How to Kick a Soccer Ball - A Youth Coach's Nightmare

How many times have you heard it shouted from the soccer coach's and soccer parents? "Don't kick with your toe, use your laces." Sounds like a simple request, but most people working with youth soccer players find this to be a major stumbling point.

Don't feel bad if you have a soccer player or soccer team that is struggling with the basics of kicking a soccer ball or passing. I have had the pleasure of working with some of the greatest youth coaches that hold a C - A certification and they struggle with the same issue. One of the biggest problems with teaching the correct soccer kick form is that people see this as one simple issue. In our research we found that there are several issues that need to be dealt with.

If you start as we did on the Blast The Ball video, you start with the "evolution of the soccer kick". You MUST learn WHY youth soccer players kick with their toe before you can correct it. Simply telling them to switch to a "lace kick" will not only confuse them and frustrate them, but may also cause serious physical injury.

Pointing the toe DOWN will cause the toe to impact the ground and cause a horrible strain to the top of the foot. This injury will last for several days, but more importantly the psychological impact will last for months. They will fear performing this kick because they know, "it hurts".

Learning how to "shorten the leg" through a V swing and starting with an angle kick is the first step. This allows the soccer player to freely move their foot through the ball without fear of "hitting the ground". Yes this takes time and must be done at a slow pace, but after they learn this method it will be automatic and become a muscle memory.

The next step is to make sure that players get the feeling of LOADING their leg prior to starting the kick. One of the simplest movements yet least understood movements in soccer today is the Soccer Hop. When we show it to professional soccer players, they are simply amazed. They find themselves "soccer hopping" around their living room.

Sadly we often hear many in the youth soccer community say, "kids learn soccer by playing the game". I think this is one of the most detrimental phrases in youth soccer today. How many golfers (hackers) are 60+ years old and still hitting a bad slice? They have over 8000 hours of "playing time" yet haven't learned a thing. On the reverse side, why is it that the top golfers in the world spend hours upon hours at the driving range refining their skills when they are already at the top of their sport?

They understand like we in youth soccer need to understand this important point. You learn the GAME of soccer by playing the game. It creates overall awareness, creativity and teamwork. You learn the needed SKILLS to play the game by programming muscle memory and correct swing (kicking) thoughts until they become instinctive.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in youth soccer coaching today is the lack of a "step-by-step system" or understanding to teach players basic kicking skills. When we created www.BlastTheBall.com we were dedicated to making it as thorough as possible. We wanted every soccer player, soccer coach and soccer parent to understand every part of kicking form and ball flight.

Remember that all great athletes work on refining individual movements. They then take those movements to their sport so they can be at the top of their game.

More info on Coach V and Blast The Ball

Soccer Training - For Improved Fitness and Better Skills

"Better Skills and Improved Fitness"

Complete soccer training covers both of the most important areas to develop a strong soccer player.

If you have great fitness levels, but are poor at controlling the ball, you will not be as successful a soccer player as you could be.

Also, being able to control a ball with ease, and not being able to make it up and down the field, will really prevent you from enjoying this beautiful game.

So there are 2 areas to work on with your soccer training drills:

1. Ball Control Skills (technique)
2. Soccer Fitness

#1. Ball Control Skills!

Also called technique. Slick moves and precision ball exchange is the mark of an experienced and skilled player. To reach that level there a number of skills that you need to work on to improve your soccer game.

Ball Control - giving and receiving the ball.

Kicking the ball.

Passing the ball.

Dribbling - handling the ball while moving.

Heading the ball.

Throwing the ball.

Tackling your opponent (No, not like American football).

There are a many ways to improve the skills portion of your game. Each strategy has its own benefits:

Repetition

Practice a move repeatedly until you can do it without thinking.

It will soon become automatic.

Watch and Learn

Observing other more accomplished players on a regular basis will let you see what other can do. Then decide what you want to learn, and do it.

Watch Soccer DVD's or Soccer Videos

Watching soccer dvd's or videos will allow you to visualize what others do. Not only will you be able to learn how to do it. But also how to defend against it. Plus you can replay it as much as you want to!

Visualization

Close your eyes and see yourself making a certain move or making a certain play. Really focus on it. I have used this tactic more then once. It works.

