Soccerplus visits a real hotbed of future soccer players in Kendall. Jim Zarate, the coach who guides these U3 boys and girls talks about the experience.
What is your experience in the world of professional soccer?
I’m the only one of the coaches of Sports for Kids who played professionally in the MLS, with Cosmos Orlando. My playing position was goalkeeper.
What is like to direct a U-3 team?
Coaching the U-3 team is something I enjoy a lot because at this stage of their growth, boys and girls do it for recreation, for fun, no pressure of any kind. We don’t even count the goals.
What do you like most of your team?
The desire and boldness of the children when playing. It’s always risky to get a foot between many boys and girls who are kicking the ball so hard…!
How long do they play and what rules do they have?
In the U-3 stage there’s no fixed time to play. As a rule, due to Miami’s weather, girls and boys must be drinking water every 5 minutes.
What unforgettable experience do you have with the U-3?
Well, here we live unforgettable experiences daily. For example, when a plane flies over, the match can be stopped because if one kid begins looking at the sky, later all of them want to look at the sky to see the plane and forget about the ball. And later, they continue…
Who is He
NAME: Jim Zarate
BORN: Venezuela
AGE: 38 years old
TEAM: Cosmos, Orlando