WELCOME TO
Nickolas Karydas
Academy
ABOUT US
At NK Academy is committed to developing players in and around the Highway area. The academy was formed to give players access to a progressive playing philosophy and an advanced level of coaching. ESA has only one team per age group as we are driven by quality, not quantity. Our intention is to help players develop in a competitive but ultimately enjoyable learning environment and our focus is on the individual athlete, not the result of the teams.
We don’t look for the biggest, strongest players who can kick the ball the hardest. We look for kids who have all-round athletic ability, good technical skills, game intelligence and most of all, a desire and willingness to work hard and learn from our coaches and able to work in a team. For us, attitude and behavior come before everything else. Our teams practice 2 or 3 times per week, and we expect our players to work on their technical skills and conditioning in their own time, as often as possible.
The club is run by a small management team along with assistance from parents and other key volunteers. Our coaches are full-time professionals with SAFA qualifications.
Our senior coaches and academy founders
HEAD COACH – CLIVE BARKER
Clive has a wealth of experience and is one of South Africa’s great soccer personalities. His experience super seeds that of any local soccer coach and he has helped Bafana Bafana archive their most prized trophy, the African Cup of Nations. He has dedicated his life to finding and exposing local talent.
– African Cup of Nations – Winner 1994
– World Cup Qualifications France 1998
– 9 National Cup Finals
– 3 League Titles
– 1 National League Title
– F.A. Coaching Badge
– CAF Coaching Badge
COACH – NIKOS KARYDAS
Nikos has an endless passion for developing and coaching youth football and have been involved in football for over 40 years. Specializing in fitness and conditioning, Nikos has coached senior and junior teams at all levels and brings a world of knowledge and energy to the football factory. As a very experienced and highly regarded referee he is known and respected throughout the football community.
-Played professional football in Greece
– Greek coaching qualification and experience
– Coached various Vodacom League teams
– Coached various Super League Teams
– Coached school and club soccer
OUR GOAL
Our primary goal with youth soccer players is not to win games; everyone wants to win, naturally. Our goal is to connect with and fully develop every individual player that we work with. How do we do this? Love and genuine care; it’s that simple. The consequence of this approach is that our teams are generally successful anyway. It is not about winning or being at the top level of soccer; whether that be Premier, Division 1. What matters is how much each individual improves. We are not building professional teams; we are helping individual athletes both on and off the field to be the best players and people that they can be. We teach them to be respectful of opponents, to work hard and to give 100% in every practice, game or challenge that they take part in. Basically, we are helping young players become better people and in today’s climate especially, that is of huge value.
WHY CHOOSE US?
There are many aspects to the club that make us stand out but the primary factor is the genuine love and care we show to every one of our players in what is a true family atmosphere. We treat every player like a member of our family and this is why our environment is so unique and rare.
This personal relationship is hugely important from a coaching perspective and it is evident in the way the players respond to our coaches. It is a friendship, just as much as a coach-player relationship. Our coaches know that they are not just soccer coaches; they are mentors and friends to all of our players and the resulting environment is one that fosters true development and growth.
There are a couple of important questions to ask yourself when considering Elite Soccer Academy and other clubs, both in the Highway area and further afield.
Can you find a better developmental environment?
In terms of actual player improvement from Point A (when a player joins the club) to Point B (when a player leaves the club), we are unmatched in the job we do with both on-field soccer development and off-field character development.