Profiles

Zilani Mutinda

Inspiration Online

There are some students that make your day. They are so eloquent in summing up everything you are trying to convey through teaching. One of our youngest online students has provided us profound wisdom.

“I perceive space on the canvas first before I start planning. I then use my paint brushes to express myself. TOVO taught me to think space first and then to use my paintbrushes – dribbles, passes, shooting, etc. to express myself. I may just paint a masterpiece.” – Zilani Mutinda

Todd Beane, Founder of TOVO, comments, “We ask our student-athletes to connect the ideas we present to the lives they lead. Zilani has done this brilliantly. She has harmonized art and football in ways that very few envision. Absolutely wonderful, to be honest.”

Zilani goes on to explain that her “dream is to be someone who gets better and better than the person/footballer they were yesterday.”

There is no doubt this young woman has a passion for learning that will serve her well on a journey to extraordinary. Both in art and on the pitch, we wish her well.

Thanks for the inspiration, Zilani.

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Mikey Flannery

A Master’s Degree, UK Football, and TOVO

We caught up with Michael, a TOVO T1 graduate, recently about his coaching journey which includes work at many levels within England.

“Currently I am in different roles with very different challenges. Completing a Msc in Coaching & Analysis enabled me to acquire a role with Manchester United in the academy. I also hold coaching roles at Bolton Wanderers Community Trust where the head of football development has seen my largely TOVO-inspired sessions.”

“I decided to use TOVO and its environment as part of my research for a Masters in Coaching and Analysis. TOVO demonstrates that all moments of the game are inseparable. This methodology provides an encompassing development platform for players.”

We asked Mikey if TOVO has changed his perspective on talent development.

“TOVO changed how I looked at the game with respect to the development of players. The environment overall needs to be understood so players can flourish. Cognition, Competence, and Character are paramount and afforded at every opportunity.”

Todd Beane, Founder of TOVO, comments, “I was honored that Mikey chose to do his master’s research on our TOVO Training Methodology. But more than that, I am delighted that he is inspired to work with these concepts at all levels of the English game.”

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Chase Brooks

TOVO Institute Alum Makes Duquesne History

Chase Brooks, a TOVO T1 Course alumni, serves as head coach of Duquesne University men’s team and this year is off to a flying start. After a draw in the first game of the D1 NCAA men’s soccer season, Duquesne went on to a school record 6 straight victories.

“TOVO was a fantastic experience with great coaches and mentors from around the world. The training methodology speaks for itself and we have seen wonderful changes in our program with the implementation of these ideas.” – Chase Brooks

“Soccer is such a wonderful sport in that the players are the decision makers and executers of the principles we as coaches help put in place. If the players are the executors, then to sit on the sideline and joystick players around the field is not logical,” Chase explains.

“As coaches, we have to take ourselves out of the limelight on game day and trust the players. If we have done our job to facilitate the players education, and we inspire them to reach levels beyond their current ability, then it is easier to let go of the reins and empower the players to reach higher standards.”

“TOVO creates training environments where the players have an opportunity for true cognitive development. The players are asked, in match like conditions, to find solutions to problems and execute them to the best of their ability.” – Chase Brooks

Todd Beane comments, “To be honest, I thought university coaches would be the last to embrace TOVO Training. I was flat out wrong. Chase, like many of his collegiate colleagues, embraces the idea of innovation. He came to our Barcelona course with a purpose.  Chase is under pressure to build a successful program and is doing so day in and out. Best of luck to him and the Duquesne players as they stack up more victories.”

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Colin Armstrong

TOVO Institute Alum Finishes First Year in NPSL

Colin Armstrong, a TOVO T1 alumni, serves as head coach of NPSL club Toledo Villa F.C. and as assistant coach for the Tiffin University women’s program.

“The TOVO course has changed the way I look at teaching and coaching soccer. I have a new passion to share this methodology with all soccer communities,” Colin said reflecting on his T1 experience.

“TOVO was a educationally sound platform to continue to build my coaching philosophy on. Todd’s passion and devotion to not only his players, but also the game as a whole are evident from day one. TOVO has solidified my beliefs in learner-centered development as well as opened my eyes to the practicality of positional play to produce top quality players.

Thank you not only for the educational opportunity to learn, but also the opportunity to develop relationships from around the world that only the beautiful game can create,” remarks Colin.

“Colin is a coach committed to life-long learning and willing to challenge the status quo. This extends to testing the TOVO methodology both in theory and practice. That I admire. At the end of the day, Colin will lead with experience and knowledge and for that his players will benefit tremendously,” notes Todd Beane.

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Sagar Lakhani

TOVO Coach Leads Kenya National Team

TOVO alumnus Sagar Lakhani has been appointed the Kenyan National Team U15 boys coach.

“Ten weeks into my role as head coach, we had an international tournament featuring countries from east and central Africa. I would say the progress achieved by the team was beyond anything I have witnessed in 10 years of coaching. The magic is in the Position Play exercises.  In a very short time, players understood how to manage space and have good positional relationships. We ended up finishing second in the tournament however we were applauded for our organisation and possession based approach,” expressed Sagar after his return home from the CECAFA tournament in Eritrea.

