One of the coolest aspects of the USSF National Youth License course is that it goes into a lot of detail about how kids learn, how their bodies develop, how they interpret and understand things, and thus what their practice sessions should be like. Their age will dictate what they can realistically understand and process.

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A while back my daughter had a coach that flat out forbade them from bringing Gatorade to practice. Water was the only thing allowed. Her belief was that it hydrated them better. This didn't make the parents all that happy, especially when US Youth Soccer was advocating sports drinks simply because kids were more likely to drink them.

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Earlier this year, the US Youth Soccer Association published their Vision for Youth Soccer in America. It generated a smattering of debate, but not much. It certainly should, because this vision sums up much of what the USYSA is thinking and advocating for youth soccer in America:

Too often in America a professional sport model is used in measuring youth sports success.

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Part of the reason I've been MIA these past few months is I returned to an active role in our league's administration after taking a year off AND was coaching 4 teams, most without any of my children on them. I really should learn to say no. When a U12 coach had to step aside right as the season got underway, we couldn't find anyone to step in for him.

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I read Anson Dorrance's book "The Vision of a Champion" a while back, his 2nd book where he talks about the competitive cauldron system they use for UNC Women's Soccer. He talked about a coach who had adapted it for youth teams, but the links provided don't work anymore and Google failed me, so I'm working on my own adaption.

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Carlos Alberto Parreira

The recent re-appointment of Carlos Alberto Parreira as coach of South Africa, replacing fellow Brazilian Joel Santana who had been hired on Parreira's recommendation, ignited that perennial question: is a national team, particularly one on the periphery of world football, better served by a local or an outsider?

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Along with a number of other teams, I currently coach my youngest son's U5 Rec team. Sponsored by Sheetz, their name is the Lil' Sheetz you gotta love it. Anyway we're playing a match that is pretty even this past weekend and both teams are scoring plenty of goals and having fun. I think I had three kids total (it was a cold morning and I had a few sick).

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The world might be football mad and in England we have the most high profile and richest professional men's league in the world, but when it comes to the women's game the level of interest and support remain frustratingly small. While Capello's men play at the shiny new Wembley, England's women have yet to play [. Click to continue reading...

We're going extra deep in this round, to places that soccer fans would almost never find themselves (unless you were looking for them), so bear with me. An intelligent friend of mine recently...

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This shuttle exercise combines a series of excellent soccer drills designed for improving the passing, receiving and conditioning skills of your players. It can also incorporate practising heading and other ball skills.
To begin, separate your players into groups of three. Two of the players should stand 20 yards apart, with the third player in the middle, in between two marker cones. Click to continue reading...

Pretty scary how fast the summer can fly by! The fall season is already underway for our Rec teams and most of our travel teams have been in pre-season tournaments before the start of their season after Labor Day. I've missed writing, but certainly haven't been sitting idly by in Margaritaville. Besides opening a new business here in town (that finally is close to being 'ready' took much longer than I expected), I'm president of our local league again and am coaching a number of Rec teams in addition to my 96 Girls travel team, the Lunachicks.

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Man in the middle - Muricy Ramalho addresses his former troops Click to continue reading...

Using 2v2 has proven to be a great way to introduce soccer to four year olds. Duration : 0:6:44 Technorati Tags: 3v3, celtic, coaching, dribbling, goals, knvb, passing, real, recreational, small-sided, Soccer, ssgs, street, Training, youth Click to continue reading...

Soccer skills and coaching tips; learn a fun game you can play with your youth soccer team to get them more comfortable with heading the soccer ball in this free online video guide to coaching a soccer team. Expert: Glenn Holzer Contact: www.revolution-sc.org Bio: Glenn Holzer has been coaching soccer at the youth and college level for more [. Click to continue reading...

A quick look at how setting goals back and allowing kids to choose between dribbling and passing at restarts helps player development Duration : 0:8:51 Technorati Tags: 4v4, coach, coaching, development, football, footy, games, learning, sided, small, small-sided, Soccer, ssgs, Training, youth Click to continue reading...

SMH stirring the pot
According to Mike Cockerill, Frank Farina said this, but when did he say it?

"To me, the FFA needs to respect local coaches a lot more, and value them more. There hasn't been enough recognition. It's all very well getting in a heap of Dutch coaches but are they all going to hang around after the World Cup?

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Soccer skills and coaching tips; learn a good exercise to help your team improve their passing skills in this free online video guide to coaching a soccer team. Expert: Glenn Holzer Contact: www.revolution-sc.org Bio: Glenn Holzer has been coaching soccer at the youth and college level for more than 20 years and holds a USSF "B" License. Click to continue reading...

Soccer skills and coaching tips; learn some tips for the youth soccer player who has aspirations of playing college soccer in this free online video guide to coaching a soccer team. Expert: Glenn Holzer Contact: www.revolution-sc.org Bio: Glenn Holzer has been coaching soccer at the youth and college level for more than 20 years and holds a USSF [. Click to continue reading...

