The legendary European football club Real Madrid is based in Valdebebas, Spain, but thanks to two West Windsor residents kids will soon have the chance to learn from a Real coach without leaving Mercer County.
Ed Haemmerle and Pedro Portilla, both of West Windsor, are bringing the Real Madrid Foundation program for young soccer players to the U.S. — and the first camps will be offered at West Windsor Community Park.
“The opportunity to bring world-class coaches from Real Madrid was one that I was approached about in 2013,” says Portilla. “After meeting with representatives from Madrid, they felt that New Jersey was a great location to offer their Training Abroad program — and we were able to reach agreement that this district would offer the best venue for their launch into the U.S. market.”
Clinics for boys and girls from ages 8 to 17 will include high-intensity training sessions for players trying to enhance their abilities. The technical staff will present the same instruction that the Real Madrid Foundation brings to its own youth team in Spain. The coaching methods and training regime will be based on the current programs in Madrid.
According to the program’s website, www.frmprinceton.com, “The idea of a clinic is to provide very high levels of coaching with a group of players in a time period that allows for significant development. Real Madrid Foundation’s coaches will provide a level of coaching that is rarely accessible in North America.”
Ed Haemmerle, a longtime soccer enthusiast, is vice president of Princeton Sports Management. “It initially started when Pedro was approached by Real Madrid because of his extremely high soccer IQ, experience, respect, and knowledge on the subject,” he says.
Born in Jersey City and raised in Montgomery, Haemmerle played soccer on travel teams, for Montgomery schools, and at the Hun School. He has lived in West Windsor for 27 years.
A fire fighter and EMT for close to 17 years, he has worked with the Robbinsville Fire Department since 2001. He is also the president of NJ Renewable Energy, a company offering sustainability consulting and installation of renewable energy.
His wife, Louise, is a teacher at Grover Middle School. Their sons, Eddie, 11, and Danny, 9, both play in the West Windsor Plainsboro Soccer Association programs.
Pedro Portilla was born in Lima, Peru, and came to New Jersey with his family in 1981. A graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, he received a master’s degree in business and information management from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a business principal for Microsoft Corporation.
“Soccer has been in my family for as long as I remember,” says Portilla. “My grandfather, also named Pedro, was the founder of the Peru Referee Futbol Association and someone who taught many pupils about the game, including myself.”
“I was working in my uncle’s garage pumping gas, and one of his clients asked me to come out to a soccer tryout, and the rest was history,” he says. Portilla played travel soccer as a youth with the Clifton Stallions and then as a member of the soccer team at Stevens Institute.
“Over the years, I’ve been very active in the local soccer club, having coached several youth recreational and youth travel teams,” he says. “I also coach a competitive adult local soccer team where I serve as captain and player.”
His wife, Marisol Portilla, is a graduate of Tufts and Carnegie Mellon universities. She worked for Bell Communications Research until 1998 when she put her career on halt to be a full time home maker. “She didn’t grow up with soccer, but now has developed a keen soccer IQ over the years and helps me analyze games,” says Pedro. The family has lived in West Windsor for 15 years.
Their children include Gabriela, 16, a junior at High School South and the captain of the varsity soccer team; Daniela, 14, a freshman at High School South and a member of the school’s swim team; and Pedro Ignacio, 10, a student at Village School and a member of West Windsor Soccer Association’s Mercer FC Milan team. “They are all very active in the community,” says their father, who coaches with WWPSA.
The Portilla family has continued the soccer tradition. “We currently recently added two Portuguese water dogs to the family, which are appropriately named Pele (after the best player to have played the game) and Xavi (the starting midfield for the Spanish National Soccer team),” says Portilla.
The Real Madrid Foundation Training Program Abroad offers a spring break and summer clinics this year. The five-day program includes one 90-minute training session every day. Ages 8 to 9 at 8 a.m.; ages 10 to 12 at 10 a.m.; ages 13 to 15 at 1:30 p.m.; and ages 16 to 17 at 3:30 p.m. All students receive a kit including shirt, shorts, and socks; an individualized assessment; and five days of training.
The dates are April 14 to 18 for spring camp; and July 7 to 11, 14 to 18, and 21 to 25 for summer clinics. The cost is $450. The clinics are held rain or shine. Players may attend more than one week. Visit www.frmprinceton.com for more information and to register.
