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A Champions Creed [10 May @ 11:09am]
If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don't. If you'd like to win but you think you can't It's almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose, you're lost. For out in the world we find, Success begins with the fellow's will, It's all in the state of mind. If you think you are outclassed, you are; You've got to think to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize. Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man; But sooner or later the man who wins Is the one who thinks he can.
Basic rules of soccer [20 Apr @ 12:12pm]
The soccer field must have a minimum measurement of 100 yards and a maximum length of 130 yards. The width of the football field must be at least 50 yards and at most 100 yards. · The game only allows a maximum of 11 players in the out field for each team. This includes the goalkeeper. · As long as the referee does not halt the game for certain violations or situations, the game or the match is considered in play. · Each time a player trips, kicks, pushes, punches, charges or holds an opponent a foul is called. · Every time the team in offense passes the ball beyond the defending team's goal line using any part of the body other than the hand, a goal is scored.
Nutrition Guide [17 Apr @ 7:59pm]
Carbohydrates As a soccer player you will never cover a marathon distance of 26 miles or more (unless you have some super Duracell rechargeable batteries : - ) The slow and fast running which you utilize may easily deplete your glycogen stores. To avoid that you need to eat quality carbohydrates. Research have shown that amateur soccer players only eat 1300 calories of carbohydrate/day, which is far below the recommended level of 2300 to 2900 calories (are you one of them?). The main energy source for your muscles are the glycogen fuels. Glycogen is produced from carbohydrates you eat (apples, bananas, bread, milk etc). It is vital for your performance to have enough glycogen. If not, you will have a fatigue felling, your concentration will be poor and recovering from a match/practice will take longer time. If your glycogen fuels are low in the beginning of a game, you will most likely have few carbohydrates left in your muscles at the beginning of second half. This simply means that your performance will decrease significantly. You will for example run slower, sometimes by as much as 40-50 % compared to your first half of the match. Your cover distance will also be reduced by 25% or more with low glycogen fuels. fat? Well, as soccer player you will burn many calories but the fat should still be minimized in your soccer food because it is not an efficient provider of energy. This doesn’t mean that a diet for soccer players should not contain fat, instead, you should try to keep it low, because in long running sports, like soccer, your body will use glycogen fuel which is found mainly in carbohydrates. protein, do I need it? As soccer player you need normally to eat 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of your body weight per day (1.4 to 1.7 g/kg/day). Protein is a vital part of your soccer diet as it will repair your muscles plus boost your immune system. You may also use protein as fuel before practicing sessions or match but it doesn’t give you any boost of energy as carbohydrates does. Some good sources of protein include fish, chicken, milk and yogurt. Is it necessary to drink much water? During your practice or matches, your body will lose a lot of water (especially in hot and warm weather kinds). By drinking water you will be able to keep your body hydrated which will give a boost on the field. This is one of the most important parts of nutrition for soccer players and you should really put effort in getting it right. nutrition and sports drinks Sports drinks usually claim to boost your performance but they are just full of fast carbohydrates that will just increase your blood sugar for a while. This will not increase your performance to some high level. My advice is to plan your meals and only consume sports drinks when you really don’t have time to eat. When To Eat? The recommended energy diet for soccer players state that you should eat at least 700 carbohydrates 3-4 hours before the start of your game. After the end of match you should attempt to consume enough carbohydrate to replace all the fluid you have lost during the match.
