At the heart of ADHD is a difficulty in achieving focus, which is why ADHD used to be known simply as “Attention Deficit Disorder” or “ADD”. My son, a goalkeeper, then age 9, had completed his first year of travel soccer.  He’d had an irregular season, sometimes doing outstanding, sometimes doing poorly.  We were looking […]

If you can instruct your defender to take the near post, and you the far post, this restricts the scoring opportunity for an attacker. The position of goalkeeper can be the loneliest on the field. Mistakes are more costly than in any other position, meaning the goalkeeper can face heavy criticism and scrutiny if things […]

Aim for the center of your forehead just about where the hairline is. Soccer games for kids continues to grow as it’s just a great sport. Concussions, too, are growing just as fast – not so great! The all important aspect of properly heading the soccer ball has become critical in ensuring the well being of young […]

Generally, the term “left wing” refers to any offensive player who plays on the left side of the field. Because the term is so general, more specific names are typically used. A soccer left wing can be a midfielder, a forward or both depending on the team’s formation. Generally, the term “left wing” refers to […]

Coaches who think they can figure out which kids have good attitudes and coachability from a couple of tryout sessions with 80 kids on the field are kidding themselves. Tryouts stink. Let’s not kid ourselves and pretend. Reducing children to numbers and putting them in artificial playing environments is not a fun thing to do. […]

Kids who play multiple sports are more adaptable, find it easier to learn, and are less likely to end up with injuries due to overuse of certain body parts or muscles. Youth soccer burnout is a major problem. Many kids quit because they can’t overturn the burn. Check out some tips on how to avoid […]

Yoga can improve concentration and create a state of relaxed mind where the player is open and clear in the present moment. Soccer involves a lot or running and sprinting during the practice and during games. It’s a very Yang-like activity, and soccer players are getting strength and training on a regular basis,  especially in […]

As much as soccer has exploded within the last decade, it is hard to believe that not only are there very few youth soccer clubs with all-girl players Former U.S. Women’s National Team player, World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist, Lori Chalupny, has joined forces with the head coach of Fire and Ice Soccer Club, […]

Make the players around you better. You do this by doing all of the earlier key points and encouraging your teammates There are different types of leaders but I believe the best know how to lead by example, communicate well and when they give you a compliment you feel taller and stronger. In this OSA […]

As a young child, on no other place than the soccer fields did I feel content and comfortable with my athletic body and ferocious desire to compete One of the slides I often use in presentations to soccer coaches, parents and club directors depicts the various issues/problems/inefficiencies with our youth soccer landscape.  We discuss the […]