The Evolving Game | May and June 2014

E M A G G N I V L O THE EV May & June 2014

Issue 17 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Coaching Newsletter

U.S. Soccer Partners with Portland Timbers for Rewarding “A” License Renewal U.S. Soccer conducted an “A” Renewal coaching course from April 2-6 in partnership with the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. U.S. Soccer will host similar “A” Renewal courses this summer in collaboration with F.C. Dallas and the NWSL’s Boston Breakers.

U.S. Soccer recently concluded a renewal coaching course for current “A” licensed coaches in Portland, Ore. Held in conjunction with the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, the course offered coaches an exclusive inside look at the club’s organization from the first team all the way down to the youth level. The course aimed to provide coaches with perspective on how a professional club is run and how they create a unique culture from the top down.

“The coaches got to see the Timbers’ identity from both a macro and a micro perspective. They were informed about the club philosophy and got to see how that was implemented through strategic planning, club communication channels and organizational structure, as well as the vertically integrated Club Performance Plan,” said the Timbers’ Youth Sporting Director Mike Smith.

The Timbers provided course participants with access to staff members of all levels within the club to give coaches a strong overview of the culture within the entire organization. The course kicked off with a presentation by Timbers’ General Manager Gavin Wilkinson. It continued with talks by head coach Caleb Porter, first team assistant coach Sean McAuley as well as Youth Sport Director Mike Smith. Candidates were able to attend several Academy practice sessions and had the chance to observe the first team train. The course peaked when participants attended the Timbers’ thrilling match against Seattle Sounders FC on April 5 and observed four goals per side.

“The Timbers and their staff were outstanding in every aspect, making this renewal a great success. They granted us full access to training sessions, practice and training facilities and their staff, who was very professional and accommodating to our educational needs,” said National Staff Instructor Jay Hoffman.

“The Timbers aim to be leaders and pioneers in the development of soccer across the territory. The Timbers believe that coaching education is a key pillar of that development and have partnered with Oregon Youth Soccer to promote those aims. Having hosted National ‘C’ Licenses in the past, we want to support higher and continuing education in our community and across the region,” said Smith.

U.S. Soccer held a similarly structured renewal course in conjunction with the New England Revolution in September, 2013.

Following the successful events in Portland and Foxborough, U.S. Soccer will host additional “A” Renewal courses in this format in August and September to offer coaches a look at two new professional clubs. From Aug. 1-5, U.S. Soccer will host a renewal with the Boston Breakers of the National Women’s Soccer League. Targeted at coaches of female players, course participants will have an inside look at a professional club on the women’s side. The following month “A” licensed coaches can attend a similar renewal in collaboration with F.C. Dallas from Sept. 21-25.

Registration for these two courses will open on ussoccer.com on Thursday, April 24. “These types of partnerships for renewal courses offer unique benefits for U.S. Soccer, the candidates and the club. The candidate gets an in depth look into a professional club that otherwise might not be open to them. They are exposed to a professional club structure, which as a technical leader they can take back to their respective environments. The club also builds its culture and fan base, and for U.S. Soccer, the game continues to improve,” said Hoffman.

Coach Hoffman was the lead instructor with Ralph Perez for a USSF National ’A’ License Renewal Course held in Portland as guests of the Portland Timbers. On the course was Dawson Driscoll - Maywood College, Seamus Donnelly ODP & educational staff coach, Penn Legacy DoC, Penn State Harrisburg head coach and Gary Stephenson - Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, Assistant Director of Coaching.

COACHING EDUCATION HONOR ROLL State F certified LNUSC National E License LNUSC

• • • • •

• BRIAN BARRY • CHRISTOPHER MUNDEN • LESLIE MAXWELL • MATTHEW HOOD

• • • • •

STEPHANIE THOMAS JOHN BUCZEK HARRY SKIRLIS REZA MOHSENI CHRISTOPHER CAPONE MARIANA HERRERA JENNIFER ROBINSON DEAN COSTALAS JONATHAN MASEL LAUREN BOESS

• • • • • • •

FRANK JAMESON JERRY SAVAGE JONATHAN LETTIERI DIEGO FERNANDEZ CRAIG HITCHEN MICHAIL DIAMOND TRENT ZOOK

APRIL & MAY, 2014 Coaching Licenses Awarded

UPCOMING COACHING COURSES National E License Whitpain RA Blue Bell 13 - 15 Jun. 2014

