Youth Soccer Fun tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1 2008-12-01T21:48:40Z Movable Type 3.2 Dealing with sideline abuse tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.133 2008-12-01T21:44:47Z 2008-12-01T21:48:40Z By Mike Woitalla (From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider) Brian Hall became a referee at age 13. He earned his FIFA badge at age 31, officiated at a World Cup and numerous major international tournaments, and earned MLS's Referee of... Mike Woitalla By Mike Woitalla (From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

Brian Hall became a referee at age 13. He earned his FIFA badge at age 31, officiated at a World Cup and numerous major international tournaments, and earned MLS's Referee of the Year honor four times. But most teens who take up refereeing don't last very long.

]]> In fact, U.S. Soccer Federation referee bosses believe that the huge turnover -- about a third of the nation's referees drop out each year -- is largely a reflection of young referees quitting because of sideline abuse.

Youth leagues across the nation depend on teens to fill their referee ranks, and many of them simply aren't willing to be screamed at by parents and coaches.

Hall, who in March became the USSF Referee Department's Manager of Assessment and Training, says referees at all levels are being encouraged to use the "Ask-Tell-Remove" approach that has been implemented in MLS to handle coaches' misbehavior.

"You ask the coach to please refrain from that behavior," says Hall. "The next step is the 'tell' procedure, which is basically to tell them their behavior is no longer going to be tolerated.

"You say, 'Coach, I'm telling you that your behavior is no longer acceptable and if you don't change your behavior, I'm going to be forced to take further action.'"

The final step is an ejection.

But in the second step, Hall says, "You always tell them, 'But that decision is yours.'"

"Now you're putting the responsibility on the coach to manage his behavior. You want to find a way to transfer the burden off your shoulders and put it on the coach's."

Dealing with abuse from parents is tougher, Hall says.

"Technically, unless certain leagues allow it, you can't dismiss parents," he says.

Hall recommends that the referee approach the coach to deal with the parents, "because the coach is a person you can control."

Hall says, "We can go to the coach and say, 'Listen, you have responsibility for the conduct of your parents and if it gets to the point where I feel they're impacting my ability to do a job, or impacting the way the players are able to perform on the field, and if it continues and no one deals with it, we have to suspend or terminate the game.'"

Hall believes leagues that restrict the parents to the opposite sideline from the coaches help the referee control the crowd.

"It makes it easy for referees to distinguish between the parents and the coaches when they want to take action," Hall says. "You know specifically who you're dealing with -- who you can do something official with."

When a coach has been instructed by the referee to quiet his team's parents, he can send over an assistant to deliver the message. Or the coach can be forced to deal with the parents while the game is stopped.

Hall cites an example:

"The referee tells the coach, 'I'll give you a couple minutes to go over and tell the parents to stop their screaming.'"

Knowing that if he doesn't deal with his team's parents, the game can be terminated and his team could be punished with a loss, the coach is forced to take action.

"When the game is stopped as the coach walks all the way across the field," Hall says, "the focus is now off the referee and on the coach and the parents."

(Mike Woitalla is the executive editor of Soccer America.)

]]> The Delight of Coaching Your Own Child tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.123 2008-11-20T23:56:44Z 2008-12-01T21:49:02Z By Mike Woitalla from AYSO's PLAYSOCCER Magazine. It's one of the greatest delights of parenthood. I don't recall it mentioned in any of the guide books while preparing for fatherhood or that it came up in the words of encouragement... Mike Woitalla By Mike Woitalla from AYSO's PLAYSOCCER Magazine.

It's one of the greatest delights of parenthood. I don't recall it mentioned in any of the guide books while preparing for fatherhood or that it came up in the words of encouragement from friends or family. It's the magic of seeing the world through your child's eyes.

Spend a little time with a youngster, and you're fielding questions about the sky, the moon and the stars that you may not have thought about for years. Watch the eyes of children when they play with a dog, see a fire truck, or marvel at the way soap bubbles soar and pop.

Put together a train set, build Lego cities, goof around with dolls and stuffed animals. At some point it will hit. You feel like a child again. You're rediscovering joy and magnificence where you long ago forgot they existed.

And you get to play ball! If you're lucky, you might coach your child's soccer team.

]]> Whether you have a soccer background or not, the surest way to enjoy yourself and create a fun environment that benefits the soccer development of the kids is to approach it the way you joined your child drawing with crayons or building with blocks.

See the game through your child's eyes.

"When you realize that you're going out there to enjoy, not to evaluate, it's much better," says John Ouellette, AYSO Technical Director and National Coach. "We're talking about kids playing a game. It's like going to the park, watching children play, and savoring every moment."

AYSO has 82,000 coaches in its ranks. Most of them coach teams that include their own children. Ouellette says that coaches often put too much pressure on themselves by misinterpreting the role they're supposed to play.

"It's especially true with women," says Ouellette, "who are intimidated about coaching for fear of not being able or capable. But they raise kids, which mean they can coach.

"It's about managing children. It doesn't make any difference if you have a full understanding of the sport if you know what you're trying to get out of your sport for your child."

Fun, exercise and the chance to play soccer is what it's all about.

Soccer, perhaps more than any other sport, requires little teaching at the early ages. This is a notion substantiated by the fact that the world's greatest players spent most of their early years in the sport in a free-play environment.

In fact, the role of the coach in the first stages is simply to give children the opportunity to discover the game's joys.

"There's no real schematic on how to develop a great player, but we know if you give a kid a love and passion for the game, who knows, they may become the next Rick Davis," says Ouellette, citing the AYSO national executive director who played for the New York Cosmos and captained the U.S. national team.

"Our philosophy for AYSO through U-10 is just let them play," says Ouellette. "They get to U-12 and we'll do some technical cleansing, and then teach them to read the game."

In other words, you may be called "coach," but what you're really doing is very similar to taking your child and his or her friends to the playground.
You're supervising playtime while allowing the children to explore the fun on their own terms.

"It's OK to sit on a bench and watch them play 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5," says Ouellette. "It doesn't need a whole lot of skill or ability to do that."

Once coaches comprehend the expectations, they find all aspects of the role less daunting, including the dynamics of coaching one's own child.

That's not to say coaching your own doesn't present unique challenges. When you first start coaching you may very well be introducing your child to a new experience: Sharing the attention of her parent with a larger number of other children than she's used to. You, on the other hand, are concerned with not showing favoritism.

The Positive Coaching Alliance recommends you explain to your child, "I always love you and you are special to me. But when I'm coaching you, I need to treat you like all the other players. And you need to respond to me as your coach, not your dad. Do you think you can do that?"

One idea the PCA recommends is to employ the "coaching hat." Explain to your child that when you're donning the cap, you're coach. When the hat's off, you're back to parent.

Perhaps the greatest peril of coaching one's own child is the inclination to be harder on him than the other players, because you're worried about perceptions of favoritism or simply because we're tougher on the ones we love.

"I know something about parents coaching their own children, because I've done it and have made every possible mistake," says Tony DiCicco, who coached the U.S. women's team to the 1999 World Cup and the 1996 Olympic gold medal.

"What you must understand is that no matter what you say and no matter how you say it, it often registers as a personal attack when it comes from dad or mom," says DiCicco, a father of four, in his book, Catch Them Being Good. "You must also recognize that you're likely to be harder on your own child than you are on the other players and deal with it accordingly. Don't be afraid to praise your child. ... Acknowledge her strengths and accomplishments at every opportunity."

The good test on how to treat your child on the soccer team is to constantly ask yourself if your reactions to his play or behavior are the same as they are to his teammates.

Another peril of coaching one's own children is to leave your coaching hat on when the game or the training is over.

"Frankly, I don't think it's a great idea to discuss sensitive game situations with your child once you're off the field," says DiCicco, "but if you have a relationship where you can do that, just make sure you don't overdo it.

"It's taken me a long time to be able to get to that point, but I've learned to be as nonjudgmental as possible. But no matter what, understand that there are going to be some difficult moments and that, in the end, it is often better to coach less than more."

Mike Woitalla, the executive editor of Soccer America Magazine, played AYSO in Honolulu, Hawaii in the 1970s, coached by his father, Horst. Today Mike coaches his 9-year-old daughter, Julia.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2008 issue of PLAYSOCCER, the Magazine of the American Youth Soccer Organization.

]]> Going Abroad, Risks and Rewards tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.134 2008-11-15T21:53:16Z 2008-12-01T22:00:11Z Talented young Americans often face the choice of moving abroad to pursue their dreams. For Jose Francisco Torres, it seemed like the only option. By Mike Woitalla (from the November 2008 issue of Soccer America Magazine) Lisa Torres relishes the... Mike Woitalla Talented young Americans often face the choice of moving abroad to pursue their dreams. For Jose Francisco Torres, it seemed like the only option.

By Mike Woitalla (from the November 2008 issue of Soccer America Magazine)

Lisa Torres relishes the part of the weekend when she sits down in her East Texas home to watch Mexican soccer on television, because that's when she gets to see her son, who left home at age 16.

]]> People will ask her, "How was the game? Did they win? How did Jose do?" But Lisa is just happy that she saw her son.

"When I see him on TV, it's like a blessing, because I know he's OK," she says. "What I'm thinking about is that he's OK, because he's so far away."

Before his junior season at Longview High School, Jose Francisco Torres was given the chance to leave for Mexico to pursue a professional career with Pachuca, one of the top clubs in the Western Hemisphere.

