Touchline | Summer 2016

P E N N S Y LVA N I A’ S L E A D I N G Y O U T H S O C C E R P U B L I C A T I O N

Touchline

SUMMER 2016

CUP

CHAMPIONS

2016 Scholarship Winners

Sweet Swiss

The Union’s Tranquillo Barnetta

Youth Player Profiles

SUMMER

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CONTENTS

CREDITS EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SOCCER VOLUME LIII | SUMMER 2016 TOUCHLINE IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY PUBLISHED BY: Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer 4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 Phone: 610-238-9966 Fax: 610-238-9933 E-mail: info@EPYSA.org Website: EPYSA.org Executive Committee President: Jim Kuntz Vice President, Travel: Michael Finnegan Vice President, Recreation: Dwight Wilkinson Treasurer: Nicole Posillico Epps Secretary: Melissa Weber Registrar: Jim Christian State Office Staff Chief Executive Officer: Chris Branscome Technical Director: Mike Barr Asst. Technical Director: Gary Stephenson Director of Soccer Operations: Frank Olszewski Marketing & Communications Manager: Dillon Friday Membership Services Specialist: Sheila Molyneaux Business Administration Manager: Kelly Connor Administrative Services Specialist: Meridith Crowell Accountant: Judy Curran Touchline Editor-in-Chief: Chris Branscome Editor: Dillon Friday Printed and designed by A.E. Engine, Inc.

2 Letter From Our President

17 Quarterly Calendar

3 2016 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Scholarship Winners

18 From Our Medical Advisory Committee: Dynamic Warmups for Soccer Players

6 Profile: Tranquillo Barnetta Still Enjoys the Game 9 Rec Soccer Spotlight: Boyertown Soccer Club

20 An Interview with Referee Joshua Encarnacion 23 Youth Player Profiles

10 NCS State Cup Champions

26 AAA Start Your Journey: Ken Tribbett

11 Eastern Pennsylvania Presidents Cup Champions

27 Philadelphia Union: The Season So Far

12 Eastern Pennsylvania Turkey Hill Challenge Cup Champions

30 TOPSoccer Spotlight: Matt Izard and Colby Palomeque of Glenmoore Eagle Youth Association HIGH 5 Soccer

13 Outdoor Cup Gallery

32 Mike Barr: The Impact Youth Sports May Have on the Next Generation

15 Olympic Development Program: Season Recap

36 Training Session

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER BREAK Chris Branscome, Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

By the time you read this, most of our children will be out of school, and summer recess will have begun. The academic calendar gives children about 11 weeks to relax, recover and recharge after nine months of scholastic activity.

No more teachers, no more books… you know the rest.

Summer should bring the same opportunity for our young soccer players. Pre-season practice is around the corner in mid-August, and for many of our kids, state cup finals and Memorial Day tournaments are not that far in the rearview mirror. So, over the next two months, let’s give kids ample time to recover, relax and recharge.

Summer is a great time to enjoy the game in many ways but not as intensely as we would during the primary seasons. Summer camps and tournaments are great ways to learn and have fun, but let’s be sure we use

the summer wisely. Maintaining fitness or working to improve in general on specific skills is always a worthwhile endeavor. But consider time away from competition. Time away from weekly competition can be a really good thing. A proper off-season is necessary to prepare for in-season demands.

All too often we emulate professionals and their work schedule or work ethic. Comparing youth to adults and professionals is usually not the best idea, but in this case, I think it is. The off-season is important to those athletes. At the end of any professional or elite season, of any sport, athletes take a break.

They go on vacation. They reacquaint with their families. They relax and heal. They totally shut down for a period before resuming training. Even if they are back in training, they don’t compete. This is the off-season. If they compete, then they are essentially back in season.

Teachers give our kids summer reading lists, and as parents we’ll

attempt to sneak in a museum while on vacation. We like to keep the brain active, but we don’t test or quiz them. We don’t put the stress and rigors of the school day on them when they can be swimming or climbing or daydreaming under a tree or on a beach. Let’s consider the same this summer for soccer. Play any sport this summer.

Try something new. Find alternative ways to train. Give you brain and you muscles a new experience.

Play for fun, play to improve and play to stay fit (or as I’ve suggested before: go be a fan and watch someone else play).

So, for the next two months, let’s take the stress of competition away.

Summer standings don’t count. The opportunity to compete will be back before you know it. Labor Day will be here all too quickly, and school and the soccer season will start fresh again. Enjoy the next few weeks and have a healthy and happy summer.

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FROM OUR PRESIDENT Jim Kuntz, President, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

What a wonderful six months of soccer we’ve already had in 2016.

Each year, I’m impressed by the play and character of our State Cup, Presidents Cup and Turkey Hill Challenge Cup teams. Watching the finals is a highlight of not only my spring, but the association’s in general. We want to wish the best of luck to all teams who have gone on to regional and national competitions. I know you will represent Eastern Pennsylvania with class and respect.

Looking at the bigger picture, the Philadelphia Union has gotten off to a terrific start. They’re in first place

in the MLS Eastern Conference as of this writing. And the US Men’s National Team won Group A of the Copa America Centenario thanks to a 1-0 win over Paraguay at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

That match day and subsequent result provided some great perspective. I hope you were able to attend or at least watch on television. We sometimes forget that we are part of something bigger in soccer. We are a part of US Youth Soccer and the US Soccer Federation. Seeing our national team perform so admirably in a crucial game reminded me that we are the first step in getting to that point.

With our ODP teams and local clubs, we seek to develop the players

that will one day represent our country, while making sure the game remains fun. And if you saw Clint Dempsey celebrate, or Jurgen Klinsmann urge the fans on, or read what Union attacker Tranquillo Barnetta has to say (Page 6-7), you’ll understand that these men still enjoy the game so much.

The US Women’s National Team set the standard last summer with a World Cup victory and the attitude has continued since. We hope they add a Gold Medal to their haul in Rio. As Chris said (Page 1), don’t be afraid to step away from the game from time to time. But when you’re on the field, have fun and be proud of what you do.

It may make all the difference.

2016 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Meet the 2016 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Scholarship Recipients

Each year, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer receives nominations and seeks leaders from those about to graduate high school. Four $1,000 scholarships are awarded annually to individuals who exemplify strong leadership abilities, maintain high academic performance and seek financial support. Here is the 2016 class of scholarship winners.

