The youth coach faces many formidable tasks. Carrying a net full of soccer balls, a big duffle bag, the fold-out bench and pop-up goals from the parking lot to the field – that’s no mean feat.
Author Archives: Mike Woitalla
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ticos need win against USA
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] The USA clinched a spot with its win at Honduras on Saturday, but Costa Rica needs to end a 24-year drought in World Cup qualifiers on U.S. soil to guarantee its ticket when the teams clash in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday (TV: 8 pm ET, ESPN2 & Galavision). A U.S. win would earn the Americans a first-place finish in the Hexagonal, which Coach Bob Bradley says could be important.
BREAKING NEWS:
USA to face Denmark
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Donovan shoots Galaxy past Chicago [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Landon Donovan finished off a nice sequence of counterattack passing to send the Galaxy past Chicago. Seattle ended Columbus’ home unbeaten streak. A couple of midseason signings scored their first goals. And San Jose made sure it wouldn’t finish rock bottom in 2009. For MLS’s weekend highlights. …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Why is scrimmage dessert?
It seems to be conventional wisdom that scrimmaging – letting children actually play soccer – is something that should happen only at the end of practice.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Revs silence Sounders after Montero rocket [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Fredy Montero scored on a spectacular long-range rocket but the Seattle Sounders went down to New England. Columbus remained red hot when the Galaxy came to town. FC Dallas’ Jeff Cunningham moved to the top of the league-scoring lead at Real Salt Lake’s expense. For highlights from last weekend’s MLS action. …
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: Getting the most out of the best U-17s
For a decade now, U.S. Soccer has put the nation’s top young boy players into its U-17 Residency Program. For the last two years, they have been mentored by Colombian World Cup veteran Wilmer Cabrera, who takes them to the U-17 world championship in October.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham comes through for Galaxy [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] David Beckham scored his second goal of the season and notched his third assist in the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 2-0 win over Toronto FC. Houston and Kansas City pulled off exciting wins, but Seattle disappointed its loyal following once again.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
For Kids Only …
This column is for the kids. Adults can stop reading now.
Dear Soccer-Playing Children of America,
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The Real Problem with Women’s Pro Soccer
The first season of the Women’s Professional Soccer league produced lower crowds and bigger financial losses than anticipated.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham hits net; D.C. keeper goes beserk [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Only of one the weekend’s seven games had more than one goal. Included in five 1-0 decisions were the New York Red Bulls’ second straight win since their coaching change, David Beckham‘s first goal of the season, and D.C. United keeper’s assault of a teammate.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Backline: Sasho Cirovski
Like many of the players he now coaches at the University of Maryland, Sasho Cirovski faced the choice of when to go pro.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: The Internet Impact
The game will always be played on the field, but everything that leads up to it has become easier thanks to high technology.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chicago fires back; Big miss for Sounders [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] The Chicago Fire staged a dramatic comeback. A hat trick in New England created sweet revenge for the Revs. In D.C.,David Beckham and the Galaxy served up a stalemate. Richie Williams celebrated a return to interim coaching with the Red Bulls. It’s only getting worse for the Wizards. A Chivas USA midfielder finally found the goal again. Seattle’s tie at Houston included a miss for the blooper reels.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Jesus Padilla comes ‘home’ to Chivas USA
[MLS] Jesus Padilla, a 22-year-old California-born Mexican-American who left home at age 14 to join Chivas Guadalajara, has been acquired by Chivas USA on loan. Padilla, who plays in the midfield and on the frontline, spoke with Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla after Padilla came on as a sub for Guadalajara in an exhibition against Barcelona in San Francisco earlier this month.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A new low for Beckham [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] David Beckham followed up his lackluster performances and fan confrontations with an ejection that the Seattle Sounders took advantage of to down the Galaxy, 2-0, ending Los Angeles’ six-game undefeated streak. Beckham was just one of many who were ejected last weekend. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bad weekend for keepers; Dempsey gets good bounce
[AMERICANS ABROAD] It was a bad weekend of American goalkeepers in Europe, but Clint Dempsey created a goal for Fulham (in peculiar fashion). Besides Charlie Davies‘ two strikes in France, Michael Orozco hit the net in Mexico. In Germany, U.S. internationals were “quarantined” because of Landon Donovan‘s swine flu problem. How Americans fared in foreign leagues …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dempsey re-signs with Fulham for big money
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Clint Dempsey, who joined the EPL club from the New England Revolution, has signed a new contract with Fulham through the summer of 2013. The 26-year-old has scored 14 goals in 81 Premier League games and was tied for the team scoring lead last season with seven.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
‘Super Cooper’ scores on debut [VIDEO]
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Striker Kenny Cooper scored 17 minutes into his debut with German Second Division club 1860 Munich, which opened the season with a 2-0 win over TuS Koblenz. “The Ami was simply Super,” according to German daily Bild.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Foreign action for Americans ahead of Mexico clash
[AMERICANS ABROAD] A handful of the Americans on the U.S. roster for its World Cup qualifier against Mexico on Wednesday saw league action last weekend, in Germany and France (whose 2009-10 seasons got underway), and in Denmark and Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: Getting ’em while they’re young
The age at which players are being offered college scholarships is getting younger and younger. Not everyone believes it’s a healthy trend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ljungberg loses it; Lopez hits a bomb [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Claudio Lopez scored a remarkable goal for Kansas City when David Beckham came to town. Seattle’s Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg got himself sent off in a stalemate with Chicago. No surprise on how the Red Bulls fared. For last weekend’s MLS highlights and lowlights …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Clicking for Kicks
To develop skills and master the game, the next best thing to playing is to watch. But a common lament among American coaches, one I’ve heard even from U.S. national team coaches, is their young players don’t watch enough soccer.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Blanco lights the Fire [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Cuauhtemoc Blanco assisted and scored a beauty to keep Chicago in first place in the East. For last weekend’s MLS highlights. …
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Backline: Rick Davis-American Cosmo Heads AYSO
When Rick Davis was in high school, he told his father he planned to be a professional athlete. "That's great," said his dad. "Someday you'll get a real job." Richard Sr., a physician, was right on both counts. Rick Davis had a great career as a pro soccer player and eventually got a "real job." […]
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Americans Abroad: Making An impact
Americans continue to celebrate success of various degrees in foreign leagues. We look at 11 who stood out during the 2008-09 season, including young Marco Vidal, the latest Mexican-American whose career required a move south of the border.