I wish coaches took into consideration when working with young players, that they may hear this one day. Maybe it will stop the win at all costs mentality. Maybe it will prompt the unconscious incompetent coaches to pursue some coaching education.
 
I coach the Men’s club team at the University of Florida. Every year we have between 100 and 150 new players tryout for the team. The come from all over the country and they have all played at various levels. Some have represented their states with the Olympic Development Program, some have played in region leagues with premier teams, and some have transferred  from collegiate programs. It is a time of the year that brings great joy to a few and disappointment to many. The slate is clean and some returning players are let go every season. 

UF Men’s Club Team

 
Some players recognize the level and accept that they are not ready, others ask to be considered for joining the squad in training, some tryout again in the spring. I appreciate the passion these players have. Some have a genuine love of the game, but they have not been taught anything. I wish the coaches of these players could see the looks on the faces when I have to let them go.
 
The most difficult thing is having to tell a kid that he is not good enough. These kids are usually so respectful and hungry, but they lack game intelligence and technical proficiency. There are two very important ingredients I look for in players. The players are all very athletic. It is obvious that they have relied very heavily on this and not the ability to play.
 
I know that I cannot blame all the coaches. I know better, because I deal with parents for a living as a Director of Coaching. They can be their kids biggest hindrance, as they are always seeking the winning teams, a place where their child can play the position they think is acceptable, or an acceptable amount of playing time.  Some very good coaches never have a chance to work with players long enough to have an impact….to produce the final product. 

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I WANNA BE IN MY HIGH SCHOOL TEAM BUT I DONT KNOW WHAT POSITION TO PLAY! I AM 6 FEET TALL AND MY MILE TIME IS 8 MINS. AND ABOUT 45 SECS IF I REALLY TIME. WAT DO U GUYS THINK?

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Chelsea is looking hot again. They will look to continue their winning ways when they travel to Sunderland in their next EPL match. Chelsea has won their last two EPL games by a combined score of 6-0. Now, they will look to avenge an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Sunderland earlier in the season. Right now, Chelsea is in fourth place while Sunderland sits in sixth.

Soccer Betting Odds have not yet been posted for this match.

Petr Cech has regained his form of late. In his 23 starts, he has allowed a mere 19 goals. He has been one of the best goalies in the EPL all season, and his consistency is essential for Chelsea to succeed. Offensively, Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda continue to drive Chelsea. They are tied for the team lead in goals. In particular, Drogba has blossomed in to one of the biggest scoring threats in the EPL.

For Sunderland, Craig Gordon has performed well in goal. He has allowed 12 goals in his 12 starts. As far as the offense goes, Sunderland relies heavily on Darren Bent for goals. He leads the team in goals as well as shots. Without him playing well, the Sunderland offense could be in major trouble.

Chelsea seems to have regained their swagger. That could be troubling news for the rest of the EPL. When Chelsea is clicking, it is nearly impossible to beat them. For Sunderland to get another win, they will need the offense to step up. They are not as dynamic as Chelsea, but they are capable of scoring. If they allow Drogba or Malouda to get on the board early, Sunderland will be in big trouble.

Premiership Betting

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Let me first define mental toughness in a player. This means having the ability to play through an opponent trying to hurt you or saying things to you to get under your skin. It means being able to play through discomfort and fatigue. Disregarding a bad call or a series of mistakes. Being able to use your body to protect yourself. Being able to hear the message and not the tone.

I notice that so many of my club players lack this necessary ingredient to be a top player. Regardless of the environment created at practice, some players shy away from confrontation. The have no desire to fight for what they want and they take the easy way out. If you look at the way these kids live, it is easy to understand why they behave the way they do. When they wake up in the morning, there are choices regarding what to eat for breakfast, what clothes to wear, what shoes to wear, whether to shower or take a bath. There is a bus that picks them up and drops them off. Some ride with their parents. They have everything they need or want available to them.

