One reason so many crosses don’t end up producing a scoring chance is because players too often send them in blindly. They figure that if they’re on the wing, just whip the ball into the middle. Even in the pros, you see this time after time. A player moves down the wing and launches a cross even if there are no teammates in front of the goal. If you haven’t got a forward waiting for the cross, then you’ve got to look for other options, like turning back and looking for a midfielder.
Tag: youth boys
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Final spots on line for U.S. U-20s
Players such as Italian-based New Yorker Gabriel Ferrari have a chance to clinch a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in this summer’s U-20 World Cup when Coach Thomas Rongen assesses a 16-man squad during a dress rehearsal tour of Canada. Perhaps half of the players Rongen has taken north of the border for a pair of games against Canada in the next week won’t be on his final roster, yet in the Canadian contingent are several players Rongen has been anxious to observe up close as he makes his final roster decisions for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup (June 30-July 22 in Canada).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer plans nationwide youth academy program
The U.S. Soccer Federation is creating a national youth league and academy program for teenage boys that will involve up to 2,400 players at both the U-15 and U-18 age groups, according to Washington Post reporter Steven Goff . “The federation plans to identify 60 to 80 youth clubs across the country,” reports Goff. “Those clubs will then select players from the under-15 and under-18 age groups to participate in the academy.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Nomads claim first Red Bull National League under-17 boys title
The Nomads of La Jolla, Calif., downed Southern California rival Arsenal FC, 3-2, Monday to win the first-ever Red Bull National League under-17 boys title. Jose Torres‘ half-volley opened the scoring in the 16th minute of the final and added a second in the 63rd minute. Jeo Sandez also scored for the Nomads. Rafa Baca and Norberto Ochoa scored for Arsenal in the second half, but a penalty-kick save by Nomads goalkeeper Chris Blais in the 75th minute sealed the victory.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
How Much Soccer is Too Much Soccer?
How much soccer is too much soccer? From my perspective as a sports medicine specialist, I know when a player has played too much when various types of “overuse” injuries start appearing.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FC Delco cleans up in Eastern Pennsylvania
[REGION I YOUTH CHAMPIONS] Three FC Delco boys teams going to the Region I championship won titles at last weekend’s Eastern Pennsylvania finals. The U-15s followed up on their Region I Premier League title with a 3-0 win over Lower Merion Velez in the EPYSA final. The U-17 Dynamo III needed double overtime to overcome LDC, 2-1. The U-14 Roadkill lead YMS, 4-0. The U-14 Girls Force won the first State Cup of the 2007 season for FC Delco on Saturday by beating Vincent United, 3-1. For Region I state-by-state champions …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Team Ohio and Ohio Premier win big at state finals
[REGION II YOUTH CHAMPIONS] Team Ohio won five boys divisions at the Ohio South championships. On the girls side, Ohio Premier won four titles and had two teams finish second. For Region II state-by-state champions …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
CASL Elite goes 6-for-6 in North Carolina
[REGION III YOUTH CHAMPIONS] CASL Elite won all six North Carolina boys divisions that will send teams to the Region III finals in Oklahoma City June 28-July 4. CASL Spartan Elite won North Carolina state titles in the U-19, U-16 and U-14 divisions. In Florida, Kendall Soccer Alliance (U-19 and U-16 boys) and Tampa Knights FC (U-17 boys and girls) were multiple winners in the higher age groups. For Region III state-by-state champions …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Arsenal clears first hurdle in bid for fourth national title in a row
[REGION IV YOUTH CHAMPIONS] Arsenal FC began its quest for an unprecedented four straight US Youth Soccer national boys championships in its age group with a 2-0 win over CRSC in the final of the Cal South U-18 division. Arsenal FC, which moves on to the Region IV finals June 18-24 in Las Vegas, got a scare in the semifinals, where it needed overtime to beat the San Diego Surf, 3-1. The Surf won the U-17 and U-16 Cal South boys titles. The U-14 Slammers made it three Cal South titles in a row with a 1-0 win over the So Cal Blues in the final. The Slammers won all seven games in the state cup by shutout. They also won the U-15 and U-16 girls divisions. For Region IV state-by-state champions …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Top-ranked Apex girls continue climb to top in North Carolina
[GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS] Undefeated Apex (N.C.) High School, the No. 1 girls team in the NSCAA/adidas spring rankings, faces New Berlin Wednesday in the semifinals of the North Carolina Class 4-A state championship. The Easterns winner faces the East Forsyth-Monroe Weddington winner in the state final. Top 20 girls teams to have wrapped up state titles include No. 5 Parkview (Georgia Class AAAAA co-champion), No. 12 Vestavia Hills (Alabama 6A) and Eastside (South Carolina Class AAA).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Bad word ousts high school team