One day I was preparing for a championship game in a tournament. I was in the basement at home focusing on 2 goals that I wanted to score in the game. All I could see was me scoring those 2 goals. When I arrived at the field that day a friend of mine approached me. We talked a little and when he was about to leave he looked at me and said, very matter of factly, "you look like you have a couple in you today." We won the game 5-2 and I had 2 goals. One with each foot! Just like I had visualized.

#2. Soccer Fitness!

Physical fitness is the other extremely important part of soccer training. No matter what position you play, you will be doing a lot of running. Except the goalkeeper. But the soccer goalie has to be fit as well.

Strikers, midfielders, and defenders all are required to run the length of the field many times during a soccer match. Most professional soccer players will run between 4 to 8 miles (6 to 12 kilometers) during a match.

Here are the main areas that you should cover in your soccer fitness training:

Speed & Agility

Continually improve these areas to out-maneuver your opponents.

Flexibility and Warming up

You can have all the speed and moves in the world. If your muscles are not ready and warmed up for the torture that you will put them through, you may injure yourself.

Strength & Muscles

Building your lungs is good. Combine that with weight training for soccer and you will create a winning combination.

Combine these 2 areas of soccer training and you will defeat your opponents any time that you want to.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan. Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes to help those involved in soccer. Check out my Soccer Training page.

Soccer Training Drills - Improve Every Part Of Your Game

What are soccer training drills to you?

A lot of soccer players think that they will be constantly running, running, running. But there is much more to it than that. Combining the soccer fitness part of the game, with ball control skills drills, will put your team on top.

Remember that not all players will learn at the same pace. You should assess the skill level of all of your players for each skill area, and provide them with the appropriate improvement drills.

Be Prepared

A soccer practice that is well-planned is created with a flow. A practice must have targeted goals, not just a random mixing of drills. So start with the basics, and work up to group tactics. The group portion will be much closer to a real game. This will help your players bridge the gap between the practice and game situation.

Areas to Cover

If you cannot perform the basics, you just cannot perform. There are a number of important areas to cover when drilling your soccer team. But it is always best to start with the basics.

• Passing and receiving rolling balls.
• Passing and receiving balls in the air.
• Dribbling the ball.
• Shielding the ball.
• Tackling your opponents and recovering the ball.
• Heading the ball.
• Shooting the ball.

Don’t ever forget goalkeeper training drills. If your team is solid with all the above skills, but have a poor goalkeeper, it will be a long season!

The Next Level

Once your players have conquered the basics you can move on to more advanced ball control techniques. These techniques include:

• Push passes and shots.
• Swerve passes, and shots with the inside or outside of the foot.
• Instep drive passes and shots.
• Lofted passes.
• Chipping the ball.
• Volleying the ball.
• Attacking as a group.
• Defending as a group.
• Attacking as a team.
• Defending as a team.
• Corner kicks.
• Free kicks.

Further Development

As you assess the improvement in the skills of individual players you will see joy on their faces as well as on yours. But soccer is a team game. That means that there are other things to think about. Like....

• What players skills will work best at which position?
• Who has the fitness level required?
• Are they really team players?
• What formation should we play?
• Who is the leader of this team?

The answers to these questions will have you well on your way to creating a successful soccer team.

There are soccer training drills available to cover every aspect of the soccer game and help any soccer player improve their skills.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan. Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes to help those involved in soccer. Check out my Soccer Training Drills page

The Future Of Football (Soccer)

It has grown to be one of, if not the biggest sport in the world. But what is the future of the ‘beautiful’ game. Read on to learn more.

In recent decades football has gained popularity around the globe and is now enjoyed by millions of people both at the stadiums and in the grounds. Although the sport has a global following, all the main club teams are based in Europe, and this is where they can contest the greatest club competitions. Players from Russia, Africa, USA, South America and as far a field as Australia all cite their ambitions as to play in Europe where they can contest the greatest competitions as well as earn the most money. Traditionally South American players migrate to the Spanish League where there are cultural ties and within Europe as well you can see Scandinavian players often moving to the Premiership where the weather is similar. Obviously the time is always ticking on the time players can compete at the top level and you will often see players moving back to their own countries towards the tail end of their careers or in some cases moving to the ‘Major Soccer League’ in the US or to Japan where the teams are always for stars to promote the game on home soil.

