Play Together, Stay Together, Win Together

Trip to get ice-cream after a team run

Team chemistry is crucial to any soccer team, starting with little teams of 6 year-olds. At that age any kid will just pass to their friends (if they are not just running straight for the goal), rather than looking for the kid that's open. It is not necessarily like that once you get older, but having a connected team does wonders. When things go wrong during a game it is important that teammates care about one another and refrain from blaming or negativity. In addition, when teammates are close it creates this mutual fight. Players will put out their best effort for each other, and will fight for one another on the field. Trust is also key; players who do not trust their teammates may not pass to each other as often or provide support to their teammates. With trust and care for the other members, communication will flourish on the field and there will be an extra sense of determination and fight. Not to mention players will enjoy the game more if they are playing alongside their friends. The bond with a teammate is a special friendship that can last forever.

Team lunch after a soccer practice

So what are some team bonding ideas? Well there are certainly simple things, such as going out to lunch or dinner. Our team in the past has gone out to lunch after a morning practice, which is fun and easy. Other simple ideas are team dinners. Having a team dinner the night before a game gets everyone motivated for the game ahead, as well as being another opportunity for bonding. And if we are going to do lunches and dinners, why not breakfasts? Going on a morning hike or run followed by breakfasts combines fitness and friendship developing. Some final, more simple ideas are getting ice cream, hikes, pool party, campfire, movie night, gift-exchange (during the holidays), barbeque, or a potluck after a game. 

Trip as a team to the coast

Then there are some other activities that certainly require more planning, but are an excellent chance for team bonding. My high school team went camping for two days which was an awesome experience. We were all together for an extended period of time and could focus on nothing but being together. Team sleepovers are the more simplified version of this, that serves the same purpose. My team has also gone to the beach, where beach-soccer is a popular activity. Other fun ideas include an out-of-town trip, boating, amusement parks, concerts, etc.. Basically anything fun in your area is an opportunity for bonding. I hope that some of these ideas inspire you to focus a little bit more on team bonding with your own team, whether or not it is a soccer team. It makes the community closer and the sport a little bit more fun, while at the same time working to improve your team's performance.

The Fate of the Match

We all love watching them, but when it's your turn the stress nearly paralyzes. Everyone watching as you walk across the field. Everyone listening as the referee blows the whistle. Everyone cheering or everyone sighing when the shot is performed. Without a doubt pks (penalty kicks) can be a crazy, horrifying, exciting experience. You can never be certain when they will come about, so it is best to be prepared.


Tip #1:
Relax. Your shot alone is not actually the complete reason for a win or loss. The teams have already had over 90 minutes worth of opportunities, and this is just one more. Tune out anyone who might be blocking your focus and just concentrate. Pretend you are at practice...just do not give in to panic.

Tip #2:
Remember to always situate the ball before you shoot it. The referee may have unintentionally placed it in a small hole, which can completely mess up your shot. Place the ball, with your hands, on a raised portion of the group before you take your shot.

Tip #3: After placing the ball down, back up and get ready to shoot, but DO NOT LOOK AT THE KEEPER!! Without a doubt the keeper will be starring you down, trying to see in your eyes which way you are going to shoot. It makes it SO much more hard for the keeper to save the shot if they do not know which direction you are going, and not looking at them will cause that. This idea of not looking might worry you, but try it out for practice and you'll see it's not too bad. You will be able to see the goal frame out of the corner of your eyes, and if needed you can raise your head right as you shoot. That way you can see properly when the time is right and not give the keeper time to analyze your eyes.


Tip #4: Aim simply. Do not try to shoot a rocket of a shot, or anything crazy. Just pick a corner and go with enough power, but nothing too intense. Focus on getting on frame first and foremost, but particularly in your chosen corner. Aiming for the back pole on the side of the goal frame is always a good idea. Sometimes you will get lucky and shoot it right down the middle and have it go in, but this is not something you should count on. The best thing to do is to pick a side and shoot without letting the goalie know which side you are going towards.

Tip #5: Do what you know you can do. Have some confidence! If you were chosen to take a pk there must be a reason, and you must be a pretty good shooter. This is your moment!

