Anson Dorrance, gave me an invaluable piece of advice when I first started coaching. He advised me to give the girls on the team the first 10 minutes of practice.

Whatever the level of the athlete, team and coach, learning and enjoyment should always be crucial considerations of the training and game environment.

For a book that's chock-full of insight into playing successful soccer, "Masters of Modern Soccer: How the World's Best Play the Twenty-First-Century Game" stands out.

For many athletes, whether an elite professional or a recreational athlete, dealing with the possibility of missing a really important event can create significant psychological challenges.