So what of the future of the game. As globalization takes hold I think we will see successful national teams from countries across the globe. Where previously only teams from Europe and South America could seriously contest trophies I can see a time where any from a number of teams have a chance. There has been a rising of standards already in places such as the Far East and Australia and I can see now reason why the trend won’t continue. Less glamorous nations are taking much more professional outlooks on the game, often attracting the likes of experienced coaches which can only improve them further. The money there is in the game these days too can only act as a motivating factor as well for people, possibly from poorer nations to make it a career goal.

Although for many years the USA has dominated in the world of track and field athletics as well as obviously in sports such as baseball and basketball they have never competed on the same level in football. I have it on authority though that the game is gaining popularity in the states producing in recent times some exciting talents. And on the back of a relatively successful World Cup campaign last time round we may well see growing standards from what is, after all, the richest country on earth.

With globalization and increased industrialization around the planet one country in particular is seeing massive monetary growth. China has in recent times used this growth and it’s massive population to push for greater sporting excellence. The last Olympics proved this and I can see them dominating to an even greater degree when they play host to the next Olympics. Their club football teams have of late also attracted some international talents in terms of both players and coaches, albeit possibly ones at the wrong end of their careers but it is an obvious sign of the ambitions of the nation. Riding this upward trend we may well see China too competing in international football tournaments in the future.

Jack Summers is currently the proprietor of http://www.footytalk.net where you can read about and exchange your views and experiences of the game with like-minded followers of football from around the globe.

The Soccer Net - The Mesh That Stops The Balls

Without a soccer net, a soccer goal is just a big box. The balls won't stop. They would just make you chase them all over the place. So whether you have a local practice field or a backyard goal, a soccer net is a good investment.

Huh?

Just so you understand, the soccer net attaches to a frame that is the soccer goal. The mesh that you attach to that frame is what prevents having to chase balls all over the place during a practice or game. If the balls are going into the net.

Construction

Most soccer nets are made from polyethylene plastic or nylon cording. The diameter of the separate strands can range from 2mm to 5mm in diameter. This is the cord thickness. The holes, or openings in the mesh can range from 2.5 inches to 5 inches. The standard designs are either a honeycomb, (like the cereal), or square pattern.

Sizing

Because there are different sizes of soccer goals made for practice, pick-up, mini games, or full field games, there are different sizes of soccer nets. To ensure that you get the right size net heed the following guidelines:

• Height - distance between the ground and the crossbar.
• Width - distance between the 2 posts.
• Top Depth - Distance from front crossbar to top corner of the frame.
• Bottom Depth - distance from goal post to back crossbar on the ground.

Having these measurements accurate will help you get the right net right away. If you are unsure, always buy larger as you can double up the mesh if necessary.

What to Choose

A larger net made with a thicker cord will cost more up-front, but will last longer. If you think that this is not important, you may want to think again. A net will receive a lot of balls during a practice or during games. Each time a ball hits the net it will affect the mesh.

And every game or practice is going to see some bodies getting tangled up in that mesh. It will all have its effect on how long the net will last. You can decide what is important to you. I suggest that if the player age is 12 or older you will need at least a 3mm cord.

Putting up The Net

Attachments

• Most goals come equipped with clips or bars to fasten the net onto the frame.
• For existing goals, clips can be bought separately and you can install them yourself.
• Velcro-type strips are also available to wrap around the poles to fasten the net. But these will probably need to be replaced often.
• You can use twine or rope but it is really a pain to cut and replace on a regular basis.
• Some people suggest using bungee cords. I say NO! The hooks can be very dangerous if someone runs into them. I do not feel that they are safe enough.

Anchors

• Many goals come with anchors or stakes to secure the mesh to the ground.
• You should have an anchor system in place on all soccer goals.

Backup

As time passes and more balls and people go into the net, they get worn and eventually will tear. Therefore, it is a good idea to have an extra set of soccer nets on hand for when this happens. Being prepared is always a good idea.

Caution

You may not think it is dangerous but putting up a net can be just that. Be Careful. Watch your step and do not get your feet tangled in the mesh. One little twist the wrong way can cause a sprain or even a broken bone. I have seen it happen.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan. Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes to help those involved in soccer. Check out my Soccer Net page.

How to Get a College Soccer Scholarship

You have to consider that education is one of the most important investments that you will ever make in your whole life. This is why your parents save money in order for you to get in a good college and finish it. As a parent, you want your child to have the best education money can buy. With a college education, your children will be able to live a good life.

College education is required by many companies today in order to have a spirited workforce that will keep their company competitive in the world of business. Whatever field your child chooses, you have to remember that college education will land them that job they want and also secure their future.

