The only way I'd worry about the weather is if it snows on our side of the field and not on theirs.  Tommy Lasorda - MLB manager

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Topic:  RECEIVING GROUND BALLS                  Date:                                                                            

Crossing And finishing

Organization
Three players from each team are positioned around the goal area. Two teammates wait by penalty spot. GK throws out to X1 who plays ball to X2 who sets ball back for X3 to cross. Attacking pairs try to score.

Progressions
• Rotate positions
• Play two touch with one touch finish
• Repeat both sides

Coaching Points • Speed of play • Timing of runs • Quality of delivery from player crossing - hard and low

Female ACL Injury Prevention

A recent study has shown that 1 out of 10 female college athletes have had an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury at some point during their playing career. ACL injuries have been a common problem for women soccer players in the WUSA. Studies have also indicated that females, who participate in sports that require cutting and jumping, were 5 times more likely to suffer serious knee injuries compared to their male counterparts. Most of these injuries are actually non-contact ones, which result from jump landings or pivoting on the knee. While various studies are currently underway to try and determine why females are showing a higher incidence of ACL injuries compared to males, some early results have lead to some theories for explaining the greater prevalence of ACL injuries in females. One theory is based on the anatomical differences between females and males. Females generally have larger 'Q angles', which refers to the angles where the femur bone and tibia bone meets at the knee. The 'Q angle' is determined by the width of the pelvis. Having a larger 'Q angle' means that there is a greater susceptibility of the knee to have an inward torque when an individual performs jumping, landing, turning, and planting movements. Another difference is posture related. Females tend to move around with less of a knee bend. When the knees are straight, the ligaments are in a position more vulnerable to injury. The muscles can stabilize the knees more effectively, when the legs have some bend. There is a related aspect to this postural straight knee position in females. A study performed at the Santa Monica Orthopedic Sports Medicine Research and Education Foundation showed that females tend to jump and land flat footed with their knees in extended positions when compared to males. This landing in an extended knee position is now considered a primary factor to the greater number of ACL injuries in females. Utilizing a proper jump training program that teaches soccer players how to jump and land correctly is a necessary component, which needs to be implemented to reduce the probability of ACL injuries. The goal is to minimize the chance that the athlete will end up in vulnerable positions, which result in knee injuries. The New Wave Soccer Conditioning Program includes instructions for using correct form in jumping and landing in the 'Female ACL Prevention' section. This section also provides specific jump training exercises for females to utilize. The other apparent significant factor for the greater number of ACL injuries in females is that they have less strength in the muscles surrounding the knee joint. More importantly, the ratio of strength between the Quadriceps and Hamstrings is not as close as it should be for females. The potential to suffer an ACL injury is increased when there is an insufficient Quadriceps/Hamstrings strength ratio. Females, who have no prior strength training background, generally have even a greater imbalance of strength between the Quadriceps and Hamstrings. The New Wave Soccer Conditioning Program addresses this muscle balance concern, and recommends a few modifications for female soccer players to ensure optimal muscle balance to reduce injury potential. This includes both a greater emphasis on Hamstrings to Quadriceps strength ratio and developing the VMO(inner quadricep) muscle. This section adds a few supplemental exercises to the base strength training program design for those needing to address these special needs. When a soccer player suffers a knee injury, he or she will either have surgery with follow-up therapy or choose non-surgery therapy to treat that injury. There is still going to be a certain amount of time lost to participate in soccer during the year, which could be several months to a year. This fact makes it even more vital for females to be aware of the potential risk for ACL injuries, and do what they can to minimize that risk.

Perfect preparation pays off
Monday, 12 January 2004

By Pete Sanderson

To become an élite footballer it is imperative that you look after your body before, during and after a match. In the second chapter of a two-part interview, Richard Hawkins, deputy head of exercise science at the English Football Association, gives some helpful advice to uefa.com.

uefa.com: Does a warm-down help the heart to recover from exercise?
Richard Hawkins: Yes. The aim of the cool-down is to encourage the gradual return of the heart, body metabolism and respiratory rate to normal, and to encourage effective re-absorption of waste products from the muscles. The active cool-down promotes the clearance of lactic acid.

uefa.com: How does the warm-down help the body?
Hawkins: A gradual decrease in exercise intensity and the application of controlled rhythmical movements helps assist in cooling the body as the transfer of blood flow to the skin will be maintained allowing further heat loss. 

 uefa.com: Is it true a warm-down can help with your sleeping?

Hawkins: Yes. One of the major benefits of this is that the ability to sleep is enhanced which is crucial in ensuring that the appropriate regeneration is allowed to take place. From a performance perspective there is evidence that demonstrates an enhanced sprinting ability in subsequent training days and there is also a suggestion that the cool-down procedure partly offsets any depression in the immune system that commonly occurs after exercise, therefore decreasing the likelihood of players picking up infections.

uefa.com: When is the last time you should have a training session before a match?

Hawkins: Common practice is to have a light training session on the day before the game which should not be detrimental to performance. The major concern links to the nutrition programme of players and it is important to ensure that energy levels are not depleted the day before a game. However, through light training and appropriate nutritional strategies this will not be an issue.

uefa.com: Do things like endurance training and long cross-country runs get you fit for football or is football fitness a completely different issue?

