NSCAA Algarve Cup Trip
Join the NSCAA in Portugal
The Algarve Cup is an annual event featuring many of the world's top women's soccer teams. It was founded in 1994 and has become the third most prestigious competition in Women's soccer - The Women's World Cup and the Olympic Games are first and second. Each year, since 2007, the NSCAA Women's Committee has lead a group of coaches abroad for behind-the-scenes access to national team training sessions and international matches with former U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach April Heinrichs and renowned sports psychologist, Dr. Colleen Hacker.
Note: The NSCAA Algarve Cup Trip was postponed in 2011 due to the FIFA Women's World Cup Trip to Germany. Stay tuned for details about our return to the Algarve in March 2012.
2010 Algarve Cup
From February 24 - March 5, 2010, nineteen candidates traveled to the Algarve region of Portugal for the 2010 NSCAA Algarve Cup Symposium. Participants were fortunate gain behind-the-scenes access to national team training sessions and international matches with former U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach April Heinrichs and renowned sports psychologist, Dr. Colleen Hacker. This, the 4th straight year, was a resounding success on all fronts.
Erin Aubry, Head Coach at the University of Arkansas
We talk about the four pillars of soccer, but they really embraced every single aspect of it. And so it wasn’t just a trip about the soccer, and of course being in this amazing environment, but you know, just everything. And you realize how much bigger your role can be.
Sam Laity, Coach at Dos FC in Seattle, WA – NSCAA Master Coach Candidate
The access that we had to the players and to the coaching staff, and just the relaxed nature of the whole thing was fantastic. There’s no other experience really like it – available in the U.S. or probably in the anywhere in the world. So thanks to the NSCAA for putting it together.
Gabe Massine – Coach at Broomfield United in Denver, CO
Yeah definitely. It’s the best soccer coaching thing the NSCAA does, in my opinion. Favorite part? I don’t know – there’s too many. Access to watching national team trainings, speaking to coaches from other national teams. Colleen Hacker and April Heinrichs obviously are two of the best in the world and having them in small groups and being able to talk with them for a week and learn from them is pretty amazing.
Erin DeMarco, Head Coach at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, PA
This is a great place to be. You get to do a lot while you’re here, it’s not in the classroom all the time. There really hasn’t been a wasted moment. Everything has been quality and planned very well.
2009 Algarve Cup
2009 was memorable in so many ways; we had a largely head coach base, 100% of the coaches were coaches of women, 20 of 24 coaches were female, several D3 coaches, WPS coaches, 3 Canadian born coaches, youth coaches and even a non-profit soccer/community outreach coach. Clearly, the symposium continues to attract a diverse coaching community!
Dear NSCAA,
I would like to echo the sentiments of my fellow participants on the Algarve Symposium. It was fantastic and a breath of fresh air as far as professional development opportunities go in the women's game.
Being able to watch some of the best women's teams in the world compete at the one venue was tremendous. Having access to see National teams practice and then the chance to hear various national coaches express their approach and coaching philosophies was both interesting and thought provoking. These opportunities alone were somewhat unique in themselves however this course offered so much more...
April Heinrichs and Colleen Hacker were simply superb in their ability to impart knowledge, share their depth of experience in the game, and stimulate discussion within the group. Their influence on this course cannot be overstated as their enthusiasm and accessibility created a learning environment which was open, engaging, and stimulating.
I left this symposium inspired and equipped with many new activities, practices, and concepts to consider. In talking with many of my newly made friends and colleagues, I know there are many inspired coaches now doing the same...
April, Colleen, NSCAA, and fellow symposium participants....thank you!
Angie Hind, Scottish FA Assistant Coach
2008 Algarve Cup
The feedback from 2008 once again was that the course was a resounding success on a myriad of fronts. Coaches continue to rave about the content, course length, unique offerings of such close proximity to WNTs from around the World, as well as support for the amount of soccer and psychology they are exposed to, engaged with and informally absorbing via observation or in-person contact with noted Women’s Soccer experts.
Dear NSCAA,
I am just writing to give you some feedback about the Algarve Cup...I don't think that my evaluation really was able to reflect how I felt about the experience (and now I can articulate since I have had time to reflect).
First, this is a tremendous opportunity. The access to international soccer was amazing! This is not something that I could have come close to setting up on my own and I am very grateful to the NSCAA for creating this symposium. The ability to watch games, training sessions and have access to international coaches was such an inspiring experience. That alone was more than I could have asked for.
The personal access to April and Colleen absolutely capped off this trip. They were approachable and caring and willing to help us any way they could. It goes without saying that their knowledge was invaluable. Their first hand knowledge of the women's international game was priceless. It was so unique to have insight regard the US women's program. Without them this symposium would not be near as valuable.
The content of the presentations was superb. I liked that there were less X's and O's than a normal coaching course, the content was helpful in building my program. April's session on planning for a program was excellent. I enjoyed talking about some bigger picture topics and I really enjoyed Colleen's insight on the mental training and feedback. These are things that I am going to apply to my program immediately! The ability for them to be flexible and adapt the content to our needs made it feel very special and personalized.
The other participants were also a major plus. Everyone was willing to share ideas and I got some great advice from these coaches. I know I can reach out to them if I am ever in need of something.
On a personal note, I have recently thought about getting out of coaching and focusing on administration. This past week has rejuventated my desire to continue coaching and has motivated me to implement many new practices with my program. I am very grateful for this!
Thanks again!
Lauren Frankford
2007 Algarve Cup
Since its inaugural year in 2007, the NSCAA Algarve Cup Trip continues to stand alone in its uniqueness, professional development, community service, women’s networking, along with a powerful educational coaching experience for any and all levels.
Dear NSCAA,
The whole experience was amazing. So many intelligent , accomplished and competitive female coaches, their players are fortunate to have them as leaders. I have been coaching females for about 25 years and it's wonderful to see so many more women entering the field.
It is hard to convince friends that a week in Portugal watching soccer is a working trip, but we were kept busy for most of the week. The information from both Colleen and April is so well presented and as useful to me as a high school and club coach as it is to the D1 and D3 college coaches.
Colleens' team building exercises were perfect ice breakers although the group of coaches were so open to each other that the group was off and running immediately, and her constant reinforcment of her principles in our daily travels kept me thinking . Aprils'knowledge ,experience and candor made her presentations pricless. Being able to discuss the games as they happened and afterwards as well make this a unique part of coaching education.
I have already blocked of the approximate time next spring so I can attend again. Thanks to the NSCAA and the organizers on the ground for making this event happen.
Steve Austin