You also have to consider that the high paying jobs today requires a college degree. If your child doesn't have a college degree, then the chances for them to find the job they want with good compensation will be very hard.

However, what if you can't afford to pay for college? With the decline in today's economy, just making ends meet is a challenge. So, you may now ask, what about your child? What happens to your plans in saving money for them in order to get in a good college?

One good way to get your child to a good college is by letting them play soccer. It is a fact that it may seem too good to believe that soccer can take your child to college. However, there are good colleges out there that offer college soccer scholarship. They send out scouts to different schools to evaluate different soccer players and offer the best soccer player a college scholarship. This is one of the best and the most common ways that your child can earn a scholarship.

If your child loves playing soccer, you should consider investing in this sport in order to improve your child's soccer skills. Armed with good soccer skills will prepare them for athletic scholarship grants that many colleges are sponsoring. However, your child should be the best in the sport in order to get noticed.

You have to consider that soccer isn't really a very good career choice for your child. The odds of getting a career out of soccer are very close to nil. You just have to think of soccer as a ticket for your child to attend a good college where they can learn the field they choose and prepare them for the future.

You should advice your child that being soccer pro will be a very hard thing to achieve and they should also study in the field they choose in order to let them have a second option on getting the job they want. You have to advice them that although they should work hard in their soccer skills, they should also work hard in their academics and study hard in order to prepare them in case they don't make it as a professional soccer player.

When applying for a college soccer scholarship, you can get your child to be involved in the Olympic Development Program. This program will increase their chances in getting a college scholarship and will also let your child polish their skills in playing soccer. It is also recommended that you child should play for a good soccer club as well as in their high school.

Always remember that college soccer scholarships are sought by a lot of students. By having the proper skills and the proper discipline, your child will be able to play soccer in college and at the same time, earn their scholarship.

Information on soccer moves can be found at The Soccer Coach.

History Of Football (Soccer)

It has grown to possibly the biggest game on earth but what is football's origins and history. Read on to learn more.

Since time immemorial mankind has played various ball games. Evidence of which can be seen in many ancient societies, ancient Greek society being an example. The beginnings of the modern game however began in Britain in the times leading up to the industrial revolution. Whole villages would band together against other villages in games, which would span several fields. These games were often violent and there wasn’t any particular restrictions on which body parts you could use.

Variances of such games continued for some time until the 19th century. More and more people were leaving their villages for the industry of towns. People were feeling pride and allegiances to their fast growing towns and soon people wanted to represent their own towns in competition with the other new fast growing towns around them. Soon games where-by you could only use your feet were being played in stadiums between the burgeoning settlements. At this stage in history there were no crossbars on the goals, only a piece of flimsy tape adjoining two poles. Other differences included, as you might suspect, no use of goalie gloves but also importantly no offside rule, the absence of such a ruling meaning strong attack bias with games frequently ending 10 a piece or greater.

More and more towns created their own football teams and by the beginning of the 20th century the structure of how football is contested today with leagues and cups were in place. Also around this time the game was beginning to be exported around the globe with teams beginning in countries like Germany and Italy around this time. International bouts were beginning, at this point England remaining supreme defeating the likes of the rest of the world on its own. With this international popularity it wasn’t long before the game was being contested on the world stage in the likes of the World Cup or European Championships.

Tactically the game was changing too, with the advent of the offside rule out went 5 strikers and in came more defensive approaches, teams such as Italy trailblazing such approaches to the game. England was losing its supremacy and by the 50's Spanish and Italian club teams as well as South American international teams in particular had risen to an equal footing.

The game since has steadily grown in popularity around the globe, this popularity attracting wealth making former small town sports clubs into multinational plcs. With this greater professionalism has been introduced into the game with better use of nutrition and exercise as well as strict controls on player’s lifestyles. The use of emerging technologies and assistance from the likes of sports psychologists are all being used taking the game to new highs. The future of the sport definitely looks rosy.

Jack Summers is currently the proprietor of http://www.footytalk.net where you can read about and exchange your views and experiences of the game with like-minded followers of football from around the globe.

The English Premier Soccer League

Regarded as the most popular and richest soccer league in the world, the English Premier League was established in 1992 after breaking away from the traditional Football League. Now in its sixteenth season, the Premier League is capable of attracting the best soccer players from around the world and its top teams compete regularly in the latter stages of Europe's premier soccer tournament, the UEFA Champions League.

