Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexander Jakubov and Libor Volf.
Hi Alexander and Libor, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Libor Volf
After playing as a professional soccer player in the Czech Republic and Spain, I moved to Vancouver, BC. It was there that I began helping to coach one of the Vancouver Athletic Club teams, eventually inspiring me to open my own Academy. Soon enough, in 2012, Volf Soccer Academy was born. A program allowing me to bring to the table my expertise and the liberty of developing the programs, philosophy, and methodology that would hopefully shape the next generation of soccer players.
It was a labor of love having started with just 4 players in downtown Vancouver. After countless hours in the field, varying weather conditions, and numerous onlookers – Volf Soccer Academy started to catch the attention I had worked so hard for. Having established myself in Vancouver, I decided that it was time to expand, starting with Uganda in 2015 – where I would be able to support a community of talented soccer players and give them the same opportunities that exist elsewhere. Uganda holds a special place in my heart as I established a Volf Soccer Academy Foundation program called Shoes for Smile where we collect around 1,000 shoes to donate in Uganda once a year. Soon to follow would be where my roots were in the Czech Republic.
Alexander Jakubov
I finished out my career as a professional soccer player in May 2020, soon after moving to Vancouver, BC, and joined the VSA (Volf Soccer Academy) family as a coach. Having been passionate about soccer from a young age, I joined the youth academies of AC Sparta Prague and FC Porto. After returning home to the Czech Republic to finish high school, I fractured my foot but despite suffering from an injury, through hard work and determination, I signed my professional contract at the age of 21. With experience in the highest level in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the lower league in Germany, I was able to bring a significant set of skills to the table to help develop the kids of VSA to reach their potential.
Libor & Alex – Expansion to the United States
In June of 2021, the idea of expanding to the states was birthed, but before we could do that, we would go to Egypt and establish our fourth Academy. We became partners in February of 2022 to continue our expansion to the states and after visiting Dallas in April of 2022 for the Dallas Cup, we fell in love with the city, the people, and the hospitality. For the next 8 months, we would go through the Visa process, all while continuing to build the other programs while Alex was in Prague and Libor was in Vancouver (with Vancouver hitting 350 kids!). As of December 9th, 2022, we were approved for our business visa at the American Embassy in Prague to finally make our way down to Dallas and plants roots for VSA’s 5th program. And in January of 2023, we started our journey and drove from Vancouver through the west coast and finally made it to Dallas. After 5 weeks of operating in Dallas, today (March 22, 2023) we have over 80+ kids in the Academy and are looking forward to the growth.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all.
To get American business visa we had to hire immigration lawyers from United States and pay them pretty large amount of money in advanced and they couldn’t guarantee us the result. So, it was kind of risk and lot of adrenalin. During the visa process we experienced some struggles with invitations for our interviews at the American Embassy in Prague. Those months we lived in uncertainty if we would be able to get to States. My interview (Alex) was on September 30, 2022, and even with a well-written business plan we rejected.
I was shocked and sad at the same time. After the consultation with our lawyers, we had to spend even more money to the American economy. They wanted to see the commitment and our will to risk. The time was running, so we had to act quickly.
We had to pay for fields ahead, buy more equipment. Despite everything we were not guaranteed to get the visa. After Libors interview we finally could celebrate and starting to prepare moving to Dallas.
After moving to Dallas and starting from scratch again, including unnecessary things like getting an apartment, a phone number, applying for social security number, opening bank accounts, etc., we were ready to have our first training ever in Dallas. January 31. And the ice storm came. We have been told that it happens once per year 😀 Texas weather welcomed us 😀 but eventually, we started a few days later, and we are happy for that. Step by step, we are growing and looking for our journey here in Dallas!
*We would like to thank Robert Peinado, the owner of Foro Sports Club, and Jeff Cassar, coach and former MLS goalkeeper for writing the cover letters to the American Embassy to help us to get visa.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Our day usually starts at gym, as we are active on the field and involved in every practice, we have to stay fit. Afterwards we have zoom calls with coaches from all our academies and talk about previous day. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the best time for all coaches because of the time difference. (Canada, USA, Uganda, Egypt, and Czech Republic)
We always try to improve our trainings, so we discuss about new drills, exercises, and everything what is connected to our academy.
In our academy, we build our groups with same skills level and age. So, it means that first we have to invite players for tryouts and review their skills and find the best groups for them. As we are starting here so for us, it’s kind of puzzle to get groups together. We have kids coming from different clubs, which means they practice at different days. Schedule of kids is changing due to soccer games, tournaments, holidays so sometimes it’s very challenging.
We also go to the soccer field in the mornings to train ourselves; there is always an opportunity to be better.
Our job is also finding fields, buying equipment, ordering jerseys and let them printing, finding coaches and teach them our methodology, watching our players playing games during the weekends, planning camps for all year.
But we love it, we love the process, and we are happy that we can teach soccer for living because that is what we love the most. We wouldn’t change our jobs. To see kids improving and having fun at the same time is priceless. “
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Alex
I grew up in a sport family (mum – handball player, dad – skier, brother Jakub soccer goalkeeper – still active)
I joined my brothers’ team (2 years older) at the age of 5. It was challenging for me to compete with older player at that young age. We spent many hours on the field together and also playing on the streets where you had to learn how to play with the ball quick and protect the ball. No rules, all ages, and one ball. Classic street soccer. Those were the best memories. Our ways parted at the age of 15 when I joined the academy of AC SPARTA PRAGUE, and my brother was selected to the academy of FK AUSTRIA WIEN. Years later, our dream came true, and we played at the same team in Germany as a professionals.
I was moving a lot because of soccer (Slovakia, Austria, Portugal, Germany), but I had my dream and goal. To be a professional soccer players. First time I left home when I was 14 to play in Austria for one year, and at the age of 17, I was moving again. To Portugal. New country, language, culture. There were times I wanted to quit, but I persisted and eventually became a pro soccer player. I would like to thank to my family for supporting me, waking up early and driving me and my brother to tournaments, games, spending countless hours on the field and being our biggest fans. All parents have my respect and especially soccer mums and dads. We couldn’t live our dreams without you.
Libor
I was a First Division Czech soccer professional through 2006-2009, including national squad appearances. I spent the last three years of my career until 2011 in Spain, where I not only began training youth but laid the parallel groundwork to playing, particularly the investigation of mental health development related to sports. I took those insights and have tailored them to the vitally important structured development program starting at the earliest stages of childhood.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.volfsoccer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volfsocceracademy/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolfSoccerAcademy
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/volf_soccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