Do not take this the wrong way. There is nothing wrong with parents working hard to provide for their kids. Some parents do  a great job with their children when it comes to balancing needs and wants, manners, accountability and work ethic. The problem is that most of these kids never have to deal with adversity. They are sheltered from life’s problems, as mom and dad intervene at the sight of any perceived obstacle. This makes it very difficult for a coach, because these players do not do well with criticism from the authority figure (the soccer coach) or their peers. These players do not deal well with pressure situations and find excuses instead of solutions. Some of my most talented players are afraid to play when the going gets tough. They fabricate an injury or asked to be substituted. I am amazed that these same players have no problems when we play against weaker teams.

I do have players that are tough and as time goes by and I get to know the parent/parents, I gain an appreciation for the life  they live and how it affects their performance on the field. These players sometimes come from single parent homes, they help take care of a younger sibling, they help with the household chores, and some even work part-time to help with expenses.  These kids bring a different level of maturity and problem solving ability.

I know a player, who lives on a farm. She has to milk cows at 5 am and at 5pm every day. She also has younger siblings that she helps. She is one of the toughest, most talented players I have seen in years. She happens to play for the United States U17 team and has a full scholarship to attend a top 10 NCAA  team. I also know four other players, who played one semester in college and quit because they were not tough enough to deal with having to be at their best  everyday without breaks.  No easy games or practices.

Carlos Tevez, who plays for Argentina and Manchester City, was asked in an interview when he played for Manchester United if he felt pressure playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. His answer was astonishing. He said that he only remembered feeling pressure when he played with men as a 13 year old boy. He had to win, so that he could help feed his family. Diego Maradona lived in a two bedroom home with 8 siblings, Lionel Messi had to overcome a growth abnormality to be able to play and at 5’4 is the best player in the world. I can go on and on, but I think I have made my point.

Toughness has to come from within. Something has to drive you past all obstacles.  Your passion and will has to see your through the toughest moments. Many players have the talent, but only a few have the ability to use it when it really counts.

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Some basic exercises the jump in the beginning was 60″, I’ve hurdled 65 inches before… Anyways, for more detailed exercises or more drills you can do to improve your vertical, please subscribe to my youtube and visit strength-project.com! . My stats- height- 5’9, weight 160lbs,

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Here i am teaching you guys how to the ollie really basic and fundamental trick of learning how to skateboard for begginers The sound is low! so please turn your volume up to the max!! Thank you and please comment rate and subscribe Also whenn i get 10 subscribers ill be doing another skateboarding video!

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In this free video clip learn how to properly inflict round kicks according to Krav Maga teachings for self defense training. Expert: Steve Jimenez Contact: www.fitandfearless.com Bio: Steve Jimenez is the lead instructor of the South Austin location for Krav Maga International. He holds three black belts in three martial arts disciplines. Filmmaker: Murlin Evans

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The Goalkeeper is an extremely important part of any successful team. They have to be very good with their feet, good distributors of the ball, shot stoppers, one on one specialists, cross handlers and great communicators. An equally important function of the modern goalkeeper is the ability to organize. There is more to this than you think. It is more than assigning players to a man/woman, instructing who to mark and how to mark (zone or man to man).

When defending free kicks, the Goalkeeper (GK) has to consider the following…does he need a wall? And if so, how many players? Some GKs think that if the wall is not lined up in the 18 yard box, then there is no need for one. The GK also has to decide where he wants the line held, so that he/she has working space available to him/her. Since the tendency of the line is to back up, he/she may have the players start a little higher.

There are also some questions the GK has to take into consideration. They are as follows:

• Who sets the wall?
• How many in the wall?
• Jumping wall or standing?
• What differences in set up with direct and indirect free kicks?
• Where is the bullet man positioned and what is his role?
• Man marking or zonal marking?

When defending corners, there are different considerations:

• What adjustments to make if the corner is an in-swinger or out-swinger?
• Is there a need for players on both posts?
• Which player goes where and why?

Even when the keeper’s team is taking a corner, he/she must still organize to protect against a counter attack.

The goalie also has to organize the group when defending the long throw-in. Some prefer that the front post attacker is fronted, so that they have a better option for mobility as there is less traffic.

I know I have a much better appreciation for the Goalkeeper. It truly is a specialized position. No great team is complete without one.

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