“In December 2018, I spent a week in Barcelona at the TOVO T1 Coaching Course. I had previously been following Todd for over a year and finally got the opportunity to attend his course. My favorite part is how simple yet extremely effective the method is. I had many questions which were very different to the rest of the group since I am in a different football culture. However, Todd and his staff were very helpful and generous in sharing their insights. After one week, my brain was filled with so much inspiration, I couldn’t wait to get back on the field,” recalled Sagar.

“It gives us great satisfaction to see TOVO Training being implemented worldwide. Sagar joined us from Africa with purpose and passion.  He has so capably translated his Barcelona experience into a successful program for the national team boys in Kenya,” comments Todd Beane.  “We wish him and the lads all the best.”

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Kevin Grimes

TOVO at CAL: Redesigning College Soccer at Berkeley

“Our trainings are the best I have seen in 20+ years of college coaching.” – Kevin Grimes

We are so honored that TOVO Training has found a remarkable home in Northern California at one of the top academic institutions in the United States. Kevin Grimes is one of America’s best collegiate coaches and his tenure at CAL is a testament to a coach committed to developing players of great intelligence, competence and character.

Kevin shares his thoughts with us…

“For the longest time, I had been conflicted as to why some of my players during certain drills looked ‘half-hearted’, ‘disengaged’, and a bit ‘checked-out’. Those same players during other drills (and during the same session for that matter) were fully engaged, competitive, spirited and having fun. These were players on my team of all skill levels and abilities: skill and talent had nothing to do with this issue that I was observing. During these static, non-cognitive drills that I had designed for training also required me as a coach to be a ‘motivator’, ‘cheerleader’, and sometimes ‘screamer’ to keep them engaged during that drill. Recognizing the issue was the easy part, solving the issue took some time.”

In January, 2017, at the United Soccer Coaches convention in Los Angeles, I met with Todd Beane for 15 minutes or so and complimented him on his philosophy of training players that I felt was cutting edge, forward thinking and most importantly, challenging the status quo of all of our traditional training methods.

For the first time in nearly 20 years of college coaching, I saw something that needed my immediate attention and further research.

Two-and-half years into TOVO and attending numerous TOVO Coaching Courses, it has had an incredible impact on my coaching and more specifically, the architecture and orchestration of the design of our training sessions at Cal. Our trainings are the best I have seen in 20+ years of college coaching. We used to have a plethora of drills (like a menu from Cheesecake Factory!). Now, we have reduced our drill inventory to a very small amount (like a menu at a Michelin Star restaurant in San Francisco)!! No longer do I ‘motivate’, ‘cheerlead’ and ‘scream’ at our training sessions. But rather, we focus on the prepared environment and making that environment fully cognitive, engaging, spirited and fun. You have to be willing to throw away your hard core beliefs in the old school training methodology and the comforts that are associated with it. TOVO is for risk takers and that’s why I’m here.”

We wish Kevin, his staff and the players at Cal all the best as they journey to extraordinary.

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Andy Graham

Journey to Extraordinary Series

Andy has been to both the T1 and T2 coaching courses, but his journey to extraordinary began a long time ago.

“I first came across Johan Cruyff when I was 9 years of age when I saw him in the 1974 World Cup. My favorite player Pele had retired and I was not happy…. And then I saw the orange of the Netherlands and a team that I started to root for and in particular the no 14, Johan Cruyff. He was different from the other players especially the way he glided majestically over the pitch and although I didn’t realize at the time I was inspired. Two months later I started playing for my local team in Scotland. Then over 40 years later I again was looking for inspiration but this time in my coaching path.” Explains Andy.

“My late Father always said to me that ‘you are never too old to learn!’ so I started looking on the internet to try and find some inspiration. This appeared when I was looking at the Cruyff Institute which led me to the TOVO Academy.” This is what brought Andy to TOVO.

“Andrew is a man who combines a passion for the game with a sincere interest to do right by his footballers. He literally will cut the grass himself to make community football flourish and I have come to respect him tremendously as a compassionate and committed coach.  He embodies all that is wonderful about our TOVO family,” comments Todd Beane.

Jay Gomez

Journey to Extraordinary Series

Jay Gomez is currently the Boys DA U15 Assistant Coach at the San Jose Earthquakes and has been on an extraordinary journey for some time now. Jay graduated from the University of Washington in 2000 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. Upon graduation, Jay was drafted by the Seattle Sounders of the A league in 2000. Shortly after Jay moved back to California to begin his coaching career at UCSC with coach Paul Holocher. Jay has coached youth soccer locally in Santa Cruz for over a decade and has also spent time with the De Anza Force soccer club prior to joining the Quakes Academy.

Jay was one of the first to attend a TOVO T1 Coaching Course in March 2017. He returned to Spain last October for our T2 course. “Absolutely the real deal. This guy (Beane) will change the way our game is taught in the United States. Thank you, Todd, for all the care you put into sharing your vision and life experience with us,” Jay commented after his TOVO experience.

“We enjoy hosting Jay as his positive energy is contagious. He is passionate about soccer and perhaps even more so about life-long learning,” remarks Todd Beane.

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Let’s Connect

We look forward to sharing more program details with you.