Reporter Richard Farley: That Denver is experiencing a boom of girls soccer talent has become undisputed. What’s disputed is why. Why has a medium-sized city far from thetalent bases that seed other sports become, per capita, some of the most fertile ground in U.S. women’s soccer?
youth girls
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The most difficult role in officiating: assisting a poor referee
So I’ve officiated lots of games and realize what is my most difficult job as an official. And it’s not what you might think: A ref with two teams that do not like one anotherneeds to control the game, which can be challenging, but very doable as long as the ref uses the letter of […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Youth: 24 players in final U.S. U-18 women's camp of 2017
The U.S. U-18 women’s national team is completing its cycle with a 24-player camp in San Diego. Coach Jaime Frias called in 20 players born in 2000, three ’99s and one ’98. All but two of the players — Texas A&M midfielder Addison McCain and Cal defender Emily Smith — are still youth club players. […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
A simple training technique with many benefits: running backwards
There’s a little bit of science supporting the benefits of backwards running, also known as retro running or reverse running. Not a ton of science but just enough for me to recommend that yougive this some consideration in your training, regardless of sport. You’d use backwards running occasionally to change up your typical training routine. […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Well-planned campus visits are key to making the right college connection
We’re starting to plan college visits for our high school children. They’d like to play soccer. What advance work should they be doing ahead of arriving on a campus? For many highschoolers, campus visits are essential to making the right college connection. Some student-athletes receive letters of interest from college coaches or invitations to make […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Dear Coach: Throw away your 1,000 Drills
Did you just purchase 1,000 drills for five dollars online? Get a refund, now. We seem to have embraced a circus approach to training or what I like to call “short attention span theater.”Coaches feel that we need to change a drill every six minutes and then make up sensationally complex exercises to keep the […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Tom Byer: Look to parents, not coaches, to create skillful players
When New Yorker Tom Byer, who has spent more than 20 years of running youth soccer programs in Japan, was appointed the Head Technical Advisor by the Chinese Football Association in2012, The South China Morning Post announced that the man who is regarded as a “superhero” in Japan is leading the “Chinese soccer revolution.” SOCCER […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Roster: U.S. U-20 women train in Florida
A 26-player U.S. U-20 women’s national team squad, preparing for January’s U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament, is training under Coach JitkaKlimkova in Sunrise, Florida, Nov. 16-23. With several players still competing in college ball, nearly half the players on roster named are making their first appearance at a U-20camp with Klimkova. Fifteen of the players […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Why we over-coach, why we shouldn't, and how not to
While returning the player cards to a coach of the 9-year-olds I’d been reffing, I told him I noticed he had coached throughout the entire game, that he had not gone one minute without yellingsomething from the sidelines. This was a friendly guy who didn’t get defensive about what he could have taken as criticism. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Nike Friendlies and Winter Showcase expanded to include women's components
The 15th edition of the Nike International Friendlies and U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase have been expanded to include the first Women’s Nike International Friendlies and a WinterShowcase for teams in the new Development Academy for girls. The USA will take on U-17 men’s counterparts from Brazil, England and Netherlands. The tournament will feature […]