Torres had attended a tryout in Tyler, Texas, and was one of two youngsters invited to a trial at Pachuca, which lies 50 miles northeast of Mexico City. He returned with an offer. Should he leave high school in the middle of his junior year? Was he mature enough to live on his own? Could he handle the rigors of a professional soccer environment?

His high school coach, James Wright, who hails from England, had mixed feelings.

"His dad and mom and I talked about what do, and what I thought," says Wright. "It was a difficult thing for me, because I didn't want to lose him. It's hard not to be selfish."

Wright had watched Jose smash school scoring and assist records for the Lobos by his sophomore season. But he sympathized with Jose's aspirations.

"At his age, I was trying to do exactly the same thing," says Wright. "I did believe he should think about finishing high school, because that club is going to be there regardless. But you know how it is, these clubs want the kids when they're young and they want to be able to develop them."

For sure, training with pros instead of staying with peers whose talent didn't compare to his own would benefit Torres' development.

"He had that kind of talent and confidence to be a pro," says Wright. "I never doubted that he would have a problem adapting. He spoke Spanish fluently. I don't think that was ever a concern. His practice attitude was outstanding. He worked harder in the weight room than anybody. When he we ran, he ran his guts out. Some players are there just for the games. He was incredible in practice. Just a dream."

Wright did notice that Torres could become frustrated that players couldn't keep up with him – a sign that he was ready for a higher level.

"He had a good attitude about it," Wright says. "He never complained, but you could sense his frustration. His mind is racing about where he's running and what he's doing."

Lisa Torres (née Mezzell) was a stranger to soccer until introduced to the sport by her husband, Francisco, whom she met after he immigrated to Texas from Tampico, Mexico.

"When we were dating," she says, "he told me he was taking me to futbol game. When we got there I said, 'Football in Spanish is different than our football!"'

Lisa began enjoying the game and even started playing. She also learned Spanish, because after her first visit to Francisco's hometown she realized it wasn't much fun not understanding the conversations.

Jose was surrounded by the sport from birth, his father and uncles being avid players and fans.

"Jose was always behind the ball," she says. "He slept with his ball. He would watch Mexican soccer on television with his dad, and when he saw something he wanted to learn, he'd go in the backyard and work on it until he could do it. We had mini-goals in the yard. He also went to his father and his uncles' games."

Lisa remembers once when Jose was very young, watching Mexican soccer on TV, he pointed to the screen and said, "One day I'll play there."

As Jose grew up, he realized there were opportunities in the USA and the Longview community was confident he would turn into a star.

"The first time I saw him," says Wright, "he was about 5 or 6, and he was running around with spectacles held together with athletic tape, playing with much older kids, and he was amazing. It's been pointed out to me many times when I talk to people — you could see he was a special talent."

Before his freshman year of high school, Jose started playing in the local men's Latin league to get experience against bigger players, and he coped just fine while creating enthusiasm among the Latino community that they had a potential star in their midst.

James' wife, Margaret, is his assistant coach at Longview High School and followed Jose throughout his childhood.

"From day 1, everybody in East Texas knew Jose had a super gift," she says. "And the town really pulled together for him. You'd see a car wash in front of Wal-Mart to raise money for his soccer travel."

But outside of Longview, a city of 75,000, Jose's talent wasn't appreciated. Lisa says he went to Olympic Development Program tryouts for four or five straight years, traveling to places such as Dallas and Alabama, and each time came home with the same message: He was too small.

"In East Texas he was never judged by his size because he always proved himself on the field," says Lisa, "but when he went to ODP tryouts, they would point to some stat sheet and there'd be an issue with the fact that he was tiny."

One of the ODP coaches, a Latino whose name Lisa doesn't recall, advised the family that Jose, because of his size, was better off pursing a career in a Latin American country.

Lisa was astounded that a coach from the program charged with finding players for the U.S. national team program would recognize her son's talent but recommend he leave the country. The message that his own country wouldn't provide an avenue for the ambitious boy to pursue a soccer career made the offer from Pachuca – a team that since 2006 has won two Mexican league and four international titles — especially hard to turn down.

Lisa wasn't thrilled about her son leaving home, but couldn't say no.

"My husband had an opportunity to go pro in Mexico," she says. "But Jose was 4 months old at the time and Francisco decided it wouldn't be the right move. I hear my husband and my son's uncle talking about the chances they didn't take advantage of.

"I didn't want to hear, one day, Jose telling my grandchildren that he regretted not taking the opportunity when he had it. I didn't want that on my conscience."

In 2004, Jose Francisco Torres joined Pachuca. In 2006, one month before his 19th birthday, he made his first-team debut as a sub in the Apertura 2006 semifinals. He played three games in 2007. He started seeing time for Pachuca in international competition and this year has played in 18 of Pachuca's last 20 league games.

Torres, who now stands 5-foot-5, was finally noticed by the U.S. national team program and was courted by the U.S. U-23 team for the 2008 Olympics, but Pachuca didn't want him to leave the club during preseason training. When Coach Bob Bradley invited him in for World Cup qualifying play in October he accepted and entered the USA's 6-1 win over Cuba as a 68th minute sub.

"It's a dream," says Jose Francisco Torres. "Since I was little I always wanted to play on a U.S. national team. Finally, my dream is coming true. I just need to work hard and train hard, and try to earn a spot on the team."

No matter how far Torres, who turned 21 in October, goes with the U.S. national team, his play so far at Pachuca indicates that he has a promising pro career ahead of him. Leaving home at a young age has worked out.

The success of players such as Torres and New Jersey product Giuseppe Rossi, who left for Italy at age 13 and now stars in Spain's La Liga, will spur even more aggressive recruitment of young American players by foreign clubs.

But at least 95 percent of teens who join professional clubs won't make it. They may forfeit their education in pursuit of their soccer dreams. For some, depending on where they live and play, the soccer environment in the USA may be better for their development than what they'll find at a foreign club. For others, the foreign option may present a better path. For Torres, it seemed like the only choice.

"I'm sure it was very scary for Jose," says his mother. "It was for the rest of the family. It was a big step for him and I'm not sure if he knew if he was ready for it. We told him, 'If you don't like it, it's OK, you can come home.'"

But Jose stayed and his mother enjoys watching him on television.

(This article originally appeared in the November 2008 issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Pickup vs. Organized (Coaches Survey) tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.132 2008-11-15T07:17:45Z 2008-11-15T07:24:39Z If you are at least 18 years of age and have coached at least one season of soccer then please consider taking this SURVEY. For more information on Nick Lusson's study about pickup play and organized soccer ...... Mike Woitalla If you are at least 18 years of age and have coached at least one season of soccer then please consider taking this SURVEY.

For more information on Nick Lusson's study about pickup play and organized soccer ...

]]> By Nick Lusson(From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

For today's youth soccer player in the United States, there exist two prevailing systems under which their sporting experiences take place. One can be referred to as the institutionalized or organized approach, where the athlete plays and trains under the direct supervision of coaches and administrators.

The other system is the unorganized or street-sport system, where there is no formalized coaching or administration. As a graduate student pursuing my Master's in Sport Psychology and a longtime soccer player and soccer coach, I've decided to pursue a research project comparing these two systems.

The environment and culture of youth soccer in the United States has been chosen as the main area of focus due to the stark experiential contrast that exists in the experiences of youth under either system of play.

Youth soccer in the United States has become predominantly focused on the use of soccer clubs and academies to teach, train, and oversee the playing experience of its participants. These institutionalized settings can be generally characterized by their participants being grouped according to playing age, abilities, and gender.

Practices, games, and scheduling are all overseen by paid or volunteer coaches, as well as administrative governing bodies.

Unorganized soccer, also referred to as street soccer or pickup soccer, is a contrasting system of play that is characterized by the lack of structure and is participant-driven. There are no coaches, no leagues, no uniforms or referees. Players compete with one another across distinctions of age, gender, and talent.

There still exists a fair amount of pickup soccer that is played by youth in the United States, but it is found primarily within lower-income communities that have oftentimes been excluded from the highly organized private clubs due to the high financial barriers to entry.

Of course, these are both generalizations of the two systems and plenty of crossovers in their experiences and structures do exist.

There's much current debate over the pros and cons of either system of play for today's youth soccer player. I'm developing my thesis project to research the different effects that these two systems of play have on the development of youth soccer players.

First, I'm examining the background literature of youth development theory, as well as studies and opinions on organized and unorganized sports. I'm then conducting a quantitative study on the opinions of soccer coaches to determine what effects these systems have on the physical, social, and psychological development of youth soccer players.

Below is a link to the survey for the research. If you are at least 18 years of age and have coached at least one season of soccer then you qualify to participate in the study.

The survey will ask background demographic questions, then a series of questions about your opinions on youth development in soccer. This is entirely voluntary, anonymous, and will not be compensated.

Click HERE for the survey.

(Nick Lusson is a graduate student at John F. Kennedy University of Pleasant Hill, Calif., pursuing his Master's in Sport Psychology, Sport Management and Sport & Exercise Science. He's the head women's coach at Holy Names University in the Oakland, Calif., and a staff coach for the Mustang Soccer Club and the Cal-North State ODP program. Nick also works as a coaching educator for CYSA Soccer and the Positive Coaching Alliance.)

]]> The Saga of Subotic tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.135 2008-11-13T22:01:51Z 2008-12-01T22:05:12Z With war on the horizon, Neven Subotic's Serbian family fled Bosnia in 1990 when he was 18 months old and settled in Schoemberg, a small town in Germany's Black Forest. As refugees with few options, the family moved into the... Mike Woitalla With war on the horizon, Neven Subotic's Serbian family fled Bosnia in 1990 when he was 18 months old and settled in Schoemberg, a small town in Germany's Black Forest. As refugees with few options, the family moved into the clubhouse attic of a local soccer team that his father joined.