Lauren Snader

Briton Rott

Ian Lutz

Lindsay Ayers

Warwick High School

Central Bucks High School East

Central Bucks High School East

Lewisburg High School

Lauren Snader, a 2016 graduate of Warwick High School, began her club soccer career in 2007 playing for Lititz Youth soccer club.

Snader also played for the Harrisburg City Islanders Academy team in 2011.

Lauren was a three sport varsity athlete in high school and was named captain and all-star of the Warwick soccer team and captain of the Lititz soccer club. Lauren garnered accolades in the classroom as well as on the playing field. Snader has received several scholastic accolades including distinguished honor roll for the past four years and placing top three in her class in 2016. Lauren will attend the University of Pittsburgh and is majoring in pharmacy while focusing on chemistry and math oriented fields, and minoring in neuroscience.

Lauren aspires to become a neuro pharmacist to help create an effective treatment for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Briton Rott, a 2016 graduate of Central Bucks High School East, first started his playing career in the states for Montgomery United in 2013. Briton previously played soccer in Heidelberg, Germany, where his family was stationed through the United States Army. After moving to the states, Briton joined the varsity soccer team for Central Bucks East in 2013. In 2015, Rott was part of the District and State Championship team, as well as the Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup Championship team. Briton has received several academic achievements in both the states, and Germany. Rott was also member of the Germersheim Eagle Scouts and the U.S. Naval Academy STEM program. Briton is attending Pennsylvania State University and majoring in Finance with the hopes of attending law school to become a financial lawyer and aspires to work in cooperation with foreign companies.

Ian Lutz, who won a US Youth Soccer Region I ODP title with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, is another graduate of Central Bucks East. Lutz began his soccer career in 2005, playing for Buckingham United. Ian has played for four additional teams, including Central Bucks East varsity team. Lutz captained Central Bucks East varsity as a junior and senior and helped lead the team to a perfect record of 26-0 his senior season, which included a PIAA State Championship. As a full-time student athlete, Ian established a nonprofit international tutoring service called Tutor for Opportunity. This organization’s mission is to provide educational opportunities in developing countries by mentoring students at home. Lutz is fascinated by educational reform, and for that reason has decided to attend New York University in Shanghai, China.

Lindsay Ayers is a graduate of Lewisburg High School. Ayers was a member of North Union for seven years and then joined PA Classics in the spring of her freshman year. Lindsay was a three-sport varsity athlete at Lewisburg and received seven varsity letters throughout her high school career. She was the soccer captain her junior and senior years and was selected to the Pennsylvania All-State team by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches’ Association. In addition to her several athletic accolades, Ayers graduated in the top 10 percent of her class. In between traveling 381.2 miles a week for soccer training and maintaining her respectable GPA, Lindsay made time to volunteer in her community and became a registered USSF Grade 8 referee. Lindsay will attend Colby College in Waterville, Maine and major in Pre-Med and/or Biology while playing for the Mules.

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Barnetta has been a dead-ball specialist for the Union (photo credit: Greg Carroccio)

PROFILE

Tranquillo Barnetta Attitude, Leadership key to Philadelphia Union Success

By Dillon Friday, Marketing & Communications Manager, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

T

ranquillo Barnetta has a resume that rivals the best players in all of soccer. The Philadelphia Union midfielder represented his native Switzerland at the last three FIFA World Cups and even scored as a 21-year-old at the 2006 tournament. At the club level, Barnetta was a fixture in the Bundesliga, Germany’s top league, for 11 seasons at places like Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke 04 before he made the move to Philadelphia last summer.

He’s seen almost all there is to be seen in soccer, and yet his advice for young players remains refreshingly simple.

“For me, the most important thing is that they have fun,” Barnetta says.

“If you try (to go) pro at 10 years old, or the parents want that, it’s usually not going to work out.”

His words of wisdom stem from a

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childhood spent on the soccer field.

Barnetta, who grew up in St. Gallen, a city in Northeastern Switzerland, embraced the sport as a youngster but didn’t allow it to consume him.

“At 10 or 11, I never tried to get a pro (contract),” he remembers. “I had fun.

I was happy to reach the next level, to

Barnetta has represented Switzerland at many international tournaments, including the last three FIFA World Cups

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practice more.”

That doesn’t mean Barnetta didn’t improve. By 13, he was on the Swiss Youth National Team radar. By 15 or 16, he knew he had a professional career in front of him. Despite the growing reputation, Barnetta remained grounded.

“Still then, I tried not to think (about playing professionally),” he says. “I think it’s important to do what you like.”

Barnetta is one of the lucky few who happens to be excellent at an activity he enjoys. And once he broke through the Swiss ranks, he didn’t look back. At the 2002 UEFA European Under-17 Championships, he and Switzerland took home the top prize by defeating France in the final. That game was tied 0-0 through 120 minutes. When it came time for penalties, Barnetta, 16 at the time, stepped up. He delivered a goal and helped set modern Switzerland soccer on its way.

From there, Barnetta continued to excel. He scored 10 times for his hometown club, St. Gallen in the 2002-03 season, a campaign that put him on the map and helped earn him a move to Germany.

his arms and chased after him.

It was quite the scene considering the Swiss had been with the club less than two months.

“I always like to be on the pitch,” he says of that Open Cup run. “With every game, I always love to play.”

Now, Barnetta has matched that enthusiasm with commitment. He says that he understands Philadelphia as a sports city, because he’s a big sports fan in general. He knows the Union has a ways to go to break into the mainstream, but he’s happy to play a role.

“I think we did a great job (at the end of) last year and this year,” Barnetta says, “to show we have fun on the pitch.”

That fun has yielded tremendous results so far. The Union sit in first place of MLS’s Eastern Conference as of this writing with a record of 6-3-5. The club is undefeated at home, a point of pride for Barnetta, the Union and a manager who hails from Philadelphia.

“He talks a lot about it to us, the city and what we can give back,” says Barnetta of manager Jim Curtin, an Oreland native and former Eastern Pennsylvania ODP player. “He’s really focused. That’s a style I like.”

Barnetta has similar praise for his

college-bred, rookie teammates Fabian Herbers, Josh Yaro and especially Keegan Rosenberry, another Eastern Pennsylvania native. “(Rosenberry’s) doing really well,” says Barnetta. “It’s not easy to come into MLS and play like him.”

All three players, Herbers, Yaro and Rosenberry, have impressed There have been plenty of reasons to celebrate for Barnetta in a uniquely American way.

