Hey, it's Coach Patrick McPhillips from Soccer 1:1. Firstly, I wanted to welcome you to our website. If you are on this page, it's telling me that you're interested in possibly joining our private or small group training programs in San Francisco... and we can't wait to help your child!

Before parents apply to our program, I feel that it's important to share my story about why I started a training program to help youth soccer players in our local area.

I got into soccer coaching by accident... sort of! A boxing coach I was working with back in ’99 suggested that I should coach. That I loved the game and should pass it on. I didn't do anything about it immediately, but it stayed with me and a few months later I took the F License and kept going through the badges.

My first team was a U10 boys team that I trained at West Sunset. I got into it a little bit my very first day with another coach who was screaming at his players using this military-style approach. The kids were clearly scared of him and looked like they were all about to start crying. Keep them in the game! That's your highest priority as a coach.

That didn't put me off and the seeds of why I still coach today were sown at that time. Nearly every player on that team lacked technique and skills and that's what I focused on. That's what I wanted to teach. Fakes, turns, 1v1's, receiving, passing.

But it was more than that. The players were lacking the basics. Despite playing the sport for years they couldn’t run with the ball or dribble. They either pushed the ball from one foot to the other and tried to move the ball forward or they kicked the ball and ran after it.

Passing? No chance! The kids kicked the ball first time and I soon saw why at the Saturday games. The spectators were all shouting "boot it" and I still hear that and more at the matches today. "Big kick", "send it", "get rid of it", "kick it". Only recently a parent was telling me that her daughter "had a big boot" like it was a good thing.

While times have changed for soccer and we have better facilities, the sport has more exposure, and more recognition we still lack a deeper understanding of what it takes to get better, how long it takes and how to get better. In terms of technique we're still lacking and that's why I believe in 1:1 training. It’s individual development over team development. Corrections and bad habits can be coached out and players will get better much faster with personal training and attention.

With our training program I really enjoy the challenge of helping soccer players achieve their goals... and I know there are more players out there that need personalized help. I feel now it's my mission to help these players and I'm looking to accomplish that through working with more great players and parents like those that have already been part of our program.

The relationship and bond with those families goes much deeper than a regular coach and it's very satisfying to see results and happy families.

The vision of Soccer 1:1 hasn't changed since day one. We strive to help players in a private 1on1 or small group setting no matter what the level of the player or the club/team the child plays on. What sets us apart is that we only accept players and families who are highly committed to getting better and for that reason we only work with a select number of players each month.

If you've made it this far you're probably wondering, what's next? Great question.

Simply click on the big yellow button below so we can arrange to speak over the phone about how we can help your child!