Origins of the Premier League: During the 1980s, the reputation of English soccer was at an all time low. Years of misbehavior from fans and a number of related tragedies, had subsequently led to English clubs getting banned from participating in European club competitions.

For this reason the top clubs were unable to sign the best players and they could not complete financially with the major teams in the other European leagues. Consequently, spectator attendances at many of the games began to decline rapidly.

However by 1990, many of these trends began to reverse. The English national team played a great tournament in that year's World Cup, reaching the semi-finals and this encouraged a feeling of renewed interest in the game. UEFA removed its ban on English clubs participating in the Champions League and compulsory seating was introduced in all stadiums to alleviate the problems associated with violence amongst spectators.

In the midst of this renewed optimism, the top soccer clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United decided to break away from the existing league structure to capitalize on the influx of television money that was offered by new satellite broadcasters such as Sky TV.

In 1992 all top division clubs resigned from the football league and formed the Premier League. This was a unique structure that effectively created a limited company that was able to negotiate commercial revenue and share the benefits based upon performance.

Structure of the Premier League: The Premier League consists of twenty soccer clubs from all regions across England. They play a thirty-eight match season that begins in August each year and is concluded the following May. All teams compete home and away against the other teams twice.

At the completion of the season, the bottom three teams are demoted to the football league and replaced by the three best teams in that league the following season. The winners of the Premier League are declared the champions and are eligible to play in following season's UEFA Champions League, along with the next top three teams.

Notable Clubs: The most successful club in the history of the Premier League is Manchester United. In the 2007/08 season they won the competition for a record tenth time. The only other teams to win the league are Arsenal, Chelsea and Blackburn.

The Future of the Premier League: By 2008 the top English clubs, through their ability to negotiate ever increasing commercial revenues have created a global sports brand that allows them to dominate European club soccer. In the last four seasons, an English team has reached the final of the Champions League.

However, the impact of this success at the top of the English soccer league is having a detrimental effect on the teams at the lower scale of the league system. Many teams are struggling to survive financially and there is much criticism and concern that the concentration of wealth and power in a small group of teams may have long term negative consequences for the future of the game.

Livescore and iScores professional sports scores.

Soccer Ornaments

History of Soccer:

The word football is used to mean any game played on foot where you kick the ball, such as rugby, American football and soccer. Most people in the USA do not call football, American Football, so to distinguish it from football as the rest of the world calls it, we call it soccer, as do a few other countries. Both have their origins from ancient games played with a type of ball and using primarily ones feet to move the ball up and down a playing field or court. The earliest known game of football was an ancient Chinese game called cuju that was being played around 476 BC. This game involved kicking a ball through a hole which had been cut in a silk cloth which was hung or tied between two poles. But it seems that many people all over the world have played some type of a football game for centuries. The common theme of all these football type games was two teams moving a ball up and down a field to score without using your hands or not using your hands very much. These games often had their own set of rules which varied from country to country and even from city to city. It was not until fairly modern times that rules began to be more standardized, which eventually led to a full league or association for each of the respective games of football. The Rugby Football Union was first formed in 1871, soccer formed the International Football Association in 1886 and in America the American Professional Football Association was formed in 1920 and then just two years later in 1922 the name was changed to the National Football League or NFL. Every four years there is an International Football or Soccer competition for the World Cup, where millions of fans all over the world tune in to either watch their countries team or another favorite team play and hopefully take the Cup home.

Soccer Ornaments:

With millions of soccer fans around the world there are a variety of gifts and ornaments that can be used around the holidays to decorate your home or tree. As soccer for youth seems more popular in the US than the professional teams there are also youth ornaments and even ornaments for the soccer mom. So be sure to find something for your soccer fan for the holiday season.

Playing the Game:

The field upon which a soccer or football game is played is called a pitch, it is usually about 110 to 120 yards long and about 70 to 80 yards wide. Each team is made up of eleven players with one of them being the goalie or goalkeeper. There are three officials or referees, one head referee and two assistants. A match or game is made up of two 45 minute halves with a 15 minute half time break. In case of a tie at the end of regular play, the game can go into two extra time periods of 15 minutes each. Soccer was first played in the Summer Olympics in 1900 and has been played at each Olympic since with the exception of the 1932 Olympics which were held Los Angeles, California. Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, with thousands of teams across the globe, from youth teams to professional teams, with the World Cup having a larger viewing audience than the Summer Olympics.