National E License Valley Youth SA Sayre 25 - 27 Jul. 2014

National D License Ukrainian Nat. SC Horsham 1- 3 Aug. 2014

National D License Penn Legacy Landisville 8 - 10 Aug. 2014

National E License Amity AC Birdsboro 8 - 10 Aug. 2014

National E License Penn Legacy Landisville 8 - 10 Aug. 2014

National E License Amity AC Birdsboro 8 - 10 Aug. 2014

National E License Hamburg Area SA Hamburg 15 - 17 Aug. 2014

For more information, details and registration, please visit EPYSA.org

Game Watcher US MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

US WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

INTERNATIONAL GAMES

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

Jun. 01, 2:00PM USA v Turkey

Jun. 14, 7:00PM USA v France

May 30, 3:00PM England v Peru

May 25, 8:00PM Galaxy v Union

Jun. 07, 6:00PM USA v Nigeria

Jun. 16, 7:00PM USA v France

Jun. 6, 8:30PM Mexico v Portugal

Jun. 07, 7:00PM Union v Whitecaps

MEET THE COACH

Frank Olszewski, Director of Soccer Operations & ODP Staff Frank Olszewski is from the Lehigh Valley (Catasauqua, Pennsylvania) and possesses a USSF B License and an NSCAA Level II Goalkeeping Diploma. He was named the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Girls Coach of The Year in 1999 and was fortunate enough to have been the coach of three EPA State Championships, two EPA Indoor Cups and even a National Futsal Championship. An ODP Staff Coach with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer since 1995, He am currently the Head Coach of the U12 Boys Delco Age Group.

Where did you play HS and College soccer? – I am a Lehigh Valley Guy. I played High School soccer at Moravian Academy, (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) under Dr. Ron Quinn.

Dr. Quinn was a coauthor of the current National Youth License along with Dr. Tom Fleck. As a collegiate soccer athlete, I played under Head Coach, Jeff Tipping, at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Jeff Tipping is the former Director of Coaching for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

What was your favorite part of playing? I remember playing High School soccer and every single day was a gift! I looked forward to every single training session. My coach was outstanding and everyone on my team was motivated and upbeat. Nothing beats playing in front of your friends, classmates, girlfriends, parents, teachers and the media.

Representing your High School and wearing your school colors was always thrilling. It was also exciting when the local newspapers/television stations would bring a photographer/ cameraman to a league “showdown” game and interview the coaches and a few players afterward. I think it's a shame that ‘Academy’ players will never experience the fun of High School soccer. I can only hope that those players reach the goals the Academy seems to promise because I can attest to the fact that High School Soccer delivered what it ‘advertised’.

Playing soccer back when I played also ‘allowed’ us to play other sports. I played baseball, basketball, lacrosse and I was also an avid skier.

What coach(s) influenced you to become a coach? I count myself extremely fortunate to have had the best three (actually four) coaches I could have had as a youth player – Ron Quinn, Jeff Tipping and My Dad. The current USSF Youth Coaching License works….I know it works, because I lived it through Ron Quinn’s High School training for 4 years.

He was always supportive and his teams during his tenure were always competitive. Like Dr. Quinn, my College Coach, Jeff Tipping, is known throughout the country. The former NSCAA Director of Coaching used to say “Frank Olszewski is the fastest player he has ever seen…..dragging an anchor”.

Yeah, that may be true but somewhere in the archives at Muhlenberg College you will find that I still scored around 7 goals with that glacial “Speed”. Lastly, My Dad coached me and instilled the Love of The Game that I still carry with me to this day. He never played the sport growing up when he did but he and I learned the game together and he helped me eventually make the ODP team where I played for ANOTHER great Coach – Shelly Chamberlain, the former Head Coach of the Villanova Women’s Program and 2014 High School State Finalist Spring Ford. It is simply not surprising why I love the sport of soccer today. Ron Quinn, Jeff Tipping, Shelly Chamberlain and my Dad live on through all of the countless children that I have coached and continue to train today.

How would you describe your role with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer? As Director of Operations for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, I wear a lot of soccer scarves (hats). I act as the Competition Director for all of our State Cups – Indoor Cups, The National Championships

Series (NCS), Presidents Cup and the Challenge Cup. Besides our Cup competitions, we can run various Indoor/3v3/Recreational Tournaments and Kohl’s Cups too.

