Tipps for Coaching the Little Ones . . . . . . .

11 Tips for Coaching the Little Ones

(With the fall season upon us, we reprint this article from 2014. Updated are the resource links at the end of the piece, including the online U.S. Soccer National F License course, for …

You can’t communicate too much with parents

‘You can’t communicate too much with parents’ (Kim Calkins Q&A)

Interview by Olivia Ruiz

Kim Calkins was appointed Washington Youth Soccer’s State Technical Director in July. Calkins, who played collegiate ball at the University of Portland and professionally for the …

Is skipping High School soccer worth it ?

Is skipping high school soccer worth it?

Aspirations to play college soccer and hopes of a scholarship are apt to influence many decisions young players and their parents make. We’ve relayed some of the common questions we’ve heard from parents …

Julie Johnston: Top U.S. defender played ALL position as a child . . . .

Julie Johnston: Top U.S. defender played all positions as a child

By Mike Woitalla

Perhaps the most impressive player so far during the USA’s run at the 2015 Women’s World Cup has been 24-year-old Julie Johnston.

The central defender …

The dumbest way to insult a referee . . . . . . .

The dumbest way to insult a referee

By Mike Woitalla

The ref calls a foul. The halfwit coach of the kid who committed it yells, “It’s OK, Timmy! You didn’t do anything wrong!” — believing he’s cleverly circumventing the dissent …

Effective Goalkeeper Communication – Coaches Must Teach It …………

Effective Goalkeeper Communication — Coaches Must Teach It

By Paul Grafer

How goalkeepers communicate with their teammates is a big part of their development.

Personally, I struggled with communication as a young goalkeeper, especially as it related to helping organize …

Injured Player? Take Safe Steps in the Return-To-Play Decision

Injured Player? Take Safe Steps in the Return-To-Play Decision

By Dev Mishra, M.D.

One of the toughest decisions in youth sports is determining when a player who has suffered an injury is ready to return to action. It’s very easy …

Screaming at Children – A Ref’s Eye View

Screaming at Children — A Ref’s Eye View

By Mike Woitalla

It’s amazing that no matter how many games you ref, not matter how much you prepare for the all possible scenarios, you still get blindsided. I had a coach …

Ref Watch: Why three is so much better than one

Ref Watch: Why three is so much better than one

By Randy Vogt

When I moved to Florida for business 27 years ago, I lived and worked in Orlando and also worked in the state capital of Tallahassee, 250 miles …