Mitch has been a writer for Christmas Decorations and Gifts for several years. Select to view Christmas Decorations Ideas. We also have a great selection of http://www.christmas-decorations-gifts-store.com/store/PPF/Category_ID/28/products.asp Sports Ornaments.

Understanding The Game of Soccer

Outside of the United States, the game of soccer is regarded as the most popular sport in the world. Many of the top teams and top soccer players attract huge admiration from millions of fans and boast huge multi million dollar salaries.

The Rules of the Game: Soccer is very simple to understand. Each team can field eleven players at any one time and they can make substitutions at any point in a game. The number of changes is dependent on the league, but in the current era three substitutions is the accepted norm across the leagues.

A game of soccer will last for two separate periods, each lasting forty-five minutes. The time between the periods is called half-time and lasted for approximately ten minutes.

Each team defends one half of the pitch in order to prevent the opposing team from scoring a goal in the net at the end of the pitch. Soccer coaches have developed various methods to create ways to improve the offensive and defensive tactics of the game.

Generally modern teams will defend the goal using four defenders and a player who protects the goal, known as the goal keeper. Offensively, the coach selects four players in midfield and two strikers to create and score the goals.

With the exception of the goal keeper, the players can not handle the ball. Instead, good play is developed by passing the ball in various ways to attempt to breach the opponent's defense. Goal scoring is low in the professional soccer game with most matches decided by just one or two goals.

There is a lot of terminology used during a game of soccer that is very specific. To the casual viewer this can appear confusing. The most important factor to consider is discipline. The game is mediated by one referee on the pitch and two further officials known as linesman on either side of the pitch.

If a player attempts to take the ball from an opponent but misses and instead makes contact with the player, the referee will regard this as a foul and stop the game and award a free kick to the fouled team. Dependent up on the severity of the foul, the referee can issue the player with either a yellow or a red card.

A yellow card indicates to the player that they risk being issued with a red card later in the game. The red card indicates that the player must leave the game immediately. In these circumstances they are not allowed to return for the remainder of the game.

On each side of the pitch the defense protects the goal. Directly in front of the goal is a marked rectangular area. If the referee deems that a foul has occurred in this area by a member of the defense, a penalty kick is awarded. When this occurs, a member of the offense is given the opportunity to score a goal against the opposition goalkeeper without the defense able to assist.

Finally, perhaps the most confusing law is the offside rule. At its simplest interpretation, an offensive player cannot be ahead of the defense as the play develops. This is regarded as attempting to gain an unfair advantage and if seen by any of the referees will result in a free kick for the defense.

This rule is responsible for many of the debates and controversies that surround the game of soccer. The referee's interpretation ultimately can decide who wins a game. At present, despite calls to introduce video technology to assist the officials nothing has been forthcoming.

Livescore and iScores professional sports scores.

Soccer Training Drills - Improve Every Part Of Your Game

What are soccer training drills to you?

A lot of soccer players think that they will be constantly running, running, running. But there is much more to it than that. Combining the soccer fitness part of the game, with ball control skills drills, will put your team on top.

Remember that not all players will learn at the same pace. You should assess the skill level of all of your players for each skill area, and provide them with the appropriate improvement drills.

Be Prepared

A soccer practice that is well-planned is created with a flow. A practice must have targeted goals, not just a random mixing of drills. So start with the basics, and work up to group tactics. The group portion will be much closer to a real game. This will help your players bridge the gap between the practice and game situation.

Areas to Cover

If you cannot perform the basics, you just cannot perform. There are a number of important areas to cover when drilling your soccer team. But it is always best to start with the basics.

• Passing and receiving rolling balls.
• Passing and receiving balls in the air.
• Dribbling the ball.
• Shielding the ball.
• Tackling your opponents and recovering the ball.
• Heading the ball.
• Shooting the ball.

Don’t ever forget goalkeeper training drills. If your team is solid with all the above skills, but have a poor goalkeeper, it will be a long season!

The Next Level

Once your players have conquered the basics you can move on to more advanced ball control techniques. These techniques include:

• Push passes and shots.
• Swerve passes, and shots with the inside or outside of the foot.
• Instep drive passes and shots.
• Lofted passes.
• Chipping the ball.
• Volleying the ball.
• Attacking as a group.
• Defending as a group.
• Attacking as a team.
• Defending as a team.
• Corner kicks.
• Free kicks.