How to Dribble [20 Apr @ 12:10pm]
1. Maintain Your Balance As you dribble the soccer ball it is important that you maintain your balance. Keep your feet wide enough that you can quickly stop, start, and change direction. When you play off balance it is impossible to do anything except move forward in a straight line without losing possession of the ball. 2. Keep Your Head Up When players first learn to dribble they have a tendency to watch their own feet. Unfortunately when they have their head down they cannot see anything that is going on in the field. They have no idea where their teammates are, and they don not see approaching defenders. Make sure that you work with your players to keep their head up when they are dribbling. Watching their feet is a horrible habit to get into, and it will hamper your players development in other areas of the game. 3. Look Where You Are Going While it is important to look around to see what is happening on the field, you should not lose focus on where you are going with the ball. When a player stops paying attention to where they are going they can quickly get into trouble. When they see what is in front of them they can make better decisions about what to do with the ball. 4. Study Your Opponents As players begin to develop they will start to be able to spot the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. Players have tendencies to play a certain way, and if you are aware of those tendencies you can use that knowledge to your advantage during the game. For instance, if you see that a player has trouble defending attackers that move to the left, you can instruct your players to cut the ball to the left when they face that defender. While this may not be useful at lower levels, it can give you a nice advantage in older youth soccer games. 5. Use Both Feet Players that can dribble with both feet are much more difficult to defend. Using both feet give the ball handler the ability to shield the ball better, and they are able to change directions with the ball much more quickly. 6. Don't Be Predictable As players start to learn more moves with the ball, some of them will have a favorite move that they use during the game. While this is understandable, it can lead to trouble if they rely onb a single move too much. When you become predictable it makes it much easier for a defender to know what you are going to do with the ball. Once they know what you are going to do, it is very easy for them to take the ball from you. 7. Pass the Ball One of the biggest mistakes a youth soccer player can make when dribbling is to miss the opportunity to pass the ball. They try to dribble through traffic, or they allow themselves to get hemmed in on the sideline or in the corner. One of the fastest ways to move the soccer ball and to spread the defense is to pass the ball. Don't allow your players to get so confident in their ball handling abilities that they miss open passes.
Ball Control [17 Apr @ 7:41pm]
Inside If you are new to soccer you should try to use the inside part of your foot as often you can. It will be easier for you to set up the ball then if you were using any other parts of your foot. Outside The outside is the most frequently used part for controlling a ball in soccer. The reason is pretty obvious, it is impossible to achieve same speed with any other parts of your foot. Keep in mind that you can squeeze the ball to the outside of your body with very little effort of foot readjustment. This is achieved with a smooth movement which can also disguise your intention to an opponent. This is the part you should use while running with the ball. Sole The sole is very useful for controlling the ball when you are facing the opponents goal with your back with minimum space available but also when you are performing some particular soccer moves (e.g. 360 or Ferenc Puskas).
Passing [20 Apr @ 12:07pm]
Push Pass In soccer, the most frequently used pass is the push pass. This pass is easy to learn and you will know how to perform a push pass correctly just after few training sessions, but to master it you will need to practice a lot more. Wall Pass The wall pass, also known as the give and go and one two pass, is a tactic that many sports use. In fact, the wall pass is the most basic one of all offensive tactics but is still very effective when used in the right situations. Chip Pass The chip pass is performed by a jabbing motion down & under the ball to get it up into the air. With a chip pass the ball will get a backspin which will slow down the speed of the ball when it lands on the ground. Backward Pass The backward pass in soccer is very efficient when you have the opponent’s goal behind you. This type of pass is performed by kicking the ball with the heel or the sole of your kicking foot. Passing into Space Passing into space is used frequently when the game is played at high speed. The player without the ball must provide a passing option for the ball holder by running into space. If you are the ball carrier, you must look around you and keep an eye on movement and runs by your teammates
Heading [20 Apr @ 12:09pm]
The Flick Header The flick header gives you the opportunity to play the ball in any direction off your head. This technique is usually used in front of the near post when the ball is crossed from the wing. This method of heading makes it very difficult for the soccer goalie to grip the ball. The Diving header When performing a diving header you must propel your body in the path of the ball. Your arms must also be stretched forward to protect you when landing on the ground. Many soccer players find this type of header very difficult to master. If you have a problem with performing this technique, try to practice the dive without ball. The Glancing header When performing a glancing header you need to turn your head in the direction of your aim. This motion will redirect the oncoming ball. The glancing header method provides versatility and disguise in the air. This method of heading is especially important in front of the goal when you want to direct the ball past the opposing goalkeeper but also on the field for passing the ball to your teammates. The Standard Header When performing a standard header you need to hit the ball with power. This is done by arching your back and swinging your head forward. When performing this type of header you must also keep your shoulders leveled and perpendicular to your aim.