The scheduling and operation of the event including The finals are under my direction. Referee assignment for the Cups, disciplinary issues as well as general complaints also fall under Operations. Tournament Sanctioning (providing insurance and promotion to the events) is also an Operations responsibility that I am part of on a regular basis.

I assist with Arbitration Board Hearings and provide guidance and advice to clubs, affiliates and commercial facilities.

You have had a lot of success at the Youth Level (State Championships/ 1999 Coach of the Year etc.) – How do you develop a strong relationship with your players? I coach boys and girls. Particularly for the girls, I find that Soccer is not the most important thing to all of these kids…

“Connection” is the most important thing. The players want to feel like they are all part of the team and their personal relationships with each other are even more important than the game or the training. If they have a story or some Prom pictures to share at the beginning of training, I will give them some latitude as they are warming up. They will discuss school matters or music/television. My experience is that boys tend to want you to challenge them – they want to prove that they can do what someone else cannot do.

Halftime coaching is much different for my boys and girls teams. If I singled out a young man in front of the team that the player he is marking is dominating the game, for example, I find that player will play harder in the second half of the game to prove my statement wrong. He will want to completely shut down the opponent in the second half to show prove himself. I do not single out the girls at halftime because I find that it affects them much differently. Usually a player will think that my criticism displays a lack of confidence in them and their ability.

It's funny, I find that when addressing the team at halftime, if I tell my girls team that as a whole, our team is ‘not closing down space fast enough defensively’ or ‘we are not staying disciplined when defending individually and we tend to overcommit when deciding when to tackle/delay’ – I am willing to bet that virtually each girl is thinking that I am talking about THEM individually (without using their specific name).

However, if I tell the boys the same thing, again, I believe that each of those boys are thinking to themselves – “well, Coach, is talking about Brandon, because I know that I am closing down space quickly” or “My tackling is superb….its Gary that has to start tackling better”.

I try not to overcoach the players. They should have an open forum to ask questions and learn without fear of judgment.

Make the exercises fun – sell yourself and don’t be afraid to enjoy the moment. The players will probably remember the groundhog or skunk that cut across your field to run into the woods more than any exercise you ran with them and that’s ok. I want them to associate fun with the soccer training. I think any coach would appreciate running into a former player 10-15 years from now at a supermarket and the player – now an adult – comes up to you and tells you how much fun they had as one of your players and how lucky they were to have a coach like you.

BE PART OF THE US MNT TEAM’S MARCH TO BRAZIL..

ESPN Films’ “Inside: U.S. Soccer’s March to Brazil” resumes with its second episode on Wednesday, May 21. The program airs at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. Re-airing Saturday May 24, 2:00pm on ABC. Produced by Jonathan Hock and Roger Bennett, the group behind the award-winning 30 for 30 series, this six-part documentary provides a unique perspective of the USA’s preparation camp for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The series premiere ran on Tuesday, May 13.

The remaining schedule will air as follows (all times ET): May 29, Thursday, 7:30-8 p.m.: Episode 3 June 3, Tuesday, 7:30-8 p.m.: Episode 4 June 10, Tuesday, 8:30-9:30 p.m.: Episode 5 June 11, Wednesday, 9:30-10 p.m.: LIVE series finale – Epilogue

Episodes will shadow the coaches and players as they undergo a demanding preparation camp at Stanford University. Subsequent episodes will follow the team as it plays three Send-Off Series matches, beginning with U.S. vs. Azerbaijan, powered by Yingli Solar, on May 27 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

The series will spotlight the announcement of the final 23-man roster and behind-the-scenes footage of the USA’s final two Send-Off Series matches against Turkey at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, on June 1, and Nigeria at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 7. The series culminates in a live finale, featuring analysis and discussion of the 2014 U.S. Men’s National Team World Cup squad.

