Interview by Olivia Ruiz Colorado-raised Chris Martinez, who starred for the A-League’s Colorado Foxes and MLS’s Colorado Rapids, now serves a Real Coloradodirector and was named U.S. Development Academy U-15/16 Central Conference Coach of the Year 2015. SOCCER AMERICA: What propelled your transition into coaching? CHRIS MARTINEZ: When I played with the Colorado Rapids, Lorne […]
youth
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The Trophy Debate — Give kids some credit
By Mike Woitalla I’m not a big fan of trophies. They tend to be gaudy and overpriced. At the same time, I find it amusing when people get all riled up about kids nowadays gettingtrophies they don’t deserve. As if that’s really a major problem. Many times I’ve heard the diatribes about how when we […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Video Pick: Spectacular goal by Turkish boy
One of our favorite goals of the week comes from Emirhan Delibas, a 12-year-old who plays for Besiktas’ youth team. He finishes from long distance after some smooth maneuvers leavethree defenders in the dust.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-17 boys fall to Russia and Slovenia
The U.S. U-17 boys national team opened the Vaclav Jezek Tournament in the Czech Republic with a 4-2 loss to fellow 2015 U-17 World Cup qualifier Russia and a penalty-kick shootout loss to Sloveniaafter a 1-1 tie. Alexandr Lomovitskiy scored a hat trick for the Russians against the USA, which got its goals from Joshua […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
'Coaches cannot be set in their ways' (Luchi Gonzalez Q&A)
Interview by Mike Woitalla After a seven-year professional playing career, Luchi Gonzalez launched a career in education — he served as Dean of Students andalgebra teacher at Miami’s Gulliver Academy — and youth coaching. A full-time coach at FC Dallas’ academy since 2012, the 2001 Hermann Trophy winner at SMU guided FC Dallas to the […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
World Cup-bound U.S. U-17s prep with Czech Republic tourney
By Mike Woitalla For its first gathering since the draw for the 2015 U-17 World Cup, Coach Richie Williams has named a 20-player squad for the U-17 Vaclav JezekYouth Tournament in the Czech Republic, where the USA faces Russia (Aug. 18), Slovenia (Aug. 19) and Slovakia (Aug. 21) in group play. A final placement game […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-18 women tie and lose to Mexico's U-20s
The U.S. U-18 women’s national team finished its nine-day training camp in Mexico City with two games against Mexico’s U-20 national team. It tied the first game, 1-1, and fell, 2-1, inthe second friendly. FC Virginia’s Emily Fox, who has committed to the University of North Carolina, scored both U.S. goals. The squad, coached by […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Consider the individual when planning practice
By John Cone It’s that time of year in soccer when youth teams are kicking into a new season. The “preseason” phase of training is one of excitement and anticipation, and wellestablished in sports science as a time of increased risk of injury. The result being that a player’s excitement for a new season can […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Why should you care about sports science?
By John Cone For most, it is accepted that injury in sport is a part of the game; a result of bad luck and a risk an athlete knowingly takes on by playing. In youthathletes, it is further accepted that growth-related pain is a natural part of the transition from youth to adolescence and on […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Another U.S. U-17 goes pro as Velela joins Cosmos
By Mike Woitalla Alexis Velela, who signed this week with the NASL’s New York Cosmos, is the latest member to go pro from the 20-player U.S. U-17 national teamsquad that qualified last March for the 2015 U-17 World Cup. The 17-year-old Southern California product, who played for the San Diego Surf and Nomads, started all […]