Further Development

As you assess the improvement in the skills of individual players you will see joy on their faces as well as on yours. But soccer is a team game. That means that there are other things to think about. Like....

• What players skills will work best at which position?
• Who has the fitness level required?
• Are they really team players?
• What formation should we play?
• Who is the leader of this team?

The answers to these questions will have you well on your way to creating a successful soccer team.

There are soccer training drills available to cover every aspect of the soccer game and help any soccer player improve their skills.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan. Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes to help those involved in soccer. Check out my Soccer Training Drills page

Soccer Exercises For a Well-Conditioned Soccer Player

Soccer players require both strength and endurance.

The proper soccer exercises will give you stamina to out-perform your opposition in a 90-minute soccer game. It is a game of constant movement. But you need more than just endurance.

To become a talented soccer player there are 4 types of soccer exercises that you should perform regularly:

• Endurance training - get the wind you need to last 90 minutes. You know that you hate being taken off the field before.
• Sprint training - to allow you to get to the ball faster than your opponents.
• Strength training for soccer - so when you must battle an opponent for the ball, you can get position, and win the ball in the air, or on the ground.
• Flexibility training - to stretch and strengthen your muscles to prevent injury and encourage muscle growth.

Endurance Training

As a soccer player we hate to hear "SUBSTITUTION". So to keep this from happening, try these endurance-training tips:

• Always warm up before any endurance training run.
• 50% training will give you 50% during a game. Keep your long distance pace as high as possible. 2 miles in 12 minutes is a good target.
• Work hard enough to get out of your comfort zone. And continue to expand your comfort zone as you improve.
• Give your body time to recover. If you train hard every day there will be no juice left in your tank, and your body can only take so much.

Sprint (speed) Training

There are times when we just need to work on our speed. Sure we all want to get as much time on the ball as we can, but we cannot always have the ball. Work without the ball! Although it is a good idea to practice speed drills with the ball, doing both types of soccer exercises will be of greater benefit in the long term.

Here are a few exercises to help improve your speed:

• Tuck your head down and get into position for exploding after the ball or your opponent. This will give you more control over your body than if your head is flying around up there somewhere. Just keep your eyes open.
• Move your arms forward and backward parallel to your body. Not across the body. This increases your momentum, and gets everything moving in the same direction.
• Lead with your toes. Starting off on your heels will not give you the balance or acceleration that you need.
• Get your feet hitting the ground as many times and as fast as you can. The more you do this, the faster you will become.

Strength Training

Weight training for soccer is an excellent way to improve your strength to win challenges for the ball. In the air, and on the ground. It's about improving your overall strength, not becoming muscle-bound. I suggest you visit my weight training for soccer page for more information.

Flexibility Training

To improve the flexibility of your muscles it is important to understand the following:

• Warm up for 5 - 10 minutes before stretching. Light jogging will work.
• Hold each stretch for 15 - 20 seconds.
• 2 - 3 stretches per body part.
• Do not bounce. Hold the stretch in place.
• Start at the bottom and work your way up. Ankles, calves, hamstrings, quads, waist and hips, arms, chest, shoulders, neck and head.
• Don't hold a painful stretch. You should feel a tightness in the muscle, but not pain.
• Breathe! Do not hold your breath.

If you combine those facts with these great stretching exercises you will be a step ahead of your opponents.

Always allow yourself RECOVERY TIME. Recovering from any of the soccer exercises that you perform will allow to continue to improve. This will improve your overall conditioning for the long-term.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan. Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes to help those involved in soccer. Check out my Soccer Exercises page.

About Uefa Champions League Soccer

The UEFA Champions League is the main soccer tournament for the European top clubs. Every year the teams from all the major leagues compete against each other, firstly in a group stage, followed by a series of straight knock out rounds culminating with the final match held in a different European city every year. The current holders of the competition are AC Milan, who beat Liverpool 2-1 in the 2007 final held in Athens, Greece.

Origins of the Competition

Established in 1992, the UEFA Champions League evolved from the now defunct European Cup. Originally only the previous champions of each European league were eligible to enter the competition. To satisfy the growing pressure from Europe's top clubs for a European league, UEFA decided to set up a tournament that will allow not only the champions but also the other top three or four clubs in each league to compete.