By Mike Woitalla (from the November 2008 issue of Soccer America Magazine)

]]>

"We lived there because we had nowhere else to stay at that moment," said Subotic. "So with the soccer field right in front of the door, it all started. I was always playing with my dad, and I always watched when he played with the team. Whenever I wanted to kick around, I could find someone to play with me."

Neven's father, Zeljko, had played pro ball in the former Yugoslavia. Neven started playing organized soccer for TSV Schwarzenberg at age 7 while spending time on the ball whenever he could.

"Pickup games were standard there," says Neven. "We played before school, during school, in breaks, and after school.

"There was a religion class at school, and when it took place a few other students and I had to go to another empty classroom, because we were of another religion as the one being taught. And there we would play soccer with a tennis ball until the class had finished and we could return to our normal class."

Neven enjoyed his life in Germany and was disappointed when his parents announced that they would have to leave - their German residence authorization having expired when he was 11 years old. The family opted to move to the USA in 1999.

Neven would return to Germany seven years later to pursue a pro soccer career. After two years with Mainz 05, including the 2007-08 season in which Kicker Magazine named him the Second Division's top central defender, he moved to top-tier Borussia Dortmund on a $5.5 million transfer.

Subotic's fantastic start at Dortmund -- he scored three goals in his first four games - prompted the German national team to court his services. Subotic, who is eligible to represent Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, has until his 21st birthday (Dec. 10, 2009) to make a decision on which nation's jersey to wear.

The USA, of course, hopes he will stay in its program. And although Subotic has spent most of his years in Germany, his American soccer experience helped him get to where he is today.

A DAY IN THE PARK. The Subotics settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, where a cousin of Zeljko's lived. Neven had English classes in his German school, was especially eager to understand TV shows, and within three months became fluent.

He was disappointed that the kids in school didn't play much soccer, but his father bought him a ball and he kicked around on a nearby tennis court. Eventually, he played for Sparta Gold and Impact Black youth clubs.

After a year and a half, the family moved to Bradenton, Fla., so that his sister, Natalija, could attend the Bollettieri Tennis Academy at the IMG Academy, which is also home to the U.S. U-17 national team residency program. The Subotics lived across the street from the academy and Neven would train on his own and with his father at GT Bray Park.

That's where he was spotted by Keith Fulk, one of the U.S. U-17 assistant coaches.

"I saw a tall, lanky, thin kid with a bag of balls," says Fulk. "I was there for a friend's son, and I saw this kid who had probably 12 balls, and he was just ripping balls into the goal, over and over. But the thing that impressed and always stuck with me, was that when he finished shooting, he started running. He would shoot the balls, then would run two laps around the soccer field at a very good pace.

"Then he'd go get the balls and shoot 12 balls with his left foot. Then he'd run two more, then he'd go and do volleys. Then he'd run more. And he could strike a ball!"

Fulk said he first saw him on a Tuesday, then on a Wednesday. And the next week he'd see him on a Thursday - making it safe to conclude that this was one dedicated young player.

Fulk introduced himself to Subotic, who told his story and said that he was about to get his U.S. citizenship. Fulk informed John Ellinger, then the U-17 head coach, and they invited Subotic to a tryout. Subotic said he was a forward, but they tried him at defensive midfielder and central back - and offered him a spot in the residency camp.

"Boom, we brought him in," said Fulk. "He lived across the street of the Academy so he remained at home, which meant he was a bonus player. His dad actually worked in the school. He cleaned the school. He had three or four jobs. He was a very hard-working man and a good person. The rest is history. It's amazing."

For the second time in his life, the Subotic family had found a home that furthered their son's soccer ambitions.

"At that time I had not had a club team for about a year or two," says Subotic. "I was overwhelmed after they accepted me. I remember Coach Ellinger telling me that I made it. So then back at the changing rooms I made it official and just screamed it out in front of everyone."

Subotic played 89 minutes in four games at the 2005 U-17 World Cup, where the Americans reached the quarterfinals. He was headed to the University of South Florida. But while with the U-17s in the Netherlands, where they played against Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eindhoven, he was approached by player agent Steve Kelly, who asked him if he was interested in playing in Europe.

Subotic answered in the affirmative and said his preference would be with a club in Germany near his childhood friends. Kelly also represented American Conor Casey, who played for Mainz 05. A tryout was arranged and Subotic impressed.

BACK 'HOME' IN GERMANY. During the 2006-07 season, Subotic played for Mainz's youth and Fourth Division teams. But in the last game of the season, with Mainz already doomed to Second Division relegation, he started and played the full 90 minutes in a 5-2 loss to Bayern Munich, becoming, at age 18, the youngster American to play in the Bundesliga. (The youngest previous Bundesliga debut by an American came from Jovan Kirovski - at age 20 in 1996 for Borussia Dortmund.)

The following season Subotic played 33 games and scored four goals for Mainz in the Second Division. When Mainz coach Juergen Klopp moved to Borussia Dortmund he brought Subotic along and made him the center of his young defense.

"The thing that really helped me play good soccer was that it felt so good to be here, home," says Subotic.

Subotic's bio on Borussia Dortmund's official Web site describes him as a "modern central defender" with confidence on the ball and exceptional positioning aptitude that enables him to excel with "hardly any fouling." In his 33 games in Mainz, he received just two yellow cards and was called for a foul just once every 76 minutes.

"I win my battles and do my job pretty well in the defense, and even
score some goals up top," Subotic says. "The thing I need to do now is just play consistently good, and gain experience.

"My attitude has always been the key factor for everything I do. Even when I had some bad days, I gave 100 percent and the coaches took notice of that, plus my quality, and then let me play."

While German fans are awaiting news of whether Subotic will play for their country, he has also became a media favorite thanks to the spectacular start at Dortmund, his friendly interviews, and a relationship with German U-20 pole vault world champion Lisa Ryzih, whom he met when they appeared on the TV talk show "Flutlicht."

SOCCER-MAD DORTMUND. Borussia Dortmund, which celebrates its centenary next year, last won the Bundesliga title in 2002, its third to go with three pre-Bundesliga German titles and the 1997 Champions League title.

Dortmund's 13th-place finish in 2007 was its worst since 1988. But it has started strong this season thanks much to the 19-year-old Subotic.

In his debut for Dortmund, the 6-foot-4 Subotic headed home the winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. In his third game, he provided the goal in a 1-0 win over Energie Cottbus. And in his fourth game, against archrival Schalke 04, he scored Dortmund's first goal as it overcame a 3-0 deficit to tie, 3-3.

Dortmund lies in the Ruhr Valley, considered the heart and soul of the German game despite all the titles swept up by Bayern Munich. Borussia Dortmund's attendance average leads the league.

"I love the crowds at our home games," Subotic says. "We always get the stadium filled with 80,000 people and that can be a lot of fun with the fans. But the main reason why I play here is because I'm happy here. I have everything I need, a very good club with which I can grow, and great people to enjoy that with."

Germany coach Joachim Loew told Germany's Bild newspaper he's interested in Subotic's services and that the German soccer federation (DFB) is confident that he can get citizenship and eligibility. FIFA regulations allow players to switch national teams before the age of 21. However, they also require that the player was eligible for the country he's switching to at the time he played for the other nation.

Subotic was not a German citizen when he played in the U-17 World Cup, but a DFB representative said that regulation is open to interpretation and it will appeal, apparently on the grounds that Subotic could have been a German citizen at the time.

That the USA has already lost two young talented players to foreign national teams - New Jerseyan Giuseppe Rossi to Italy and New Mexico product Edgar Castillo to Mexico - would make losing Subotic that much more disappointing.

For his part, Subotic says he is focusing on his club play and will "make an entirely professional decision" regarding which nation to represent.

He had previously stated his disappointment at being criticized by U.S. U-20 national team Coach Thomas Rongen, who left him out of the 2007 U-20 World Cup squad, but Subotic said that will not enter into his decision-making.

Of course, Fulk, who first spotted the boy practicing at the park, hopes that the USA will once again benefit from his talents. In the meanwhile, he's happy - but not that surprised - at Subotic's success, because his talent and work ethic always had a professional edge to it.

"I was flicking through the channels when I came across the Borussia Dortmund-Bayern Munich game," Fulk says. "My wife was in the kitchen and I said, 'Mara, Mara! Holy cow, Neven Subotic is marking Luca Toni!' The reason I said Luca Toni is because she's Italian and that would get her attention. 'She said, Luca Toni's great.' I said, 'Sure, but that's Neven!' He played with us in Bradenton!'"

(This article originally appeared in the November 2008 issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Concussions: Tips for Sideline Management tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.130 2008-11-11T07:02:11Z 2008-12-01T22:00:32Z Concussion is a controversial and tricky medical topic, but any coach or parent who works with soccer players needs to know what to do if you are faced with a situation in which you suspect a player has had a... Mike Woitalla Concussion is a controversial and tricky medical topic, but any coach or parent who works with soccer players needs to know what to do if you are faced with a situation in which you suspect a player has had a concussion.

By Dr. Dev Mishra (From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> Let me first define what a concussion is: it's an alteration in brain function that occurs from a direct blow to the head. If a player takes direct contact to the head, the most common complaint after a concussion is confusion, and other very common problems include a short-term inability to recall events just prior and just after the moment of contact, headache, or light-headedness.