Condition Like a Pro and Your Opponents Will Know

Pretty much anyone can guess that soccer players need to have good endurance, but what else do they need? Athletes tend to neglect the necessary conditioning that goes into the intense sport of soccer. In this post I will brief you on some basic training areas to focus on in order to improve your performance and overall physical condition in playing this sport.

Endurance:

Without a doubt, running is a key factor in soccer. However, there are several subgroups to the umbrella that is running.

• Jogging
• Sprinting
• Change of Direction
• Acceleration

Soccer teams often focus on just jogging, or running at a consistent speed for a long period of time. This can work well to build up one's endurance, but how often are you just running at a constant pace throughout the game? Most of the time soccer involves quick sprints, runs. Therefore, interval training, hill running, and speed training, are all pivotal exercise routines. Weaving quickly through cones can help improve your quickness, and interval training and running in hills will improve your speed in terms of sprints and endurance. 

Strength:

This type of fùtbol does not require straight-on tackling like in American football, yet developing your strength can have many positive effects such as:

• Increased energy levels
• Injury resistance
• Faster recoveries
• Improved agility and balance
• Greater explosiveness

Lower body and core workouts should be emphasized in workouts, but cross-training with other muscles is recommended. Quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and your abdominal muscles are good focus areas. Body-weight exercises including push-ups, squats, lunges, etc. are all strong choices. 

Power:

A powerful player has both speed and strength. To become a more powerful athlete, high-intensity workouts and circuits should be performed. This includes jump-squats, plyometric drills, and interval training. Doing circuits with exercises like mountain climbers, sprints, and things that get your heart rate going, will get you in ideal condition in no time.

Flexibility:

Flexibility is another disregarded necessity for soccer, but it is very important considering the amount of injuries that take place in the game. Many soccer players do some static stretching right before a game, but this can actually be harmful. Dynamic stretching done routinely, followed by static stretching, will reduce chances of injury. 

Nutrition:

This last section is crucial, but has lots to it. Having a healthy diet is a key contributing factor to being physically fit. I won't go too in depth here, but will just highlight a few things you can be conscientious about in terms of your diet.

• Drink LOTS of water!
• No alcohol or smoking
• Avoid sugary foods
• Consume starchy carbs after exercising or the night before a big game, but reduced otherwise
• Load up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein

Hopefully this gave you a strong outline of what you should do to get in your ideal condition for soccer. It can be quite the commitment, but if you ease into it, your body will thank you, and your opponents will not!

Clothing Must-Haves for Stormy Games

Recently it has been raining a TON where I live, and that means two things - first of all, everyone get's super hopeful that school will be cancelled, and second, it means CRAZY soccer practices/games. Without the right gear, these times on the pitch can be pretty painful. However, over the years I have learned the correct things to bring for both rainy and freezing games, so here are a few tips to get you through these games enjoying yourself.

Probably the most basic thing to wear to in one of these situations is Under Armour. This is basically a tight-fitting shirt that goes under one's jersey. The most common colors are white and black, and they are really a soccer players go-to for cold and wet games. Don't think that you can get off with a normal, cotton long-sleeved shirt, because those will soak up rain/sweat and weigh you down. Unfortunately Under Armour does not totally repel the water, and it can weigh you down, but definitely not as much as cotton. I have yet to find a completely repellent undershirt, but for now Under Armour works well.

My second go-to, for games that require more warmth than just Under Armour, I use a thick, ear-covering headband. This is worn along the hairline, not touching the ponytail. I prefer this to a normal beanie, as beanies tend to fall off in games or can be difficult to wear with a ponytail. I find that it provides the same amount of warmth, and fits very nicely. The headband I use is from Nike, but they can be found at stores such as Walmart too.

A very helpful article of clothing that I do not take advantage of enough, is gloves. The hands tend to get very cold during games, and having gloves can be very comfortable. In addition, I recommend putting hand warmers inside the gloves to create more warmth.



Under Armour leggings are for VERY extreme conditions, and I rarely have the need for them. But for those playing in the snow or in freezing temperatures, these are great. Players are not allowed to wear sweats during a game, so these can be worn under the shorts and socks for the same effect.

