As an older adult I look at my young son with amazement and appreciation.  The best thing about asking a child what they what to be when they grow up is that you know that they believe they can be that person.  As parents we support that dream or idea.  As we get older we tend to complicate our outlook on life by “making the safe decision” or not “taking risks” because ...

Starting a pickup soccer game is easier than you may think. With social networking and an ever increasing love of the game, there are soccer fans everywhere you turn now. Cities however are a little slower to react and as you probably already know there are very few soccer fields compared to other sports and typically these fields have restricted access making it difficult for the casual player t...

On this blog I really like to focus on how to build the skills of our young players and build their love of the beautiful game.   Part of that appreciation is to take care in being safe on the field.  You probably think of shin guards and goalie gloves and maybe some athletic tape or a first aid kit.   Do not overlook the safety of what is on the field.  The soccer goals themselves. You ma...

The best way to learn a skill is often to see a demonstration.  This video will show you how to throw the soccer ball in the proper way. This video is designed for players in the U6 and U8 age group and parents of players can benefit from this soccer drill as well. Throw In Guidelines: 1. Player must use both hands 2. The throw in must come from straight behind, no sloppy side angels. 3. Both o...

If you watched the Women’s World Cup (and if you didn’t you missed a real treat) physical endurance is as important as ball handling skills.  The ability to create plays and have the stamina to execute them can mean the difference between a win and a loss.  This video uses a Nike training app to help you run a series of sprints with a built in recovery period.  You don’t have...

Today’s video may seem like a simple soccer drill at first.  But watch it all the way through so that you can learn how to spice up your soccer skills.  Get warmed up by simply dribbling the cones and taking a targeted shot to one of the corners of the goal.  You can then change up your touches with different parts of the foot to speed up your dribble and ability to change direction nece...

One of the most basic soccer drills with a partner is the direct shot on goal.  The simplest way to do this drill is to have one player post up at the top of the box, and lay off the ball to the right or left of the goal.  The shooter should target the right or left side of the goal away from the goalkeeper.  As your aim and skill improves be more aggressive in refining your aim to the upper a...