With the help of Bermuda Olympian Troy Douglas, Ajax capped a memorable season with their first league title since 2014 as a 4-1 final-day win at De Graafschap secured a domestic double.
AFC Ajax added Douglas to its technical team back in 2017. Douglas at the time was studying the Master in Coaching at the Johan Cruyff Institute, and whose style of coaching conforms to the principles of performance coaching.
With this conviction, Douglas defines his experience on the Master in Coaching at the Johan Cruyff Institute. The charismatic sprinter from Bermuda, which he represented at three Olympic Games before acquiring Dutch nationality and representing The Netherlands at his fourth Games, is part of the AFC Ajax staff. He works as a performance coach for the Football Club, which was a new challenging role for him.
“When I came back to the Netherlands after being a sprint coach in Bermuda, I really couldn’t say no to this incredible opportunity. I was also curious what this position would mean for my personal development and what I could learn from Ajax, because I always want to keep developing myself, even though I’m 54 years old. My goal is that Ajax brings out the best in me, so that I can bring out the best in Ajax. At the moment, I think I’ve really found my dream job”, said Douglas.
At the beginning, Douglas had not only to adapt to a sport that is practiced as a team, but also to one that is completely different to the one that was his specialty. And the Master in Coaching is helping him to make that change.
Douglas said, “I had to get used to the tough football culture and the pressure of performing every week. People really underestimate how rough the football world is. As a famous athlete, I also have a certain responsibility, which adds an extra pressure. But I like it though, because it helps me to improve my performance”.
|