Barnetta and the Union in 2016 In Europe, they would be three- or four-year veterans. Here, they are rookies, keen on making an impact Over the next decade, Barnetta any way they can. experienced the brightest lights the “They are working hard every day,” sport has to offer from World Cups in Barnetta says. “In Europe, sometimes Germany, South Africa and Brazil to the young kids are a little bit lazy, the European Championships and the because they think, ‘I’m a big player Champions League. now.”

Still, he never lost that spirit that It’s safe to say, Barnetta fought off drove him to play soccer in the first such thoughts when he was their place. And just after his 30th birthday, age and now he’s assumed the role of he wanted to explore what the game mentor. His experience has been key had for him yet. for a team that has made a habit of “I was looking for a new experistealing points late. ence,” Barnetta says. “I was really Consider an April home clash open to anything.” with Orlando City SC. Barnetta, When the Union plucked him up who missed the start of the season in July of 2015, Barnetta, who speaks with another injury, came on as a five languages it should be said, knew second-half substitute with the score little about his new team or Major tied at one. As the game neared the League Soccer. final whistle, the Union was awarded “I have to be honest,” he recalls. “I a free kick some 25 yards away from didn’t know too much about MLS. goal. Barnetta stepped up and curled a Now they are starting to show left-footed shot off the crossbar one game a week in Europe and in to secure a 2-1 victory.

“Before, it was hard to find The Union have lost just out how it was.” once since that moment. As a It didn’t help that Barnetta result, Barnetta approaches was battling nagging injuries the second half with muted that limited his playing time at optimism. the start of his Union career.

“I hope we can keep winning, Wearing number 85 (he’s especially at home,” Barnetta since switched to the more says. “We have the chance to conventional No. 10 jersey), he fight for first place was a bit of an odd site on the “For myself, I’ll try to keep then PPL Park pitch—the big helping the team. One or two signing, who was still adjusting more goals would be great.” to American life.

His humility is something Yet there was no denying players young and old should Barnetta’s talent or his attitude. emulate. Others who have One indelible moment came in made the switch from Europe’s the US Open Cup Final, when top league to MLS have done the Union took an early 1-0 so with an almost indifferent lead against Sporting Kansas attitude. Barnetta, on the other City before eventually losing hand, remains a positive influin penalties. Sebastien Le ence on his team and the league.

Toux scored the opener and Superb control has been one of Barnetta’s trademarks since breaking into “I feel a part of something as he ran to the corner flag in the professional game some 14 years ago (photo credit: Greg Carroccio) that’s growing,” he says. “And celebration, Barnetta pumped that’s a good feeling.”

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REC SOCCER SPOTLIGHT

Boyertown Soccer Club On May 20 and 21, several members of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s Coaching staff, including Coaching Education instructors headed up to Boyertown to run a mini rec soccer festival. The weekend featured games, music, teaching moments and plenty of fun. Although the weather didn’t cooperate, the players, parents, managers and coaches from Boyertown certainly did. With Youth Soccer Month approaching in September please reach out to us at info@epysa.org to see how we can set up something similar for your club.

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2016 OUTDOOR CUP CHAMPIONS

2016 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Outdoor Cup Champions

For the second consecutive year, more than 1000 teams entered our outdoor cup competitions. In the end, 50 were left to claim winners’ medals. The games were thrilling, the soccer impressive and the emotions very real—we thank everyone for a terrific cup season and wish those teams advancing to regional and national championships the best of luck.

2016 EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA STATE CUP (NCS) CHAMPIONS State Cup Champions advance to the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in Barboursville, West Virginia U12 Girls HMMS Eagle FC Legends U12 Boys Continental FC Dortmund U13 Girls HMMS Impact U13 Boys Ukrainian Nationals Zoria Black U14 Girls 1776 United Xtreme

U14 Boys Penn Fusion Elite U15 Girls Lower Merion Storm U15 Boys Lower Merion Sabertooth Rats U16 Girls FC Pennsylvania Strikers U16 Boys Patriot FC Red

U17 Girls YMS Premier Xplosion U17 Boys FC Europa Xtreme Crunch U18 Girls FC Europa Sol U18 Boys Lehigh Valley United U19 Girls Vincent United Pride U19 Boys Montgomery United Celtic

Photo credits: Chris Markley

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2016 OUTDOOR CUP CHAMPIONS

2016 Eastern Pennsylvania President Cup Champions

The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is designed for those teams seeking additional challenges to play against teams of similar abilities. The cup provides a progressive, competitive experience to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences. The Eastern Pennsylvania Presidents Cup is the first step to a national championship.

2016 EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA PRESIDENT CUP CHAMPIONS U12 Girls Montgomery United Fury U12 Boys Northwestern Tigers U13 Girls North Union United Strikers U13 Boys Continental FC Barca

U14 Girls North Union United Wave U14 Boys Lititz Edge U15 Girls Penn Legacy Black U15 Boys Wyoming Valley

U16 Girls FC Europa Fury U16 Boys Ukrainian Nationals Metalist U17 Girls Keystone Grifos U17 Boys Warminster Revolution

US YOUTH SOCCER REGION I PRESIDENTS CUP Over Memorial Day Weekend, all 12 Eastern Pennsylvania Presidents Cup champions as well as three wildcards—Continental FC Barca (U12 Boys), Ukrainian Nationals Slava (U12 Girls) and PA Classics Elite (U13 Girls)—competed in the US Youth Soccer Region I Presidents Cup in Reisterstown, Maryland. The collection of Eastern Pennsylvania

representatives performed admirably. Three clubs reached finals, while the North Union United Wave (pictured below) defeated Grandby Rovers (CT) 4-0 to win the U14 Girls championship. The Wave advance to the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup, which will take place July 14-17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Congratulations and good luck!

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2016 OUTDOOR CUP CHAMPIONS

2016 Eastern Pennsylvania Turkey Hill Challenge Cup Champions

The Eastern Pennsylvania Challenge Cup is a state-wide competition intended to give teams of all levels a shot at a state title. It is not associated with the State Cup. More team entered the Turkey Hill Challenge Cup than either the Presidents Cup or the State Cup. Twenty-two champions were crowned at United Sports in Downingtown on May 14th.

