Choosing a Formation in Soccer
Formations are the way a soccer team lines up its defense, midfield, and forward line at the beginning of the match. If you want to get technical, you could produce dozens of formations due to the mathematical [more…]
Knowing When and How to Dribble in Soccer
The most basic of all soccer skills is dribbling, the ability to carry the ball past an opponent while being in control, whether by using a series of simple taps or a fantastic move around a foe. If a [more…]
Developing a Soccer Coaching Philosophy
Creating a coaching philosophy is fairly simple. Living up to it all season long is the tricky part. What's a coaching philosophy? Basically, it reflects the standards you set for yourself and your team [more…]
Understanding Soccer's Three Basic Passes
There are three basic passes in the game of soccer — forward, square, and back.
The forward pass is the most aggressive and most risky of all three because the attacking team moves the ball toward the goal [more…]
Goalkeeper: Defending the Soccer Goal
In soccer, the goalkeeper is a designated player with the job of directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by defending the goal. To get a good soccer goalkeeper for your team, remember this: [more…]
Looking at European Soccer Rivalries
Americans call them rivalries. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, they are called derbies (pronounced darbies). Among the most enduring European rivalries: [more…]
Getting to Know the League You're In
Youth soccer leagues around the country are as different as the millions of kids who strap on shin guards to play in them. You can find outdoor and indoor leagues. Numbers go from 4-on-4 to 11-on-11 leagues [more…]
Balancing Parenting and Coaching
Being a parent is a difficult job, but here's a surprise: Coaching your son or daughter's soccer team is equally tricky. After you step inside the white lines, and your child straps on the shin guards, [more…]
Making the Season Memorable
A child's experience in organized soccer can be a defining moment in her young life. Years from now, she isn't going to remember her team's record or how many goals she scored during the season, but she'll [more…]
The Basics of Soccer’s World Cup
Yes, America, there is a sporting event that’s bigger and more popular than the Super Bowl. It’s called the Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup. To the rest of the world, this FIFA [more…]
The Soccer Field
A basic soccer field is at least 100 yards long, 50 yards wide, and has a goal centered at both ends. But within that basic rectangle is the goalie’s box, the penalty line, the center circle, and, of course [more…]
Positions on a Soccer Team
Each soccer team has 11 players — 1 goalkeeper and 10 field players. Every player, whether playing an offensive or defensive position, works to help the team score goals — as many as possible. The following [more…]
Soccer Do’s and Don’ts
Soccer is a game of near-constant motion — unless you’re the keeper in which case you’re in a constant state of being ready to be in motion. In either case, make sure that your shoes fit well. They’re [more…]
Soccer For Dummies Cheat Sheet
Soccer is a game of 2 teams with 11 players each and field with a goal for each team. Other than that, it’s fast-paced with few breaks in the action, so as a player, you have to stay on your toes — or [more…]
The Soccer Field of Play
Although the size of a soccer field can vary, sometimes even from community to community, the markings remain pretty much the same. Get to know these playing field features: [more…]
How a Soccer Coach Supports the Players
As a soccer coach, your players count on you during the season for guidance and support. The following are some ways to help your kids through the soccer season: [more…]
The Soccer Pregame Talk
What you say and how you say it when delivering the pre-game speech is a big motivator for your soccer players. Try these coaching tips when talking to the kids before the soccer game to prepare them for [more…]
The Pregame Routine for Soccer Coaches
Get your day of coaching soccer off to a good start by establishing a pregame routine. Go through the following tips so your players have a safe and fun-filled time on and off the soccer field. [more…]
Coaching Soccer For Dummies Cheat Sheet
Coaching soccer should be safe and fun for you and your players, so start by getting familiar with the layout of the soccer field. As a soccer coach your players will look to you for guidance so use some [more…]
Supporting Your Junior Football Players
Your young football players are counting on you for guidance and support all season long. The following are some helpful ways to meet their needs. [more…]
Delivering the Pre-game Talk to Your Junior Football Team
What you say to kids before their football game, and how you say it, makes a big difference in how they approach taking the field. Here are some helpful pointers to prepare them for competition. [more…]
Following a Pregame Routine with Your Junior Football Team
A good pregame routine helps set the tone for a safe and fun-filled day of soccer. Keep these tips in mind before the game begins. [more…]
Coaching Junior Football Teams For Dummies Cheat Sheet (UK Edition)
Being a youth football coach can be a great experience, both for you and your squad. But what if you’ve never coached before, or want to improve? Don’t worry! Here you find how to approach coaching, and [more…]
Mastering Basic Football (Soccer) Skills: Passing
Solid footwork skills -- such as accurate, controlled passing -- are key to becoming a successful football (soccer) player. A short, simple pass is required to keep a move going so your football team can [more…]
