Tag: United States

Recently I wrote about the structure of soccer in the USA and the fact that there was no clearly defined path for youth clubs to follow. Another problem is that, as a Director of Coaching, you have no backing unless a board comprised of parents supports you. The problem with this is that most parents are interested in their child and his/her team, so there is almost always an angle.

Parents want their children to have a positive experience, so winning is highly valued. Player development takes a back seat, because if a team is not winning the players leave to find another club with a better team. This is especially true with smaller clubs where the talent pool is shallow.

I think it would be so much easier to keep players, if there was a place to send your special talent on a regular basis to train without cost. The Olympic Development Program (ODP) really only identifies players, who can afford to tryout. If you make the team, then it cost more money to participate. The USSF Academy Programs cost $2500.00 and you first have to tryout to be identified.

The youth club also has a charge attached to it, so we are not much better, but we try to find a place for everyone to play. We try to develop players despite pressures from parents about playing time, winning games, playing in tournaments to showcase their children. What they fail to realize is that it takes time to produce players. There is, therefore, a hindrance to player development with the current structure of youth clubs, because job security at the club level is predicated on parental satisfaction.

Club Directors last an average of 23 months. They are voted out by a board who wish to go in a different direction, or they fold to the unrealistic demands of parents. This is why I say there is no backing. Directors should have to answer to subsidiary of the USSF. We should also be paid by USSF because we are dealing with talent at the grass roots level and this is where the next special player will come from, if developed properly.

The current system is looking for players at the age of 15 and older. By this time it is too late, if players have not been in a training environment conducive to development. More time, respect and funding showed be allocated to the youth system. The national team coaches have all said that we must do a better job developing players, because the national team players are deficient technically and tactically.

This will only happen when the soccer culture changes and the emphasis is placed on developing the youth structure with more diligence. Too many decisions are made at this level by people with little or no soccer background. The end product will, as a result, continue to fall short of the desired standard.

You can get my free 70 page soccer coaching guide “The Ultimate Soccer Coaching Clinic” at my website http://www.ultimatesoccercoaching.com. To learn more about becoming a better soccer coach, visit my soccer coaching blog.

An England World Cup preparation wouldnt be complete without one of its star players suffering from a metatarsal fracture, only weeks before the start of the tournament! David Beckham was the first victim of the much dreaded injury in 2002, and in 2006, Wayne Rooney topped most of the newspapers with the same injury. This time, it was John Terrys turn, or so we feared.

Thankfully things werent as bad as they originally seemed, and John Terry will still be present in South Africa, leading Englands defence.

So what exactly is a broken metatarsal and why do we seem to hear so much about it these days more than we ever have done in the past?

Before we identify why, lets take a closer look at the metatarsal bones first.

The bones between the ankle and the toes are called the metatarsal bones. The first metatarsal is located on the inside of the foot, and connects the ankle with the big toe, whereas the fifth metatarsal bone is located on the outside of the foot and connects the ankle with the little toe.

The two main functions of the feet are to propel and to support. The metatarsals play a major role in these two functions. By acting like a rigid lever to aid propulsion, they manage to increase our efficiency whilst walking or running. Additionally, they act like a flexible structure to aid and support balance to cope with uneven ground.

The second, third and fourth and fifth metatarsal bones are usually injured as a result of a prolonged period of overuse, creating something we call a stress fracture. A stress fracture is an incomplete fracture in the bone. It could be described as a very small sliver or crack in the bone. These types of fractures are also known as hairline fractures. These kinds of fractures are common with athletes, soldiers, and ballet dancers.

Another common cause for metatarsal fractures is direct trauma i.e. a direct kick to the sole of the opponents boot. This typically affects the first metatarsal bone.

One of the reason why the foot is so susceptible to fractures is that is very few muscles and fat protecting the foot from any impact.

The initial therapy with a broken metatarsal bone is to rest it, absolutely no exercise for 4 to 8 weeks. The recovery time of the injury is determined by the extent of the damage and which of the five metatarsal bones is affected.
Walking boots or shoes with very stiff soles may be advised for the player to wear in order to protect the fracture while it heals. If the fracture was caused by overuse and not by direct trauma, the athletes training habits, equipment and running technique should all be investigated and possibly adapted.

Putting a time scale on the recovery of a stress fracture is very difficult as the following examples of recovery times show. Michael Owen, broke his fifth metatarsal in 2006, was predicted to return in 6 to 8 weeks, but finally made his return 17 weeks later. Steven Gerrard broke his fifth metatarsal in 2004, again was predicted to return to football 6 to 8 weeks later, but eventually returned after 10 weeks. David Beckham broke his second metatarsal in 2002, was predicted to return 6 weeks later, and stepped back on the pitch after 7. David Nugent broke his fifth metatarsal in 2006, and returned 6 weeks later. He claims that his speedy recovery all came down to drinking lots of milk!

Dr Mark S. Myerson, M.D. a renowned expert in foot and ankle reconstruction at the Mercy Medical centre in Baltimore, Maryland, United States thinks that one the reasons for these fractures in Football players is the fact that many football players are bowed legged and have a chronically unstable or loose ankles. This puts an abnormal amount of strain on especially the fifth metatarsal, increasing the chance of a stress fracture.

