Thank You!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the coaches, referees, administrators, and parents that took the time out of their busy lives to allow the players to have a successful fall season.

It takes many thousands of volunteer hours to make sure the children have a positive soccer experience. With over 10,000 players participating in PYSA we are by far the largest recreational soccer organization in the state.

I would also like to thank the PYSA Board of Directors, our Executive Director Jean Hand, and our Executive Assistant Ana Konstin for their time and support this fall. Without them we would never have achieved our gaols for the season.

There are more exciting things to come over the next few months. Keep checking the blog for more information about upcoming leagues, coaching education events, and sponsorships.

Have a great holiday season and I look forward to seeing you all next year!!

Yours in soccer,

John Madding

High School Playoffs and Competitive Soccer

The high school playoffs are in full swing for both both and girls. You can find more information about the playoffs by clicking here for the OSAA website or by clicking here for Oregon Prep Sports.

When the high school season finishes on Saturday November 21st the competitive club season will begin for high school age players. If your son or daughter is interested in playing competitive soccer they should contact the club they are interested in to find out of they have supplemental tryouts.

PYSA has two member clubs that offer competitive soccer for high school aged players. Contact Portland City United at 503.643.1530 or at pcusc@pcusc.org. You can also contact Bridlemile Soccer Club at 503.213.5977 or at bsc@bridlemilesoccer.com.

See you on the fields!

John

H1N1 Prevention

Here is an article that I found online.

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't under estimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Rec Plus

This weekend will be the final weekend of Rec Plus. So far this season we have had positive feedback about the scheduling, competition, and referees. We will be awarding trophies and medals once the season is complete. For current standings please go to www.portlandyouthsoccer.com.

See you on the fields!!

John

Lightning Policy

With all of the inclement weather that we experienced this weekend I thought it would be appropriate to post our lightning policy.

PYSA has followed the following policy:

Games should be terminated when lighting is seen. Those gathered at the match are encouraged to go to their cars or move indoors, waiting under a tree or in an open area is not safe. Games can resume approximately 30 minutes after the last witness of lightning.

Here is a video that describes the importance of being safe when it comes to lightning.

See you on the fields!!

John

US Soccer Video

I thought I would post this video from US Soccer. It is a tribute to the Men's National Team

Take a look!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrCZIFNdW6Y

John

H1N1 Flu

I am fortunate enough to be suffering from the flu, so this blog is being written from my bed. I wanted to get some important information out about the current flu issues. I found this article on the OYSA website.

Hope you all don't have to deal with this.

John

We want to take precautions to help protect players, coaches, parents, and administrators. Most importantly, we are asking our member associations, coaches and teams to follow the guidelines laid out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 100% of the flu virus moving about at this time is the H1N1 novel flu virus. Persons with flu-like symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny and/or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and fever of 100 degrees or greater, even diarrhea or vomiting, likely have the H1N1 virus. According to the CDC, it is expected that most persons will recover from the H1N1 infection without needing medical care.

At this time, the best thing someone can do to help keep this illness from affecting the team isSTAY HOME WHEN SICK so the flu is not spread to others. It is suggested that players, coaches and parents be required to stay home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen). If a player does have the flu, please ask the parent to contact the coach so he/she can make the other team members aware and parents can be on the watch for flu symptoms. (A coach should also contact the team members if he/she has the flu.) The coach/association should understand that a player with the flu will be out 5-7 days at a minimum if they have the H1N1 flu. Additional information about the flu is available by visiting www.flu.gov.

Symptoms

The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with novel H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time, but it’s possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu include people age 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are immunosuppressed (e.g., taking immunosuppressive medications, infected with HIV).

Avoid Contact With Others

If you are sick, you may be ill for a week or longer. You should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible, including avoiding travel and not going to school, soccer games/practice or parents to work, for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.) If you leave the house to seek medical care, wear a facemask, if available and tolerable, and cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. In general, you should avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness, especially people at increased risk of severe illness from influenza. With seasonal flu, people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick.Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. People infected with the novel H1N1 are likely to have similar patterns of infectiousness as with seasonal flu.

Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Community

• Stay informed. Health officials will provide additional information as it becomes available. Visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Rest and drink plenty of liquids
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick.
• If you are sick and sharing a common space with other household members in your home, wear a facemask, if available and tolerable, to help prevent spreading the virus to others.
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds, and other social distancing measures.
• If you have a medical provider, call him/her for guidance.

All players should be aware of proper hand washing techniques and it is always important that the players drink plenty of water, eat healthy and get adequate rest to keep their immune systems working most effectively.

Emergency Warning Signs

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

US Mens National Team Qualifies for Sixth Straight World Cup

Here is an article from US Soccer about the Mens National Team.

The U.S. clinched a berth to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa with a thrilling 3-2 victory against Honduras in San Pedro Sula. After a scoreless first half, both teams turned up their attack to score five second half goals, with a brace from Conor Casey and a game-winning free kick from Landon Donovan paving the way for the Americans.

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Oct. 10, 2009

© John Dorton/isiphotos.com

• Conor Casey Scores First Two International Goals
• Donovan Nets Game-Winner on Free Kick in the 71st Minute
• U.S. Faces Costa Rica on Wednesday at RFK Stadium with a Chance to Finish Atop Hexagonal Table

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (Oct. 10, 2009) — The U.S. Men’s National Team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 win against Honduras with five goals scored and a penalty missed by Honduras in a heart-stopping second half.

More than 45,000 Honduran supporters rocked Estadio Olímpico in San Pedro Sula, uniting behind their national team despite the domestic political strife dominating international headlines. After a scoreless first half that saw both teams shooting off-target, the second half turned into an instant classic with the U.S. getting the deciding goal in the 71st minute from a free kick by midfielder Landon Donovan.

Forward Conor Casey provided the heroics for the U.S., scoring the first two goals of his international career in the 55th and 66th minutes, and setting up the Donovan freekick. It was Casey’s third appearance in the 2010 qualifying cycle, and the 15th of his career.

The Honduras faithful thought their side would draw even in the 87th minute when the referee awarded a penalty kick in their favor. Carlos Pavon, the all-time leading scorer for Honduras with 55 career goals, shockingly blasted his penalty over the crossbar. Despite the misfortune, the Honduran crowd showed their class by offering the U.S. team a warm ovation following the match.

The U.S. team returns from Honduras to face Costa Rica at RFK Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. with first place in CONCACAF qualifying on the line. More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the match that will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision. Tickets are available at ussoccer.com. To finish first in the group, the U.S. needs to maintain its one-point lead in the standings ahead of Mexico, who travels to Trinidad & Tobago.

“This was the most important game in qualifying because it was the one that qualified us for South Africa 2010,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “The celebration was a very good one because when you have a group that has come together, that has worked hard, that has grown, when they’ve accomplished something it’s a special feeling. Tonight we can all share that feeling.”

More Quotes

After Honduras got things started with a handful of shots in the first few minutes of the game, the U.S. had the first dangerous opportunity in the 18th minute on a second consecutive corner kick by Donovan. His in-swinger from the left side bounced once in the middle of the penalty area and skipped to an unmarked Carlos Bocanegra. The bounce was too high for Bocanegra to get on top of and he headed the chance over the crossbar.

Eleven minutes later, Carlo Costly perfectly timed his run to beat the U.S. to a clearance over the heads of the U.S. back line. As he dribbled toward goal, he scuffed his shot just inches wide of Tim Howard’s right post.

Back the other way, the U.S. had their best chance to score of the half. Casey held the ball just across midfield on the right side and sent Stuart Holden, who was making his first World Cup qualifying start, free down the line. With plenty of time, Holden sent a pinpoint cross to Davies, whose header from eight yards was saved by Noel Valladares reaching back across his body. The rebound came right back to Davies, but he hit his follow-up effort above the crossbar.