Shooting [17 Apr @ 8:01pm]
Instep Drive or The Knuckle Shot The instep drive is a very useful soccer shooting technique when you want to strike the ball with power from long range. However, this type of shot is very hard to control which means that you should not be surprised if the ball ends up 20-30 yards behind the goal. Swerve Shot A goalkeeper’s worst nightmare is known as the swerve shot. This type of shot will swerve once you fire it and to save it requires a lot of effort. However, learning to perform a swerving shot is really difficult and not many players in the world are able to perform it in high tempo. However, you should still practice on it and try it out in real games because failure is the key to success. Full Volley A full volley can create a powerful shot which can be impossible to save (if you get it on the goal of course). The most difficult thing with a full volley is to get your shot on the goal). You really need to hit the ball perfectly and in right moment. If you fail to do so, the ball will often end 20 yards behind the goal. This type of shot is ideal when you have several opponents running towards you while the ball is falling from the sky. A common situation is when the ball is cleared away from a corner kick and you are standing about 5-10 yards from the penalty box line. Half Volley A half volley is pretty similar to the full volley except that you will first get control on the ball and then fire the shot. This is also why a half volley is a better alternative for long range shoots because you will be able to receive, aim and fire the shot while the opponents are unprepared. However, keep in mind that beating the keeper with a 30 yard shoot really requires a lot of skill. But, I’ve seen people score goals from 70 yard with the half volley so it is not impossible. Like with any other soccer shot you should not overdo it. Instead, try it twice but not more than three times per game. Side Volley A side volley is great when you have the ball bouncing at your side. A side volley requires good balance and great precise timing which means that you need to play it properly before striking the ball. The most difficult thing with a side volley is to get the ball on the goal. It may look easy but often you will either totally miss the ball or send it 30 yards behind your opponent’s goal. Flying Volley The flying volley is not something you will see every day. This is a type of shoot that requires great acrobatic abilities and timing. The most difficult thing with a flying volley is that you need to jump in the right moment. It is also crucial to know how to land because if the ground is hard it will hurt, believe me; I know what I am talking about :-) There is also a risk that you could hit your opponents head instead of the ball. So, be cautious and make sure to plan your jumps.
Receiving the Ball [17 Apr @ 7:56pm]
The reason for why it is harder to receive the ball while being under pressure is that your brain needs to concentrate on two things at the same time. Besides watching out for where your opponent is you need also to receive the ball and do something useful with it. So, how can you increase your receiving skills? You can start by studying professional soccer players either on TV or LIVE. You should not study a fullback if you are playing as forward. It will improve your game in offense buy it will surely not improve your abilities in defense. While studying your favorite players, watch for how they move. Start by looking what he/she is doing before receiving the ball. ? What he/she doing after receiving the ball (shooting, passing, dribbling etc?). Second thing you can do is to practice more. If you feel that receiving is something difficult try to practice longer and harder. While performing receiving drills on your regular practice, your focus on them should be 100%. Don’t walk around and talk with your teammates during your practice. You will not only lose focus on the drill but your coach may get angry and send you off the field. Third way to improve you receiving skills is to practice alone. The only thing you will need is a ball, a piece of ground and a wall. Many great soccer players have gain their tremendous receiving skills by kicking the ball against a wall. This is a great drill and the wall will never complain and you will be able to practice on different methods of receiving (chest, inside of the foot, outside of the foot etc). Keep in mind that you will not become a good soccer player over a night. You need to practice, practice and practice again. If someone told you that you can become a good soccer player without practicing then that person is a liar. Always try to perform better and don’t be satisfied if you have been voted as the player of the match. Try instead to be it next game as well.
Kick Guide [17 Apr @ 8:00pm]
Free Kick Direct soccer free kick is taken from where the foul occurred. When performing it the ball must be stationary prior to being kicked. The free kick wall must remain 10 yards from the ball until you kick it. Free kick is a great opportunity for scoring goal, especially if the foul was occurred near your opponent’s goal. Accuracy and precision is vital but if you don't have these you may rely on your power mainly ). Instead, getting the ball over your opponent’s wall and hit the goal is most important (besides scoring of course) if you want to perform well as a free kick taker. Indirect Free Kick The opposite of direct free kick is the soccer indirect kick. The main difference between an indirect and direct free kick is that you cannot score directly from it; instead one of your teammates must touch the ball first. Usually, an indirect free kick will occur when a player passes the ball to the goalkeeper (both of them must play in the same team) and he/she grip the ball with his/her hands. Penalty Kick A soccer penalty kick is a form of direct free kick which means that a goal can be scored directly from it. If you miss a penalty kick the game will continue on as usual, which gives you opportunity to repair the mistake if the ball bounces back to you. Few years ago it was allowed to pass the ball to another teammate when performing a penalty kick, but now days you must kick the ball directly at goal without letting any teammate touch it first. Goal kick Your team will be awarded with a goal kick when the ball leaves the field of play. The ball will be counted as out of play when wholly crossing the goal line (either on the ground or while it is in the air). The ball must even been touched last by an opponent before it leaves the field of play. Often your goalkeeper will be responsible for taking goal kicks but sometimes you may need to take his/her role especially if he/she is injured or don’t have enough skill to perform a goal kick (which is not even unusual in professional soccer matches). Corner kick A corner is a soccer kick that provides very good scoring opportunities, either directly (which will not occur so often) or getting the ball to your teammates in front of your opponents goal. Another strategy for corner kick in soccer is to play a short corner, in which the ball is kicked to a teammate located near the corner kicker. This strategy is normally used to get the ball away from the goal line in order to get a better angle on your opponent’s goal. Your opponents will usually form a wall to stop the ball from getting into the 18 yard area, however they must be at least 10 yards from the ball until it is in play. Bicycle or the Over Head kick A soccer bicycle kick (also known as the scissors or overhead kick) is a type of soccer kick which is basically executed in the air. In order to perform a bicycle kick you should perform a shearing movement with your legs and kick the ball with power. This is the most advanced part of the soccer kick methods and must be practiced first without ball because you can cause yourself serious injuries if you don’t know what you are doing. With other words, if you have just started to learn how to play soccer I would recommend you to avoid practicing on this one. Instep kick The soccer instep kick is the heavy artillery of all your soccer. This type of kick is the most powerful one and is the true winner when it comes to releasing powerful and hard to save missiles. With this kick mastered you will be true king on the field and the keepers will get scared every time you receive the ball.
Receiving methods [17 Apr @ 7:50pm]
Inside This is the most frequently used method for receiving the ball. While it is pretty easy to learn this skill, you’ll need to spend many hours before mastering it completely. One of the best methods for learning the inside technique is to kick the ball against a wall and then try to receive it by using the inside. Instep This part of your foot is usually effective when a ball is dropping and you have time to gain control over it without pressure from opponents. You may also use the instep part when trying to steal the ball back from your opponent with a slide tackle Thigh This part of your body is very effective for controlling the ball when you have an opponent behind you. The part of the thigh that you will use to control the ball can be marked just about the bottom of your shorts. Chest This is the largest area of your body. It may hurt a little while practicing on your chest control especially if the ball is hard. To avoid this you should try to be relaxed and let the ball cushion on your chest just like landing on a pillow. This method of controlling the ball is especially useful in situations with little space and many opponents around you.
Goal Keeper [17 Apr @ 7:58pm]
As a goalkeeper you should: • Never throw or kick the ball back into play unless some of your teammates are completely unmarked • Never try to dribble your opponent, instead, play smart and kick the ball away • Always try to find a free standing teammate who can receive the ball without pressure. So, how to throw the ball? There are several techniques you can use in order to throw the ball properly. You may for example: • Throw the ball low • Roll it along the ground• Throw it like a tennis serve You should also study how to kick the ball with precision in following article. As I mentioned before, try always to have a plan behind your throws and kicks. I repeat, do not throw or kick the ball and hope for the best. Instead, analyze the current situations properly and try to find the best possible solution. Facing your opponent 1 vs. 1 All right, enough about throws and kicks; let’s discuss how you should react when you are facing your opponent 1 vs. 1. I know by experience that this type of situations is a nightmare for a goalie. Simply, the opponent is the one that have advantage and you are the underdog. However, you can still win these situations by following some simple guidelines. Let’s take a look at these: - Once you leave the goal line there is no turning back. The worst thing you can do is to stand and wait for your opponent. Instead, you should try to attack him as fast as possible and stretch out your whole body to make yourself big. Believe me, if you do this, the chance for winning the duel will increase greatly. - Keep in mind that you only have one chance to clear the ball away from your opponent’s feet. Once the opponent pass you it will be impossible to stop him from scoring. I know by experience that many opponent's like to dribble the goalie instead of shooting directly. Try to keep this in mind when facing your opponent 1 vs 1. -You could also wait for the split second which simply means that your opponent has to first look at the ball before firing a shoot. While your opponent prepares to shoot the ball you should rush toward him and block the shot. Organize the function of your defenders As soccer goalie you will also need to organize the position of your defenders. This is very important as you will often need to tell your defenders whether they should move up or stay. As the last player you will be able to see the whole field and predict how the game is likely to develop. This is why you always need talk with your defense and coordinate them.
The Goal Kick [20 Apr @ 12:11pm]
The goal kick in soccer is one method of restarting play after the whole of the ball has crossed the entire width of the goal line. The ball crossing the line can occur either in the air or on the ground. This is a bit tricky, because there is a misconception that part of the ball must actually touch the line. One way of perceiving this is that the ball is out of play when it cannot cast a shadow on the line if a light is shone straight over it. For the goal kick the following criteria should be met: 1) The ball must last be touched by an attacker 2) The crossing of the goal line must not result in a goal 3) The nearest point of the ball must be completely outside of the entire width of the goal line on the ground or in the air. If a defender plays the ball last, the decision should be a corner kick. It should be noted that the attacker does not have to kick the ball out by a controlled or deliberate play for the goal kick to be awarded. The defender can willfully play the ball off of the attacker or the ball can deflect (even with the slightest of touches) off of the attacker. The ball not being counted as a goal is an important criteria. It may seem like stating the obvious, but there is a case where the ball crossing the goal line between the uprights and under the crossbar results in a goal kick (a throw-in directly into goal by an opponent). Also, the soccer goal is not required to have a net. In that case, differentiating between a goal kick and goal can be tricky. Officiating The referee and assistant referee share the responsibility for determining if a goal kick should be awarded. Typically, the referee is responsible for the side further away from the assistant. The assistant is responsible for ball-out-of-play decision on the goal line closest to him. Based on teamwork, this arrangement could be altered or modified. Sometimes the assistant is in a better position to judge a far-side call than the referee. The complete opposite can be true as well. It must be noted that the referee can overrule his assistant, although this invariably appears to be a breakdown in communication and teamwork. Officials should maintain eye contact and have a clear code that dictates what will be done if the referee, assistant referee or both are in doubt. Signalling The assistant referee would normally run towards the goal area, stop, face the field and then extend his flag (with the hand closer to the goal-line) straight in front of him, until it is parallel to the ground. Most good assistant referees get as close to the goal area as possible before signalling. This is to avoid ambiguity, since the second signal for a centre-field offside offence appears the same (on completion) as the signal for a goal kick. The referee just points to the goal with his arm parallel to the ground from wherever he is on the field. Procedure The goal kick can be taken from any point within the goal area or on the boundary line (once part of the ball is over it). The ball can be kicked by any member of the defending team. Usually the goalkeeper or a defender takes the goal kick. The ball is in play only when it leaves the penalty area entirely. This provision ensures that an own goal cannot be scored from the goal kick. Infringements The goal kick is retaken if any player from either side plays or touches the ball before it leaves the penalty area. The goal kick is also retaken if an opponent enters the penalty area before the ball is in play. If the taker of a goal kick plays the ball a second time after it leaves the penalty area and before it touches another player, an indirect free kick should be awarded in favour of the attacking team. If the said player handles the ball, then a direct free kick should be awarded.