While sweats and jackets cannot actually be worn during a game, I strongly recommend wearing them during warm-up and whenever on the bench.

Those are my must-haves for all rainy and freezing games, and hopeful they help you out with your next game! If you have your own ideas, feel free to comment them below!

The Sport of Patience and Perseverance

          Everyone has heard the saying from Malcolm Gladwell about becoming a phenom in any subject requires 10,000 hours of practice. However, truly mastering soccer probably takes about twice that, considering there are so many different aspects involved. Think about all the different things you would have to master - fitness, speed, strength, mental strength, dribbling, passing, shooting, curving the ball, moves, footwork, etc. Basically if you want to master the game of soccer you have to be super motivated for a very long stretch of time.
          Needless to say, soccer requires tons of practice an effort. Players gain an enormous advantage if they can start young. The adolescent brain is very shapeable at a young age, and teaching a player young can allow it to stick in the brain as they grow up. A coach of mine always said that teaching a child is way easier than teaching an adult, because kids are simply ready to learn.


          Throughout one's soccer career there will generally be many bumps in the road, with poor coaches, off games, injuries, etc. That is why soccer is a game demonstrating immense perseverance. If you can suffer through an injury, or sit on the bench for a season, and come back stronger than ever, then you are what the game is all about. You might have to put in extra time, grit your teeth, and shed a few tears, but that motivation is what creates a master of soccer. No one has 10,000 hours to spend on every part of the game, but there are those who have that determination to fight for the game they love and work harder than the rest. This is what creates extraordinary soccer players.
          Sure you might hate that some unskilled player is getting more playing time than you, or that your coach does not respect your way of play, or you cannot seem to win a game - but the reality is, these things happen, and these things will pass. There are good points and bad, and you have to embrace both. These bumps in the road should encourage you to fight harder and dig a little deeper.
          Today my message to all the struggling soccer players, or to those who want to take it to the next level - remember that it will not always be perfect. Be patient and push as hard as you can, and I promise you will reach your goals.

"Soccer Quotes for Motivation." Great Minds Think Fit. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.

The Best of the Best in Fùtbol

          Once again the Barclays Premier League stats this season has thrown the world for a curve. One of the fascinating parts of soccer is how quickly teams and players can raise to the top or fall. Rookies are constantly gaining fame, and the favorites fall into ditches. As mentioned in a previous blog, Chelsea had a very difficult past season as Leicester rose to the top. However, this season shows the reverse once again, for the stats show Chelsea returning to their former glory. In this blog we will just go over some of the dangerous players paving the way to success in the league so far.

          The number one goal scorer in the league shows a great representation of how league has been playing out so far. Diego Costa is from Chelsea and has experienced the same road in the past few years as the club. Just two years ago Costa came out of the season with 24 goals, a high amount for the premier league. Last year he fell down to 12 goals. Now he seems to be returning to his old self with 11 goals only half way into the season. With 15 weeks left of play we can assume his count will rise much further.
          Kevin de Bruyne is another interesting story, as he transferred two years ago from Chelsea. Evidently this was a strong move for him given that his goals scored increased from 0 to 7 after the transferring year. In terms of teams, de Bruyne represents a solid team whom have generally found themselves in the top of the league.

         
          The next player acknowledged for his major contributions is Jordan Henderson, who could be overlooked since the most passes is not as exciting as the most goals or assists. However, any true soccer player knows how important it is to have a strong distributor. Again it is not surprising that he comes from Manchester United, a very solid team that tends to knock the ball around a lot.
           The final player that needs to be watched out for is Tom Heaton, from Burnley, who has been the keeper to beat this year. You will notice lower down the line we see some of our usuals such as Petr Cech, but a major absence is David de Gea. He has been often hailed as one of the best keepers in the world, but evidently he is in a slump this year not making the top ten. Whether he makes the leaderboard by the end of the season will be another story.
          To learn more about stats in the Barclays Premier League, check out their website here.

 "Premier League Club Statistics, Team & Player Stats." Barclays Premier League. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2016.

