how to use their failures to grow and exercise humility when they succeed.

Good habits

The coaches approach the training in a systematic way and seek to instill good habits in the players. Attention to detail as emphasized as well as techniques and the formation of instincts. Shervin Erfani MDsays that not everyone has natural talent, but everyone can develop their skills through hard work. Therefore, the coaches take so much time to develop these habits - they can make the difference in the long run. Players move from group to group, learning different habits. Young children may stand out based on their physicality but when they no longer have a physical advantage over the peers, this is when the good habits stand them in good stead.

Leadership skills are cultivated at the same time and players are given more responsibilities as they progress. The aim is to develop self-confident individuals who contribute to the community. Progression through the program is closely aligned with leadership initiatives within the community.

A standard of excellence

We have access to European academies through our partners and advisors. The best European practices are used in the sessions at the SDFC. FC Barcelona, a local director of coaching from Barcelona, assists the team in applying his famous methodology. His philosophy focuses on technique, controlling the game, defensive intensity, and playing the ball along the ground.

In the quality team assembled to work with the players, there are role models who can nurture and encourage them. They can stretch them to their limits and bring the best out of them. The professional services offered include Mental Performance coaching, Sports Nutrition and Speed and Agility coaching.

One of the analogies used with the players is that it takes plenty of pressure and time to create diamonds. Shervin Erfani MD say they aim to expose young soccer players to excellence in the field as a spur to their development. As a co-founder of SDFC, Dr. Erfani is currently working on opportunities with other professional clubs in Spain, Portugal, England, and Croatia to create a greater level of exposure for our youth. In the approach taken to the game and the players, SDFC hopes to elevate soccer locally and help to develop the lives of the players at the same time.