Soccer Positions [16 Apr @ 11:00pm]
The Sweeper If you want to play as sweeper in soccer you should have a good understanding of the game and also strong leadership abilities. Your main task is to control the defense of your team and to always stay behind your fullbacks. Center Fullback The center fullback’s (or stopper’s) main task is to mark the opposing team forwards or central midfielders. Distributing the ball to the midfielders and playing offensively at intervals is also an important skill if you want to perform well as stopper. Left/Right Fullback If your team use a flat back formation, your main task would be to mark your opponent’s forwards. Playing fullback in soccer requires that you are dependable and willing to give up any offensive raid. Whether you are playing as right or left fullback you will still need to concentrate completely on your game in defense. Wingback To get a feeling on how to play as wingback, I advise you to study Dani Alves and Maicon which are both playing for Brazil. By doing that you’ll be able to notice what they are doing in particular situations which should give you a brief idea on how to play on this position. Left/Right Midfielder Good crosses in the offense are a requirement to perform well as right or left midfielder. You will also carry the ball up the field because left/right midfielders have more room compared to the center midfielders. Defensive Midfielder As a defensive midfielder your job is to operate in front of your defense line. You must have enough strength to force yourself to perform to the maximum. Strong character is also a requirement. Central midfielder Playing as the central midfielder requires good passing and ball handling skills. You must also distribute the ball safely among the offenders while doing everything to stop or slow down your opponent’s offensive attacks before they reach your last defensive line. The Winger To succeed as winger you should be able to sprint away from your opponents, be able to run 40-50 yards up and down the field, score goals and also serve your teammates with quality crosses. This requires of course a lot of energy which means that your fitness needs to be at the top. Striker The soccer striker is a type of position where you must be good at scoring goals. Simply, if you don’t score, then you are not performing well. I would say that playing striker is the toughest and most painful position to play. This is because you need to have great soccer dribbling and soccer shooting skills but also because defenders will do everything in their power to stop you. There is no greater feeling then scoring a goal, so don’t give up so easily; instead, try your best and the goals will come. Goalkeeper Your job as soccer goalie is to prevent your opponents from scoring. But you need also to encourage your teammates, steer your defensive line and organize attacks. Second Striker To succeed as second striker you will need to have exceptional ball skills (e.g shooting, dribbling, passing and dribbling). You will also need to be good at heading and even know how to score goals. Beside that you need to be strong in order to hold off your opponents and shield the ball while waiting for your teammates to catch up. Centre Forward To succeed as centre forward you will need be aggressive, brave and be able to maintain your focus during the whole game. You also need to be prepared to work hard without the ball, know how to dribble your opponents and be able to score goals from any situation. Attacking/Offensive Midfielder To succeed as offensive midfielder you will need excellent skills with the ball, be creative intelligent, know how to score goals and also be able to encourage your teammates during the games. You also need to be prepared on criticism because you’ll surely receive plenty of that when your team fails to score goals and utilize the attacking strategies that are determined by your coach.
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