Former Italy midfielder Andre Pirlo said that U.S. players are not taught technical skills at an early age and that ultimately affects the quality of play in Major League Soccer. The 37-year-old, who is in his second season with New York City FC, said that more...
All over the world soccer players, young and old, gather in open spaces to play their favorite sport. Vacant lots, open parks, parking structures, back alleys or basketball courts. These are the places where the true form of the game is found, where love and...
Positions and playing time “I play left midfield.” When I ask my patients about their soccer experiences I often hear children, some as young as 7, identify themselves as “defenders” or “strikers.” This is not good for young players, and it’s another sign that we’re doing it...
Katie Roper's daughter Ellen likes to play lots of sports--soccer, basketball, softball and swimming. But even at Ellen's tender age of nine, that's getting hard to do. Kids in her swim program are dropping other sports to specialize in competitive swimming year-round, and Ellen is having...
Part of the majesty of sport resides in its ability to explain life. There can be more truth in one good competition than an entire Sunday church service. Soccer’s function as a microcosm of life is arguably the most direct in all the sports -...
It is that time of year again! Teams now formed and parent/managers under pressure from 12 sets or more of well-meaning parents to select the ideal trainer. What used to be the case with players aged 14 and up is now the case for all...
U.S. Soccer announced a pair of major initiatives in youth development on Monday, changing the birth-year registration calendars from an August-May format to January-December and mandating new small-sided game participation and field size standards based on age groups. Both initiatives will be fully mandated by August...