We previously wrote about the Female Athlete Triad, andprovide below an update. While most commonly found in female athletes, it’s been discovered that male athletes can also have a form of this problem. So a broader term has been in use recently,Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). RED-S is a serious health condition typically affecting […]
Youth Soccer Insider
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Post-Workout Protein: What Your Muscles Need
Continuing our theme of return to sports and fitness from the coronavirus layoff, we’d like to briefly touch on the usefulness of dietary protein after your workout as a key factor in assistingyour strength gains. There’s some difference of opinion on this point, but we believe that taking in about 20gm of protein within the […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
U.S. Soccer releases Phase 2 practice guide for return to play
U.S. Soccer has added the Phase 2 guide, which reintroduces full-team training, to its Grassroots Soccer Recommendations Guide * * * * * * * * * * In this 5-minute video, U.S. Soccer Chief MedicalOfficer Dr. George Chiampas details the five phases of return to play of the U.S. Soccer PLAY ON initiative. (For […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Active Recovery: The next piece in getting back to sports
I wrote last week about somesimple strategies to ramp back up to fitness and sports activity after a COVID-19 layoff. This week I’ll briefly discuss another important concept in your road back: activerecovery. Active recovery is a process through which you use light exercise, tissue mobilization techniques, and even sleep to improve your recovery from […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
U.S. Soccer provides precise Phase 1 practice plans — for when and if it's safe
“These guidelines and best practices are intended for use WHEN AND IF your local authorities have deemed it safe to return to the practice field. U.S. Soccer is in noway endorsing holding practices or games in violation of any federal, state or local mandates.” — Dr. George Chiampas, U.S. Soccer Chief Medical Officer. * * […]
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Why 'load management' matters. Ramping back to sports after COVID-19 layoff
I’ve been writing about trying to keep up with some amount of exercise during our stay-at-home limitations. While many of you have found ways to maintain — and even improve — your fitness levels, the reality for many folks is that there was simplyno way to keep up with fitness levels during our recent restrictions. […]
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Ref's View: Preparing for a Return
I last refereed a game on Sunday night, March 8. It was a Boys High School Division futsal match at St. Mark’s Coptic Church in Woodbury, Long Island. After the players shook hands with oneanother, my ref partner Bob Koch and I fist-bumped them, then we did not shake the hands of the coaches who […]
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The vital street soccer ingredient — that early freedom to mess about
How the new era of American youth soccer will or should unfold after the coronavirus interruption has reignited discussions covering all facets of children’s experiences on the soccer field. Thisarticle by Paul Gardner ran in an April 1991 issue of Soccer America. * * * * * * * * * * There is nothing […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Returning to play and exercise: Safety tips without the perfect playbook
Several states announced that they will gradually start reducing the physical and social distancing measures currently in place. That means that there’s the possibility of return to fitness andsport activities. No one has a playbook on exactly how to do this, so you’ll likely find many different state and local regulations on how this will […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
San Jose's Tommy Thompson provides 100-plus ways to train at home and connects with the community
The San Jose Earthquakes’ Tommy Thompson has posted more than 100 practice-at-home videos — his rhythm, precision and quickness make these fun to watch even if you’re not the intended audience — since the coronavirus interrupted team play.A difficult project one would think. Not that hard, though, because the 24-year-old has been playing with the […]