US MNT CAMP

Initial thoughts about the 30man roster and excitement heading into training camp:

roster now was unpleasant because you give those players a message they don’t want to hear. It hurts you because you Jurgen Klinsmann : know it hurts the player in that moment, but it’s something that a “Obviously it’s getting more and coach has to do. Now, we are more exciting. With naming the obviously excited about the 3030-man roster we enter another man list and moving forward and big step toward the World Cup. moving into a camp at Stanford The clock is ticking and that is good on our end because we can for the next two-and-a-half weeks with the game against Azerbaijan make decisions and move forward. It’s been quite a process on May 27, then moving from there to New York and facing over the last two-and-a-half or Turkey before we actually have three years leading the team to name the 23-man roster. It’s toward the World Cup in Brazil exciting because we can get to and a lot of players were a part work and we can see the players of that process. By naming our now, day-in and day-out, training 30 players, it’s not that easy because you have to leave quite and scrimmaging and doing a lot of work and getting a much more a few players out that were part detailed picture from every one of this important process that of them over the next three took us to Brazil. Making those phone calls and telling them that weeks.” they are not part of the 30-man

U.S. MNT Google+ Hangout The U.S. Men’s National Team is hosting Google+ Hangouts on Air with Major League Soccer players from its training camp at Stanford University in preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In addition to fielding questions in the Google+ Hangout, the moderator will also ask questions that have been submitted through social media and with the #ForClubAndCountry hashtag.

MNT workout at Stanford University on camp

Licensed to Thrill: How I earned my national “E” level coaching certification I’ve always been interested in coaching some day.

By

KEVIN KINKEAD

I’m not sure when that day will be.

I’ve played soccer since junior high, and thankfully my 29-year-old legs are still good enough to get me through 90 minutes in the Casa Soccer League on Saturday afternoons. I’m also privileged enough to write about soccer, but I’d love to be able to teach the game when I finally retire from local rec. leagues and pickup games.

Now, if you want to go out and coach your six-year-old daughter’s youth team, you probably don’t need a license.

But other organizations do require a license, and if you’re serious about it, you can take courses that give you full instruction from alreadyestablished coaches.

Proof I was there...

Complete the course, and you get your certification.

The program is run by U.S. Soccer, but it begins at the state level. So, if you live in Philadelphia, like myself, the courses are administered by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, which you probably know as EPYSA. There are different levels of licensing, beginning at “E” and going all the way up to “A”.

Our instruction room inside the Southampton Community Center

My story begins at the “E” level.

USSF NATIONAL ‘E’ LICENSE

Rafael explains his “stage 3″ exercise to the class. Antonio jots down notes that will go into Rafael’s evaluation.

Instructor Don Brady takes us through the “E” license guidebook inside the Southampton Community Center. Don has an “A” level license and 33 years of coaching experience.

partner up with another classmate, basic rules of the game, and the learn about them, and then tell their third is a course about concussion story to the rest of the group. protocol. You finish these This course spans three days and exercises, print out the certificates 18 hours. There’s a Friday evening of completion, and bring them to I’m sitting next to a young woman session, followed by two full days class. named Ashley. She’s probably in of instruction on Saturday and her mid-twenties, a former college Sunday. Finding a weekend to player at Seton Hall University and The other prerequisite material is a dedicate to the class is a pretty a north Jersey native. She played pair of essays. Piece of cake for a significant commitment, especially writer, yeah? I whipped up two if you’re already working full-time or semi-pro soccer in England, but she wants to take the E-license pages on my “personal coaching weekend hours. course because she’s found an philosophy” and answered a assistant coaching job with Clayton separate series of basic questions.

My class is in Bucks County at the community center just off of Street State University, a small college about 15 miles south of Atlanta, Back to the classroom – Road in Southampton. It’s a nice Georgia. little joint. There’s a lobby with a Don takes us through the slides, welcome desk and a few vending It’s a diverse group inside the and we talk about the four machines adjacent to an indoor community center.

Raphael is 23 components of long-term athletic basketball court on my left. We’re years old, and he’s from Greece. development: technical, physical, meeting in a smaller room to the Like myself, he’s on the younger tactical, and psychosocial. The right. side of the group, with no coaching discussion is engaging and bright.

The experienced coaches are The first class starts at 6 p.m., and experience whatsoever. dropping knowledge left and right, I show up at 6:02 p.m. It takes me On the other hand, Pat Casey has and I invoke my experience with an hour to drive from Port been coaching at Fox Chase the Philadelphia Union to mask the Richmond to Southampton, in the Soccer Club for the last 10 years. fact that I’ve never worked with a rain, in rush hour traffic.

Another classmate, Brett, coaches nine-year-old kid.

U9 girls for Parkwood, which is just There are five folding tables to We spend a good bit of time talking accommodate the 14 people in our outside of Northeast Philadelphia.

