Villarreal CF coach joins BUFC summer camp

Young soccer players from across Westman spent the past week training under a Union of European Football Associations Pro coach from Spain as part of the Brandon United Football Cooperative (BUFC) Summer Camp.

The camp, in its fifth year, was held in partnership with Villarreal CF and brought approximately 80 boys and girls aged U9 to U15 together for four full days of training, followed by a game day.

Camp facilitator Ryan Childs said this year marked the first visit to Brandon by Carlos Ortiz, who is also Villarreal CF’s director of academies in the Americas.

“The objective of the camp was to be able to provide a rare opportunity for Westman athletes, especially our Brandon United group,” Childs said. “The camp enables the chosen player to be able to go to Spain and take advantage of being able to send kids to Spain and to Las Vegas for the North American select team to be seen at a world stage, instead of just locally or provincially.”

Childs said the partnership with Villarreal CF has grown significantly since it was established about five years ago.

The relationship allows BUFC players to attend training experiences in Spain, compete with North American select teams in Las Vegas, and access other Villarreal development programs, he said.

“It’s been a wonderful experience with Villarreal,” he said. “They made things really easy. It’s great getting the coaches in. They’ve been amazing to work with and learn from.”

Ortiz, who oversees Villarreal academy projects across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina and other parts of South America, said Brandon left a strong first impression.

“I like it. Good people. Everyone received me really well over here,” Ortiz said.

“I can see that the roots of the players are from Eastern Europe, Africa, and South America. It’s nice to see a place where the young ones can integrate and work together in something like soccer, where you have to work as a team, and it doesn’t matter the country you’re coming from.”

During the camp, he said, players participated in video analysis sessions, position-specific training, individual development work and team-based exercises using Villarreal’s methodology. Ortiz said talent exists everywhere, including in smaller Canadian communities.

“We know that talent is worldwide,” he said. “It’s just a matter of developing it.”

One of the camp’s major attractions is the chance for selected players to travel to Spain for a week of training in Villarreal’s professional environment. Ortiz said the coaching staff has been evaluating players throughout the week and will announce the selections after reviewing all candidates.

“For these kids, going over there and having that experience, playing against players that are at the top youth level in Europe, is a really nice thing,” he said. “It helps them see where they stand and what level they can achieve.”

The camp also included coach education sessions for Brandon United staff and young volunteer coaches aged 16 to 18 who are interested in entering the profession. Ortiz said developing coaches is just as important as developing players.

The weather proved to be the biggest challenge this year.

Childs said it was the camp’s worst weather since the program began, with two rainy mornings forcing activities indoors. However, he credited the university and club volunteers for quickly adapting with indoor facilities, classrooms and alternate training plans.

“Everyone around the Brandon United Club and the community helped,” Ortiz said. “We had facilities outside, facilities inside, classrooms, so we could continue doing a lot of different activities.”

Ortiz believes Canada’s growing immigrant population and the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted in North America could significantly boost the sport’s future. He said communities like Brandon are well-positioned to benefit from increased participation and a broader pool of players.

“Having a bigger pool of players, better competitions, and good professionals involved in coaching and management is what will help the country develop the sport,” Ortiz said. “The people here who are volunteering, learning and trying to make things better for the kids are the kind of people who will really help soccer grow in Canada.”

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola