The pace at which your feet move can be the decisive factor to beat an opponent. Developing quick reflex action with anticipation to make the ball do what you want at speed. How many hours a week does your child play football? At the younger ages, most kids will only spend around 1-2 hours training […]

Encourage young athletes to extend their arms out to the sides, then swing them across their body — as if they were giving themselves a hug. Soccer is growing in popularity in the United States — especially among children. As with all team sports, it’s crucial to maintain safety when it comes to youth soccer […]

The goalkeeper needs to come off his line and try to smother the shots as the striker turns and tries to beat him. Middlesbrough stopper Victor Valdes is great at pulling off saves when he goes one-on-one with a striker – and if you run this session your goalkeepers could master the art, too. WHY […]

Make personal contact (don’t make mom or dad call). Follow up on the season; ask about experiences with the team. Doing this shows real interest. Who is Coach Hyndman? The US Youth Soccer Show recently sat down with Schellas Hyndman, head coach of FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, to talk about the do’s and don’ts […]

Keep moving off of the ball but into a space that connects you with the passer and allows you to move the ball to where you want to go. Parent Question “The season is just starting and my 13 year old son has a new coach and is playing in a new position. In the […]

Younger players learn by watching and playing with the older players more normally than watching their coach do a step-by-step demonstration. Coaching youth soccer could be the most rewarding or frustrating responsibility you will ever try, dependent on your method and attitude apropos the game and your players. It isn’t about winning but moreso the […]

Over the past three years, the percentage of 6- to 12-year-olds playing soccer regularly has dropped nearly 14 percent, to 2.3 million players, according to a study by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. With its gables, turrets and iron railing, U.S. Soccer House — as the mansion housing the U.S. Soccer Federation is known […]

“Kids have been exposed to more and more soccer, and they’re digesting it and understanding it.” There was a time when high school soccer coaches would implement a playing style and a formation, and neither of those would change from the first preseason training session straight through to the final whistle of the last postseason […]

His older brother, father, grandfather, grandmother and four of his aunts and uncles all attended Indiana. So when the time came to visit his brother, Phillip, at school, his mother presented him with the idea to reach out to the Indiana coaching staff. Indiana men’s soccer has seemingly always been defined by excellence. With eight […]

Importantly, if coaches and parents can agree on the destination being Inspired Players then they can start to collaborate when the player is not thriving. Christian Lavers, president of the ECNL used the term: “Collaboration is a force multiplier” recently on a 3four3 podcast interview. While Christian was referencing the collaborative efforts amongst coaches in the […]