"Decelerate!""Pump your arms!" "Sprint!" "Faster!" Ever heard a coach barking a rolling list of orders that actually made their players perform worse and be more frantic? I know I have. Worse yet, these orders are often shouted during a series of mundane drills that do not allow for kids to explore their abilities, find creative solutions, or compete at high...

Continue →

Speed training for soccer players is more than flying through sprint drills. It is more than strapping on parachutes. It is more than ladder drills. It is more than plyometric training and box jumps. Soccer is a dynamic game, and the actions that make or break a win or loss are ones that involve speed and power. A counterattack. A...

Continue →

Soccer is a game full of single-leg actions, and it still flabbergasts me players fail to train balance and single-leg strength. There is passing, shooting, jumping, decelerating, accelerating, and changing direction – all movements that require players to be well-balanced, stable, and capable of both producing and absorbing force on one leg. To have sharp agility and accelerate past a...

Continue →

It flabbergasts me that I am writing a survival guide on youth soccer tournaments. For something that should be a fun and carefree enjoyment of the beautiful game, it can turn into something that is a stressful nightmare. Before I dive in, this article will not discuss the pros and cons of the tournament structure in youth soccer. Of course,...

Continue →

Ever seen a soccer player who can bolt down the field when it comes to linear sprinting, yet has the side-to-side agility of a snail?For a dynamic sport that is colored with changes of direction, it amazes me how little soccer players venture out of a linear plane when training in the gym. Players spend the bulk of their training...

Continue →

The hips do not lie. To neglect them as a soccer athlete would be hindering performance, decreasing speed, and increasing risk of injury. Ever seen a player jump several feet off the ground to bang in a header off of a corner kick? Ever seen a player "break ankles" with their sharp turns against an opponent? Ever seen a player...

Continue →

Unpopular truth: sometimes D1 sports programs are not the best outcome. Perhaps this sounds like it is coming out of left field, and perhaps this is not what your friends, teammates or coaches believe. However, too often have I seen the love affair with "Going D1" lead players away from schools that fit them better academically, socially and athletically. Youth...

Continue →

Every time I find myself in a conversation with a soccer parent, I am asked about the "first step." They ask, “Coach, can you improve my son’s first step?” Or they sigh, “I wish my child would just have a quicker first step.” Or they grunt after all but one month of training, “Why hasn’t my kid improved his first...

Continue →

If you are a youth athlete, parent or coach, chances are you crave information on new exercises to improve strength, skills, and speed. The physical game of youth sports could not be more of a hot topic in today’s day and age, and for good reason: physical fitness gives an athlete an edge over an opponent and makes them durable...

Continue →

While scrolling through my Instagram feed recently, I came across a video of a youth athlete performing Barbell Squats with knee valgus, low back flexion, and hip shifting. It also appeared there was no strength coach correcting these unsafe errors, which was a huge concern. My other concern, beyond the health of said athlete, was that other parents would see...

Continue →