(My recent outings to training sessions with 6-, 7- and 8-year-olds reminded me how difficult it can be to corral a group of wonderfully rambunctious children -- and prompted me to remind myself of the advice we got in this article that first appeared in March of 2013.)

People ask me how I can referee just about every weekend of the year.

The latest edition of our "When They Were Children" series looks at Landon Donovan's childhood soccer experience.

After a few of the games I have refereed, a spectator approached me and said, "You must have done a good job as I did not notice you."

Coach Jill Ellis, currently leading the USA in qualifying play for the 2015 World Cup, has coached at every level of the youth game. She served as U.S. Soccer Women's Development Director, overseeing U-14, U-15 and U-17 girls national teams, from January 2011 until taking the full national team's helm in May. The former UCLA head coach's youth national team coaching experience hails back to 1999.

Coach Jill Ellis, currently leading the USA in qualifying play for the 2015 Women's World Cup, has coached at every level of the youth game. She served as U.S. Soccer Women's Development Director, overseeing U-14, U-15 and U-17 girls national teams, from January 2011 until taking the full national team's helm in May. The former UCLA head coach's youth national team coaching experience hails back to 1999.

There is not only a place for small soccer clubs in this country but small youth soccer clubs are essential to the continued development of the sport. However, these smaller clubs must be quality clubs.

Sport psychologist Joan Steidinger's female clients often reported that their coaches told them they need to be more like men -- that they needed to get rid of their emotions. Inspired by studies that the female brain and hormones operate differently than those of men, Steidinger has written the book, "Sisterhood in Sports: How Female Athletes Collaborate and Compete."

The article A Great Start to Practice: Free play!, which questions the traditional training formula of saving scrimmage for the end, received some feedback worth sharing.