2016 EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TURKEY HILL CHALLENGE CUP CHAMPIONS U9 Girls ‘A’ Division Philly Soccer Club Coppa Storm U9 Girls ‘B’ Division FC Brandywine U9 Boys ‘A’ Division PA Classics Academy U9 Boys ‘B’ Division LDC Stampede U10 Girls ‘A’ Division Deep Run Valley Blue Wave U10 Girls ‘B’ Division West Chester United Eagles U10 Boys ‘A’ Division Tredyffrin-Easttown Atletico MG U10 Boys ‘B’ Division Hulmeville Bzerkers

U11 Girls ‘A’ Division West Chester United Predators U11 Girls ‘B’ Division Yardley Makefield Soccer Rage U11 Boys ‘A’ Division Lower Merion Ding U11 Boys ‘B’ Division Ukrainian Nationals Metalurh Red U12 Girls FC Europa Pride U12 Boys North Union United Vipers U13 Girls LDC Cobras

2016 U16 Girls Turkey Hill Challenge Cup Champions: Parkwood Panthers

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U13 Boys Upper Dublin Arsenal Black U14 Girls Lansing Knights Red Devils U14 Boys Coventry Union U15 Girls Montgomery United Spirit U15 Boys HMMS Soccer Club U16 Girls Parkwood Panthers U16 Boys Central Penn United

2016 OUTDOOR CUP CHAMPIONS

Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup Perpetual Trophies

For the first time ever, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer handed out perpetual trophies at the State Cup finals. These trophies are named for the people who helped build our association into what it is today. Pictured below are winning team captains with their new hardware. Congratulations!

Werner Fricker, Sr. Cup Champions (U16 Boys): Patriot FC

Frank J. Olszewski Cup Champions (U17 Boys): FC Europa

Bob Urban Cup Champions (U16 Girls): FC Pennsylvania Strikers

Charlotte Moran Cup Champions (U17 Girls): YMS Premier Xplosion

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2016 EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA ODP SEASON RECAP

E Olympic Development Program of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

astern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer recently completed the preliminary round of Region One ODP Championships in Mercer County, New Jersey held from June 10 to 12. The championships are set up in a festival format for U13’s and U14’s and a tournament format for U15’s, U16’s and U17’s.

We had 26 teams competing against states from Maine to Virginia.

In the older ages, four out of six teams will be competing in the semi-finals scheduled at Kirkwood, Delaware on June 25 and 26. The U15 boys won two and lost one, while scoring 7 goals and allowing 2 to win their bracket.

The U16 Boys won their bracket going two wins, no losses and a tie while outscoring their opponents 21 to 4. The U17 Boys won their bracket, going undefeated with a 3-0 record, while scoring 8 goals and allowing just 2. The U15 girls won their bracket without a loss and outscoring their opponents 11 to 3.

Much of the success can be attributed to many of the players staying with ODP from U12. Hopefully a few of the qualifying teams can advance to the National Finals scheduled

for March of 2017.

This has once again been a tremendous year for the Eastern Pennsylvania Olympic Development Program. When we started in September, we decided to put together more teams than we ever have before. This allowed us to keep more players in the pool, better distribute talent and to bring more quality coaches into the program to help us develop the youth in our state.

February’s Virginia Friendlies set the tone for the rest of the season. Some of the teams that performed best in Williamsburg also advanced in the Region One Championships.

Most notably, the U16 boys and U15 girls continued to gel as they played quality soccer.

From the Virginia Friendlies to scrimmages against the Philadelphia Union Academy to the U12 tournament in North Carolina, we are proud to offer a wide range of competition to our players.

We look forward to watching these young men and women develop over the next few years. Hopefully, some find the same success as Union manager Jim Curtin or Bayern Munich’s Gina Lewandowski, a champion in Germany, both of whom played Eastern Pennsylvania ODP. Look out for more information about next season’s tryouts in the coming weeks.

Lastly, we want to give a special thanks to the ODP families who have supported us throughout the years.

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QUARTERLY CALENDAR JUNE 2016

AUGUST 2016

24-26 ODP Region I Championships | Kirkwood, DE

1-5 Chester City United Kickoff Camp | Chester, PA

24-26 National E License Course | Red Lion, PA

1-5 TOPSoccer: Jacob’s Soccer Camp | Ukrainian Nationals Club | North Wales, PA

24-26 National E License Course | Nazareth, PA

22-26 Colonial Camp | Plymouth Meeting, PA

26 Copa America Centenario Final | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ

26-28 National D License Course | Lancaster, PA

30-July 5 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships | Barboursville, WV

JULY 2016 1 Annual Membership Registration & Affiliation Form Due 4 Independence Day, State Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 2016 1 Seasonal Year Begins 5 Labor Day, State Office Closed 10 Outreach Program: Coatesville United Soccer Kickoff Clinic

5-9 Resident Camp | Immaculata University | Malvern, PA 8-10 National E License Course | Malvern, PA 8-10 National D License Part I Course | Malvern, PA 9-10 National D License Part II Course | Kennett Square, PA 10-14 Resident Camp | Immaculata University | Malvern, PA 14-17 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup | Tulsa, OK 15-17 National E License Course | Scranton, PA 15-17 National D License Part I Course | Scranton, PA 17-21 Resident Camp | Immaculata University | Malvern, PA 20-26 US Youth Soccer National Championships | Tulsa, OK 25-28 Delaware County Day Camp | Robert Urban Fields | Wallingford, PA

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SPOTLIGHT

Dynamic Warmup for Soccer Players From Our Medical Advisory Committee

By Chrissy Biele

B

efore any physical Non-contact soccer injuries are activity, whether largely due to decelerating and/ amateur or profesor cutting/pivoting movements. sional, practice or game, By performing these type of athletes should first warm up. movements during a warmup, Performing warmup exercises such as weaving in and out of increases circulation to all cones, the body will be more areas of the body, making prepared when it is called upon muscles and tendons more Chrissy Biele PT, DPT to perform similar movements flexible and increasing overall is a physical therapist when chasing down a ball or range of motion. Heart rate with nine years of quickly changing direction. and body temperature also experience specializing It is possible to impact several increase, preparing the body in orthopedics and muscle groups with one dynamic for the activity at hand. sports medicine. stretch, such as a twisting lunge.

Over the past ten years, With a twisting lunge, you first dynamic stretching has been step forward and lower into a gaining popularity, and with lunge. Then you rotate your upgood reason – research has shown per body in the same direction as the that dynamic warmups improve leg that is forward. Hold for a second performance, while decreasing injury or two, then rotate your body back risk. It is the ideal warmup routine for facing forward. Step forward with the soccer players. back leg to repeat on the other side.