In more severe incidents there may be loss of consciousness (the player is "knocked out").

There seems to be a tendency to minimize the potential severity of a concussion -- we've all heard an announcer make an off-handed comment along the lines of "wow, he got his bell rung and I bet he's really going to have a headache tomorrow." Well, there is a growing base of very solid scientific evidence that even so-called "mild" concussions can be serious injuries.

Some New Research on Concussions

A two-year study done in the men's and women's soccer programs from the Atlantic Coast Conference showed concussions happening the following ways: contact with an opponent's head (28%), elbow (14%), knee (3%), or foot (3%); the ball (24%); the ground (10%); concrete sidelines (3%); goalpost (3%); or a combination of objects (10%). Sixty-nine percent occurred in games; none resulted from intentional heading of the ball. In fact, there is no evidence at all that intentional heading of the ball results in any alterations in brain function.

Concussions are probably under-reported, in that many athletes will get a very mild concussion and not report it to the coach or trainer.

One Canadian study of youth soccer players ages 12-17 reported an amazing 48% of their athletes with symptoms of concussion at least one time during only one season. The ACC study reported about one concussion per team per season. The "real" number of concussions is still subject to debate.

Whether headgear reduces the number of concussions is also controversial. The Canadian study showed that the number of concussions was much less in the players wearing headgear, but there are not many other studies showing a reduction with headgear. We don't have consensus on headgear.

The most interesting new facts about concussion involve gender differences. It appears that female athletes do "worse" than males with concussions. An excellent study from the University of Pittsburgh showed that females reported more symptoms from concussions, they did worse on tests of reaction times, and there was a trend toward females doing worse on tests of memory and visual motor skills. These trends are supported by other scientific studies.

Findings reported at the 2nd International Symposium on Concussion in Sport are changing the way we treat concussions. Among their findings are that with even simple concussions, the player should not return to play the same day, the player should be evaluated by a physician, and that return to play follows a stepwise process over 7 to 10 days.

What Team Physicians Do

For trained team physicians, we look for responsiveness if the athlete is "down," then we assess their airway (whether there is any obstruction to breathing), whether they are able to breathe, and their circulation or heartbeat (these fundamentals are known as the "ABCs").

I then assess for any potential spine injury, and if it is suspected, we properly immobilize the athlete's spine to protect them from injury during movement. If there is no suspicion of a spine injury and the athlete is responsive enough to walk, we will go to the sideline where a thorough assessment is performed.

For me, the most critical part is being able to tell whether this is the same athlete I've known in practice -- are they at the baseline I've come to know. There are also several tests for orientation, memory, and concentration that we will typically perform.

What You Should Do on Your Field

I believe that the new evidence we have points to even "mild" concussions as potentially serious injuries that demand great care. With that in mind, and also given that most coaches or parents are not medically trained, I recommend the following:

*Look at the "ABCs" first -- if you have any question, call 911 immediately.

*If you are concerned for a spine injury, do not move the athlete, call 911.

*If the athlete is responsive but appears to be confused, you should suspect a concussion, remove the player from the game or practice and DO NOT let him or her return to the game or practice that day.

*Someone should observe the player on the sideline for symptoms of confusion, headache, or light-headedness.

*If those symptoms do not return to normal in 15 minutes, the player should be transported to the nearest Emergency Room.

*For players whose symptoms return to normal in less than 15 minutes, I believe they should still be evaluated by a physician in the next day or two.

(Dev K. Mishra is an orthopedic surgeon in private practice, Burlingame, Calif. He is a Team Physician at the University of California, Berkeley, Medical Director of the International Children's Games, and member of the team physician pool with the U.S. Soccer Federation. Mishra's Web site is: www.thesoccerdoc.com).

]]> Girls & Boys: Taking Gender Into Account tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.131 2008-10-16T07:12:48Z 2008-11-15T07:17:18Z By Emily Cohen(From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider) My daughter comes bursting through the door after soccer practice and exclaims, "Mom! We had so much fun! Maya and Natalie and I got to be on the same team!" "Did you... Mike Woitalla By Emily Cohen(From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

My daughter comes bursting through the door after soccer practice and exclaims, "Mom! We had so much fun! Maya and Natalie and I got to be on the same team!" "Did you win?" I ask. She replies, "I have no idea."

]]> What a difference that is from when my son comes home from practice or, even more so, from a game. He can recite every well-executed play and missed opportunity in excruciating detail. But when I ask whether his best friend was on his team for the scrimmage, he replies, "No, but who cares? My team won!"
In a nutshell, these two scenarios capture the essence of how boys and girls approach sports differently. Of course, there are always exceptions -- the supercompetitive girl, the boy who would rather sit on the bench and chat with his buddy than be on the playing field -- but, in general, most of the coaches and parents I talked with agreed: For girls, the social interaction and the experience of being on a team with friends is No. 1. And for boys, it's much more about the end result.

So how can coaches apply this conventional wisdom to improve their coaching -- and get the best out of their players, whether they be girls or boys? Here's what I heard from a few longtime coaches who have successfully coached both genders, from elementary through high school.

Work with not against the innate gender differences

Girls are more concerned about having their friends on their team rather than winning. Sure, they like to win, but it's more important if they do so while playing with their friends. As one longtime coach told me, "I've never had to tell the boys to stop holding hands during practice, but I have had to ask them to quit jumping on each other or wrestling."

Given this, when you divvy up your team for squads, make sure you put at least two girls who are buddies together from the get-go, and you'll avoid the whining about who's on whose team later on. Boys -- because they're concerned more with winning -- won't worry about friendships on the team, but will worry about "fairness" or the "evenness" of the teams athletically.

Encourage the natural strengths and develop the weaknesses of each gender

Girls are experiential and process-oriented. You'll see that girls work just as hard as -- or even harder than -- the boys, but the girls care more about the overall effort than simply counting the numbers in the win and loss columns. With girls, if you spend time talking about their improvements, they'll work even harder and you'll quickly see a direct correlation to the overall win/loss record.

On the other hand, boys are much more results-oriented. It's not that they can't be focused on the journey, it's just that their DNA is geared toward winning and losing. With boys, you need to guide them to put effort into improving skills and getting something out of the experience -- encouraging them to understand that the journey, not just the number of Ws, is the reward.

Resolve problems collaboratively for girls, one-on-one for boys

Girls and boys approach problem-solving differently. Because of this, when you have an issue with a specific player -- or there's a problem with the team dynamic -- you should take gender into account.

With girls, yelling simply doesn't work. Coaches who approach girls as they would boys find this out the hard way. When you are upset with the attitude or effort of your female players, the best way to handle it is with a team meeting. Start by asking them what they think the problem is. Nine times out of 10, the girls will have already pinpointed the problem and have several solutions to propose. Girls work things out collaboratively -- as a team. It might be painful, but the results you see in the end will be worth it.

In contrast, boys need to be listened to and heard. If a boy on your team is acting out or needs help focusing, you should address it with the player, one-on-one, clear the air, and move on. You might have to get the boy's attention by raising your voice and making an example of him in front of his peers, but once you do, and you clearly explain your expectations, you should be on your way to a better team dynamic.

(Emily Cohen is a freelance writer living in Berkeley, Calif. She is the mother of a son, 12, and a daughter, 9, who both play multiple sports. She has been a team manager for her children's soccer, baseball and softball teams.)

]]> Why Sideline Screaming Can Stifle Your Child's Game tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.128 2008-10-15T03:16:57Z 2008-10-15T03:23:39Z By Mike Woitalla from AYSO's PLAYSOCCER Magazine. Imagine you're undertaking a fairly difficult task: assembling a piece of furniture with hieroglyphic instructions, filling out IRS Form 4562 on April 14, or standing on the highest rungs of a ladder painting... Mike Woitalla By Mike Woitalla from AYSO's PLAYSOCCER Magazine.

Imagine you're undertaking a fairly difficult task: assembling a piece of furniture with hieroglyphic instructions, filling out IRS Form 4562 on April 14, or standing on the highest rungs of a ladder painting the crown moulding in your living room with 14-foot ceilings. Think it would help if someone yelled at you during the process? Of course not.

Yet when a child tries to control a bouncing ball in a crowd of other kids, adults often believe it's perfectly acceptable to scream "advice." The shouting at America's soccer fields is so epidemic one wonders if adults ever reflect on their behavior. Adults who would never shout at children while they're enjoying the playground, drawing in a coloring book, or rearranging their dollhouse, loudly instruct from the sidelines without hesitation.

]]> When adults scream from the sidelines they’re not just invading the children’s playtime, they’re preventing children from learning the game of soccer in a natural manner. The shouting is detrimental to the children’s development as soccer players and at worst can turn them off to the sport entirely.

If parents want to help their children become better soccer players, they can offer to kick the ball around with them in the backyard. But sideline instructions deny children a chance to make their own decisions, it stifles their creative instincts, and all too often the instructions are misguided.

When a player has the ball there are generally three options: dribble, pass or shoot. In the long-term, the great players are the ones who choose wisely most of the time. But if, when they’re first learning the sport, that decision is being made for them with a scream from the sideline, how can we expect them to develop the soccer instincts they’ll need to make the split-second decisions that are so much a part of the game?

“We don’t want to turn the children into parrots waiting for someone to tell them what to do,” says John Ouellette, AYSO National Coach. “Soccer is a free-flowing game for children to enjoy and learn from playing. As an organization, we discourage sideline instruction not just from parents but also from coaches.”