There are a number of classmates about the U9 to U12 curriculum and class. Our instructor is Don Brady, who already have coaching how training sessions generally and he’s been coaching for longer experience at the youth level, but progress through four “stages”. than I’ve been alive. Don is an Athey’re here to earn the E-license licensed coach with a master’s degree and 33 years of experience. and learn how they can improve as This is a theme reiterated instructors. throughout the weekend.

He’s spent the last 18 coaching high school boys at Central Bucks South, and he also coaches girls in “It’s for my boys, you know?” Pat Stage 1 is a warm-up exercise: Get told me. the “Olympic Development the blood flowing, get your players Program”, which is tied to U.S. going. Stage 2 is a small-sided He explained that he was here to Soccer and serves to identify select activity, with emphasis mostly on better his coaching and learn more technical skill. Stage 3 expands players for inclusion at various about the game. national team levels. that activity, and Stage 4 is a fullfledged training game or I’d find out later that he’s already scrimmage.

Long story short, Don has done pretty good. pretty much everything over the last three decades.

Throughout the weekend, we will But let me backtrack for a moment. be learning activities to fit these various stages, which we’ll then He’s got a laptop computer present to the rest of the class. projecting the E-license guidebook I had to prepare a few different onto a pull-down screen at the front things before the class even of the room. But before we get into started. First, there are three online My topic for teaching is “redirecting the slides, our first assignment is to programs to complete. Two involve serves to go forward.”

Friday, April 4

Saturday, April 5 We’re back in the classroom at 8:30 on Saturday morning.

This is difficult for me.

I’m a second-shift worker, and I usually don’t even wake up until 9 a.m. on most days. One of the other guys in our class is up by 3 a.m. Monday through Friday and prefers to start at 6 a.m. He actually lobbies us for a crack-ofdawn starting time, which is pretty easily shot down by the rest of the group.

We finish up another set of slides before heading outside to Veterans Field, which is right off Street Road about three minutes away. It’s cold, windy, wet, and overall pretty miserable outside. On a normal Saturday morning, I’d just be waking up, pouring a bowl of cereal, and sitting down on my (roommate’s) couch to watch English Premier League.

We’re joined today by the charismatic and engaging Antonio Bayon. Antonio is also an Alicensed coach and a native of Valladolid, Spain, which is about an hour north of Madrid. He actually played for Valladolid’s youth team and dropped out of high school during his playing days. Eventually, he met his wife, moved to the United States, and got a master’s degree in engineering.

“Land of opportunity, for sure!” he exclaims.

to up their pressure, expanding the playing field, and introducing passing elements.

Don is working on defense on the other side of the field. He takes us through similar 1-v-1 drills, where we shield the ball from an opponent and attempt to win and keep possession in various situations.

You get the sense that he’s a more defensive-minded guy while Antonio brings some of that Spanish attacking flair to his lessons.

We return to the classroom to finish up our guidebook part of the course, but not before going through some goalkeeper activities.

I have to say, it’s a little weird watching 50-year-old men crawling around on the ground, but the goalie exercises are both practical and entertaining at the same time.

It’s a short lunch break and we’re going back outside to Veterans Field. Don tells us that we have to fold up the tables and chairs inside the community center because there’s a “Zumba” dancing class coming in shortly.

The second part of Saturday is when we become the teachers.

Again we’re split into two groups, half of us with Antonio, and the other half with Don. I’m in Antonio’s group, and my job is to take the rest of my classmates through a stage two exercise on my “redirecting serves to go forward” topic. Antonio will watch and take notes.

and get forward. He’s our attacking pivot, and I want them to play to him for a layoff or redirection forward.

We spend about 10 minutes running the drill, and it goes pretty well. We regroup to talk about it, and Antonio seems pleased with the concept. He suggests that I can expand the drill and get the “target” more involved by allowing them to drop into the zone and look for the ball. This way, the child I’m coaching is a little less “static,” and more involved in the drill.

Mind you, there are no kids out here, so we’re the guinea pigs in these demonstrations. I’m still in my twenties, so I feel comfortable running all the drills. Some of the older guys in our group are a bit more “labored” as they go through the exercises, but you have to give them a lot of credit for putting in the physical work in addition to learning and observing at the same time.

“Now you have an appreciation of what your players have to go through,” Don says. “Obviously if you don’t have the playing background, it’s a little more difficult, more challenging. All of us are getting older and you need that fitness level to play. But it’s not that overwhelming, I don’t think.”

Everyone finishes up their stage two drills, and we’re done for the day.

Well, most of us are.

