Youth Soccer Fun http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/ en Copyright 2012 Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:44:19 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Different paths to stardom (Sebastian's Story) What especially impressed the South Carolina youth coach about the boy wasn't what he did with his Carolina Elite club - although Andrew Hyslop was very impressed -- it was the soccer Sebastian Velasquez played own his own.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/03/different_paths_to_stardom_seb.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/03/different_paths_to_stardom_seb.html Commentary Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:44:19 -0800 'Not every kid wants to play high school' (Q&A Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers) The Richmond Kickers have announced they will be covering the costs of players on their U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams. We spoke with Leigh Cowlishaw, the Central Virginia club's Director of Soccer, about the impact he expects from the move -- and the Academy's new 10-month season, which keeps its players out of high school ball.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/not_every_kid_wants_to_play_hi.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/not_every_kid_wants_to_play_hi.html Commentary Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:20:51 -0800 Klinsmann and Co. make case for 10-month club season, no high school ball U.S. Soccer made it official last Friday that its 78-club Development Academy league will move to a 10-month schedule starting with the 2012-13 season.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/klinsmann_and_co_make_case_for.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/klinsmann_and_co_make_case_for.html Youth Development Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:18:10 -0800 Dribble on! ... High school more fun? We need dribblers! ...

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/dribble_on_high_school_more_fu.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/dribble_on_high_school_more_fu.html Commentary Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:15:10 -0800 Another curriculum! (US Youth Soccer's is worth a read) On U.S. Youth Soccer's 117-page Player Development Model coaching guide ...

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/another_curriculum_us_youth_so.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/02/another_curriculum_us_youth_so.html Further Reading Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:03:01 -0800 'Coaches should help, not disturb' (Q&A with Bayern Munich's Werner Kern, Part 2) Bayern Munich, Germany's richest and most successful club, buys international stars (eg Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben) and top domestic talent (eg Manuel Neuer and Mario Gomez) -- but its starting lineup usually includes four or five homegrown players, who are also national team regulars.


By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/coaches_should_help_not_distur.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/coaches_should_help_not_distur.html Youth Development Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:20:49 -0800 Inside Bayern Munich's youth program (Q&A with Werner Kern, Part I) Bayern Munich stars, such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Mueller, often cross paths with the youngsters at the club's Sabener Strasse grounds -- though they arrive in a different manner. The pros drive Audis provided by the team sponsor whose license plates end with their jersey numbers. After parking in the underground garage, they stop at the autograph station to sign shirts, balls and pictures that will be sent to fans. The youth players come mainly after school by train or in buses provided by the club. A small group of them live in the club's dorms.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/inside_bayern_munichs_youth_pr.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/inside_bayern_munichs_youth_pr.html Youth Development Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:27:56 -0800 Why Wilmer Cabrera's U-17 tenure ended (Q&A) Wilmer Cabrera, who guided the USA to the second round in the 2009 and 2011 U-17 World Cups and headed the Bradenton Residency Program for more than four years, explains why he's left U.S. Soccer and looks back on his tenure.

Interview by Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/why_wilmer_cabreras_u17_tenure.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/why_wilmer_cabreras_u17_tenure.html In The News Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:26:17 -0800 Remembering Thomas Fleck; FA changes 'travel' rules; Bliss, Rongen in new roles ... By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/remembering_thomas_fleck_fa_ch.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/remembering_thomas_fleck_fa_ch.html In The News Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:24:20 -0800 Thanks, Manny Schellscheidt! Perhaps no man has had as great an influence on as many American coaches as Manfred "Manny" Schellscheidt, who retired in 2011 at age 70.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/thanks_manny_schellscheidt_1.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2012/01/thanks_manny_schellscheidt_1.html Commentary Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:28:14 -0800 'Put best coaches at youngest ages' (Q&A with Mustang's Fred Wilson) The Youth Soccer Insider continues its interview series with youth club leaders by talking with Fred Wilson, the Boys Coaching Director of Northern California's Mustang Soccer, a club-slash-league with nearly 5,000 players under its umbrella.

Interview by Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/12/put_best_coaches_at_youngest_a.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/12/put_best_coaches_at_youngest_a.html Coaching and Player Tips Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:22:39 -0800 Tackling gay issues in sports The hardships faced by gay teens inspired the coming-out of former University of North Carolina star David Testo after nearly a decade of pro soccer in MLS, the USL and NASL. We contacted longtime soccer coach and journalist Dan Woog, the author of five books on gay and lesbian issues, to comment on the importance of pro athletes coming out and to offer advice for coaches on how to combat the homophobia that can torment gay and questioning teens.

Interview by Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/12/tackling_gay_issues_in_sports.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/12/tackling_gay_issues_in_sports.html Commentary Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:47:53 -0800 'They need a guiding hand' (Derek Armstrong Q&A, Part 2) In Part 2 of our interview, Armstrong addresses the USA's challenge in producing special players and the U.S. Soccer Federation's role in player development.

Interview by Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/11/they_need_a_guiding_hand_derek.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/11/they_need_a_guiding_hand_derek.html Youth Development Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:45:22 -0800 'U.S. coaching is first class' (Derek Armstrong Q&A - Part 1) Few individuals have had as great an impact on American youth soccer as Derek Armstrong, who three decades ago pioneered the fully staffed, multi-team club model now prevalent throughout the USA.

Interview by Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/11/us_coaching_is_first_class_der.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/11/us_coaching_is_first_class_der.html Youth Development Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:43:10 -0800 If MLS wants kids to watch ... How do you, a youth coach, address your players when they're victims of bad fouls, brutish opponents or bad refereeing?

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider)

]]> http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/11/if_mls_wants_kids_to_watch.html http://www.youthsoccerfun.com/2011/11/if_mls_wants_kids_to_watch.html Commentary Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:40:51 -0800