In Iowa high school soccer, Waterloo West’s boys season came to an abrupt end because of its goalkeeper’s expletive, which was deemed red-card worthy by the referee, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Keeper Alex Frank cursed when he gave up a corner kick. Iowa High School Athletic Association rules dictate that a team is disqualified from postseason play if it collects four red cards during the season. Frank’s ejection made it a quartet for the Wahawks and meant a forfeit in the regional game against Dubuque Senior while they were leading, 2-1.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
No. 1 Greenville captures South Carolina boys title
[BOYS HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS] Greenville (S.C.) High School remained the top-ranked boys team in the NSCAA/adidas spring rankings. The Red Raiders won the South Carolina Class AAA state championship with a 3-1 win over Socastee to finish 27-0-0. The difference in the final was two Socastee own goals. Sebastian Velasquez scored the other Greenville goal. No. 2 McIntosh won the Georgia Class AAAA state final with a 2-1 win over Whitewater.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Argentina edges USA, 1-0, in U-20 World Cup warmup
Defending world champion Argentina beat the United States, 1-0, in a tuneup game for the Under-20 World Cup on Tuesday night at PAETEC Park in Rochester, N.Y. Diego Braghieri scored on a header off an Alejandro Gomez free kick for the game’s only goal in the 55th minute. The USA created numerous scoring opportunities, outshooting Argentina, 15-8, but goalkeeper Emiliano Centeno was outstanding for Argentina.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
McKeown is named director of id2 youth program
Gerry McKeown has been named the director of id2, U.S. Club Soccer’s identification and development program. He is the Boys director of coaching at New Jersey club PDA and an assistant coach with the U-15 boys national team.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Filling a player’s ’emotional tank’
A player’s “emotional tank” is similar to a car’s gas tank. When the tank is full, the player runs well. With an empty tank, the player does not run at all. Coaches, parents and players can fill or drain tanks, depending on how they communicate.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Schellscheidt calls in 36 players for U-14 program
[U.S. U-14 BOYS ROSTER] Head coach Manny Schellscheidt has called in 36 players for the U.S. under-14 boys national development program May 12-19 at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center at The Home Depot Center.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Carolina teams head prep rankings
[HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS] Greenville (S.C.) High School and Apex (N.C.) High School are the top ranked boys and girls teams in the latest NSCAA/adidas High School Spring Rankings.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New Red Bulls youth boss hails from former USSR
New York Red Bull has named Armen Simoniants, who hails from the former USSR and has coached in USA for more than a decade, as its Youth Academy Director. He succeeds Giovanni Savarese, who headed the club’s hailed youth development program from 2005 until last March. Simoniants is the president of New Jersey-based United Soccer Master Course, an “international association of professional soccer educators.” He coached the MetroStars reserve team in 2000-03, has been a New Jersey ODP coach, and most recently coached Moldovan club FC Olympia Beltsy. Soccer America talked to Red Bulls technical director Jeff Agoos about the hiring.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
The Latino Equation
How far has American soccer come in providing opportunities for young Latino players?
Financially, it’s a struggle,” says Paul Walker, the founder and president of Southern California youth club Barcelona USA. “But I come from the point of view of being the underdog. I don’t know why, it’s just the way I grew up. I took on all challenges.”
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
U.S. Talent Heads South
Mexican pro clubs and Mexico’s national team program have started plucking talent from the USA.
Edgar Castillo is 20 years old and he just bought a house. A year ago, he made his Mexican First Division debut with Santos Laguna. This season, he starts at left back.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Small-Sided Games: What’s all the fuss?
For quite a few years now US Youth Soccer, U.S. Soccer, AYSO and the NSCAA have advocated playing less than 11-a-side soccer for our younger players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-17 opponents raid youth ranks for players
Three of the U.S. opponents at the CONCACAF Under-17 qualifying tournament in Jamaica have American products on their roster. Canada, which faces the USA Wednesday night at 5 pm CT in Kingston, has 16-year-old defender Drew Beckie, who took up soccer at the age of 4 after moving from Canada and plays for Real Colorado. Several other players in Canada’s U-17 pool are American-based while Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica also have a U.S. connection.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
8. YOUTH: U.S. U-15 boys head to Buenos Aires
[Roster] The U.S. under-15 boys national team will spend 10 days in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a training camp. Coach Jim Barlow will take 20 players to the camp that will run April 27-May 7.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The question we must ask
By Ian Barker I work for a youth soccer association and I am convinced that the majority of our youth players have a very good experience in the sport. Beyond that I believe many come to develop a passion for the sport that extends beyond college and into full adulthood and this will create the […]