I’ve got a Casa League game at 5:45, so I hop on the Pennsylvania We split into two groups, and I section off an area and create a 3Turnpike and drive over to Wayne Antonio and Don introduce some v-2 situation with yellow-clad to play a full game on the turf. I’ve very basic drills that we can teach attackers outnumbering orange got the Union and Fire game on the our players. Antonio takes us defenders.

There is a sixth player, DVR for later viewing. through offensive movements, wearing a blue jersey, who going over a variety of 1-v-1 Between the coaching course, my situations that emphasize beating a functions as our “target.” The idea of the game, I explain, is that you own game, and the Union game, I defender and dribbling beyond the must pass it to the person in blue probably spent 15 hours dealing play. We add to the drill before you can move into his area with soccer on Saturday. incrementally, telling the defenders

My exercise starts with a 3-v-3 in the middle of the field, with each team working off a pivot player and We spend the entirety of our final two goalkeepers at opposite ends. day outside. It’s not as cold as it I’m serving in 50/50 balls that the was yesterday, but after those 90 players must win and play to the minutes at center back (we won 3-2), my legs are pretty much done. pivot. I explain to them that they can’t enter the final third until they get the ball to their target man, and Sunday belongs to us aspiring only then can they shoot on goal. coaches. My job for the day is to teach the rest of the class the stage three version of the topic I’ve spent Again, the drill goes over pretty well. the weekend working on.

Sunday, April 6

Don takes us through warm-up drills that we can do with our youth players. We go over the basics, like quad and hamstring stretches, hip flexor and lunge exercises, and things like that. Most of our stretching and warming-up is done in a “mobile” fashion. We aren’t static when we stretch, and Don explains that the modern trend is incorporating movement and activity into stretching.

The rest of the class goes to another exercise, and I stay behind to discuss with Antonio. He asks me if I’m happy with it, and I explain that I would have preferred to play 4-v-4 inside the box instead of 3-v-3. He suggests removing the goalkeepers and allowing the target players free movement around the field.

FIELD TIME

Don explains the importance of keeping your players active and involved during drills. It was cold, wet, and windy on Saturday morning

This makes sense to me.

I’ve been focusing the drill on the “target” player, sort of treating that person like a hold-up striker or a Ashley expands on her topic, which big-bodied center forward. But Antonio explains to me that I can is “aerial service into the box,” by use that person in any fashion. adding more players to the field.

She’s got a 4v4 in the middle of the Maybe the target is an attacking midfielder. If so, we can get the ball area, with extra people running in the channels. The purpose here is to his feet in deeper positions. to play to your wide teammates, It’s all about keeping your players who will then cross the ball back involved in the drills, especially if into the area. you’re coaching nine to 12-year-old kids.

Pat has a drill that combines passing, vision, and movement. He sets up several “gates” throughout One thing I notice about both Antonio and Don is that they spend the area and you score points by passing to a teammate through the quality individual time with their gates. He’s pretty vocal, and even “students.” When I ask them about their involvement with the course, scolds me for trying to take on they both start their answer with the three defenders at once. same three words: “I love it.”

Now that the blood is flowing, it’s our turn to teach.

We had some good laughs when the older guys in the group demonstrated goalkeeper drills

Antonio Bayon (right) and Don (left) giving instructions to the group

“I coach at many levels, but coaching the coaches is one of the most rewarding (things) and some of the most fun I’ve had in this career,” Antonio explains.

“The fact that the candidates give us 18 hours of their weekend to be with us, we know that they’re coming here to learn, and we expect them to learn, but there’s also a lot of quality. We get college players, who are very good. We also get the typical mom and dad, where they just want to get involved. It’s a huge, diverse spectrum.”

“This isn’t just coaching from the seat of your pants,” Don adds.

“We’re all here to develop as coaches, to help the players develop. Sure, we can all go out and do drills, but do we know why we’re doing it? I appreciate the person who’s willing to research and to find those exercises, but also to know why they’re doing it, and how they’re implementing it, and whether or not they are really helping players to get better.”

The future soccer coaches of America

We take a team picture, say our goodbyes, and hit the road as newly licensed youth soccer coaches.

Kevin Kinkead is an Emmy award winning news and sports producer for CBS 3 Eyewitness News.