Pre-Game Warm-ups: Are Your Players Exhausting Early?

Hi everyone! Sorry for the long break but now blogging season has begun!

If you have ever played soccer at above recreational level, you know a pre-game warm-up is crucial to play at your best. However, this aspect can be overlooked and might just be the reason many teams lose early on.

Everyone who has played soccer before knows what it is like to be scored on within the first few minutes. The players all sigh, thinking it's going to be that type of game. Usually one or two players say something like "We can get it back", or "Don't worry about it, there wasn't anything we could do about that one."
The reality is, an early goal tends to get the general mentality down which can turn into a downward spiral if a few more unfortunate incidents occur. It all stems from the beginning...how the course of the game will go. And there is something even before that...what happens before the game determines what will occur in those 90 minutes. It's all in the pre-game warm-up. So I suppose there often is something we can do about stopping those early goals.

Generally before game warm-ups are an hour long, and it starts with the coach's message. This is extremely important, as strategies are discussed and the goals for the game begin to set in. For youth particularly, the coach must be very particular about what they say in order to reach out to each player as an individual. A negative tone will stick with the players, and with the team as a whole, for the entire game. Do not sugar-coat the situation if a brutal or competitive game is in store; let the players know that they are up for a challenge. However, ensure that you show belief in the team's capabilities and give them tips for how they can be successful. It helps if you give the lineup at this time so no surprises happen minutes before the game, and players can begin picturing themselves on the pitch.

Next comes the dynamic warm-up/stretching, which is where mistakes tend to be made. Personally I had a few coaches who would make all of us run a ton at this part, and we were all left exhausted for the game. Let the players dictate what they need in order to feel loose. Younger players tend to need less time for this portion because they do not need to stretch as much. Older players value this time a lot because they need to loosen up and stretch sore muscles. Particularly in times when several games are being played consecutively or within a few days, this part is important. Just remember that it is more about stretching than running.

Following the dynamic stretching is the static stretching, where again younger players should not be given too much time. In reality, younger players (under age 10) should only have 45 minute warm-ups to avoid wearing them out. Sometimes teams (youth teams mostly) can get off track here and stray from thinking about the game. A rectifying strategy is to have the team circle up whiles stretching and go around giving tips and reminders for the game.

The first actual drill typically is a basic passing drill. Nothing too complicated, and nothing new for the players. Just do a simple, familiar drill to get players into their groove and used to the field. On example is groups of passing lines, where players start out with two-touch passes, move into combination passes (give-and-gos), and finish with straight one touch passes. Other examples include "the wine glass" which is a drill set-up in the shape of a wine glass with a triangle set of cone with one more about 15 yards away. The player in the faraway cone passes to the nearest point of the triangle who turns and plays to a side, with the sides rotating each time. 

After the passing players should have gotten their touch, and can now move into possession. This is the most game realistic part of the warm-up, so how the team performs here is a good indicator of what is to come. As the coach, keep up the energy with encouragements. Any criticism should be avoided, unless it is something players can fix before game time. Instruct the captains beforehand to be ramping up the energy throughout the warm-up. During the game of possession constantly remind players to communicate, as it is essential that it occurs in the game. Getting players talking beforehand will ensure it happens on the field. Play possession generally until the team starts knocking the ball around swiftly and to the team's ability. If this is not happening, move-on, since playing too long will drain them.

Next comes shooting, where players can perfect their touch and get start getting their shots on goal. Also, it allows the goalie to have actual shots taken against them. Again, simple is good here so you might just have players by the goal posts passing out balls to shooters. Or, you can put together a crossing - finishing drill. Whichever way you decide to go about this, make sure players are getting their shots in without exhausting themselves.

And just like that it is gametime. Make a few last encouraging remarks and the players will start their cheer. Beforehand, encourage them to create an actual cheer that will unify them as a team before the game. Or, have everyone gather and say something inspirational or of meaning to the team before they go out and play. This last moment of being all together is important to keep the chemistry up during the game. After that everything is just in the moment. You have done everything you could to help the outcome; the are energized, unified and driven. And now it is time for the team to shine.