Hawkins: Endurance is a key component of fitness for outfield players. How this is achieved depends on the philosophy of the conditioning coach. Long cross-country runs in the past have typically formed part of pre-season training and at some clubs this is still the case. There are, however, more efficient ways of enhancing the endurance of players through small-sided games and designing sessions that require players to work for extended periods at high-intensities (90-95 per cent of maximum heart rate). This type of training has been shown to produce dramatic improvements in the endurance ability of top players without any detrimental effects on speed and strength.

uefa.com: How long should you leave between matches – is it right that players sometimes play two games in 48 hours?

Hawkins: The more endurance ability players have the faster they will recover from games. When players do have to perform twice in less than 48 hours success is likely to be determined by the efficiency of the nutritional and recovery/regeneration strategies adopted by the club. When players have to compete every two days it becomes increasingly difficult to enhance performance with the training emphasis clearly being on recovery. Without appropriate intervention players will ultimately break down and under perform, resulting in poor performances and also injuries. Attention to the detail of these additional strategies are therefore important at the highest level, all of which are aimed at enhancing the welfare of the player.

What is Your Philosphy?

Coaching Philosophies

I asked people to send me their one sentence coaching philosophies and have had over 150 responses. Here they are in the order that they came in. I have NOT thanked each contributor individually but would like to do so here. A few people decided to send in more than one sentence and those are NOT included here because I believe I was quite specific in what I was requesting.

1.      On good days we play good soccer, on bad days we TRY to play good soccer

2.      My players can and will learn.

3.      Developing skill, sportsmanship and the value of team working without
sacrificing fun

4.      Success is something we strive for, and victory by training

5.      When we have ball, entire team attacks. When other team has ball, our entire team is on defense.

6.      Coaching (teaching) philosophy is bringing a collection of young people
together in a common setting of instructing them on the basic fundamentals
of the game and instilling in them thru that process a personal sense of
self worth to themselves and their selves to the common good of the team and
the team's goal for the season.

7.      It doesn't matter what the score of the game is at the end, if you have learned something NEW, then you have WON the game anyway

8.      Improve skills and have fun

9.      Don't give the ball away cheaply, if you have the ball the opposition can't score

10.   My coaching philosophy is to teach the basic skills, to encourage aggressive play beginning at a young age, and to make the game fun to play.

11.   Soccer is chess with a ball

12.   Especially in younger ages I think that teaching and mastering fundamental skills and verbally reinforcing/recognizing proper technique, form, and performance should be an essential element in coaching.

13.   Fun, learning, sportsmanship

14.   Do whatever I can to develop my players so that they have great skills and
attitudes, are great team players, and are great human beings

15.   I wish to enhance my players' love for the game

16.   Fun, Skills, Work Rate, Tactics, in that order for any level !!

17.   Have fun!!!

18.   Respect and make use of the fact that the kids have chosen to be there, and always lead by example - physical conditioning (running/sprints) as well as skills.

19.   To create a fun environment where players want to come to practice and
games, while facilitating each players soccer growth and development to the
complete extent possible.

20.   We as a team want to play hard, play smart, play with heart, have fun all
the time, put constant pressure on the opposing defense and make sure that
our goalie is the most bored player on the field.

21.   Defend, defend, defend, the rest will follow.

22.   Age appropriate skill, conditioning, and decision making improvement and
growth interwoven with FUN

23.   Fun, Fitness and Personal Best Performance

24.   The strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf.

25.   If you think winning is the only thing that matters in youth sports, maybe
you should volunteer for something else.

26.   Let the game be the teacher

27.   I like to build the team from the back line forward, keeping the ball in front of my best players and moving the ball up the field in a triangle to maximize our ability to outnumber the other side on the ball.

28.   To share the knowledge I learn, the passion I have gained, and the potential that I see; in every person that is willing to listen.

29.   Plan what you are going to do, practice what you have planned, execute what you have practiced, and enjoy the fruits of your labors

30.   We will continue to develop strong minds and bodies for their future, while we build character on the field

31.   You never fail if you try your hardest

32.   Attempt to get the best from each individual on the team

33.   It's not just winning and losing that matters; it's how you teach your players to win and lose

34.   Attack and finish

35.   Never turn your back to the ball!

36.   First one to the ball wins

37.   WORK HARD AND ALWAYS MOVE WITHOUT THE BALL

38.   The body will go wherever the mind will take it

39.   If the kids aren't having fun while they learn at practice, then they
aren't "PLAYING" soccer.

40.   Play soccer, have fun, get better, win. Repeat

41.   Individual development: coach and give the skills required to learn; then you will improve each player…

42.   Create a desire to learn, they will learn to win.”

43.   Always use the proper technique no matter how easy or tough the shot is,
laziness leads to being score on.

44.   Coaching youngsters is about imparting a love for the game and a love for
playing the game well!

45.   Soccer is a simple game confused by the human element

46.   Have fun while learning the game of soccer

47.   Good feet before any diving

48.   Coach at practice, not at games.

49.   Winning isn't everything, striving to win is.

50.   My coaching philosophy for 11-14 year old girls: lots of ball contact, technique drills that make them move and have fun, emphasize keeping the ball on the ground.