Soccer 1:1

Parents and Friends,

Thanks to all the families that showed up for the recent skills clinic!

As a coach I always enjoy meeting new parents and hearing about their soccer experience.

And of course on the field I LOVE the challenge of training new players and that’s what was so fun about the day. 

We had a whole bunch of super enthusiastic kids from different soccer backgrounds, teams and skill sets.

We had local players, players from outside SF and a kid who just moved to the city from NYC!

This is just the beginning as my goal is to help more kids and reach as many players as possible.  

Families these days are looking for OPTIONS and want their child to experience different practice environments.

And that’s what these clinics will be.

Supplemental technical training where kids will be picking up new skills and exposed to another approach.

Our next clinic is coming up on March 3rd in Presidio Heights at 12:30.

The focus will be increasing CONFIDENCE with...

Parents and Friends,

Working with many families and young players over the years one of the first things I mention is that we do weekly soccer homework.

The response is frequently what could that possibly be! 

I am always quick to explain that if they want help then homework is a CRUCIAL and integral part of that process.

Why? Because practice time is limited to a few hours a week (or less!) and I want to have an input on what players are doing outside of those trainings.

It's also an opportunity to be productive and get ahead especially when soccer kids these days are often IDLE for months on end. Sometimes for whole seasons.

The content of the homework can vary but typically it will be based on learning a new skill and increasing a player’s Soccer IQ.

I recently had the kids working on the backheel and they had to…

1) Study a technical handout on backheels.
2) Watch a video of Alexis Sanchez’s backheel assist against Brighton.
3) Answer five questions based...

Parents and Friends,

We’ve all observed kids practicing on their own at the fields and they are nearly always doing the same thing… they’re taking shots.

Then they chase the ball down to take another.

Sure, it’s fantastic they’re out there having fun but it’s pretty much useless in terms of quality technical training.

It’s essentially wasted time because it’s not PRODUCTIVE.

When chatting with new families one of the main concerns they have is their child doesn’t know how to practice on their own

Their kid has never been encouraged to do so nor been given guidelines on how to individually improve their game.

At Soccer 1:1 every player in the program receives a handout on footwork, fundamentals and ball mastery exercises specific to practicing on your own.

And I make it a requirement that they follow through. 

How? The kids maintain soccer journals with their practice days and I read them at every session.

This makes players...

Parents and Friends,

We’ve all seen kids lacking the confidence to get the ball under control and dribble with it. Kicking the ball forward then becomes the first and only option.

What is dribbling? It’s CLOSE control of the ball. Quick touches that give a player the ability to change direction at speed.

It is essentially ball mastery, so the ball feels like a part of your body.

Think Messi! The ball appears to be TIED TO HIS FOOT as he weaves past defenders changing angles constantly.

While Messi is the master kids must develop their dribbling technique to a comfort level. It’s crucial to staying in the game long-term.

Here are my top FOUR basic dribbling tips:

1) Use the inside (‘big toe’) and  outside (‘little toe’) of your foot 
2) Keep the ball within playing distance.
3) Take quick small steps.
4) Dribble with your head up.

If you enjoyed today's message, please share it with a friend or fellow soccer enthusiast.

Chat soon,...

Parents and Friends,

I’m currently working on a new project (book & app) that I'll be sharing with the soccer community soon!

The project is essentially a footwork program. Technical exercises that increase a player’s confidence on the ball and improve overall ball mastery.

The motivation behind creating the program was twofold.

Kids are NOT GETTING the foot skills work they need and are pushed into games far too early with the same results. They’re overwhelmed!

Secondly, I wanted to help more players with an online presence. Not just locally but everywhere.

We are in the production process of creating this program and I made this quick one question survey that I hope you can take.

>> Click here to help me out

I appreciate it.

Chat soon,
Patrick
Soccer 1:1

P.S. On February 17th I will be running a third free skills clinic in San Francisco. You can click here to register your child and I will keep it open for the first 10 players that register online.

Parents and Friends,

We’ve all observed players struggling with the mechanics of stopping the ball and turning.

What you’ll frequently see is a kid stepping around the ball in an attempt to move it in the opposite direction.

Or a ball is about to run out of play and the player kicks or dribbles it over the line trying to keep it in play. That can be really frustrating.

At Soccer 1:1 we teach EIGHT fundamental turns as standard (and more if those are mastered quickly!).

That ‘turns toolkit’ significantly improves a player’s confidence because now they can get quickly the ball under control and change direction.

One of my favorite turns is the PULLBACK and the 4 basic steps are…

1) Push the ball out in front of you and step on the ball.
2) Lower your hips and drag the ball back towards you with the sole of the foot.
3) Turn and bring the ball with you.
4) Race away quickly in the opposite direction.

 Go slowly at first to get down the mechanics,...

Parents and Friends,

There are few things as exciting in soccer than seeing an attacker throw a move and go past a defender at pace.

 And when it comes to youth soccer it’s VITAL that every kid has quality moves in their locker to beat a defender in a 1v1 situation.

 That player will be much more confident and aggressive on the field when they are confronting what is often their immediate opponent (e.g. right midfielder vs. left back).

 And if a kid can win that battle consistently then they can become a go-to player. Their teammates give them the ball!

At Soccer 1:1 we teach a minimum of TEN moves to every player in the program.

The Mathews is one of the best-known fakes in the game and these are my step-by-step tips:

•  Attack the defender with speed.
• DROP YOUR SHOULDER to lead the defender one way.
• Touch the ball forward to that same side with the inside of the foot.
• Hop with the supporting foot on contact with the ball.
• Use the outside of the foot...

Parents and Friends,

It’s vital that we teach kids what to do WITHOUT THE BALL as much as on it.

After all, if you think of what happens in a typical match…

the opposition or a player’s teammates have the ball while an individual only has it for a small portion of the game.

That individual will spend the vast MAJORITY of their time making runs to support the attack or defending around or off the ball.

At Soccer 1:1 we focus on 1v1 defending and the corrections that need to be made in those sessions are nearly always the same.

The most common bad habit we see is that a kid runs at the ball in a straight line and then just tries to kick it.

We teach players that quality 1v1 defending is all about the 3 P’s (Patience, Posture & Pressure) and applying those principles.

Here are FOUR more great tips for 1v1 defending:

1) Approach at an angle.
2) Staggered stance like a boxer with toes at a forty-five-degree angle.
3) Don’t commit to a tackle and stay on...

Parents and Friends,

To stay in the game a player must develop an understanding of how to complete a pass to a teammate.

Yet we’ve all observed kids with bad habits. Kicking the ball to nobody in particular using poor technique.

Unfortunately, when a player applies the same mechanics for passing as for shooting that is the result.

QUALITY passing is all about transferring the ball accurately to a teammate from distance.

It must be worked on at an early age because the game only becomes more complex as numbers and the field size increase.

An 11 v 11 pitch is typically 115 x 74 yards. With that there are even more options, considerations and complications!

At Soccer 1:1 we instill solid fundamentals into players at each session. Here are my top FIVE tips for basic passing:

1) Toe pointed slightly up.
2) Ball slightly out of feet and at an angle.
3) Non-kicking foot must be placed beside the ball and pointed at the target.
4) Picture the ball as having two eyes, a nose and a mouth....