Posted on

Physical Ed Teachers, MOTI is for you!

A soccer module is being taught in elementary and middle school for at least one two-week session, and often two separate two weeks sessions every year.  What if these teachers, most of whom are not proficient at soccer, are given the tools to present to their students an all-encompassing soccer unit with measurable standards!

We have developed, with the help of Physical Education Teachers and experts in the education field, a great tool for teachers to use in their classrooms that is flexible, inexpensive, fun for the kids, and produces measurable results. READ MORE

Posted on

Challenge can be fun

As a father, I enjoy seeing my kids play.  It is fun to watch them and it makes my passion come to life.

Last week for the first time in my life my son walked away disappointed after a game.  He said, “We stunk, Dad.  We will never win a game.”

I tried to comfort him.  I told him how he was able to get more shots off this game than the game before and how we were working really hard.  A player from the other team walked up to him after the game and told him how much respect he had for his team and him. READ MORE

Posted on

Hey Coach, Are YOU Having Fun Yet?

Early in my coaching career, I realized that no matter how hard my day had been or how tired I was, I inevitably left practice or time with the team I was coaching in a better mood than when I had arrived. I was and still am consistently energized by sharing my love for the game, by the “aha” moments, by hard work, and the list could go on.

While “fun” comes in different forms for every person, if you aren’t having fun as the coach, chances are high that the kids likely aren’t having much fun either. READ MORE

Posted on

Fixing the problem – A Carpenter with no Hammer Skills?

We all have seen how a carpenter can use tools, like a hammer to drive nails binding two pieces of wood together to create structures. 

But what happens when a carpenter does not have the skill or know how to use the hammer to drive the nails into the wood to bind two pieces together?

Youth Soccer Players often face the same dilemma. 

Parents signup players, players then come to practice and with the new Play-Practice-Play training methodology from US Soccer without any knowledge of foot skills. US Soccer assumes that players will learn them by watching other players. That eventually does occur. But in the meantime, what happens to that player?  READ MORE

Posted on

Coaching Children Ages U6/U8 – Part 2

This is the second in a three-part series on coaching children at this young age.  Look back to the previous month to view the first part.

Introduction

Children at these ages are being introduced to just how much FUN it is to play soccer.  By providing a safe and fun environment you can ensure a positive experience for the children.

You are coaching because you care for children.  You may not even know much about soccer (well, not yet anyway), and that is OK!  What you bring to the soccer field as their coach is your personality!  Your enthusiasm for them will show through any misgivings you might have about your soccer coaching abilities.  Remember that these children may not remember what you teach them about soccer, but they will always remember how you make them feel. READ MORE

Posted on

Vision and Awareness

Vision and Awareness are the New Buzz Words. How important are they?

Of all the pillars of player development, the two that separate an exceptional player from a good player are the level of Vision and Awareness.

Vision is the skill of seeing things quickly and in some instances before they happen in the game.

Awareness is a combination of feeling and recognizing opportunities to make and execute plays faster than opponents.

In team sports like soccer where interactions with team members are integral to ball possession, vision can be as simple as having your head on a swivel checking in every direction for clues as to what the opponent is doing and what you and your teammates are doing.  It allows a player in control of the ball to serve the pass to an open player, perhaps starting a possession sequence that could lead to scoring goals. Vison can also include a player not with the ball moving into open spaces, placing them in a situational dominance of defenders, making their opponent unable to match their pace of play and movement. READ MORE

Posted on

Do you believe in Miracles? YES!

40 years ago, Al Michaels gave us this unforgettable call in the final seconds of the USA / Soviet Union Olympic Hockey Game.  Sports Illustrated named the “Miracle on Ice” the top sports moment of the 20th century.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary, our local sports stations have interviewed several players from that Gold Medal-winning USA Olympic team.  Recently I heard an interview with Rob McClanahan.  What I found of interest was what he said about his personal preparation for the August USA tryouts. READ MORE