U-15: preparations enter the decisive phase

Wisła Kraków's U-15 team is working hard to hone its form for the opening season of the Central Junior League. The White Star players have completed a multi-day training camp in Wola Chorzelowska, where they had the opportunity to play in a friendly against Raków Częstochowa. I believe that we are managing to implement the plan we established at the beginning of preparations, assures coach Dawid Ślusarczyk.

The youngest team of the Wisła Kraków Football Academy, competing in the Central Junior League, returned from a training camp in Wola Chorzelowska a few days ago. Coach Dawid Ślusarczyk's players dedicated the several days of training camp to intense training.

" During the training camp, we completed a full micro-cycle, including a recovery day. Each day we had a consistent schedule, which included the main unit in the morning, followed by gym and support training in the afternoon. The main focus was on the activities occurring in the attacking phase in the low zone. As the week progressed, we moved closer and closer to the opponent's goal. Each day, we held a tactical briefing, where we focused on the small details that create a cohesive whole in this phase of the game," explains U-15 coach Dawid Ślusarczyk.

The camp also culminated in a friendly match against their peers from Raków Częstochowa. The match ended 1-1, with Marcin Berezka, assisted by Dawid Szpotan, scoring for the White Star.

" I think the match against Raków perfectly fit into the training camp tactical plan. We knew the opponent would try to win the ball high up, so we had many opportunities to build up the momentum. The first few minutes of the match belonged to the Częstochowa team, but after making some minor adjustments to our formation, we were able to hold onto the ball longer and create scoring opportunities. I'm very pleased with the second half, where we created a lot of chances and often looked for bold, progressive passes between Raków's defense. The final stages of the match were very demanding for us, as the players had already trained very hard," Ślusarczyk recalls.

The coach continues his work with the 2010-born players, and this season he will be supported in his efforts to compete at the Central Junior League level by, among others, coach Adrian Kaczkowski, who has joined the Wisła Kraków Football Academy. Changes have also taken place within the team itself.

"There have been significant changes in our coaching staff. Three new coaches have joined us, and each of them brings a new level of quality to the training process. I believe that working with these coaches, our players can fully focus on training, because they are professionals in every aspect. New players, whom we've been interested in for a long time, are also joining the team. These are definitely strengthening our squad and allowing us to build a truly strong training environment. We're pleased that they've been very well received by the team and have felt part of it since their first training session," Ślusarczyk recalls.

The Wisła team is in the final stretch of preparations for the fall round of the competition. On Saturday, the U-15 team faces another test – this time against Slovakia's Tatran Presov.

"There are less than four weeks left until the start of the season. I believe we're managing to execute the plan we established at the start of preparations. We want to structure our defensive workflow, leaving a lot of freedom and creativity when attacking in the high zone. We treated last season as preparation for what we want to achieve now, so we're systematically developing the team. Several players have already played quite a lot of minutes in the CLJ last season, which is very good experience for them. The team's desire to compete at the highest level is palpable," emphasizes coach Ślusarczyk.

Wisła will compete in the Central Junior League, Group D, which has undergone a major reorganization. The field will feature 14 teams, and the competition will be played in a fall-spring format.

"The reorganization of the competition introduces five teams for whom this will be their first season in the CLJ. The distance we will have to cover during the competition will increase. In terms of level, only the first rounds will determine what the competition will be like this season. Playing in the autumn-spring format obliges us to play for the highest stakes in every match, regardless of whether it's the first or last round. Each match will be equally important, which could result in a more systematic approach for the players," adds coach Dawid Ślusarczyk.

Wisła will open their autumn season with an away game against BKS Biłgoraj. The match is scheduled for August 24th.

The full schedule of the fall round of the Central Junior League U-15 can be found HERE .