Our Story

In the summer of 2011, at the WRAL Soccer Complex in Raleigh, NC, fate brought together two passionate Coaches — Coach Bakela and Coach André. As Bakela watched André and his two sons during a training session, he couldn’t help but notice that something was different. The precision, quality of touches, and intensity of their drills were unlike anything he had seen before. He knew right away that this was the kind of training he wanted for his own son. Intrigued and impressed, Bakela approached André, eager to introduce himself and learn more. A few private sessions and conversations between the two coaches quickly turned into a shared vision. They saw an opportunity not just for their sons but for other families with ambition. And so, Inter Development Fútbol (IDF) was born—a program dedicated to nurturing young talent, built on a foundation of integrity, discipline, and fearlessness. Over a decade later, IDF players have gone on to achieve remarkable things–some becoming professional footballers, others excelling at the collegiate level, and a select few even representing their senior national teams, including in FIFA youth World Cup qualifiers and finals. Beyond the titles and accolades, the true measure of success is the transformation of these young athletes into champions in life.