After a scoreless first half, the complexion of the game changed completely just 20 seconds into the second half. U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu fell and made a clumsy foul that set up a Honduras freekick just a yard outside of the U.S. penalty area. Julio Cesar de Leon took a one-step approach on his right-footed shot that curled over the U.S. wall and under the cross bar, just out of the reach of Howard in the 47th minute.

The U.S. answered eight minutes later with Onyewu getting involved in the goal. The U.S. center back served a 50-yard ball to the top of the penalty area, where Davies won the header and popped the ball high in the air. As it came down at the top of the six yard box, Casey spun in the air as he challenged Valladares for the ball, and he made first contact with the back of his head before the goalkeeper could get a hand on it. The ball bounced once before going into the empty goal.

In the 64th minute, forward David Suazo came on for Honduras and moments later he made a great diagonal run right from left to right. He received the ball in stride before unleashing a shot from the right side of the area to the far post that forced Howard to make his best save of the night with a two-handed parry to keep the ball from curling inside the far post.

In the 66th minute, the U.S. took the lead that it would not relinquish. Onyewu stepped in at the top of the U.S. penalty area to win a through ball, and carried the ball forward before he found Davies available on the left wing at midfield. Davies took the ball across midfield before playing it square to Donovan. Donovan dribbled toward the middle and threaded the defense for Casey who got behind the last defender in the area. Casey faked a shot to get Valladares to go down, and then calmly slotted the ball inside the right post.

A minute later, Jonathan Bornstein nearly doubled the U.S. advantage with a 25-yard blast that Valladares pushed back into play. Holden followed up but his shot from the right was blocked by a defender.

The U.S. continued to put the pressure on, and Casey earned a free kick after de Leon was whistled for a foul 22-yards from goal. Just three yards further from goal than de Leon scored from earlier in the half, Donovan perfectly placed the ball over Ricardo Clark standing at the end of the wall. Valladares was screened, and couldn’t react in time as the shot sailed over his back shoulder in the 71st minute.

Four minutes later, Wilson Palacios played a soft pass to Suazo who was in behind the U.S. defense on the right side. He played a cross in to Pavon who put the ball into the net from point-blank range. The goal was waived off, however, as Pavon was correctly ruled offside, in front of Suazo and the ball when the pass was played into the center.

In the 78th minute, play seemed to stand still as de Leon played Ramon Nuñez into the U.S. box with two other Honduran players in an offside position. Nuñez dribbled forward to the endline to bring his teammates back into play, and dropped the ball back for Suazo. He found de Leon a few yards away on the right side of the penalty area. De Leon took a touch toward the penalty spot before drilling a shot past a drawn-out Howard to cut the U.S. lead to 3-2.

In the 87th minute, a Nuñez free kick bounced in the area before coming up and hitting Holden’s left arm. Referee Roberto Moreno immediately pointed to the spot, and Pavon – who converted a penalty against the U.S. on Sept. 1, 2001, in Washington, D.C., in the last U.S. loss on home soil – missed the chance to equalize.

The U.S. held on for the next five minutes of regulation plus four minutes of added time to become the first CONCACAF team to win in Honduras during the 2010 qualifying cycle.

Honduras was previously 8-0-0 at home in qualifying for South Africa, and with three goals scored the U.S. matched the total that Honduras had allowed in their prior eight home games. The U.S. is now 5-3-1 on the road in qualifying, the best mark in CONCACAF heading into Matchday 10.

The match was the fourth time in nine qualifies that the U.S. surrendered the first goal. In those four matches, however, the U.S. has earned 10 of their 19 points with three come-from-behind wins and one come-from-behind tie.

With his goals, Casey became the 20th different player to score a goal for the U.S. in 2009 – the most ever in one year for the team. Donovan, with his pass to Casey on the second goal, set the U.S. single-year assist record with 10 to pass Cobi Jones.