Traditionally, warmup activities Ten to twenty repetitions on each side have consisted mostly of static or completing this for distance (i.e. 20 stretching. These stretches are moyards) are both acceptable. tionless, typically performed with a Another example of an effective limb extended. This position is held dynamic stretch is high leg kicks. This for thirty seconds or longer. Reaching movement is similar to a toy soldier down to touch your toes is categorized walking and is intended to target the as a static stretch. hamstrings. You kick one straight The intention of static stretches is to leg forward while reaching toward improve flexibility. However, recent your toes with the opposite hand. You research has shown that they actually alternate sides as your perform this increase your injury risk and are detmovement and can perform for repetirimental to performance. The Journal tions (10-20 each side) or for distance. of Strength and Conditioning as well as More examples of dynamic stretchthe Scandinavian Journal of Medicine es include jumping jacks, walking and Science in Sports published studies in 2013 with results showing that there was a decrease (of 5% or more) in strength, power and explosive muscular performance in individuals who performed static stretches before activity. Why? It is speculated that static stretches decrease blood flow to muscles and reduce their ability to store energy. Experts recommend static stretching following activities rather than before them.

With a dynamic warmup, you are moving while you stretch. This type of warmup mimics movements athletes perform in games and take as little as high leg kick five minutes to complete.

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lunge and twist lunges and carioca.

Dynamic stretching should be done in a controlled manner within your comfortable range of motion. Bouncy or vigorous movements, especially at end range, are considered ballistic and should be avoided.

FIFA 11+ and the PEP program from Santa Monica Sports Medicine Foundation are two warmup programs specific for soccer players that include dynamic stretching. They take 15-20 minutes to complete and when completed properly, a few times a week, have been shown to reduce injury risk by a staggering 30-50%.

More specific information on these programs, including field set up and exercise sequence, can be found at www. smsmf.org and http://fmarc.com/11plus/home/.

Do you have a question or topic for our Medical Advisory Committee?

Email dfriday@epysa.org

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SPOTLIGHT

Eastern Pennsylvania Referees: An Interview With Joshua Encarnacion

J

oshua Encarnacion is a recent graduate of Interboro High School in Glenolden, Pennsylvania. He was a three-sport athlete at Interboro, playing soccer, basketball and baseball for the Bucs. But Josh has made his biggest impact on soccer from the officiating side. After picking up the whistle four years ago, he’s become one of the state’s best referees.

He was named Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Young Male Referee of the Year in 2015. A longtime player for Interboro Soccer Club, Josh, 18, officiated the Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup and will head to the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships as well. He spoke to Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer after refereeing the U18 Boys State Cup Final.

Touchline: How did you get into refereeing?

Josh Encarnacion: I was 14 years old, just rying to make a couple extra dollars. Right after the first game I really enjoyed it. And kept getting games from my assignors and kept developing as a referee. There’s a bunch of people to thank.

TL: How is it different from playing in terms of the thrill or the nerves?

JE: It’s obviously different. The preparation is different, because you’re looking at each individual

player, talking with other referees in prior games they may have had.

And the skill players to keep your extra eye out for that might cause some problems later in the game. I think refereeing, you never know what kind of game you’re going to get, whether you step out on a U12 boys match, or, like today, a U18 boys match or an amateur match.

You just have to be prepared for anything and have a great mindset going in and be confident.

TL: Do you find that your refereeing helps you on the playing field when you go back to playing and vice versa?

JE: I feel like me being a player has definitely developed me as a referee, because you know what you want and what you’re going to get. At times depending on each referee. Positioning wise, me being a defensive central mid, I know what a center defensive mid is going to do. He might try and get that extra grab behind, and I know I’ll have to get in a better position to see that, because most of these guys play at a high club level. If I can’t get that positioning, it makes it that much easier. It does help without a doubt.

TL: What’s it like reffing a final like the U18 Boys Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup Final?

JE: Obviously, the stakes are higher.

The teams want to go to regionals.

The crew, all four of us, we knew we had to bring our “A” game. (The players) are going to bring

their best, we have to bring ours as well. But, having said that, we have to enforce the laws of the game properly.

Going into any final, it’s great to get the assignment. You’re grateful for the assignment and to the people that got you there, but the job’s not done. You still have to go referee the game.

TL: How long do you plan on refereeing?

JE: I mean, I have no real set goals.

The goal for me is to make it as far as possible. I think if I have a great work ethic, and I listen to those that can help me, I can go very far. It’s all with a great work ethic and being able to listen to others and take criticism at some points. And when someone says you do something well, embrace that but don’t get over confident. It’s still a long road ahead, but I feel like I’m on the right track with people like Stan (Nagle), Tim Snyder, Frank Giancroce and Robert Ong that have guided me and gotten me to this point in my career.

Joshua Encarnacion was named Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Young Male Referee of the Year in 2015

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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HEY, KIDS! (And adults, too!)

PE R H A P S YOU ' V E SA I D TO YOU R S E L F:

“I want to be in Touchline magazine!”

WANT TO APPEAR IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE OF TOUCHLINE? This is an exciting feature in the magazine where Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer players, coaches, and parents get an opportunity to be seen and heard by the rest of our readers.

Well, now is your chance! If you would like to be considered to appear in an upcoming issue, simple answer the 11 Questions that appear on our website (and on page 23), fill in the bio information and email it to info@epysa.org. Most

importantly, you need to send a photo of yourself with the email… the higher the quality, the better! If there is not a photo, then we can’t use your entry into the magazine.

Entering is not a guarantee of getting published.

We wish you luck, and who knows? When you open the next issue of Touchline magazine, you could find yourself staring back at you!

To register go to: epysa.org/communications/player_profiles

PROFILE S

Youth Soccer Players

Gianna Verdone

Sander Urias

Shane Lachawiec

Age: 13

Age: 9

Age: 8

JT Dorsey Foundation

King of Prussia Soccer Club

Danubia Soccer Club

JTDF Soccer for Success

Prussians

Danubia Gators

What position do you play or what do you do on your team?

Forward, midfielder, goalkeeper. I am also a jr. coach with the U10’s.

Defender

Defender

What is your nickname?

GG

Squirt

Shane

Who is your role model? Why?

My older brother, because he dealt with a lot of struggles, but through it all he is still doing what he loves and is a happy person.

My dad because he teaches me many things.

Cristiano Ronaldo because he is an awesome soccer player.

What is your favorite soccer team?

Arsenal

FC Barcelona

Real Madrid

What is your favorite movie?

Unbroken

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Ghostbusters

What is your favorite song?

I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston

Star Wars Theme

My House by Flo Rida

What is your favorite book?

