After the virtual experience in 2020, Rush Summit was held in Missouri this year and the Coach Development Department had a very active role, presenting in four different instances. In this article we interview Pablo Toledo, Sporting Project Director and the department’s leader.
July 29, 2021
Coaching Education At Summit
We talked a lot about the future and the project for sporting development at the global level. Our club is so large and diverse. That demands a very strategic, well thought and organized plan to create a clear, realistic, and measurable structure of non negotiables that reflect our values and beliefs while still giving room for flexibility to adapt to the local context. To find that balance is fundamental – Pablo Toledo
How was the atmosphere and what were the topics presented?
There was such a good atmosphere the first day, people were very connected, thoughtful, asking high-impact questions, so after two or three hours I decided to make a change in the schedule and, instead of starting with a presentation about Coach, Parent, and Player Educational Resources, I switched and presented about the Rush Way & our Player Development Approach. This, at the end, was the most important presentation I had during the entire event, because it was about discussing the cornerstones of the sporting project we have for the next ten years.
For 90 minutes we talked about what we believe in and how these core beliefs are imprinted in every layer of what we do. From very macro to very micro, to end up transferring to our curriculum. I’ve always been obsessed about that idea: Everything that we do on and off the field has to be a reflection of who we are as a club. Every activity, every session must have a place in the big picture. There has to be a reason, and that reason has to be justified by our core beliefs.
The way we coach is also a part of that, so we spoke about the Blue Thread as well and the idea of using these principles in every session. That’s why, apart from the engagement side and participation in the learning experience, I thought it was honest to ask the coaches to evaluate my compliance with these principles as I coached the session on the second day. I wanted to provide an example of how to apply them, show that this is not just theory, we’re pragmatic.
The second day found us presenting on coaches, players, and parent resources. The most celebrated service was the new season planning feature , part of the Rush Coaching Manual. “We did a live exercise, in which I gave my phone to Danny Poche, and asked him questions about his team to define the parameters of the season plan. Then I asked him to check the Coaching Manual app on my phone tell us what he could see (a new fully Rush customized season plan for his team). It was impactful. Then we explained how clubs can manage this from a central/admin account, with the ability to create all the club’ teams, assign coaches to each team, and create a season plan for each one of them”.
Our last presentation was also very well received, we spoke about the role and project of Futsal within our club.
“For the fourth and final presentation we invited Rob Andrews, president of United Futsal “, Pablo explained. “We started discussing from a theoretical perspective: Why and How Futsal can be a tool to maximize opposed playing hours, one of the pillars of our player development approach. From there, Rob talked about the current status of the sport in the United States, and deepened onto the different models that clubs use to set up a Futsal program at the local level, analyzing them from both operational and financial standpoints”, he added.
What are your main takeaways from Rush Summit as far as sporting development?
It was extremely important to set the foundations of the sporting project for the next 10 years, literally. I’m pleased because it was not another purely philosophical conversation, we spoke about the real steps we are already taking to transform a network of 110 clubs into one club with a common vision to develop players, and how we are going to measure that, if we are good ambassadors of our club’s culture. The clubs’ humility humbles me, their openness to work together, passion and commitment is unreal. I couldn’t’ be more grateful.
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Frank Meza Named East Penn Rush Director of Player Development
East Penn Rush is excited to expand our competitive opportunities through participation in the Atlantic Premier League (APL)/Acela , providing several of our younger Premier and Elite teams with another high-level environment for competition and player development. The Atlantic Premier League offers competition for boys and girls beginning at the younger age groups and features multiple levels of play. For the 2026–27 season, APL offers an Acela First Division along with a second division, creating opportunities for clubs to place teams at an appropriate competitive level. For East Penn Rush, joining APL/Acela is particularly important for our Premier and Elite teams below the U13 age groups . While many national-level leagues and pathways begin at U13, APL/Acela gives our younger players an opportunity to experience a highly competitive regional environment earlier in their development. Competing Against High-Level Programs One of the biggest benefits of APL/Acela is the level and variety of competition available throughout the region. The league attracts competitive programs from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and surrounding areas. APL/Acela competition has included teams associated with Pre-MLS NEXT, Pre-Academy and other high-level developmental programs . Published league results, for example, show APL/Acela competition involving teams such as FC DELCO Pre-MLS NEXT, Keystone FC Pre-Academy, Philadelphia Union Juniors, Real Futbol Academy and other strong regional programs. This gives our younger Rush teams an opportunity to regularly challenge themselves against different playing styles, stronger competition and organizations with established academy pathways. Building the Pathway Before U13 Our goal is not simply to enter teams into another league. The addition of APL/Acela is part of the continued development of the East Penn Rush player pathway . For our younger Premier and Elite players, the U9–U12 years are critical developmental stages. Players are learning how to apply their technical ability in increasingly faster and more demanding game environments. Playing against quality opposition requires players to make decisions quicker, become more comfortable under pressure and develop a deeper understanding of the game. APL/Acela gives us another platform to challenge those players before they reach U13 , when additional regional and national opportunities become available. The pathway is designed to progressively prepare players for the next level: East Penn Rush Development → Competitive Travel → Elite/Premier → APL/Acela → U13+ Regional & National Opportunities For players who continue progressing through the club, this experience can help prepare them for the competitive demands they will encounter as they move toward our older Premier teams and opportunities such as the National 1 (N1) League . More Opportunities. More Competition. More Development. East Penn Rush continues to build an environment where players do not have to wait until their teenage years to experience meaningful, high-level competition. Adding multiple teams to APL/Acela allows us to better match our Premier and Elite teams with competition that challenges them at the appropriate stage of their development. It also expands the range of opponents our teams can face beyond traditional local league play. Our objective remains the same: put players in environments that challenge them, support their development and prepare them for the next step in their soccer journey. Participation in APL/Acela represents another important step forward for East Penn Rush and our commitment to creating a complete developmental pathway from our youngest players through our Premier and national-level teams. One Club. One Pathway. More Opportunities.
East Penn Rush Accepted into the National 1 League