Other suggestions explaining why we tend to see more metatarsal fractures these days than we have in the past included: an increase in the number of games played at the top level, an increase in training intensity, or even the training that a lot of teams do on artificial surfaces, which has a higher impact on the body.

Additionally, the pitches seem to be a bit harder these days than what they used to be due to their drainage. Grass pitches are often sand-based to improve drainage. The watering of these pitches increases their speed, but does not improve their hardness.

Players themselves are fitter, faster and stronger than they used to be. Again, this increases the forces that feet have to deal with.
Finally, some specialists argue that todays boots are lighter and less supportive and protective than they were in the past.

As the 20th FIFA World Cup tournament is fast approaching, you might want to know some interesting facts and soccer stats to make the game more interesting, and for you not be left behind. Here are some interesting and remarkable facts about this world-renowned sport.

1. In the United States, it is commonly called “soccer” but it is known everywhere as “football”. Only Canada and the United States use the word “soccer” for this game.

2. The shape of the soccer ball is slightly oval. It is because of its checkered board designs that create a perfect sphere illusion.

3. Soccer fixtures mean the schedule of plays.

4. For 3rd world communities who cannot afford to buy a soccer ball, they would use a make-shift ball made out of disposable diapers or rags. How creative is that?

5. Soccer players have a different name for their uniform. It is called “kits”. Having mention this makes you feel more of like soccer pro.

6. Do you know Canada’s national sport? You guessed it right; it’s no other than soccer of course.

7. In 1950 World Cup, heavy rain poured over that damaged the original world cup. Because it was only made up of papier-mch, it has to be replaced. It was also the same year when India withdrew from the tournament because they were not allowed to play barefoot during the competition.

8. There are several debates on the origin of soccer. Some claims it started in China, but some claim that it started in the early 1800s in Newgate Prison, in London. This was the game invented by the prisoners whose hands were cut off because of theft. They used their feet instead to kill time so-to-speak while in prison.

9. Soccer ball was used by the very first basketball game.

10. Never call a football fanatic a “fan”. They liked to be called “supporters” to have a deeper type of backing for their favourite teams.

11. The World Cup Tournament is the biggest competition in the world which is held every 4 years and hosted by different countries.

Soccer is one of the fastest growing youth sports in the United States. The growth in the number of soccer players expands exponentially every year. This rapid growth of players far outstrips the number of coaches. Each year, clubs and organizations persuade parents who have never played to coach a youth team. Where does the parent start to learn how to coach a soccer team? Here is a parent’s primer to coaching kids soccer.

Kids as a rule love to play soccer. Everyone on the field is involved in playing the game. When kids play a baseball game, chances are that the player in right field never gets a ball hit to him. In soccer, there is no right field everyone on the field is involved in the match. Soccer is a game that involves running, is fast and provides opportunities for every level of player.

The parent coach has been in existence for many years in youth soccer. The necessity of utilizing parents who may never have played soccer as coaches has led to the publishing of a plethora of coaching manuals. Some are excellent some are mediocre. The United States Soccer Federation has published one of the best manuals for the parent coach. The fundamentals of the game are explained. Drills and exercises for any age group are provided. Players are usually divided into two year age groups. Youth leagues are generally arranged in Under 6,8,10 and 12 year old age groups. Most leagues play girls and boys in the same league when they are younger.

Under 6 players should be taught the basics of soccer. How to kick the ball, how to control it when it comes to them and how to run with the ball (dribble) are all that the players are truly able to learn. The mental concept of play is “It’s my ball and I’m going to play with it” is what drives a U-6 player. U-6 matches are often the ball rolling around the field with most if not all of the players on the field chasing it in a group.

Under 8 players are really advanced U-6’s many players in U-8 leagues are just starting out playing and have not been introduced to the fundamentals of the game. Once again the basics are stressed. Kicking and trapping the ball using both feet, dribbling the ball with both feet should be stressed. It is easier to teach the player at a young age to use both feet than it is at an older age. U-8 games can sometimes resemble the “bumblebee” games of the U-6 age group but the players as they get older will gain more of an idea of playing a position.

U-10 players (8 and 9 year olds) are more mentally mature and physically coordinated. This is a natural aspect of growth. The U-10’s are ready for more challenging practices and more advanced ball control techniques. When the matches are played the maturity of the U-10 player surfaces. Players actually develop the concept of playing in a position and balls are passed, sometimes successfully to a teammate. The more mature psychology and physiology allow matches to actually resemble a “real” soccer match.

At the U-12 level, tactics of play can be introduced to the players. The players are now old enough to comprehend the actual tactics and utilize them during the match. More complex ball skills should continue to be introduced in practice and these skills will be developed adequately enough to be utilized during a match. Players at this age enjoy being provided with set plays for use during the match. These set plays are generally utilized during restarts in the match. The tactical play of these athletes expands and provides an enjoyable experience for both the players and the parents in the stand.

Soccer is often described as both a beautiful game and a simple game. The pure enjoyment of running on the field provides aerobic exercise for the youth player. Practices are generally looked forward to and matches provide the necessary competition for the youth. The parent coach should provide practices that are active, challenging and enjoyable for the player. The parent coaches educating themselves as to what drills and exercises will provide these goals for the player can only accomplish this.