Blog

Calentamiento en 4 Campos

Gran ejercicio para el calentamiento. Utilizando 4 áreas cada una con diferentes actividades trabajando en driblar, pasar, controlar y estirar.

Obtenga la aplicación MOTI Soccer training:
⚽ Fútbol MOTI para Android: https://motisports.com/google-soccer-
⚽ Fútbol MOTI para iOS: https://motisports.com/apple-soccer-app/

Athlete’s Built in Stress Reliever

An Athlete’s Built-in Stress Reliever – Episode 6

Alan shares advice for youth soccer players, parents, coaches, and fans of soccer during these “Minute with Merrick” episodes.

Alan Merrick is MOTI’s Director of Soccer Content. Alan’s professional career began in England, where played for West Bromwich Albion as well as the English Junior National Team. He played for 10 years in England, before moving to the United States in 1976 to play for the Minnesota Kicks. His career as a player also included playing for the LA Aztecs, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto Blizzard, and for the US National Team – Team America. He coached the in-door NASL Team Minnesota Strikers for 6 years, and the University of Minnesota Men’s Club Team for over 20 seasons. Alan helped start the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association with others, held youth soccer camps across the upper Midwest, and has been a guest clinician for USSF coaching school courses for over 40 years. Alan holds coaching licenses in England, the USSF A License, and the Canadian Coaching License. READ MORE

Training Captains – Captains Practices

Captain’s Practices

I have met twice with my Captains now as a group, once during the late spring/early summer and a second time in midsummer.  We are now a week away from Captain’s Practices.  This is a two-week period before the actual High School season begins when, in my State, the coaching staff is not allowed to interact with the players.  But the players are pumped and want to get some touches in, so the Captains run the practices.

Leadership Qualities

In this final meeting, I like to recap our last meeting, remind them again of the leadership qualities of a Level 5 Leader from the book “Good to Great” by author Jim Collins and how to work out those qualities on the playing field during the next couple of weeks with their teammates. READ MORE

How simple can a practice be? How effective?

Young players need Structure

Young players need structure and an environment that allows them to succeed in their soccer skills development.  

Small practice areas – more touches

Therefore, Coaches need to set up small playing areas or grids. Coaches should use cones or pinnies/vests as boundaries, that give players visual reference points. This will reassure them of their surroundings.

The use of smaller working areas ensures players get as many more touches on the ball as possible. Players that navigate with a ball in a smaller area touch the ball more often. Getting all players moving around and being active with a ball is a great starting point. This should be a goal throughout the player’s lifetime participation in the sport. READ MORE

Help Wanted!  –  Volunteering has its own rewards

Struggling to have parents volunteer?

A board member mentioned to me they had over 300 kids sign up and were experiencing problems having parents volunteer to coach. They asked if our app could help guide their coaches through their season. Yes, our app can help their coaches coach.

However, you have to get the parents to say “Yes” to volunteering first. Thinking back, I remembered, “the most rewarding time I had as a parent” was volunteering to coach a group of kids.

Why did I Volunteer and say “Yes”?

Someone I knew and respected, told me I had the skills to do a good job, and that I would look back someday and remember how good it felt to contribute to the development of young people. They were right! READ MORE