The11+

The complete FIFA “The 11+” cards are available on EPYSA.org

A complete warm-up program

Available on EPYSA.org

CHALK TALK PHILADELPHIA UNION Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and the Philadelphia Union joined forces in a partnership

To bring coaching education topics to the fans and coaches who are supporters of the Union. This partnership is unique to most state associations but both parties in Eastern Pennsylvania see numerous benefits to working together. These "Chalk Talks" will bring the latest methodology from US Soccer's Coaching Education Department and provide correlating information from a Union's professional perspective. In our first "Chalk Talk" over forty coaches attended the first offering with coaches Gary Stephenson and Mike Barr providing match analysis information and Jim Curtain of the Union providing a scouting report, use of software in scouting and a typical training week for the Union. Both the Union and Eastern Pennsylvania plan to provide more sessions in the future.

Union v New England Game 5:15" "

Introduction and explanation • on game analysis as used by the US Soccer Education department showing the last games breakdown…20mins Barr/ Stephenson

5:35" "

Jim Curtin - line up, treads/strength of New England…15mins

5:50" "

Final thoughts before - Kick Off Barr/Stephenson…10mins

6:00 " "

Wrap up \ Gates Open

7:00 PM "

GAME

*coaches have the opportunity to submit their analysis to the state office - for feedback

Exploiting Overload (2v1) Wide - U16 -U18 Portland Timbers Academy Staff observed by Gary Stephenson

TECHNICAL WARM-UP Dynamic warm up w/ball (10mins) Pattern Play"" 2v1 Patterns Wide: Patterns 1 & 2 1: Center-back to Center-Mid to Wingback to Winger (Quality pass,spacing and timing of the run behind) 1B: Wingers feet - Winger penetrates to find Center-forward or shot 2: Center-back to Winger to Center-Mid to overlapping Wingback (timing of overlap).

SMALL-SIDED ACTIVITY 2v1 Patterns: Pattern 3 3: Center-back to opposite Center-mid to Center-back/Defensive Mid to winger who checks.

Ball is played over into the space.

EXPANDED SMALL-SIDED ACTIVITY 7v4 +GK (adding starting wing-backs to attackers) Half field Choreographed switch to create 2v1 wide right winger and right back 5 quality movements each side (other starting wide back goes to create 2v1 on the other side.

Game

Last 1-2 footwork steps are executed & the shot delivered. Each GK completes 9 reps.

8v8 +2 Neutral 1. Volley and halfwingers volley + GK 2. Ground strikes Repeatofsets increased Laws theover game apply distance Coaching Points PHYSICAL: 9 reps of short, but intense footwork TECHNICAL: No wasted movement to be successful TACTICAL: Real game situation--use imagination to create tactical situations MENTAL/EMOTIONAL: Create intensity similar to game. GKs have to cope with the goals will be scored

Dribbling for Penetration - U6 -U9 players

Gary Stephenson, Assistant Director of Coaching, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

TECHNICAL WARM-UP Each player has a ball and moves around the 20yd by 20yd grid On commands from the coach they toe tap, change balls, use the sole of the foot, speed up, slow down, turn left, turn right and stop the ball.

Coaching points " correct surface of the foot " head up " using both feet

SMALL-SIDED ACTIVITY

Gauntlet Set up as shown - 2 players (defenders) are placed in the grid as shown. The team has a ball each and must try and dribble  through the grid without the ball being touched by the defenders. It they dribble completely through to the end they score a point and must dribble back to the start again(outside the grid) and try to dribble through again - to score as many points as possible. The game is one minute in length.

The defenders are changed with the dribbles every new game.

Progression - add 2 defenders in the defensive grid.

Coaching points - head up , moving into space, change of speed. and center back netting. Rotation same as above.

EXPANDED SMALL-SIDED ACTIVITY Two end zones are added to the 20 yds x 20 yds grid. Players are split into 2 teams of 3. A team scores by dribbling the ball into the end zone and stopping the ball. Nobody without a ball is allowed into the end zone. If felt needed, add extra balls to increase touches on the ball.

Game

Last 1-2 footwork steps are executed & the shot delivered. Each GK completes 9 reps.

4v4 no GK 1. Volley and half volley 2. Ground strikes 1-2-1 Repeatofsets increased Laws theover game apply distance Coaching Points PHYSICAL: 9 reps of short, but intense footwork TECHNICAL: No wasted movement to be successful TACTICAL: Real game situation--use imagination to create tactical situations MENTAL/EMOTIONAL: Create intensity similar to game. GKs have to cope with the goals will be scored