The USA joins Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain and Korea Republic as the only teams who have participated in all six World Cup since 1990, including secured berths to South Africa in 2010.

Schedules

We are doing everything we can to have the second half schedules up this weekend. We are currently waiting on notice from the city that we have all of the fields that we requested for the second schedule.

Please enjoy your weekend off and we look forward to seeing you on the field next week.

John

Canada

I had the opportunity to spend some time in Montreal over the past 7 days. While I was there for a wedding, I did have the opportunity to go out and watch some youth soccer games. I was able to see some 10 year olds play a normal league game. Overall their level of play was very similar to that of the PYSA players I have seen this season.

This just helps to confirm what we are teaching in our coaching education courses. Players at certain ages tend to have similar abilities and tendencies.

I look forward to getting back out to your practice sessions.

Here is a link that I found for some activities for older players.

See you on the field!!

John

October 10th Weekend

I just wanted to remind everyone that our rec league will have an off weekend on October 10th. We take this weekend off so that our families can take advantage of the Portland Public Schools 4 day weekend.

We will also be releasing the second half schedules on that weekend. We withhold the the second half schedules so that we can change adjust them to create more even match ups.

If you have any questions please email us at pysafeedback@gmail.com

See you on the field!!!

John

Saturday

I had the opportunity to spend Saturday sitting in the sun watching some of our teams play. Here are a few thoughts I had about the games:

• Referees - I though that the referees did a fantastic job. I don't think people understand how difficult it is to referee a game without having assistant referees. Overall the referees made the correct calls and kept the games moving with a good flow.
• Parents - I thought that the majority of the comments that I heard coming from the sidelines were positive. Unfortunately there were some parents that focused all of their attention on the referee and the other team. We need to make sure that we provide positive feedback to the kids.
• Coaches - The coaches I saw did a great job of giving constructive feedback to their players. Most coaches also sat down and watched their teams play. The game is the for the players, not for the coaches. Soccer is a game that is player centered. We need to make sure that as coaches we do not give the player all of the answers. Try to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them.

If you ever have the opportunity to get out and watch other games, I think you will find it to be an educational experience.

See you on the field!!

John

Homework

I was out at Jackson Soccer Club last night working with some of their teams and a coach gave me a great idea. He has all of his U9 players do homework each week. After his game on Saturday he gives his players three questions.

• The first question has to do with general soccer stuff. (How many players are on the field is a full size soccer game?)
• The second question is about professional or international soccer. (Who is the GK for Liverpool?)
• The third question is about the rules. (Can you be offside on a throw in?)

The coach asks the players to turn in the answers before the next game. I think this is a great way to get players to be involved in the game of soccer. This makes their experience larger than just their team.

I encourage all of you to think outside of the box and see what you can do to make soccer fun for your players!!

See you on the field!

John

Is youth soccer coaching for you?

Here is an article that I found that has some important questions for you to ask yourself about coaching.

John

As I was searching the Internet for articles I stumbled across this information on the US Youth Soccer website. It is a great description of how we should look to teach our players.

John

Guided Discovery

The traditional way sports have been taught is with the coach at the center of attention. The coach told the players what to do {command style} and expected them to produce. With the command style, the coach explains a skill, demonstrates the skill and allows the players to practice the skill. In contrast to 'reproduction' of knowledge in the coach-centered approach, the guided discovery approach emphasizes the "production" of new talents. The approach invites the player to think, to go beyond the given information and then discover the correct skills. The essence of this style is a coach-player connection in which your sequence of information and questions causes responses by the player. The combination of information and question by you elicits a correct response, which is discovered by the player. The effect of this process leads the player to discover the sought tactic or technique. Guided discovery simply means that you raise questions and provide options or choices for the players, guiding the players to answer the questions for themselves because they become curious about the answers. The novice player in a command style setting thinks too much about what they are trying to do, a form of paralysis by analysis. Instead if you guide the players in a player-centered training environment then they gradually become capable of holistic thinking in their soccer performance.

