Familiar Focus

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Gjoko Tasevski has seen it all.

He’s watched players, such as himself, dribble soccer balls up and down the streets of their quiet neighborhoods, focusing on the quality of every touch.

He’s witnessed the joy that comes from seeing 1,000 screaming fans celebrating an international victory.

He’s seen dozens of goalkeepers transform into national-and-international phenoms.

And, he’s caught a glimpse of what it’s like to garner celebrity status.

Now, Tasevski is hoping to watch hundreds of youth players develop the same passion for the game of soccer that he had as a child, as the Braden River Soccer Club’s new director of coaching.

Tasevski is no stranger to the organization; he served as the club’s technical director in 2005. After taking a seven-year hiatus to work in Europe, Tasevski returned to the Braden River Soccer Club in May.

“I feel so happy,” Tasevski says of his return. “This was a very important decision for me. I have a club that I love here and people whom I trust here. Braden River is my family, and I came here to be with the family I trust.”

Tasevski spent the summer hosting summer camps and training sessions in preparation for the club’s upcoming recreational and competitive seasons.

“We are here (for) the kids,” Tasevski says. “It’s about developing kids and making them much better (people).”

A native of Macedonia, Tasevski began playing soccer when he was 10 years old. The sport was popular in his country at the time, and Tasevski would spend hours playing with the other children in his neighborhood.

Tasevski gravitated toward goalkeeper and quickly developed not only a knack for the game but the position, as well.

“Goalkeeper is a unique position,” Tasevski says. “Many people don’t like the pressure, but I could deal with it. For me, it was very easy.”

Shortly thereafter, he was thrust into the spotlight, after being named to the Yugoslavian national team. In 1977, Tasevski was voted the best youth player.

Tasevski started playing professionally at the age of 16 and spent the next 17 years playing for professional clubs across Europe, including FC Vardar, FC Pobeda, FC Teteks and FC Kalmar, among others.

“You have to work very hard,” Tasevski says. “I tell my players you cannot invest too much when you’re representing your country or association. You are a different person.

“You are like an actor in one arena,” Tasevski says. “People come to watch the game and you must always be ready for (action).”

Tasevski retired from the game at age 33, after having played in more than 600 games.

Following his professional career, Tasevski became a professional goalkeeper trainer for FC Rabotnicki’s First Division, before moving in 1999 to Florida.

There, he landed a position as the director for Genuity Sports Group. He also founded Goalkeeper World, a company that creates development programs for coaches, trainers and goalkeepers at all levels, from youth to Olympic and professional players.

“It’s a very good program,” says Tasevski, who has developed roughly a dozen professional goalkeepers, as well as numerous collegiate goalkeepers. “We try to develop them and make them high-level goalkeepers.”

Tasevski coached for ODP Florida, before moving over to the Braden River Soccer Club.

Tasevski returned to Europe in 2006, working as the goalkeeper trainer for the Macedonian U17, U19 and U21 national teams until 2011. He also served as a professional assistant and goalkeeper trainer for FC Rabotnicki’s First Division for two years.

Tasevski spent the past 16 months working for FIFA, before returning to Florida to be closer to his two sons, Kiko and Filip; Filip played for the Braden River Soccer Club as a child.

This fall, Tasevski will be in charge of making sure the club’s roughly 1,200 players are provided the coaching and fundamental skills necessary to achieve success on the field through its basic-, academy-, junior- and senior-level programs.

“The key to being successful players at any level is consistency,” Tasevski says. “You have to prepare both your mind and body with discipline.”

In addition to preparing for the upcoming season, Tasevski and the Braden River Soccer Club are preparing to become a part of the VSI umbrella. The move would allow the Rage’s players to see additional competition and exposure.

“We want to create more opportunities for the players,” Tasevski says. “It’s a partnership. We want to help each other, support each other and represent one club. Together, we are stronger.”

VSI currently has club teams across the Tampa Bay area and is seeking to build is own stadium in 2014.

For more information on the Braden River Soccer Club, visit www.bradenriversoccer.org. For more information on Goalkeeper World, visit www.goalkeeperworld.com.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].