Congratulations to Japan on winning the women’s World Cup in soccer in a beautiful demonstration of what soccer can be. Both teams played to the highest level and played beautifully. The soccer gods were smiling on the Japanese and the Americans will be kicking themselves for their inability to convert their numerous chances in the […]
Tag: Association football
Developing leadership in all our young athletes
Like anything involving kids, you want to make sure that you start with the absolute basics and set them up for success. That’s what you would do if you were teaching a new foot skill in soccer, and leadership shouldn’t be any different. Stay focused on the basics of leadership with your kids. Here are […]
Helping kids understand what success in sports is all about
Image via Wikipedia Kids end up playing sports for a whole host of reasons. It’s not always the case, in fact it’s rarely the case, that a desire to succeed is the number one reason for their playing. it’s much more likely that they are enrolled in sports on behalf of their parents, or because […]
Developing discipline in young athletes
Image via Wikipedia A lot of people believe that you have to be harsh and loud to be an effective disciplinarian. The great example of UCLA coach John Wooden however tells us that discipline is much more than volume. It has everything to do with doing the right things in the right way on a […]
Appreciative Coaching: The Power of Positive Self Talk
Image via Wikipedia One of the biggest challenges that young soccer players face is the issue of inner dialogue or self talk. By this I mean the inner narrative that goes through players had unconsciously or somewhat consciously as the game unfolds in front of them. A lot of things go into what a player […]
Youth soccer coaching: preparing your halftime speech
Image via Wikipedia It should be the goal of every soccer coach to develop players who take personal responsibility for their play and the play of their team throughout the game. In soccer, however, sometimes it is too easy for the adult coach to become the dominant personality on the side of the field and […]
Youth soccer coaching: improving the confidence of your individual players with 1000 touches a day
Image by Getty Images via Daylife There is a tendency in American youth soccer to emphasize winning and losing at all costs and at the earliest ages. This tendency should be combated in order to develop players who have the emotional reselling is to try things out and who have an innate love of the […]
appreciative intelligence improves youth soccer coaching
Image via Wikipedia Coaches must be concerned with the development of their players both on the field and off the field. In order to build strong young girls who can stand on their own 2 feet in life, we can leverage the insights from the field of positive psychology and specifically appreciative intelligence. Appreciative intelligence […]
Haitian Women’s national soccer team needs help
Image via Wikipedia This is a request for help to me that came from a close, personal friend of mine, Gaspard D’alexis, that I feel compelled to share with you. Gaspard is the coach of the Omega Soccer Club here in Kansas City, and he is a pure and gentle soul, who has answered the […]
Stanley Cup vs Superbowl: Peyton’s walk of shame
Image via Wikipedia all the controversy about Manning walking off the field only highlights the difference between hockey and football culture Football is full of “me me me”: TO, Ocho Cinco, trash talking: juvenile Hockey is about the team AND respect for the other teams, all of them, who pushed you beyond what you thought […]