Holistic thought is opposed to the analytical type of thinking. Analysis means to divide the whole into parts which can be studied more closely. Holistic thinking considers the thing as a whole. Soccer performances {training sessions and especially matches} are better suited to holistic than analytical treatment because they involve an integrated set of movements which must all happen at the same time. There simply is not enough time during a match to perform each of the movements separately and then string them together. Holistic thinking has been linked anatomically to functions carried out in the right hemisphere of the brain. The brain has both a right and left hemisphere connected by a bundle of nerves called the corpus collosum. The right hemisphere coordinates movements and sensations associated with the left side of the body and the left hemisphere does the same for the right side of the body. In addition, the left hemisphere is known to control analytical thinking, which includes verbal expression, reading, writing and mathematical computation. The functions associated with the right side of the brain are nonintellectual ones or those having to do with sensory interpretation, coordination of movement, intuitive or creative thinking and holistic perception of complex patterns. This hemisphere can grasp a number of patterns simultaneously.[i]

Sports tradition has emphasized left-side brain functions to the exclusion of the other. We acquire pieces of knowledge one at a time. In soccer, the traditional coach teaches separate points of technique, ignoring the 'flow' needed in actual performance. Some coaches use the holistic approach. In soccer we draw upon right-hand brain capabilities of holistic perception, rhythm, spatial relationships, and simultaneous processing of many inputs. Left brain functions are largely uninvolved. Novice players often go wrong in trying to control their movements with a constant, specific internal awareness. They engage the left-brain functions of analysis and sequence to interfere with holistic coordination of physical movement, which is a right-brain function. Obscuring a player's awareness with too many instructions {over-coaching} will make him or her so preoccupied that he or she can't 'chew gum and run at the same time!' It's called 'paralysis through analysis'.

It is often argued that effective coaching is as much an art as it is a science. Guided discovery in coaching soccer is a balance of the two. In a broad sense our coaching style of the American soccer player must move away from the 'sage on the stage' to the 'guide on the side'.

""I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.""

Confucius

Perspective

I am as competitive a person as you can find. Every time I step on the field as a player or a coach I want to perform at my peak and be successful. I believe that everyone who competes would rather win than lose. Sometimes I think that I have taken this desire to win too far.

This weekend PYSA suffered a loss. The husband of one of our board members died in an accident early Sunday morning. This tragedy has reminded me that while we all want to win, soccer is just a game. Whenever we have a bad day at training or lose a game we need to remember that what we do is about fun and providing a healthy outlet for children.

I hope that as you all head off to training today that you think about making it fun for the kids.

John

Concordia Soccer

Here is an email I received from Concordia about tomorrows game! It would be a lot of fun. I encourage you all to attend.

John

Friends of Concordia Soccer,

This Saturday, September 19^th, the #2 ranked Concordia Women’s Soccer team will host #1 ranked Cal Baptist for the top spot in the national rankings! The game will be played on Strasser Field at Delta Park at 3:30pm.

We want to pack the house for the game and are inviting all youth teams (even HS teams) to attend the game for FREE! Youth teams need only to wear their team jersey or Concordia Soccer Camp t-shirt for free admission. High school teams may also show their student body ID cards for free admission. If you would like your team name announced at halftime, please let me know by Friday at noon that you will be attending.

Please feel free to pass this offer along to anyone who might be interested.

GO CAVS!!

PYSA Newsletter

In an effort to provide our membership with as much information about our leagues and programs, PYSA is now distributing a monthly newsletter to our membership. Keep an eye out for the September issue which should be emailed out this week.

If you would like a copy please contact us at pysafeedback@gmail.com

John

Weather

As the fall weather starts to inch its way into our lives, it is important for us to remind our players and their parents about wearing appropriate clothing. I was at a training session today where high school age boys didn't bring appropriate clothing for training.

