INSIGHTS & BOLD SOLUTIONS

Coaches Rich Jablonski, Chris Sieber, and Scott Benbow, well-regarded in youth soccer, share their valuable insights in response to my article, ‘A BOLD STAND FOR CHANGE.‘ For their experiences and ideas on improving the future of youth soccer in a bold way … Much of this phenomenon goes back to the primary driver in all […]

A Tale of Passion, Perseverance, and Community.

In the world of soccer, every player, coach, and volunteer has a unique story to tell. For one individual, their journey through the beautiful game not only encompasses their own experiences on the field but also their unwavering commitment to their community. Here’s a heartfelt account of a soccer enthusiast who, over the years, has […]

“RELENTLESS” – Review

Reviewed by Jay Engeln, past President of United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA) Relentless . . . by author Tim Schum is a powerful collection of stories and interviews that captures the commitment, dedication, and challenges faced by the collective American soccer coaching community over generations of the sport’s evolution.  Incorporating stories, interviews, fascinating moments, and memorable […]

INTRIGUING RESPONSES

Explore interesting and thought-provoking viewpoints from four experienced youth coaches dedicated to developing ALL players’ potential who responded to my article ‘World Cup Takes Backseat!‘ A Call for Clarity and Understanding This was an excellent read, and the points raised are extremely important. I fear that the system and processes we have currently have taken […]

Benefiting Children in Youth Soccer

Youth soccer, like all sports, has as its immediate and specific objective a team being victorious in a game. To make youth soccer available to all kids, thousands of volunteers give selflessly countless hours of their time, donate incredible talent and expertise, and endure all kinds of stresses and disruptions in their personal and professional […]

WHAT CHANCE DO THE PLAYERS HAVE?

I have noticed how toxic and chaotic the sidelines are in youth sports.  Coaches and parents screaming instructions.  At the players.  What chance do these players have of developing?  Or even enjoying this beautiful game? At weekend games, there’s no doubt we get excited to watch the team play.  Calling out instructions and yelling our […]

DO YOU HAVE ