The USA’s 2022 World Cup officials (L-to-R): Corey Parker, Ismail Elfath, Kyle Atkins, Katy Nesbitt and Armando Villarreal. * * * * * * * * * * I decided on the eighth day of the World Cup, after watching 27 games in work mode, it was time to watch with fans. My wife and […]
Youth Soccer Insider
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Unique coaching education at the World Cup in Qatar
“When you go to a game live, you see the whole field – you see what you want to see vs. what the TV camera wants to show you.” — Ralph Perez. * * * * * * * * * * The USA’s assistant coach Luchi Gonzalez, former U.S. head coaches Steve Sampson and […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The American youth soccer of USMNT's World Cup players
The USA was the youngest team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and is the second youngest (average age: 25 years, 175 days) of the teams in Qatar, after Ghana. Four members of Coach Gregg Berhalter‘s squad were raised abroad, while 22 grew up playing American youth soccer. Here’s a look at their experiences. Brenden […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Ref Watch: The goalkeeper's tears, and a penalty
The following is an excerpt from Ian Plenderleith‘s latest book, “Reffing Hell: Stuck in the middle of a game gone wrong.” Illustrated by Tim Bradford (Halcyon Publishing) “Thrice he assay’d, and thrice, in spite of scorn, Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth.” — John Milton (Paradise Lost) * * * * * * * * * […]
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The Christian Pulisic book: A revealing dialogue with brilliant photography
Pulisic: My Journey So Far. By Christian Pulisic and Daniel Melamud, Contributions by Arlo White Hardcover/240 pages/250 color photographs (Rizzoli) * * * * * * * * * * The people we admire most, our heroes on posters in our childhood bedroom, can sometimes feel distant, and supernatural, and their accomplishments can seem far out […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Ref Watch: Model behavior and the coaches who disgrace themselves and their clubs
The following is an excerpt from Ian Plenderleith‘s latest book, “Reffing Hell: Stuck in the middle of a game gone wrong.” Illustrated by Tim Bradford (Halcyon Publishing) The first half of this boys’ U-15 game is one of the most peaceful I’ve refereed all season. There are only two fouls, and a mild query from […]
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Ref Watch: Soccer's tolerance of referee-mobbing is a disgrace and has a far reach
On a Saturday I reffed U-19 boys and on Sunday U-9 girls. It’s something I enjoy most about refereeing. Getting a close-up view of soccer’s different types and levels. Usually it’s older kids on Saturday and younger ones on Sunday. On the Sundays I don’t expect to hear much from the players, and very rarely […]
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Good person, good citizen, good player
This was the slogan we as the Soccer Development Department of the Turkish FA had generated in 2008 for the Developmental Academy leagues that started the same year. The fields that the games were played on were branded with this slogan. In the DOC/Academy Directors courses the slogan was explained to the participants and how […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Ref Watch: My least favorite things
The following is an excerpt from Ian Plenderleith‘s latest book, “Reffing Hell: Stuck in the middle of a game gone wrong.” Illustrated by Tim Bradford (Halcyon Publishing) What are the 10 things I least want to see or hear when I’m refereeing a game of soccer? 1. The shout for “Offside!” almost every single time […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Heat and humidity can be lethal for your players — here's what to know
(We’re republishing this article to help coaches guide their teams safely through hot summer soccer.) It can be OK to practice in 100-degree weather, or it could be dangerous. It depends on the humidity factor. So impactful is humidity that, for example, 86-degree weather can be lethal if humidity is extremely high. “Humidity is probably the key factor that […]