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I like reading anything about space

Who Would Win? series by Jerry Pallotta

What is your favorite food?

Chicken Sicilian

Sushi

Ice Cream

What is your favorite sport outside of soccer?

Basketball

Swimming

Hockey

What is your pet peeve (what thing makes you mad or drives you crazy)?

When my grades are low in school

I don’t like it when someone doesn’t follow through on their word.

When people take the ball from me

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Hollywood. It’s a big place with a lot of talent and opportunity.

I would go to Florida because that’s where my dad was born and also that’s where Disney World is.

I would go to the North Pole to see Santa

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A professional singer or a veterinarian.

I love to sing and I love working with animals.

A professional soccer player

Hockey player or soccer player

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

23

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PRESENTED BY SPOTLIGHT

AAA Start You Journey: Through trials and tribulations, Tribbett’s persistence paid off

By Mihir Pandya, PhiladelphiaUnion.com

O

ne of the most improved backlines in MLS features Drexel University graduate Ken Tribbett. The newcomer was originally signed this offseason

by Union affiliate Bethlehem Steel FC, but Tribbett performed very well in the Union preseason. So well that he signed with the first team and made the starting XI in the season opener.

“I wasn’t sure, to be honest, coming in first, I didn’t know what to expect,” Tribbett said. “But it was always my goal. My goal was to start, so everything I did in the preseason was to be in the starting lineup come day one.”

Although Tribbett, 24, played at Drexel, he started his soccer career on the other side of the country in Colorado, and did it at an early age under some unusual circumstances.

“When I was four, five years old, there was this little recreational park that didn’t have real goals. (We) used flagsticks,” Tribbett said. “Just about 10 kids would show up. You just randomly picked a jersey and started playing.”

Tribbett started playing competitive soccer after he moved to Colorado at the age of five. He started off at local Colorado Rush with a familiar face running the team.

“My dad was the coach so that was pretty cool,” Tribbett said. “Then when we got to competitive, U11, still with the same club, the Storm, that was a more structured travel team. We would go to tournaments at the Surf Cup, Disney Showcase – that kind of thing.”

Tribbett then moved on to the Colorado Rush Academy where he thrived for their U16s and U18s. After that, Tribbett recalls the Premier Soccer Academies (PSA) tournament during his junior year of high school.

The tournament was hosted by American icon

26

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

Brad Friedel and included U16 national teams from Chile and Nigeria as well as U16 club teams from Blackburn Rovers, Club America and Chivas (Guadalajara). Tribbett’s team fared pretty well, though.

“We ended up winning that whole thing so that was special,” he said.

Playing all throughout his youth, from recreational parks to college, Tribbett played in a lot of different positions.

“I have been all over the field, but always in the center though,” said Tribbett. “I played up top when I was younger because I used to be faster, then kind of dropped back to the midfield, and now all the way to center back.”

But soccer wasn’t the only passion for a young Tribbett.

“I played lots of different sports,” he said. “There was baseball, football, tennis. I loved tennis. If I didn’t play soccer, that’s probably what I would have played.”

Tribbett did choose soccer after all, and it had a lot to do with his idols, both of whom made their marks in MLS. “When I first started watching soccer, it was probably 2002-03, when Arsenal had all those Frenchmen and that untouchable team,” Tribbett said. “They were fantastic, so I would say [Patrick] Vieira and [Thierry] Henry, they are

epysa.org

probably my two favorite players. I was one year off from playing against Henry, which is OK because I got to see Vieira against NYC.” Tribbet’s idols and passion led him to Drexel University to play college ball. Coming out of Drexel, many teams overlooked Tribbett, but he never gave up on his pro dream.

“I had a feeling that I would be pro.

That’s pretty much the only thing I wanted to do my whole life,” Tribbett said. “In college, I was working hard, doing everything I could to eventually make the pro ranks. Coming out of school, I wasn’t really given the looks. But I knew I wanted to stick with it and eventually landed here.”

This story is part of AAA’s “Start Your Journey” campaign, an effort – in partnership with the Union – to help celebrate families’ journeys in support of their young athletes… the long road trips, all-weekend tournaments, and the special bonds that are formed from the extensive time on the road. Each month, the Philadelphia Union and AAA will select an individual within its soccer network to develop a feature story on their path to success in association with the game of soccer. Additionally, fans are encouraged to share their own stories via social media using #ShareYourJourney

Ken Tribbett, Philadelphia Union MLS

SPOTLIGHT

Philadelphia Union

Off to best start in franchise history, Union look to return from Copa America break strong

By David Hayes

Philadelphia Union MLS

W

hile Major League Soccer play came to a halt for the Copa América Centenario, the Philadelphia Union were in full stride atop the Eastern Conference standings. The club got off to its best start through 14 regular season games in franchise history.

Defeating Columbus Crew SC at home on June 1 in a 3-2 thriller locked the team in first place until league play resumes again on June 18.

The Union find themselves in great shape, holding a 6-3-5 record overall and a four-point lead over the remainder of the east as of this writing. The team has also shown its grit against major contenders from the Western Conference, too, by going toe-to-toe with draws against two of the best in the west, including the currently top-ranked Colorado Rapids and the fifth-place Los Angeles Galaxy.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Union’s success this season has been the clear lack of crowning one individual player as the star of the team. Beginning on the first day, Union head coach Jim Curtin has preached the importance of unselfish, consistent teamwork in his club’s dynamic.

“I think by the true sense of the word, we are a team,” Curtin said. “While the names on the back of the jerseys may not be the most glamorous and sexy,

we’re not afraid of anybody.”

The numbers on the offensive side of the ball certainly tell the same story. Philadelphia’s leading scorers, C.J. Sapong and Chris Pontius, are both tied in goals scored at five on the season. As for second on that list, there is a three-way tie with two goals between forward Sebastien Le Toux and midfielders Tranquillo Barnetta and Vincent Nogueira.

“Our identity is that everyone attacks and that everyone defends and we are a true team. There is no superstar on this team,” Curtin added.

“We believe that the group collectively, our 11 guys all on the same page, can beat any superstar.”

This same idea of a full-team effort is not limited to the players on the field, but is inclusive of the entire Philadelphia community’s contribution to the Union too. The boost that the fans have given the club at home has been an undeniable advantage for the team this year. The Union are currently riding an impressive seven-game undefeated streak at home, and boasting an overall home record of (5-0-2).

