Introduction to iProSkills Academy
A decade ago, Costel Catalin Serban’s soccer club started on the North Side with just seven players who lost by lopsided scores and couldn’t win a game. But that miserable start didn’t stop the former Romanian professional soccer player who drove a cab to make ends meet when he first arrived in Chicago. Serban’s soccer expertise and work ethic eventually helped his iProSkills Academy club players win area club championships, get college scholarships and become pros in leagues worldwide. Two even played in the Under-17 World Cup.
iProSkills Academy Director of Coaching Costel Catalin Serban (center) chats with players and coaches during soccer camp at Mather Park earlier this month.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
The Club’s Growth and Success
The club, which doesn’t have a physical facility, now has 250 players, many first-generation kids from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. “I think it’s a combination between the passion I have and hard work,” said Serban, 44, about his success. “I think my passion drives the hard work, and that leads to good things.” Sebastian Antal, who signed with a professional team in Switzerland, acknowledged the club has tough workouts but added it has good leaders, like Serban. “I was training with iProSkills Academy because of its amazing coaches, very intense and hard practices, and because of the atmosphere,” Antal said.
iProSkills Academy players pursue the soccer ball during a camp training session at Mather Park earlier this month.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
The Club’s Philosophy and Approach
The club, which he hopes will one day have its own facility, plays in Rogers Park in the fall and spring. It plays in the gym at St. Gregory’s in Andersonville in the winter. Currently, the club is in the off-season, which means the teams aren’t competing against other clubs, but weekly camps are being held at Mather Park in West Ridge.
Hard Work and Dedication
“This is a poor club. This is not a rich club,” Serban said. “Most of them are first generation, but the good part is they understand hard work. They definitely have a different attitude. We tell them if you want to have a chance, you need to put in the work and the repetition. We have a 600- to 1,000-hour rule. If you don’t train at least 600 hours a year, don’t even think about it. Imagine Serena Williams or Tiger Woods if they didn’t do repetition and put in the work.”
Yet Serban is quick to point out the goal of his club is to create complete players, not necessarily professional players. Although a few iProSkills players have made it to the professional level, Serban and his coaches said they know most will not go pro and the emphasis is on teaching more than soccer skills.
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