SF GLENS WEBINAR SERIES BEGINS MAY 12
Zoom with domestic and international coaches, scouts, and former players. Open to everyone in soccer community SF Glens has arranged for a series of Zoom calls, open to everyone in the soccer world. An eclectic and accomplished lineup of domestic and international coaches, scouts, and former players make up this year’s edition of the SF Glens […]
How Are Clubs Doing These Days? Checking in with DMCV Sharks
With so much uncertainty these days, youth soccer clubs are not alone in having their worlds turned upside down. As parents and players wait to return to the field, clubs across the country are doing all they can to stay connected to their families. How is that happening? We checked in with Del Mar Carmel […]
1904fc’s secret weapon: Johann Kennel
Last week, I met with 1904fc. During my talk with Alexandre Gontran, he mentioned one of his coaches, Johann Kennel. “Johann is our secret weapon. He’s amazing,” Grontran explained. “He can test your mind and your body really quickly. Then he can tell you exactly how you should move and think on the field. This […]
Coming to SoccerNation: Alumni Corner
Stories of soccer journeys to educate and inspire SoccerNation is excited to announce Alumni Corner! Starting in February, we will be featuring a new soccer alum every month. 4 Weeks of Great Stories and Inspiration for Soccer Families Every week, we will journey along through the life of a successful adult who grew up playing […]
Why I Love Coaching Girls
Do you prefer coaching girls? I’m asked that question quite a bit. And for me, the answer is yes. Girls, I tell people, will listen to you and try to do what you ask. With boys, on the other hand, you first have to convince them that you know what you are talking about and […]
I Want to Raise Better Pigs
It was the first practice of the new year and I was talking to my high school team before training. They had finished their dynamic warm up, when I brought the group in for our pre-practice brief. I posed the question to the group, “what do you want to do better as a person or […]
Commander’s Intent as a Weapon for Cultivating Creativity Within the Choke Hold of Robot Coaching.
In our last discussion, we reviewed steps to help coaches be prepared for the unexpected. No matter how well prepared you are for a session or a game, chaos will find a way to upend your plans. You must be able to adapt, have a plan Z, and overcome the realities of life coaching youth […]
5 Reasons to Attend the NSCAA Convention in Los Angeles
Meeting of Great Soccer Minds: It is the largest convention of soccer coaches in the world. Held over five days, hundreds of presenters provide education for thousands of attendees. Coaches such as Dick Bate, Laura Harvey, Emma Hayes, Reed Maltbie, Ian Barker, Dr. Ron Quinn, & Lisa Cole to name a few. Many presenters will […]
Never Coach in Absolutes
Did you like what I did in the title? Total dad joke. I can hear my children groaning now. When I was studying to be a kindergarten teacher (I know, I couldn’t believe it either) we spent an entire semester preparing to teach reading. As part of that we dove deep into the world of […]
Are You Comfortable?
Are you coaching beyond your comfort zone? Be honest. You want more than anything to always deliver your best that you end up coaching the topics you know by heart. You use the sessions, the exercises, and the games that are comfortable. It’s perfectly okay to do that. We should be willing to give our […]
An Ocean Will Drown a Seed
One of the most difficult tasks us coaches have is distilling our information into short lessons for our players. We have years of playing and coaching experience swimming about in our heads, and want so badly to lay it all on our players to help them grow. We think the more we say, the more […]
Damage Caused By Verbal Abuse
I wanted to open this article with another story. One of those attention grabbing, tell all, stuff of nightmares stories that I’ve told before. One about the coach who called a 10 year old boy stupid. Or the one about the coach who screamed at a high school player in front of a sideline full […]
Why Smart Kids Don’t Become Valedictorian
*Coach Reed is presenting multiple topics on Communication at the NSCAA 2017 Convention in Los Angeles January 12th. Join us that week to hear more about his Echoes Beyond the Game* “My daughter is very intelligent. She is top percentile on all state tests, she excels in every subject matter, and has a very creative […]
Echoes Beyond the Game Series: The Dirty Little Secret
*Coach Reed is presenting multiple topics on Communication at the NSCAA 2017 Convention in Los Angeles. His Echoes Beyond the Game Series is a lead up to the material he will deliver that week* Want to know a dirty little secret? This is the kind of secret that can create moments of magic – turning […]
Echoes Beyond the Game Series: The Dangers of Asking the Wrong Questions
I missed my son’s soccer game one day. I was at his younger brother’s game, filling in for one of my coaches, so my wife and I divided forces. As soon as our game was done, we hurried to meet my wife and other son for lunch. Of course, I wanted to engage him and […]
Echoes Beyond the Game Communication Series: 7 Phrases Coaches Can Use to Build a Growth Mindset
Yet – This word comes directly from the Queen of Mindset, Carol Dweck. She delivered a great TED Talk on the power of the word ‘yet’ that reminds us as coaches about the importance of focusing children on future mastery rather than present frustration. The word we hear most when a child is frustrated or lacks […]