During the first stage of soccer development it is essential that the children are allowed to discover the game on their own terms. High-level coaches constantly complain that players come through the ranks dependent on instructions because they’ve been bossed around in the early stages -- being told where to run and when to pass. They also cite a dearth of truly creative players -- the ones with the ability to make the unpredictable moves -- blaming the lack of freedom children are afforded during their early years.

Much of the sideline screaming comes from ignorance about the stages of development. While most parents would know that addition and subtraction must be mastered before algebra is introduced, at the soccer field they often expect children to perform maneuvers they are simply not capable of.

AYSO Hall of Famer Sigi Schmid is a former youth coach who coached UCLA to an NCAA title before entering the MLS ranks and winning a crown with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He stresses that coaches and parents must appreciate how young players learn the game.

Schmid says, “The first thing is, ‘It’s me and the ball.’ The second is, ‘It’s me and the ball and where’s the opponent?’ Then it’s, ‘It’s me and the ball, and where’s the opponent, where’s my teammate?’ He’s taking on more information. That’s how he develops.”

The screams from the sideline interfere with this process -- besides often being misguided and counterproductive. To take a few examples:

* “PASS IT! PASS IT!” Discouraging dribbling in the early years is like telling toddlers to shut up when they’re learning to speak. Young players should be encouraged to dribble -- because dribbling is the first step to mastering all ball skills -- and there are far better ways to introduce a passing game when children are ready to comprehend teamwork. The passing game enters soccer at the later stages and one will notice that the children themselves will ask each other for the ball.


* SPREAD OUT! Just because the first years of youth soccer look chaotic doesn’t mean the children aren’t learning. In fact, it’s perfectly fine that they all chase the ball in a swarm. Sooner or later they’ll figure out how to take advantage of time and space. They’ll comprehend positioning by exploring the field, not by being treated like chess pieces.


* SHOOT! SHOOT! SHOOT! This usually comes from an ear-piercing parent-coach chorus as a child dribbles toward the goal and I have little doubt that were it eliminated from the soccer fields of America we’d see more goals in the youth game.

Even the youngest, most novice player knows they are supposed to shoot the ball to score. And can it possibly help a child perform the difficult task of striking the ball while running as fast as they can by being screamed at during the process?

Moreover, the “shoot” scream encourages players to pull the trigger earlier than they should. How do great players score on breakaways? They usually wait until they get close to the goalkeeper. It’s much harder for the keeper to save a shot from four yards away than from 15. There’s also the option of rounding the keeper, especially when a patient attacker forces the keeper to commit.

Shooting advice I often hear from high-level players is not to rush the shot -- that players often have a little more time than they realize. As young players learn to cope with the high-pressure clear to young players which goal their team is aiming at. But what I’m talking about is the outrage that often greets a smart young player who retreats with the ball to move out of the bunch. Watch a game played by sophisticated players and you’ll find that they’re constantly moving the ball in all directions to find space and time.

Young players taking the ball away from the crowd are the clever ones. Will they sometimes put their team at risk? Maybe. But so what? Giving up a goal in a U-8 game isn’t nearly as important as allowing young players how to figure out how to keep possession.

“ATTACK THE BALL!” or “GO GET HIM!” is apparently meant to encourage a defending player to charge an opponent who has the ball at their feet. But in soccer, the defender wants to jockey into a good position to keep the attacker at bay. He wants to avoid over-committing and instead needs to figure out the right time to get a chance at the ball. It’s a matter of positioning and timing that players master by facing the situation over and over again -- not by taking cues from the sideline.

Perhaps the inclination to scream instructions comes from a well-intentioned desire to help children “learn.” But when does screaming at children help educate them? When a child wanders toward a busy street, moves too close to a hot oven, or starts beating on little brother -- OK, that might warrant a roar.

But does screaming at a child while you’re assisting him with math homework help? Very doubtful. And certainly children should be allowed to play soccer without getting yelled at. Then they’ll be able to pay attention to the best teacher of all: the game itself.


]]> Kaz Tambi guides top U.S. girls tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.129 2008-10-06T03:25:15Z 2008-10-15T03:27:57Z "The second issue is we don't see large quantities of soccer brains. That's a product of a local youth soccer environment where there's too much focus on competing in leagues and traveling from tournament to tournament while missing the important... Mike Woitalla "The second issue is we don't see large quantities of soccer brains. That's a product of a local youth soccer environment where there's too much focus on competing in leagues and traveling from tournament to tournament while missing the important elements."

-- Kaz Tambi, coach of the U.S. U-17 girls national team.

Tambi was profiled in the October 2008 issue of Soccer America by Mike Woitalla

]]> As a teenager, Kazbek Tambi constantly checked the New York Cosmos' schedule. When a road game on natural grass came next, Tambi knew Pele, Beckenbauer and Chinaglia were coming to town.

That would prompt Tambi to hop on his bike and ride 20 minutes from Ridgewood to Bergen Community College in Paramus, where the star-studded Cosmos went to escape the artificial turf of Giants Stadium.

"I could figure out when they'd be practicing on grass for three or four days," says Tambi, who is now the U.S. girls U-17 national team coach. "Then I'd go see my heroes.

"Sometimes it meant missing some school, but as soon as the training was over, I would shoot right back to school and typically get back by noon. Fortunately my parents only looked at the grades on my report card and not the disparity in the number of absences between my morning and afternoon classes."

Those grades were good enough that Tambi went on to Colombia University, where he won four Ivy league crowns, reached the final four and captained the team. Upon graduating with an economics degree, Tambi was drafted by the New York Cosmos.

Players whom he was once thrilled to watch now trained alongside Tambi. The Italian scoring phenom Chinaglia was still with the team that included two-time World Cup finalist Johan Neeskens of the Netherlands and Paraguayan star Roberto Cabanas.

Tambi's parents, immigrants from Russia, had never seen much of Kaz on the soccer field, but they did make it to Giants Stadium.

"They were immigrants struggling to make ends with blue-collar jobs and they didn't get many chances to come out and see me play," said Tambi, a sweeper. "The funny thing is, my mom started giving me advice on how to improve."

Tambi, who was born in Paterson, N.J., was also selected to the 1984 U.S. Olympic team. When a last-minute decision was made to use professional players, many of the amateurs were cut and replaced by indoor pros. Tambi made the team but didn't see action.

But the NASL folded after Tambi's first season with the Cosmos. He played for the ASL's New Jersey Eagles in the ASL and the Minnesota Strikers of the indoor MISL.

But indoor ball didn't suit Tambi, so he got a law degree at Seton Hall. In 1999, he became the Seton Hall men's assistant coach to Manfred Schellscheidt, the man who had brought Tambi into the 1984 Olympic team.

Tambi practiced law in the first part of the day and afterward he coached. His also coached youth ball at Arsenal World Class, a top New Jersey girls program. He eventually gave up practicing law for full-time soccer, becoming Seton Hall's women's coach in 2007.

In 2005, Tambi was named coach of the U.S. U-16 girls national team and he will guide the U-17 girls in the first FIFA U-17 Girls World Cup.

Tambi is confident he's found the nation's top young players for the team.

"Unlike the boys side," he says, "at this level I don't think you have as much hidden talent."

Tambi is impressed with quality of his players and sees significant progress in the last decade in female talent. But in his overall assessment of the female game nationwide, he does see room for improvement.

"The physical end is squared away," he says. "Athletically, that's no concern. But, even though they have a better technical foundation than a decade ago, more improvement in the technical end should be the emphasis.

"The second issue is we don't see large quantities of soccer brains. That's a product of a local youth soccer environment where there's too much focus on competing in leagues and traveling from tournament to tournament while missing the important elements."

Tambi says he's charged with the mutual goals of doing well at the world championship and developing players for the full national team.

The U-17 Girls World Cup kicks off in New Zealand on Oct. 28.

The USA, which qualified under Tambi by outscoring its opponents 29-2 in five games, is a favorite at the championship along with Germany and North Korea.

(This article originally appeared in the October 2008 issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Has Development Academy shifted the focus? tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.127 2008-10-02T03:15:15Z 2008-10-15T03:28:15Z The U.S. Soccer Development Academy's launch in 2007 promised to improve youth soccer for elite boys. We checked in with clubs that participated in the Academy's first season to see if the program met expectations. By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America... Mike Woitalla The U.S. Soccer Development Academy's launch in 2007 promised to improve youth soccer for elite boys. We checked in with clubs that participated in the Academy's first season to see if the program met expectations.

By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America Magazine

]]> By joining the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, 62 of the nation's top youth boys clubs removed their players from the traditional youth soccer scene that included state cups, frequent tournaments, local and regional league play and ODP tryouts.

With the Academy, launched in the summer 2007, the U.S. Soccer Federation integrated the youth clubs into the national team program, promising that players would be scouted while they played in the Academy's U-15/16 and U-17/18 leagues.

The Academy format aimed to increase the number of quality games while reducing the overall amount of games and emphasizing player development over trophy-collecting.

"We need to shift the focus of our young elite players from an 'overburdened, game emphasis' model to a 'meaningful training and competition' model," said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. "This will ultimately lead to more success and will allow players to develop to their full potential."

Soccer America surveyed directors of coaching and club officials for their views on the Academy, which entered its second season in September with 74 teams (all 62 teams returning and 12 new teams).

The main question was whether the Academy provided a significantly more beneficial environment for players than their previous experience.

Brad Butwin, the vice president of New York's Albertson SC, said that his players benefited from having fewer distractions without all the competing activities, like ODP, Super Y-League, regional premier leagues, state cups and tournaments.