Anchored by former No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, goalkeeper Andre Blake, Philadelphia has established a relentless defensive focus as the core of the team’s plan in the 2016 campaign.

“One that is very tough to play against defensively,” coach Curtin said when asked about his team’s identity. “The data shows that, the eyeball shows that, and you can see that on the field that we are tough to take down.”

The emphasis on a defensive mindset for the team’s strategy on the field has become somewhat contagious. Although somewhat evolved from the clipboard, this same idea has been repackaged

by Union faithful in the form of a unique pride off of the field; one that passionately hails the defense of Philadelphia itself, creating a sense of invincibility for the Union when playing at home in Talen Energy Stadium.

“This place has become a special place to play in… the best compliment I can get as a head coach is that people are saying that they really enjoy watching this team play,” Curtin added. “When you hear the fans say that, whether it is passing in the street or wherever in Philadelphia, that is something our team is proud of and our staff is proud of.”

While the season is still far from over, reaching the Copa América break ahead of the pack was one was one of the major goals for setting the pace this year. The mid-season hiatus will allow the players to regroup and utilize some well-deserved days of rest.

Following the conclusion of the tournament, look for a handful of Union rookies to step up and emerge as legitimate threats on both sides of the ball in the remainder of the season. Expect players such as forward Fabian Herbers and Pennsylvania native, defender Keegan Rosenberry to play exciting and vital minutes down the stretch during the second half of the regular season.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

27

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T O P S O C C E R S P O T L I G H T:

Glenmoore Eagle Youth Association HIGH 5 Soccer

TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a communitybased training and team placement program for young athletes with special needs. Each issue of Touchline, we’ll feature a conversation with a TOPSoccer Buddy and player who epitomize the spirit of the program. This issue, Matt Izard, 17, tells us why he joined Glenmoore Eagle Youth Association (GEYA) HIGH 5 Soccer and what he’s learned in his two seasons as a buddy.

Also, Colby Palomeque, 5, shares his experience as a HIGH 5 player.

Touchline: What inspired you to become a Buddy?

Matt Izard: (GEYA) Coach Matt Wagner. From the very first time I met Mr. Wagner, he was advocating for everyone to come help out with HIGH 5. I waited to join HIGH 5 until the fall season, because I initially thought that I had a very busy schedule and didn’t have the time. However, once I did it for the first time, I saw what Coach Wagner meant when he said, “the buddies get more out of it than the players.”

Many HIGH 5 buddies join because of

graduation projects and other reasons, but regardless of what got them there, Coach Wagner and the program itself keep them there.

TL: What is one highlight you’ve had as a buddy?

MI: My first day. Going into HIGH 5, I was nervous because I wanted to make sure that I was able to help make the player’s day. When I was assigned my (player), we got into punting and chasing the ball. A wave of relief and then shortly after one of joy spread over me. He was having a blast and so was I. With each high five, it was clear that both he and I were happier. At the end of this experience, he went away happy, and I went away hooked on HIGH 5.

TL: What is a challenge you may face as a Buddy and how would you overcome it?

Colby runs through the Buddy Tunnel Photo by Cazillo.com MI: Different players have different preferences on what they like to do.

The main way to overcome this is to not look at it as an issue but as a slight change in agenda for the day. What a buddy should do is ask the player what they usually like to do and then incorporate aspects of soccer into this.

Sometimes the players will then want to jump into the games. Other times they want to do other things. What’s important is that the buddies share the same enthusiasm and high fives with every player regardless of their desired activity.

TL: What advice would you give to other Buddies?

MI: Make time for HIGH 5. The reward for both you and whichever lucky player that you have each session far exceeds nearly anything else that you could have for an hour on Saturday.

One of my biggest regrets is missing a few sessions for personal reasons that could’ve been avoided early on in my time as a buddy. Don’t have this regret and give some high fives.

P L AY E R P R O F I L E COLBY PALOMEQUE Experience in Soccer: This was Colby’s first season. He is already super excited for the autumn season.

Matt with a jubilant Colby, who is showing off his hardware Photo by Cazillo.com

30

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

epysa.org

What is your favorite thing about soccer?: I love to run, kick and score goals. I love everything about soccer.

What is your favorite game/activity at HIGH 5 Soccer?: My favorite thing about HIGH 5 soccer is meeting my buddy, playing sharks and minnows, buddy bowling, building a cone tower and knocking it down and at the end running through the buddy tunnel!!!

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At Nationwide®, our number one goal is being there for our members. That’s why we have your back when it comes to protecting what’s most important, like: The car you drive your athletes in to every practice The RV you use for that weekend tournament Join us as we team up with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer to promote youth safety, especially the importance of concussion awareness and teen driving.

To learn more about a special discount for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer members and to get information about youth safety, visit nationwide.com/EasternPASoccer or call 1-888-231-3614.

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Felix Agosto started MVP360 to introduce children of North Philadelphia to soccer and other sports.

SPOTLIGHT

The Impact Youth Sports May Have on the Next Generation

By Mike Barr, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Technical Director

I

magine children between the ages of 6 and 18 being raised in parts of Philadelphia, Chester, Norristown, Pottstown or Reading? Poverty, crime and a sense of hopelessness await them at every corner of dilapidated homes and forgotten dreams.

I attempt to envision the day these children were brought into this world and a smiling mom looking down on her baby; hoping and wishing for success as her glorious, little child grows older.

Most likely the same thoughts resonated within the moms in Society Hill, the Main Line, or parts of Bucks County and Chester County as they gazed down at the miracle cushioned in their arms.

Wanting to provide what is best for your child is inherent in every parent but

34

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

unforeseen circumstances may diminish the opportunities for each child. Unfortunately, economics play a role so enormous today that love and strong parenting is often challenged in bringing a child success and happiness as an adult.

Roadblocks are everywhere for children living in poverty. The school environment is rarely conducive to learning or excelling. Advanced placement classes, music, theatre, and other areas of the arts are short-changed at every level. Advocates for children within schools in these neighborhoods are few due to limited funding or a level of frustration that permeates over a period of time. Facilities and resources seem to never measure up when comparing these schools to wealthier districts or private schools.

Rather than closing the gap between

epysa.org

schools it only grows wider each year.

Incredibly, in years past, many students searched and found an avenue that could lead them out of poverty, frustration and lack of opportunity. Being exposed to sports and having the chance to play sports within schools or various youth clubs, presented a way out and a purpose to their lives. Sports provided proper outlets to an adolescent’s life and a chance to be recognized and to be part of something positive. Regrettably, the professionalism of youth sports has created a huge crack that may be impossible to repair between the haves and have nots in this country.

