The Evolution (EVO) Soccer Academy had the opportunity to travel to Spain and train with the Club Atlético Osasuna’s youth academy from March 15 to March 22, 2026.
After arriving, the club quickly became immersed in the Tajonar Method, a training philosophy focusing on high-intensity technical training, tactical intelligence, and holistic youth development.
Patryk Misik, the Director of EVO Soccer Academy, discussed how the trip came together.
“During my playing career, I was fortunate enough to make some friends and connections, and through one of my former teammates who played for their academy, put me in touch with someone from the club,” he noted. “One thing led to another, and we were able to organize a trip. We weren’t able to make it happen right away, because it took a lot of planning and doing some fundraising for the tickets.”
Patxi Puñal, the Tajonar technical director with the Club Atlético Osasuna’s youth academy, also discussed the visit.
“The EVO Soccer Academy had the opportunity to fully experience what Tajonar represents. They immersed themselves in the Tajonar Method, [and] our player development philosophy, while also competing against our official teams and training with academy coaches. This allowed them to gain first-hand insight into our training language and methodology. It was an enriching experience for all of us,” Puñal said.
The Tajonar methodology has been seen as a benchmark for player development, attracting international programs like EVO.
“The way we work at Tajonar continues to attract attention. As more players from Osasuna and Pamplona reach the professional level, it confirms that our approach is distinctive. Interest in our methodology extends beyond Spain, and it is increasingly common for international groups to visit. For those who experience it firsthand, even for a week, it is highly positive and enriching,” Puñal noted.
However, Misik, who along with his father founded the EVO Soccer Academy in 2023, led the academy into a week that not only included training, but a full soccer experience.
“It was an incredible experience for our academy…for our players, their parents and our coaches. We had the opportunity to train with a Spanish La Liga team…where our players worked directly with their coaching staff [while] playing matches against their academy teams. What made this trip special was that our players having a full experience….they got to watch top-tier teams play [and] our players also got some autographs, and pictures with the team and they toured the stadium. They also attended a live La Liga match which was Osasuna versus Girona,” Misik noted. “[Overall], they had a chance to see firsthand what the highest level of soccer looks like in Spain. And more importantly, the whole trip had a real impact on their development on and off the pitch…really pushing them out of their comfort zone. As a whole, we got to experience the true culture in Spain and the professionalism that comes with soccer there.”
Nevertheless, Puñal and the Club Atlético Osasuna program, look to continue building upon opportunities with academies like EVO.
“These exchanges of ideas, training approaches and football knowledge add value to our own growth, particularly for our players and their development. [especially when] teams from different countries and cultures bring their own perspectives,” he noted. “Even if these visiting players are not part of our [long-term] structure, competing against them has allowed our players to test themselves, connect, and grow through shared experiences.”
While this is an important trip, helping develop its youth talent, the academy has been known for creating a structure for training especially in involving exceptional coaches.
“Our coaches come from high-level playing backgrounds including professional national teams, and universities [which has] allowed us to implement our own methodology and philosophy. We’ve also built a reputation for offering unique experiences and opportunities…from bringing in international coaches to our camps from places like FC Barcelona…to creating international pathways like our most recent trip to Spain,” Misik stated. “We’re constantly trying to give our players experiences that push them to the next level. And we want to continue raising the standard in everything we do. So that means delivering even higher quality training, expanding our development pathway and creating more exposure and opportunities for our players to develop.”
However, Misik, who himself had a ten-year professional playing career, will look to share his experiences and knowledge with the community.
“[The academy] has been around for a few years now, and we always try to help other coaches and teams in the area grow too. We have close relationships with [various] clubs and academies here and always try to give them information that we learned through experiences like our trip to Spain. And we also try to share resources with them, which I believe benefits all of us, [in doing so] throughout Brantford and Brant County,” he stated.
