Running is Important - (Photo: Predawnrunner.com)

Nobody likes conditioning practice.  It is boring, and it is grueling.  But in many cases it can be vitally important.  Games are often won or lost in the dying moments of the match, and that slight difference of fitness level can often be the determining factor of deciding a victor.  Therefore, inserting some running drills into your team’s practice can pay big dividends.

Anyone who watched the American Women’s National Team defeat Canada in the Olympic semifinals at the death of overtime yesterday will have witnessed the importance of fitness.  Players on both sides were struggling with all their might to keep up runs and energy.  Several players went down with cramps and could barely walk.

So how much physical exercise and running should your team do?  Obviously it depends on the age, but once the children reach the age of 10 there should definitely be some aspect of training devoted to simply running.

A good drill to install would be one where the team runs in a single file line around the perimeter of the field.  The pace is a casual jog, but the player in the back sprints to the front of the line.  When he arrives, the new player in the back begins his forward sprint, and so the process goes.  This drill can continue as long as you want, but usually 15 minutes is a good start.  The great part about the drill is that it totally captures the nature of running on the pitch during a game.  Players jog to get in position but must sprint when needed to make runs or defend.

Determining how much running is right for your team is an inexact science.  Also, you will not want to overdo it because most children do not usually enjoy that aspect of training.  Therefore, take care to monitor the fitness of the team during the latter stages of a game.  If your team is hanging their heads and not totally fighting at the game’s end, perhaps you should devote a greater part of practice to simple exercise.  Typically, these sorts of drills do help out with fitness surprisingly fast.  Also, they provide an excellent way to improve the overall health of your team.

But be careful to limit the amount of running you impose upon the players.  Too much running, and not enough fun, and your team’s morale will suffer and you’ll begin to hear the moans of sloth rampant around your squad.  Therefore, keep it to a healthy amount but do not shy away from the practice entirely as it is vitally important to your soccer team’s success.  Also, feel free to join in the runs.  If you suffer along with them, they can’t blame you.

For information about buying soccer uniforms, please visit Totally Soccer.

Soccer Referees - (Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org)

For all of soccer’s beauty and fun, many games can be won or lost not on the merits of the players, but on a poor call by a referee.  Growing up I can recall numerous occasions where my team or a friend’s team was beaten, and the overwhelming belief was that the ref blew one or more crucial calls throughout the game.  Sure, it is an easy excuse for losing a game, but the reality of the situation is that referees are human too and that everyone makes mistakes.  So how should a coach deal with such an issue?

First off, no matter how terrible a ref may be, there must be a level of respect shown towards them, and that starts with the coach.  Sure, in the professional matches we witness a coach yelling at an official on a gamely basis, but there is a little bit more on the line.  Additionally, those referees are trained professionals and are usually well equipped to continue managing the game in a fair manner.

In youth soccer, as many refs tend to be just slightly older children themselves, yelling at an official is a terrible idea for several reasons.  First, it shows bad sportsmanship to the team.  As a coach, you are a role model.  If you make a scene by yelling at a ref, everyone will see it, and the children will start to think that it’s ok.  Do you really want your team to start whining and hollering at the refs like a mini Barcelona FC?

Furthermore, since the referees are often kids themselves, any rudeness shown towards them is likely to result in vindictive calls.  The ref could easily start to make iffy calls against your team, just to get back at you.

Lastly, and also importantly, blaming a referee simply placates the loss onto someone else.  People and especially children never like to blame themselves for their shortcomings and will look for any excuse to overcome a loss from poor play.  Referees are very easy targets, and you should not let this mindset get into your team’s heads.

Youth soccer players should know that they lost the game because they got beaten.  This will persuade them to work harder and try harder next time.  Placating blame on a ref is the weak and easy move to build false confidence.

So next time the referee mistakenly calls a handball in the box and awards the opposing team a penalty, don’t start screaming at the ref out of anger.  Do what you can to help your team overcome the obstacle and win the game.  Surely, there have been times you have benefitted from a referee’s error.  Let the referees do their job, and that often means leaving him or her alone.

For information about buying soccer uniforms, please visit Totally Soccer.

The Olympic Rings - (Photo: Flickr.com)

The Olympics is one of the finest moments of the sporting world.  Often lost amid the traditional swimming and track events, there is also a soccer tournament occurring.  Watching these soccer games provides a wonderful way to inspire a youngster to want to compete in the sport.

As the Men’s tournament is predominantly U-23, it reveals the up and coming stars of the game.  One such star at these games in Neymar of Brazil, who is destined to be among the world’s best in coming years.

Watching young professionals is a great way to excite your own budding star at home.  The players are representing their countries and are playing for the honor of winning an Olympic medal.  Many of these soccer players are also hoping to catch the eyes of scouts worldwide and gain international prominence at the tournament.

Another reason to watch these games is because this is soccer of the highest entertainment level.  Soccer often gets a bad reputation during the World Cup and other major tournaments because the conservative side of the game comes out.  More mature players are too cautious and weary of making mistakes; thus the matches can often be boring.

The Olympics provides quite the opposite.  There are countless errors committed by the young players which results in vastly open play and many scoring opportunities.  Thus, these are games that everyone can enjoy.  Also, the inclusion of major nationalities and the setting in Great Britain provides the importance of the occasion at the original footballing nation.

For fans of American soccer, be sure to stay tuned to the Women’s tournament, as the USA has looked strong during the group play and is among the favorites for the gold medal.  The women play with their full national side, so fantastic stars like Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach lead the vibrant offense that has been inspiring Americans for years.  If you were lucky enough to catch some of the fireworks from the 2011 Women’s World Cup last summer, the Olympics could provide a similar level of excitement.

During the lazy summer days before the school year approaches, watching some fun soccer is a great way to inspire your children to go outside and play with a ball.  The Olympics only occur once every four years and as such the soccer tournament truly is a rare spectacle to enjoy.  Be sure to stay tuned in as the knockout rounds are set to begin and the intensity level of the matches will be sure to create some great soccer matches.

For information about buying soccer uniforms, please visit Totally Soccer.