Can a US Soccer Girls Development Academy Prevent Overuse Injuries?
Did you know there is yet ANOTHER league to consider if you’re interested in high level girl’s soccer these days? Yep. US Soccer has announced that it will be launching a Girls Development Academy in the Fall of 2017. This will book-end the boy’s Development Academy (DA) which they formed in 2007, created then to address […]
US Soccer Has a Player Development Problem: Julie Foudy offers new/old perspective
What if the best way to get your kid on the U.S. National Team was to not attend their games? Or allow them to quit soccer for a season or two on a whim? Both of these techniques worked for Julie Foudy, one of the most capped U.S. players in history (271) and a leading […]
What are you Buying When you Pay for a Coach?
This continues the conversation from Dr. LeBolt’s last post, “How much is a good coach worth?“ It’s more important than ever that team parents and administrators who are making the decision about finding and hiring a coach know what they’re getting. Your kid is a precious commodity; you want the best for him or her. […]
How Much is a Good Coach Worth?
How much do you really know about that guy or gal who showed up to coach your team? With the explosion of youth soccer in the United States, many clubs are beating the bushes for coaches at the grassroots level. Thousands of well-meaning, servants of the game check the “I’ll be head coach” box. Thank […]
Washington Spirit’s Ali Krieger Inspires After ACL Repair
“Soccer or Basketball?” That’s all I need to ask the girl at the gym. She looks about 16 and she’s got a 4 inch vertical scar down the middle of her left knee. She’s newly post ACL surgery. That goes without saying. “Soccer,” she says. She tore it on Halloween but “just had surgery in […]
Coaches Teach By Keeping It Simple, Thanks Mike Jorden
“Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach.” Have you heard the expression? I used to chuckle at it. I thought, Ha, that’ll be the day. When I can’t do it anymore. “It” meaning play all-out, compete with the best, throw my body into the fray without a care in the world. Well, that day […]
We Need to Give Kids a Break in the Season
Here’s a riddle: What do you call something you do almost every day, all week, year round? … work, right? What do we call it when our kids do it? … sports. Is anyone laughing? Neither are our kids. They’re paying the price in exhaustion, stress, injury, and burnout. The scenario sounds very much like the […]