Interview by Mike Woitalla Tab Ramos, considered one of the USA’s most skillful players ever, played for the USA at three World Cups, two Copa Americas,and in the Olympic Games. Two years after retiring in 2002 from a playing career in Spain, Mexico and MLS, he founded the New Jersey youth club NJSA 04. In […]
Youth Soccer Insider
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Equipping keepers the right way
By Tim Mulqueen During training, goalkeepers should be dressed for maximum protection: long pants, long sleeves, and shin guards. I prefer that keepers always wearshin guards at practice, not only to protect them from injury, but also because they have to wear them in games and should be used to them. Long pants are especially […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
'Coaching is overrated' says Westside Metros' Cony Konstin
Interview by Mike Woitalla Cony Konstin is the Director of Coaching of Westside Metros SC, a small club based in Beaverton, Ore., that has gottennational attention with the success of its U-19 Internationals boys team and has sent players to the U-15 national team pool. Previously, Konstin served as the Director of Houstonians FC, which […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Reinventing the ball
By Mike Woitalla It seems to me that playing soccer with different kinds of balls is good for children’s skill development. I don’t have scientificevidence for this, but a lot of anecdotes from great players. Pele played with a grapefruit and a sock stuffed with paper when a proper ball wasn’t available.Diego Maradona walked to […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
How to navigate your child's path
By Christian Lavers The choice of where to have your child play youth soccer can be very difficult. Multiple clubs, “select teams,” or leagues will touttheir services or programs, often with promises of glory down the road. There is no shortage of choices for where your child can spend the next year of development – […]
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CASL's Charlie Slagle: Full-service club provides many options
Interview by Mike Woitalla The Youth Soccer Insider continues its series in which we ask the leaders of U.S. youth clubs to address key issues on the state of Americanyouth soccer. Charlie Slagle is Chief Executive of the North Carolina’s Capital Area Soccer League (CASL), a “full-service club” with 9,000 registered players. Before taking charge […]
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Youth refs should emulate Willy Wonka, not Pierluigi Collina
By Randy Vogt Officiating professional soccer is definitely not for the faint of heart. This is not surprising as people’s livelihoods are based on the results. Officiating youth soccer is sometimes not for the faint-hearted either. The majority of youth soccer referees quit within their first two years with verbal abuse by kids’ parentsbeing the […]
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Rush's Tim Schulz: USSF should play even greater role
Interview by Mike Woitalla In a new Youth Soccer Insider series, we’re asking the leaders of U.S. youth clubs to address key issues on the state of American youthsoccer. Tim Schulz is the president and CEO of Rush Soccer, which has affiliate clubs in more than 20 states, representing 34,000 youth players. Schulz has coached […]
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College dreams impact youth play
Interview by Mike Woitalla Ambitions to play college soccer can have a significant impact on a child’s path through the youth game — and the dream of a college soccerscholarship is undoubtedly one reason why parents are willing to spend so much on club ball. We’ve asked Avi Stopper, the founder of college recruiting software […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Is Your Rec Program Getting Enough Attention?
By Tyler Isaacson Are you taking your eye off of the ball in regards to your recreation program? In many clubs the recreation side gets much lessattention than the travel side of things. This is unfortunate because the recreation side, in most clubs, has participation of three to four times more players then travel. With […]