"The Academy format provides the teams with quality matches throughout the year," Butwin said. "Almost all of the matches
were tightly contested."

Said Real Colorado's Jared Spires, "Instead of being awarded a championship for playing well over a week, it takes a consistent year-round effort to play for the championships. This alone has taken pressure off our young players and allowed them to play with more creativity and flair."

David Dengerink of the Virginia Rush said the Academy addressed the problem of basing levels of competition on results in state cups and major tournaments. Playing four games in 48 hours to determine another trophy, he said, led to an emphasis on strength and fitness over technical and tactical development.

"Every game we play is against quality opposition," says Ryan Austin of Atlanta Fire United. "The practice-to-game ratio makes much more sense. There is a minimized threat of burnout and less chance of injury. We are no longer playing five games in two or three days against usually mediocre competition. When you do that you spend half of the following week just recovering and regenerating instead of working toward your next game."

Steve Trittschuh of the Colorado Rush said his team usually only played two or three very competitive games in a season: "Now every game is challenging."

Gary MacMath of Florida's Clearwater SC said that in the past, 75 percent of his team's games weren't competitive.

"In the Academy, 100 percent of the games are high-paced, competitive matches," he said.

Los Angeles FC finished second to the Baltimore Bays in the U-17/18 age group.

"Normally we would play up to 60 games a year, and maybe five were competitive," said LAFC director of coaching Teddy Chronopoulos. "Now we play 30 competitive games, and all of them challenge our players mentally and physically."

Derek Armstrong of Southern California's Nomads FC said, "The competition level is consistent and much better than our previous
competition to develop players. ... I do believe that decisions made within the academy are based on the 'good of the game' as a starting point."

One change from regular youth ball is limited substitution - seven subs, no reentry.

"Players are now placed in an environment where they have to manage the game," said Leigh Cowlishaw of the Richmond Kickers. "Coaches have less influence on the outcome as they are unable to continually substitute players in and out to create an artificially fast pace."

Said Spires, "Players had to play through some of their struggles, solve problems while in the match, and at times play through fatigue, bumps and bruises. ... Likewise, coaches had to allow their players to solve problems in the game, fight through their struggles and encourage them to play through adversity."

Craig Conger of North Carolina's North Meck SC appreciates that the emphasis in Academy play is more on player development than on results.

"The subbing format affected the games and the management of them," he said. "Since the emphasis was not on winning - although we all want to win - we would allow a player who is struggling on the field to fight through it and experience difficulties rather than subbing quickly under the previous rules. Sometimes this was to the detriment of the team and a possible win, but it helps the players in the long run."

Lonny Unger, the president of New York's FC Westchester, said that just one season in the Academy has made a difference:

"I can say without question that our players, after the first year's experience, have improved dramatically - from our No. 1 player to the No. 20 player. This is because our players are training more and because each week they are playing against great competition."

One of the key components of the Academy is that national team scouts would observe players competing with their own teams, rather than relying on tryouts a la ODP to identify talent.

Josef Schluz, of the Schulz Academy in Boca Raton, Fla., never believed that weekend tryout camps in which players scrimmage all day long was a good way to identify talent. He is convinced playing Academy league games that are scouted by national team coaches is a far better method.

"One of great things about the Academy is the motivation it creates among the players," Schulz says. "They train knowing that they'll be watched by national team coaches when they play on the weekend for their club."

Coaches were pleased that their players were being watched by national team coaches and USSF staff coaches.

"Another big component that I am not sure we expected was the immediate feedback we were getting from the national staff - like from scouting director Tony Lepore and others on the national staff, up to and including [U.S. national team coach] Bob Bradley, who watched our entire U-18 game at the finals in L.A. in July," said Unger of FC Westchester. "That feedback has been hugely beneficial to our club, our players and our staff."

Said Real Colorado's Spires, "Some of our kids, who had struggled getting the right exposure through other avenues, were seen and invited into U.S. national team camps."

LAFC's Chronopoulos said, "The exposure our players have had over the past year is second to none."

Other aspects of the Academy that drew praise was the quality of the refereeing and playing fields, and the overall experience the players had at the Academy's four showcase events and the finals, which complemented league play.

While the USSF covers referee fees, travel to the finals, and charges only a $1 player registration fee, the main challenge faced by clubs is the cost of travel.

Most of the MLS teams that field Academy teams are cost-free to the players, and some clubs have sponsorships that defray costs. But the majority of players face a similar financial burden as they did under the previous system.

"Being who we are we struggle financially and will need serious help in this area to continue to provide the quality we are used to," said Milton A. Espinoza of New York City club Blau Weiss Gottschee. "We have to subsidize a lot of kids."

Espinoza does say that for players who participated in ODP, the cost is similar to what they paid pre-Academy.

Travel costs were particularly high for teams in conferences such as the West where air travel was required for most league games.

"The No. 1 thing that needs to be addressed is the cost," says Spires. "For kids in Colorado, the travel is extensive and the costs associated with travel aren't going down."

Cowlishaw of the Richmond Kickers says, "Although the cost per player has only increased slightly over our conventional travel program this is still concern for our families. ... Ultimately, we know this will have to be at no cost to our players."

Austin of Atlanta Fire United also says that the Academy's cost isn't much different when compared to what his players paid for travel tournaments and their registration fees, but that doesn't solve the pay-to-play problem.

"The only thing that needs to be improved upon is the communication to and from the USSF and the clubs in helping us find ways to help scholarship players," says Austin. "These players will fall through the cracks if something is not done soon."

Gulati says the Federation is still considering ways in which to address the financial burden on young players. Otherwise, the Academy after its first year seems to meeting expectations.

"I really think the Academy league is probably the second best thing that's happened in American soccer in the last 15 years," said Schluz. "The first was MLS's arrival and the second big step to improve American soccer is the Academy."

(This article originally appeared in the October 2008 issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Refs' Difficult Job Made Harder tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.126 2008-09-02T03:11:38Z 2008-10-15T03:13:54Z As U.S. Soccer works on improving the nation's refs, their job isn't made any easier by coaches, parents and TV commentators. By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America Magazine Of course, it's wonderful that there's so much soccer on American television. Young... Mike Woitalla As U.S. Soccer works on improving the nation's refs, their job isn't made any easier by coaches, parents and TV commentators.

By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America Magazine

Of course, it's wonderful that there's so much soccer on American television. Young players watch high-level soccer, then take the field trying to emulate it.

Let's just hope they're not listening too closely to the commentary, which frequently encourages the kind of soccer that we don't want from our young players - or from any players, for that matter.

]]> While providing color commentary for Olympic men's soccer, former U.S. national team defender Marcelo Balboa greeted a midfield foul in which a player was tripped while running at full speed before tumbling to the ground with, "Great play!"

Balboa has, after a foul in which the player needed to be stretchered off, praised the defender by saying, "You got to take him down. ... You got to kick him."

A player gets scythed down from behind and the defender gets hailed because, "You gotta do something to slow him down."

A soccer game starts off with a series of fouls that would leave anyone looking for the Beautiful Game sadly discouraged, but Balboa is pleased because, "That's a good start. Foul them and slow it down. That's how you slow down the game of soccer. ... You foul them and don't let them get their rhythm."

Balboa is just one of the many commentators who, instead of denouncing the cheats, heaps accolades on them. Spend a weekend watching MLS games and you'll hear transgressions described in positive terms. There are "intelligent fouls," "smart fouls" and "professional fouls." I've heard a dangerous tackle from behind described as a "veteran play."

"When I hear that, I'm like, 'Oh my god!'" says Paul Tamberino, U.S. Soccer's Director of Referee Development. "When one of our former national team players, whoever it is, makes comments like that, it does filter down to the grassroots.

"You've got young players who used to idolize the guy hearing that and they're liable to think that's how they should play. [The commentators] are teaching the negative aspects of playing and coaching and that's not how it should be portrayed."

The last thing we need is young players believing they should rely on fouling. In fact, the USA's dearth of players skillful enough to defend without fouling is a liability. Remember, at the 2006 World Cup the USA was poised to upset Italy before two Americans were red-carded for reckless fouls. Or more recently at the Summer Olympics, the men squandered a lead over the Netherlands because of a bad tackle.

In addition to condoning foul play, ignorance of the rules by TV commentators often has them criticize referees incorrectly. Among the common misconceptions passed down by the commentators is exonerating players for fouls because of a lack of intent, when in fact the rules require a punishment for fouls regardless of intent. (Only on handballs is intent still a criterion.)

For referees, "experts" encouraging foul play on national television or misrepresenting the rules only makes an already difficult job harder. Brian Hall, a four-time MLS Referee of the Year who officiated games at the 2002 World Cup, is now U.S. Soccer's Manager of Assessment and Training. Like Tamberino, Hall believes the large turnover in registered referees - about a third of the nation's 141,000 refs drop out every year - is caused in great part by sideline abuse that drives refs out of the game.

"To tackle the abuse problem, we've got to do a better job educating parents and coaches on the rules of the game and conduct," says Hall. "At the same time, we have to do a better job at the professional level, because that's the No. 1 thing they see. What happens at the top flows downward.

"And when they see something on television, they think it's OK. Or if they hear a comment from a former national team player or former top level coach, they take that as gospel when in reality it's not. And the people making those comments often have no clue as to what the heck they're saying."

Besides the TV commentators who misinterpret rules and encourage foul play, the behavior of coaches and players influences behavior at the grass-roots level. As does the manner in which referees deal with transgressions.