Interview about soccer coaching, youth soccer coaching and soccer training. Features comments on Blast The Ball. Duration : 0:4:37 Technorati Tags: coaching, drills, Soccer, Training Click to continue reading...

http://www.thetargetizer.com/bettersoccercoach.htm Insprational soccer video about how youth soccer coaches inspire and motivate youth players to follow their dreams and succeed Duration : 0:3:41 Technorati Tags: coaching, football, free, inspirational, motivate, Power, Soccer, speed, strength, tips Click to continue reading...

7v7 and 8v8 are great for introducing specialized positions. They provide a bridge between 4v4 and 11v11. Duration : 0:8:51 Technorati Tags: 4v4, 7v7, 8v8, coaching, dribble, footy, games, league, play, practice, sided, Skills, small, Soccer, ssgs, tactics, technique, Training Click to continue reading...

Four simple variations in applying skills to practices and games. Vicky is an expert in coaching kids on soccer. These are small tips on improving your kids and your own soccer skills. Find more about it at www.coachvicky.com Duration : 0:1:22 Technorati Tags: coaching, coachVicky, football, futbol, goal, improve, kick, kids, running, Skills, Soccer, suggestions, teaching, tips, Training Click to continue reading...

http://www.SoccerTutor.com FREE (Part 2 of 2) Soccer Coaching Video demonstrates a top coaching tip, visit http://www.soccertutor.com for more... Duration : 0:6:4 Technorati Tags: coaching, drill, drills, football, Skills, Soccer, Training Click to continue reading...

Is when you get a letter like this from one of your players.

This letter made my day yesterday! Thank you Rieleah!

Keep Believing in it and continue to work hard at your game and you have a great shot at accomplishing your dreams in soccer and in life!

JM

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The Santiago Bernabeu: now home for Manuel Pellegrini (Reuters)The first part of the Real Madrid summer revolution was announced today. As expected, Florentino Pérez has been elected new club... Click to continue reading...

A short look at 5v5 and 6v6. This marks the first duplication in player tasks and is a big step in teambuilding. Duration : 0:8:34 Technorati Tags: 4v4, ajax, coaching, development, dribbling, fa, kids, practice, shooting, Soccer, tactics, technique, Training, Tricks, united, youth Click to continue reading...

Reading the game means reducing the picture to a managable level. Duration : 0:6:59 Technorati Tags: 1v1, 3v3, 4v4, coaching, defending, dribbling, football, futsal, games, goals, passing, practice, sided, small, Soccer, Training, youth Click to continue reading...

I screened a short documentary called "Kick Like a Girl" a couple months ago and was delighted to find out that HBO is airing it tonight (6:00 ET). Anyone who sometimes feels jaded by the state of sports these days needs to tune in to the adventures of the Mighty Cheetahs, a third-grade girls' soccer team in Salt Lake City.

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Fellow WTS blogger, Nicole LaVoie, at One Sport Voice, writes about a recent youth soccer match in Minnesota:

The scene: Two Minnesota Thunder Academy (MTA)Â teams played each other in the State Cup final to see who would advance to the Regionals. The 12-and-under girls soccer club, playing above their level, fought to a gutsy 1-1 tie through two overtime periods against the favored 13-and-under team from the same club.

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This video looks at two of the biggest reasons why theory doesn't transfer well to the field. Duration : 0:4:57 Technorati Tags: 3vs3, 4vs4, ajax, coach, coaching, drills, footy, games, juggle, kids, MNT, practice, sided, small, Soccer, ssgs, Training, WNT, youth Click to continue reading...

Coaches from Europe demonstrate some serious soccer drills. Duration : 0:3:36 Technorati Tags: coaching, drills, football, serious, Soccer, tips Click to continue reading...

Soccer skills and coaching tips; learn a fun passing game that you can play with your youth teams in this free online video guide to coaching a soccer team. Expert: Glenn Holzer Contact: www.revolution-sc.org Bio: Glenn Holzer has been coaching soccer at the youth and college level for more than 20 years and holds a USSF "B" License. Click to continue reading...

Vicky is an expert in coaching kids on soccer. These are small tips on improving your kids and your own soccer skills. Find more about it at www.coachvicky.com Duration : 0:1:29 Technorati Tags: coaching, coachVicky, football, futbol, goal, improve, kick, kids, running, Skills, Soccer, suggestions, teaching, tips, Training Click to continue reading...

Inspirational soccer video about why coaching junior and youth soccer is such a rewarding past time. Players will learn life lessons through playing soccer which are all contained in this short motivational video. Duration : 0:3:30 Technorati Tags: coaching, football, inspirational, junior, motivational, Soccer, youth Click to continue reading...

http://www.SoccerTutor.com demonstrates another Football / Soccer Coaching tutorial on Timing of Runs. Duration : 0:5:25 Technorati Tags: coaching, drills, football, practice, Soccer, Training Click to continue reading...