Younger players don't manage changes in temperature as efficiently as adults do. We should make sure that we are constantly checking the status of our players to make sure that they aren't getting too cold. Have players bring a sweatshirt and rain jacket to practice so that they are prepared for all possible weather patterns.

Here is a link to an article about cold weather injuries.

See you on the field!

John

Parent Education

There is quite a bit of time spent on educating coaches, developing players, teaching referees, and providing information to administrators. One of the most important pieces of youth soccer is often neglected. Parents.

Parents play a major role in youth soccer. They sign the players up to play, drive them to and from practice and games, support them on the field, and console them after a tough game. It is important that we support parents and provide them with as much information as possible.

US Youth Soccer has developed a parent education program that touches on some of the things parents need to know.

Click here for an article by Tom Goodman that I think you will find helpful.

Thanks!!

John

Rec Plus

We are excited to announce our Rec Plus schedules for the Fall 2009 season. Rec plus is a program developed for players who want more than the standard PYSA recreational schedule. Rec Plus teams will play an additional schedule on six Sundays throughout the season.

To view the schedules please visit the PYSA website at www.portlandyouthsoccer.com.

Thanks!

John

World Cup Qualifying

Today has been a big day in international soccer. There have been some fantastic results. We have reached the stage in qualifying where teams are starting to secure spots in the World Cup.

For schedules and standings click here.

There have been some surprising results over the past few months. Seeing the likes of Argentina, France, and Portugal on the brink of not qualifying shows the parity in international soccer.

As I sit here and watch the US play I cant help but think about the days when we were surprised to be in the qualifying talk. For the past 20 years we have been solid qualifiers for the World Cup. This says a lot about our country and the commitment coaches, referees, and administrators have made to the development of youth soccer in the United States.

Enjoy the upcoming weeks and the results that will come!

See you on the field!!

John

PYSA Schedules

The schedules for the Fall 2009 Season have been posted on the PYSA website. Click here to go the PYSA website and then click on the Fall League tab on the left side of the page. If you have any questions please contact the PYSA office at 503.646.6683.

John

US Mens National Team Returns to World Cup Qualification

With four games remaining and only three points separating the top four teams in the group, the match against El Salvador represents a huge opportunity to gain three points and move closer towards qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium is set for 6 p.m. MT, live on ESPN Classic and TeleFutura.

US Soccer Website

Why Players Stop Playing

Soccer isn't the only sport that loses players due to poor coaching. Take a look at this article about youth baseball coaching.

Click Here

See you on the field!

John

High School Season is Starting

It is getting to that point of the year that kids are heading back to school. That means that the high school soccer season is starting. High school soccer is a big deal here in Portland. There are a number of quality programs that will begin play this week. I encourage you to check out the schedules for your local high school.

Click here for PIL schedules.

Enjoy!

John

ACL Injuries

Over the years I have seen a number of female players rupture their ACL. This issue is common in female players. A number of physicians have developed a program called PEP to help address the issue of ACL injuries in female athletes.

Click here for a video that describes the program and shows how you can implement it with your players.

Good luck!

John

Four Pillars of Soccer

When we talk about the four pillars of soccer we are often referring to technical, tactical, physical, and psychological attributes of players. These components are key for coaches to understand as the focus on developing players. While coaches use these components to evaluate and develop players, there are four pillars that are even more important for youth soccer as a whole.

Players - Obviously we need to have players playing the game. As I have stated in our coaching education clinics about 90 percent of all youth players in the US are under the age of 14. This number is a bit staggering. We as coaches must make sure our players enjoy playing the game. Try to use games and activities that are fun for the kids. This will help keep their interest in the game.

Coaches - If you asked most people they would say that the main role for coaches was to teach how to play the game. This is certainly an important piece of what they do, but I don't feel it is the most important. Coaches have a responsibility to try to instill a love for the game. Teaching the game in a fun environment helps make this happen. Coaches should try to develop age appropriate training sessions that are also fun.