'RESPECT CAMPAIGN.' In MLS, for example, dissent toward the referee commonly goes unpunished despite the rules being quite clear that a player must be shown the yellow card if he "shows dissent by word or action."

The English FA, recognizing that English Premier League players have gotten out of hand, has launched the "Respect" campaign.

"We have reached tipping point with regards to dissent and have to now say enough is enough," says FA chairman Lord Triesman. "It will be hard to change this culture in our sport but we've got to be consistent in our attempts to do so."

At the forefront of the FA Respect program are instructions to referees to deal "firmly" with dissent. In aiming to stamp out the swarming of referees by players, the FA is stipulating that only the captain address the referee. A key impetus for the program's launch was the dropout rate of English referees at all levels.

Besides hoping that better behavior by pro role models influences the grassroots level, the FA has also instituted guidelines for youth games, requiring that spectators watch from the opposite side of the field from the coaches and that they watch from a designated spectators' area two yards from the sideline.

Coaches, players and parents are encouraged to sign a Code of Conduct form, similar to what some American leagues use through the Positive Coaching Alliance.

FEDERATION EXPANDS PROGRAM. Tamberino says U.S. Soccer is considering a similar campaign. A major concern is that many teenage referees, on whom youth leagues depend greatly, quit because of sideline abuse.

"As you referee through the years and get better, you train yourself to hear less and less from the sidelines and you're not be bothered by some parent barking at you," says Mark Thompson, a Northern California referee for 30 years who started officiating at age 12 and has whistled youth, college and pro games. "But if you're 12, 13 or 14, it might bother you a lot. And I would say that in 90 percent of youth games you hear at least some negative shouting from parents."

U.S. Soccer's Referee Program oversees refereeing education at all levels and has recently expanded the department. One of its innovations is a "Referee Week in Review" feature on ussoccer.com in which Hall assesses major refereeing decisions accompanied by video.

"We have increased sharply the resources behind our referee program in the last two years," says U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. "First by adding full-time officials - we're one of only a handful of countries that have made this move - and more recently by reorganizing our referee department. Adding two highly respected former officials, Paul Tamberino and Brian Hall, has been a huge plus.

"Over the next year or two, we will continue these efforts at the top level and also initiate additional programs at developmental and grassroots levels."

Improving refereeing through education and by expanding the pool of refs is obviously crucial for American soccer. Changing the attitude of parents and coaches on the sidelines of youth games is an even bigger challenge.

(This article originally appeared in the September 2008 issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Selling shirts or star searching? tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.124 2008-08-16T03:01:29Z 2008-10-15T03:06:22Z Foreign clubs are getting involved in American youth soccer, which makes one question what they're after and whether we want what they're offering. By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America Magazine The annual Dallas Cup attracts top youth clubs from around the... Mike Woitalla Foreign clubs are getting involved in American youth soccer, which makes one question what they're after and whether we want what they're offering.

By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America Magazine

The annual Dallas Cup attracts top youth clubs from around the world, but it's not always easy to tell from which country the teams hail, based on their name or uniform.

]]> Gordon Jago, the tournament's executive director, once had to calm down an irate transplanted Londoner who was furious that he wasn't watching the "real" Arsenal. The game featured not the Gunners' youth team but the Southern California team that emulates the English powerhouse in name and uniform.

"I told him I'd give him his $10 back," said Jago.

On another occasion, Jago watched as officials from Brazilian club Sao Paulo, which was fielding a U-19 team, hit the roof when a U-12 Mexican team was wearing Sao Paulo jerseys.

"It was Sao Paulo of Monterrey, a team created by Zizinho," says Jago. "His son, Giovani dos Santos, was playing on it just before he moved to Barcelona. But the Sao Paulo guys were really annoyed about seeing a team in their shirts."

Last year, during an interview with FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta, I showed him a copy of Soccer America that included a photo of an American youth team whose players wear the Catalan club's famous blue and dark-red jerseys. Unlike the Sao Paulo officials, Laporta was delighted and wanted to know more about the Southern California club that calls itself Barcelona and is affiliated with the Spanish giant as a fan club.

American youth sports have a long tradition of teams wearing uniforms and using the nicknames of pro teams they have no affiliation with. Major League Baseball recently cracked down by ordering teams to buy the uniforms through an MLB- sanctioned distributor.

What makes the practice unique in soccer is youth teams wear the uniforms of foreign teams. North Carolina may not have much in common with London, but the elite teams fielded by the Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) are set to don Chelsea jerseys, which will be provided by the English Premier League club.

In the case of the CASL, a "full-service club" with 9,000 registered players, the Chelsea link is an official partnership. When announced in July, Chelsea called it "the start of an unprecedented initiative to partner with America's top youth football clubs. Chelsea is beginning to build a network of top youth clubs across America to develop Chelsea Soccer Schools, a new tournament called the Chelsea Sevens, coaching clinics and exchange programs."

Other British clubs that have forayed into American youth soccer include Liverpool, Everton, West Ham and Crystal Palace. More are on the way.

Burnley chairman, Barry Kilby, said the club wants to be part of the American youth soccer boom and that the USA could provide talent for his club.

"If you look at Chelsea, they got to the FA Youth Cup Final and there were only two English players in the team," Kilby told the Burnley Express. "If we just stick to our own backyard, we can get left behind."

As part of the partnership forged with USL last year, West Ham selects Super Y-League players to visit its academy. West Ham Academy director Tony Carr told the East London Advertiser, "There is lots of raw talent in the U.S. and some very good players."

So they come for American players, or is there more to it?
"We underestimate the perception internationally of Burnley Football Club," said Burnley operational director Brendan Flood. "It's a global sport and … people would give their right arm to get a connection with us."

Really? Among pro teams in England, Burnley ranks 40th in attendance with an average of 12,364. It finished 13th in England's second tier last season and has never played in the EPL.

"Hopefully, there will be cross-merchandising opportunities and also maybe a new fan base as well," said Kilby.

It's easy to mock the notion that Burnley's arrival in the USA will excite American soccer fans. A club like Chelsea, however, could expect to generate more enthusiasm and replica jersey sales. The Blues are part of the popular EPL and UEFA Champions League, both broadcast on U.S. television, and field an array of international stars.

Worldwide branding has become a big part of the marketing strategy of the world's mega clubs. Real Madrid had been accused of signing David Beckham in 2003 to generate jersey sales in emerging markets — then proudly announced it had sold 1 million Beckham shirts during his first six months. MLS says the Los Angeles Galaxy has sold 300,000 Beckham jerseys.

Signing players with global appeal is one way to spur merchandise sales but such stars are limited in number. Getting involved at the grassroots level is another strategy. Which is why whenever a foreign club comes here one must question its motives. Is it because they see this market in which millions of kids who play soccer have the money to spend on merchandise, tournaments and camps?

"I understand that point," said Paul Clement, Chelsea's youth team manager. "And I know a lot of clubs have tried to do that before. But we're going to be square. What we're trying to do is assist in the development of young players at all levels in America, whether that be through grassroots programs or whether that be at the elite level."

Clement says the partnership is about working with coaches and young players, sharing ideas in "a collaboration that will work well for both sides."

CASL Chief Executive Charlie Slagle says the club's shared programs with Chelsea — such as a Chelsea-sponsored tournament, various coaching schools, camps and academies — will create revenue to help defray costs for CASL players.

Clement downplayed the notion that the partnership would lead to American players ending up with Chelsea, citing work-permit issues and regulations that prevent minors from outside the EU joining foreign teams.

"I'm not going to say it's not possible," he said. "It's going to be spinoff of the relationship as there will be many other spinoffs. What it will allow, and this is a great thing I think for the young players, is if you're going to be a real high-end talent, a top talent, you will be known by Chelsea."

Clement says CASL players may visit Chelsea to train for short periods, "testing themselves against the best."

So how does the American player benefit from foreign clubs' involvement? One aspect that is usually touted is the clubs will share their coaching expertise. The value of this is highly questionable coming from England, whose national team hasn't won a title since 1966 and whose top clubs rely so heavily on foreign imports that its player development system has come under major criticism.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said last year that England's academy system is "falling apart." In an analysis of English youth development, The Guardian announced that, "Academies go from substandard to ridiculous."

Of the 29 players who saw English Premier League action for Chelsea last season, one of them was a product of its youth program: John Terry, who debuted a decade ago.

Clement says, "We've been through a big rebuilding period over the last few years. … When Roman Abramovich invested very, very heavily in the youth program, he appointed [Dane] Frank Arnesen [chief scout and director of youth development] and made a big change in the whole philosophy."

Hassan Nazari is the Director of Coaching of the Dallas Texans, who this year were named Soccer America's No. 1 boys youth club. He says he sees little value in collaborating with a foreign club unless it offered to build facilities or provided significant financial backing.

"As far as the coaching goes," says Nazari, "you really have to consider whether they're offering anything better than we already have in the United States."

(This article originally appeared in the August issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Making keepers feel unbeatable tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.125 2008-08-02T03:08:07Z 2008-10-15T03:11:18Z Olympics mark Coach Mulqueen's fourth world championship with U.S. goalies. By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America... Mike Woitalla Olympics mark Coach Mulqueen's fourth world championship with U.S. goalies.

By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America

]]> The latest project for Tim Mulqueen, the USA's goalkeeper coach for all ages, comes with this summer's Olympic Games, which mark his fourth world championship on the U.S. bench.