Forget about the two percenters so often talked about in this contentious election year. Try to focus on the forty per cent and growing, number of youngsters being deprived of opportunities to play or excel because of the high costs of playing most sports and the lack of availability to play certain sports with school districts.

In my position as Technical Director of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer I see the disparity on a daily basis at numerous soccer clubs within our state. Where some clubs have professional paid coaches working with all

An MVP360 player is all smiles with his trophy.

where all the opportunities in education, the arts and even sports now fall exclusively to upper and upper-middle income families? Have we entered a shift where a new profound segregation of families and their children is occurring due to income? More importantly, what will be the repercussions if this trend continues?

Consider that well to do families who search out professional coaches in almost every sport in hopes that their son or daughter may meet college or even professional success. Their children may attend high schools that offer from 25 to 30 sports teams for boys and girls and yet within disadvantaged school districts, some schools may be lucky to have between 12 to 15 sports teams for their students. If looking at extra-curricular activities the gap grows even larger.

Sports, the great equalizer in providing chances to disadvantaged youth, has become an avenue that ignores the poor and creates impossible odds for children to overcome.

The lack of opportunities stacked against impoverished children comes

children from U6 to U18; other clubs get by with a few volunteers who attempt to provide the best they can offer and take on numerous roles to provide impoverished children a chance to play. The division was really apparent to me when I visited a new program trying to get off the ground in North Philadelphia called MVP360, ironically located at 101 East Erie Avenue. These are same fields where the Lighthouse Soccer Club originally began. Possibly the most famous soccer club in Philadelphia storied soccer history.

Felix Agosto, a retired military officer, is the founder of MVP360 and his focus is not just soccer but other sports too. He sees the need for children in disadvantaged areas to have the opportunities to participate in sports. Agosto’s vision stems from his own experience.

“I grew up in a dysfunctional home,” Agosto admits. “The only thing that helped me get through that was a local gym. That was my outlet. I’m not sure what would have happened to me if I didn’t have it.

“It became like an escape for me.”

Agosto operates on meager funds from donations or his own money as he travels from New Jersey to provide sports to the children in this neighborhood. His goal is not to turn out championship teams, but to give his pupils an opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to.

“We know we’re grassroots,” Agosto says. “I don’t have any interest in being the biggest and baddest. I want to give the kids guidance on where to go. We introduce them to the game and hope others take notice.”

Watching him and his three volunteer assistants work with 30 children on a Saturday morning brought a myriad of thoughts to me. The one thought that just would not escape Boys and girls compete on the same fields at MVP360 me was how did we get to this point

now in the form of both academics as well as athletics. Unfortunately, these continued practices could pose huge ramifications in the future. With little or no outlets within sports, an education that is not meeting the needs of millions of students, and little hope for the future, frustrations within teenagers and young adults could affect society in unimaginable ways.

Youth soccer clubs and even US Soccer should be examining their best practices for initiating and condoning the high costs of playing, extensive travel for families and forcing children to play only one sport. The common occurrences of exclusivity and making decisions on who has the talent to play the game at age eight or nine are affecting children nationwide. The decrees made by a few are destroying the dreams and playing opportunities of thousands of kids. Coaches who know nothing of player development but embrace wins and money are appearing more frequently in many clubs; even to the point where many, with limited soccer backgrounds from other countries, are applying for visas to capitalize on this phenomenon.

Changes have to be made. We should be examining the causes and find solutions on a national scale. The future for many children can be altered in a positive way and create a level playing field if state and local governments, professional sports, major corporations, non-profits and private individuals come together to find alternatives to eliminate the huge differences in opportunities. Imagine if professional sports would give back only a portion of the billions of dollars of profit each year to low income recreation programs or inner city schools. What if professional youth coaches took the time to provide one day of training per week to disadvantaged youth or train kids from poor recreation clubs? What if every middle and high school made all team sports available or provided a child without a team at his or her school, a chance to participate at a local high school who may offer the sport they want to play?

We should try to live by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt when addressing an audience during the Great Depression, “It gets better for everybody, when it gets better for everybody.”

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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TRAINING SESSION

Under 8: Striking the ball to score From the US Soccer Digital Coaching Center

Observed by Gary Stephenson, Assistant Technical Director, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

GOAL TO GOAL Objective • To develop striking the ball with the instep or laces • To develop the mentality to score goals • Encourage “bridled” competition Description Two players, one ball, cones. Each player makes a goal with cones/flags, etc., approximately 5-7 steps in width. Players stand

10-20 yards from each other. Going one at a time, players take turns to score against each other. Players striking the ball must do so in one or two touches.

The player not striking the ball must stay on their goal line and block the ball with anything but their hands.

Variations: A) Players are instructed to always strike a moving ball. B)

Attacking player has to lie down, then get up to strike a ball.

Key Points • Striking the ball with the instep or laces • Non-kicking foot is next to the ball or slightly ahead of it • Arms out for balance • Head and shoulders over the ball • Land on the striking foot

MOVING GOAL WITH A TEAMMATE Objective • To develop dribbling and shooting • To develop working with a teammate • To develop perception and awareness Description Players pair up and share a ball. The coach and an assistant coach hold vests or towels tied together and create a “Moving Goal”. Note: Pool noodles are an

option to make a goal as well. When the coach and assistant coach start moving, each pair works together to try and score on the “Moving Goal”.

Variations: A) Coaches raise and lower the goal for more of a challenge.

B) Require each person in a pair to take turns scoring. C) Add defenders that protect the “Moving Goal”.

Key Points • Surface selection: Use the instep or laces if shooting from a long distance. Use the inside of foot if shooting from a closer distance.

• Working with your teammate. Try not to run next to your teammate. Move into a space to receive a pass to score quickly

“GET OUT OF HERE” Objective • To develop how to strike the ball with the laces or instep.

• To develop a mentality to shoot.

• To develop working with a teammate for the purpose of scoring goals.

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Description Create a small-sided field with small goals on each end. Dimensions: Approximately 20 yards long by 10 yards wide if playing 2v2. Divide into two teams. Play 2v2 on the field. When the ball goes out of bounds or there is a goal, the coach says “Get out of here” and a new pair from each team runs on.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

Key Points • Working on striking the ball to shoot. “What part of the foot can you use to strike the ball”?

• Work on the idea of shooting first but if not then get the ball to a teammate.

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