Parents - In youth soccer it is imperative for coaches to involve parents in the development process. At most ages the parents are the ones to pack the soccer bag, get them to practice and games, and act as a sports psychologist in the car on the way home from games. If coaches take the time to communicate their visions with parents it is much more likely that the parents will support the coach and their vision for the team.

Referees/Administrators - Often overlooked and sometimes neglected, the people that work behind the scenes are invaluable. Administrators volunteer their time to help keep children on the field. Most of their work is done behind the scenes and late at night. Referees are certainly more visible. They provide a valuable service to the players. It is very important that we support our referees and avoid be vocal with our criticisms. Most of the referees are kids trying to make extra money. They are often teenagers who have played the game. If we yell at them they will most likely stop refereeing and playing.

As you can see these four pillars are all equally important. Without any one of these components we will lose the game for our kids. Do you best to support the game and provide a positive environment for player development.

See you on the field!

John

Street Soccer

One of the issues that we have in the United States is that players don't spend time playing on their own. Our coaches have done a great job of injecting structure into youth soccer. I think they have done the job too well. I challenge you to allow your players to play as much as possible. Place some cones, pinnies, and balls in a pile and let the players set up their own game. See if they can organize a "street" game. They will decide the field size, the teams, and the rules. Your role as the coach is to sit back and watch your players have fun.

I recommend that you do something similar to this every couple of weeks. This will allow the players to develop some ownership in the session as well as making sure they know how much fun a pick-up game can be. This is most appropriate for players U10 and older.

See you on the field!!

John

US Soccer Coaches Net

One of the best resources for coaches who work with players over the age of 12 is the US Soccer Coaches Net. The web based resource provides coaches with insight into all aspects of players development. You can find articles on topics from injury prevention to doing fitness with goalkeepers.

For more information click here to go to the Coaches Net homepage.

Thanks!

John

Coaching Goalkeepers

One of the most common questions I get during my clinics is about coaching goalkeepers. Having played as a goalkeeper, I can tell you that they need as much focused attention as any other player on the field. With keepers you need to work on reflexes, distribution, diving techniques, catching, 1 vs 1 and jumping just to name a few.

While goalkeepers have a unique set of techniques they are also soccer players. In the modern game of soccer is imperative for keepers to be proficient at the many of the same skills as field players.

Below are a few links to a few video clips of goalkeeper training and some training sessions you can use to help your goalkeepers.

Catching

Basic Diving Technique

Dealing With Flighted Balls

Goalkeeper Footwork

Hope this helps!!

John

Benefits of Watching Soccer

One of the main ways that players can improve on their own time is by watching the game. We are fortunate to have games at all levels televised on various channels. Players can watch college, MLS, and top European leagues.

We are also fortunate to have top level soccer here in Portland. The Portland Timbers, The University of Portland, and other local colleges are great resources for our players.

Watching players play at a higher level allow our youth to see for themselves what the next level is like.

Go to the following websites for schedule information:

www.portlandtimbers.com

www.portlandpilots.com

www.goviks.edu

See you on the field!

John

U.S. SOCCER AND EA SPORTS LAUNCH FREE ONLINE SOCCER RESOURCE

This resource was just announced by US Soccer today. I enourage you all to visit the page and download the Best Practices document. It is a valuable resource for coaches.

U.S. Soccer and EA SPORTS have teamed up to introduce EA SPORTS Interactive Training, a free, online tutorial that uses EA SPORTS technology to help train the soccer stars of the future. This interactive resource, available at EASPORTSinteractivetraining.com employs the EA SPORTS soccer game engine to illustrate U.S. Soccer’s coaching book “Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the United States” which serves as the sport’s definitive player development guidelines. John Hackworth, U.S. Soccer Development Academy Technical Director and U.S. Men’s National Team Assistant Coach introduces each video segment with expert coaching advice for players ages 8-12 and their coaches to help them improve real-world technique.