Mulqueen, perhaps best known for training Tim Howard from age 12 through the pros, says tournament preparation differs significantly from the year-round coaching he did in MLS with the MetroStars and Kansas City, or at the U.S. Soccer U-17 Residency Program.

"When you're training keepers everyday, you're so in tuned with where they are physically and mentally," says Mulqueen, who also coached Tony Meola at the MetroStars and when he was MLS League MVP with Kansas City as it won the 2000 title. "When guys come in for a tournament, there's a heavy emphasis on sharpness. We quickly gauge their form and fitness, then we do a ton of repetition training."

Mulqueen also provides the keepers with scouting DVDs to familiarize them with the opponents' set plays and attacking tendencies.
"And I talk to the keeper to discover things they like that their club coach does so I can incorporate it," says Mulqueen, who also checks in with the keepers' club coaches. "There's something to be said for a goalkeeper's confidence with certain routines and exercises that make them feel like they're unbeatable."

After playing at Philadelphia's St. Joseph's University, Mulqueen become assistant coach at Rutgers while playing USL ball.

Mulqueen met Howard, now an English Premier League star and the USA's No. 1 keeper, when as a 12-year-old Howard attended Mulqueen's camps. He coached Howard with the New Jersey Cosmos at the U-15 and U-16 levels.

Howard, who credits Mulqueen with facilitating his maturation as a player and a person, played for the USL's New Jersey Imperials, whose head coach was Mulqueen, before joining the MetroStars (now Red Bulls), where Mulqueen served as assistant coach.

Mulqueen cites the backgrounds of Howard and Meola to demonstrate how beneficial a well-rounded sports experience is. Both also played center forward. Meola excelled at baseball, Howard at basketball.

Mulqueen says playing other sports helped them with their footwork and eye-hand coordination. Playing field positions in soccer honed their passing skills and game-reading.

That's why Mulqueen says young players shouldn't specialize too early.

"It's important to learn what it's like to be a soccer player," he says, "because a goalkeeper is just a soccer player who can use his hands. It's very important to understand what it's like to be a field player. They'll let you know when they're ready to be a full-time goalkeeper and they'll gravitate to it naturally."

Mulqueen was the USA's keeper coach at the 2005 and 2007 U-17 World Cups, and the 2007 U-20 World Cup, where the USA reached the quarterfinals.

The U-20 tournament was a highlight for Mulqueen because of the performance of backup keeper Brian Perk, named starter for the round of 16 game against Uruguay because of an injury to Chris Seitz.

"Brian didn't play at the U-17 World Cup in 2005," Mulqueen says, "but he made the U-20 World Cup squad. He finds out at 3 p.m. on game day he's going to start, makes several key plays, and helps us win the game. It was a great feeling that he was properly prepared and a great accomplishment for him."

Mulqueen says goalkeepers need to have exceptional athletic ability, smarts to read the game, the ability to organize and the courage "to put themselves in harm's way."

They must be very strong-minded individuals to handle the pressure of the job and its ups and downs.

Says Mulqueen, "At the U-17s we had a saying: Goalkeepers need to have a short memory. Whether they make the best save or give up the worst goal, they need to get it out of their system and move on to the next play."

(This article originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of Soccer America magazine.)

]]> Youth Soccer Reporter tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.120 2008-07-30T22:46:34Z 2008-07-30T23:00:38Z Soccer America Magazine has launched a new e-letter, The Youth Soccer Reporter, covering competitive youth soccer each week. The YSR provides news and analysis and includes features on rising stars, profiles of top clubs and interviews with key figures on... Mike Woitalla Soccer America Magazine has launched a new e-letter, The Youth Soccer Reporter, covering competitive youth soccer each week. The YSR provides news and analysis and includes features on rising stars, profiles of top clubs and interviews with key figures on the American youth scene

Check it out HERE.

]]> Tim Mulqueen: USA's keeper coach for all ages tag:www.youthsoccerfun.com,2008://1.121 2008-07-28T22:50:37Z 2008-07-30T22:52:25Z From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Reporter: The 2008 Olympics will mark U.S. Soccer goalkeeper coach Tim Mulqueen's fourth world championship, following last year's U-20 World Cup and two U-17 World Cups. Mulqueen, perhaps best known for training Tim Howard from... Mike Woitalla From Soccer America's Youth Soccer Reporter:

The 2008 Olympics will mark U.S. Soccer goalkeeper coach Tim Mulqueen's fourth world championship, following last year's U-20 World Cup and two U-17 World Cups. Mulqueen, perhaps best known for training Tim Howard from age 12 through the pros, also coached keepers such as Tony Meola during MLS stints with the MetroStars and Kansas City. Soccer America's Mike Woitalla spoke with Mulqueen about coaching America's young keepers, how to spot great keepers at an early age, and when youngsters should specialize at the position.

]]> SOCCER AMERICA: It seems to me that youth coaches might be inclined to make young players specialize as goalkeepers too early, because if you put your best athlete in goal, you'll win games. What's your opinion on when players should become full-time keepers?

TIM MULQUEEN: It's important to learn what it's like to be a soccer player, because a goalkeeper is just a soccer player who can use his hands. It's very important to understand what it's like to be a field player. So they shouldn't be restricted to just playing goalkeeper. They'll let you know when they're ready to be a full-time goalkeeper and they'll gravitate to it naturally.

Tony [Meola] and Tim [Howard] were both center forwards in high school. I think it helped both those guys, in their reading of the game, their ability to use their feet. Tony Meola's feet in goal were that of a field player. He was so proficient with his right or left foot. Tony was a part of our teams in how we played out of the back

SOCCER AMERICA: So it's important that young keepers spend time in field positions?

TIM MULQUEEN: I think anytime you force a kid to play only in goal you're stunting his development, you're doing him a disservice and he may not be as courageous and determined to be that good goalkeeper because it's not something he truly has a passion for. And I also think in his development as a goalkeeper it's very important for him to understand what it's like to be a field player.

You have some goalkeepers screaming at a guy to get back and play defense after he just made an 80-yard run. If you've ever made an 80-yard run, you know it's not that easy to get back right away. So it gives a good appreciation for what a field player has to do.

And I think field players who have played goal growing up, it gives them appreciation for what the goalkeeper goes through. I think it's a win-win to at the early ages have players play all positions.

By the ages of 14 or 15, kids kinda sort out where they wanna play.

SOCCER AMERICA: What effect do you think it has when youth coaches steer their best athletes to the goalkeeping position at an early age?

TIM MULQUEEN: People ask why Americans have had great success developing goalkeepers. Maybe it's because from a young age the best athlete has been put in goal, and that's why they've developed quicker than the field player. If we took these great athletes and worked on their technique as field players as well, then maybe we would have some more of the great field players that we're finally starting to get, but we'd have more abundance of them.

SOCCER AMERICA: How can you tell if a young player has the potential to be a great goalkeeper?

TIM MULQUEEN: The first thing you look at in a young goalkeeper is athleticism. It's an athletic position and they have to have that exceptional athletic ability, especially when I'm looking at goalkeepers for international play for the U-17s or the U-20s.

And they have to be courageous. You can't have goalkeepers in there who are a little bit gun-shy to lay themselves out, to put themselves in harm's way.

They need to be smart because the international game is fast. They need to organize things quickly, they need to get themselves into position much quicker than they would playing club soccer.

And psychologically, they need to be a very strong-minded individual person. What people forget is goalkeepers spend a lot of the game by themselves.

You need to have a goalkeeper who can handle the ups and downs, a flat-line personality almost. He's gotta to be consistently there when needed.

SOCCER AMERICA: How different are young goalkeepers compared to the older, more experienced keepers?

MULQUEEN: I had Tim Howard from age 12 and we still talk quite regularly about goalkeeping and the evolution of it.

One of the things Tim points out is that the difference psychologically between the age groups is unbelievable. At the young age, what they find important in goalkeeping is looking the part, to have a style, to emulate other goalkeepers.

As they get older, they find more what works for them, whether it looks good or not - as long as it doesn't go into the goal, they're pretty satisfied.

As a coach, I agree with that.

You see maturation. A goalkeeper as he gets older, he becomes much more practical, less adventurous, more of a student of the game. They're becoming a successful goalkeeper, as opposed to just an athlete in goal who's stopping shots.

At the younger age the kids rely strictly on athleticism to make the saves. As they get older it's more about positioning and organization to help them make the play.

SOCCER AMERICA: What are the differences between coaching veteran professional goalkeepers and young keepers, like the ones you trained at U.S. Soccer's U-17 Bradenton residency program?

TIM MULQUEEN: There's a big difference. When you're dealing with the U-17 kids, it's more development and you're really trying to cover all aspects of goalkeeping in great detail.

As you move on you focus more on what the goalkeeper's weaknesses are to try and improve them and accentuate the strengths. You actually funnel it down a little bit.

It's not as much of the overall development. It's actually kind of maintenance, tweaking the type of coaching as you move up the line with the younger levels and dealing with the psychological aspects of the goalkeeper, and keeping them sharp and confident as you move up from the ages, from u-20s to U-23s, to the full team.

At the world championships, the U-17s haven't been in those high-pressure situations before, whereas even the U-20s have at least been in professional-game situations.

So you get to the world championships and if there's any adversity, you really have to have a relationship with that goalkeeper that you can calm him down and talk to him. So there's a lot of massaging of the goalkeeper at that level so they know they're ready to come back for next game.

At the U-17s we had a saying: Goalkeepers need to have a short memory. Whether they make the best save or give up the worst goal they need to get it out of their system and move on to the next play.

]]>