This revamped tournament began in 1992 under the title 'UEFA Champions League'. The winners of the tournament play off in an annual exhibition match against the champions of the South American equivalent of the Champions League, the Copa Libertadores.

Organization of the Tournament

Each year, thirty-two teams are able to enter the tournament at the group stage. There are sixteen teams that qualify automatically by either winning their league or finishing as the runner-up. The remaining teams are the winners from a pre-qualifying round held in August each year. The number of clubs from each country is dependent on the number of points they have accumulated over a five year period. This is calculated through a combination of each country's club results in previous tournaments and the results of their respective national teams in the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championships.

The group stage of the Champions League starts every year in September and runs until December. Teams are drawn in groups of four and play each other twice; home and away. The best performing teams from previous years (i.e. the seeded teams) are drawn so that they cannot meet each other in the group stage. After these games have been completed, the top two teams qualify for the first of three knock out stages.

These rounds are played over two games, home and away and the team with the most goals overall qualifies for the next stage. The final is held in May and is decided over one game. If there is no winner after ninety minutes, then an extra period of 30 minutes and then if necessary a penalty shoot-out takes place to decide the winner.

Memorable Games

There have been many great and exciting matches in the Champions League over the years, but the one that many recall from recent history is the 2005 Final between AC Milan and Liverpool. The game was held in Istanbul, Turkey and the Italians came into the game as favorites. This expectation seemed to hold true when at the half time stage Milan led by 3 goals. However, in an amazing eight minute period early in the second half, Liverpool scored three times, including a penalty to create an amazing recovery. In extra time there was further drama when Milan top striker, Andrei Shevchenko missed an easy opportunity to score the winner for Milan. Finally, after this drama, Liverpool won the Champions League in a penalty shoot out.

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The Development Of Soccer In The United States

For many decades, soccer in the United States has been regarded as a fringe sport, usually played only at amateur level. The enduring appeal of American Football, Baseball and Basketball has ensured that unlike in other parts of the world, soccer has not developed into a major popular national pastime.

There have been several attempts at reversing this by enticing established global stars and securing the FIFA World Cup in 1994. In the last few years there are positive signs that theses attempts may be effective as the MLS continues to grow by signing players such as David Beckham.

The Early Years: There is evidence to suggest that soccer was played in the early parts of the last century in the United States, but despite this, there was no professional league established in the country until the 1960s.

The North American Soccer League was a product of regional interest in the game, in particular in areas surrounding New York and New Jersey. During this time, the most prominent club was the New York Cosmos. It managed to attract famous global soccer players such as Franz Beckenbauer and Pele to the club to try to encourage interest in soccer.

However, despite the star names, the league failed to achieve this goal. Many of the players recruited by the Cosmos were regarded as players who had reached the end of their careers and simply were there to collect the money. The league eventually folded in 1984 and the Cosmos followed a year later.

The 1994 FIFA World Cup: Much to the disdain of many soccer experts, the World Cup in 1994 was held in the United States. FIFA hoped that by showcasing the game directly to Americans in their own country, many would develop an interest in the sport. The tournament as a whole was regarded as a great success. The United States soccer team managed to qualify from the early stages of the tournament before narrowly losing 1-0 to the eventual world champions Brazil.

The decision to hold the competition in the United States proved to be a good move as record attendances demonstrated an interest in soccer across the country.

Major League Soccer: The decision taken by FIFA to award the 1994 World Cup was given on the basis that a professional soccer league would be established in the United States soon after. In 1996 the Major League Soccer was formed to fulfil this promise.

In the initial immediate aftermath of the World Cup the league sustained this interest and attendances were good. However, the national team's exit from the 1998 World Cup after losing all three games coincided with a rapid decline in the MLS fortunes. Dwindling attendances and a lack of revenue threatened to prove that soccer had no future in the United States.

Since the 2002 World Cup in Asia, the MLS have recovered considerably. The league began to develop a series of talented young players such as Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu, who began to attract overseas interest from the established European teams.

In 2007 the MLS introduced the Designated Player Rule that aimed to allow the teams in the MLS to compete financially with Europe's top clubs for the world's best soccer players. This proposition allowed them to sign one player each season with wages above the salary cap. The best example of this to date is English soccer player David Beckham transferring to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.

The MLS has increased its appeal in recent years and its proponents now hope that many more world stars follow Beckham.

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