The U.S. Soccer “Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the United States” manual (download the manual as a .pdf) is an invaluable training guide created by U.S. Soccer’s Coaching Education Department to give youth and junior level soccer coaches in the United States a set of fundamental tools to help open up the game of soccer to young players in ways that celebrate the sport’s spontaneous qualities. The Best Practices Manual is available for free download at ussoccer.com. EA SPORTS uses sophisticated physics and its animation engine to bring the resource to life by helping players and coaches visualize the professional benefits of drills and convert that to precision on the field.

Specific features of EA SPORTS Interactive Training include:

• Six videos focused on drills – Passing, Dribbling, Heading, Shooting, Receiving and Defending
• Three levels of complexity for each video module
• Expert instruction from John Hackworth, U.S. Soccer Development Academy Technical Director and U.S. Men’s National Team Assistant Coach

Given the insatiable appetite EA SPORTS is seeing for digital content among youth demographics globally, this online resource is likely to resonate with young players and help U.S. Soccer in its mission to help continue the development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels. Since last June, more than 500 million online game sessions of EA SPORTS games have been played, and more than 2 million game highlight videos have been uploaded to EA SPORTS websites.

To experience EA SPORTS Interactive Training, log on to EASPORTSinteractivetraining.com.

EA SPORTS is an official and exclusive interactive entertainment licensee of U.S. Soccer. EA SPORTS Interactive Training is just one of many partnership initiatives between EA SPORTS and U.S. Soccer which deliver cutting edge media to soccer fans across the U.S.

High School Rec

At PYSA we do our best to provide programs for any players that would like to participate in youth soccer. Our High School Rec club is a perfect example of these programs.

Our High School Rec Club provides an option for players that either choose to not play in high school or players that are not placed on a team by their highs schools. The HS Rec league offers two separate seasons for players. The league takes place in both the Fall and the Spring.

If you have and questions about the HS Rec Club please feel free to contact the PYSA office by email at pysa@teleport.com or by phone at 503.646.6683.

John

Useful Articles

One of the great things about the Internet is the access it gives us to other people opinions. Soccer is a sport that allows each individual coach to inject their personality and background into their team. This is why we see so many different style of play throughout the world. The Brazilian players are know for playing with flare and individual creativity. German players are methodical and very well organized. The United States Men's National Team plays a very blue collar style.

I encourage all fans of the game to watch a few of the English Premier League matches that started last weekend and take a look at the players playing in them. While they are all talented and very skillful, they will also play the game differently. Watch Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard as they compete for Liverpool. Both superb soccer players that have very different styles.

As coaches we should be aware of the way personality effects play. As we develop a philosophy of how to work with players we should take a look at the personality of the team and of the individuals. While we work with teams as a whole we also need to have the ability to aproach each player as an individual.

Good luck on the field!!

John

Coaching Education

We had a great first week for our coaching education program. Over 120 coaches participated in our clinics last week. It was great to work with such eager coaches. I look forward to meeting more of you over the next few weeks.

I would like to provide a few links to coaching education sites that I think are valuable resources:

Success In Soccer - SIS is regarded as the top coaching publication in America. In each issue SIS provides coaches with articles and training sessions for all ages. www.successinsoccer.com.

US Youth Soccer Coaches Connection - The Coaches Connection is a web based service that provides its members with age appropriate training sessions each month. The sessions are designed by some of the top youth coaches in the country. www.usyouthsoccer.org

Soccer Specific - Soccer Specific is an online resource for coaches. The website has sessions for many of the top coaches in world. The site is best used by coaches working with players 12 years old and up. There are some fun games for coaches who work with younger players as well. www.soccerspecific.com

I hope that these resources help you in your day to day coaching.

Thanks!!

John

New Blog!!!

PYSA is committed to providing our members with up to date information about our organization. This blog will be updated each weekday with coaching tips, PYSA announcements, and general soccer information. We welcome your feedback about the blog as well as about PYSA as a whole. You can provide feedback by emailing pysafeedback@gmail.com.

Have a great weekend!!!

PYSA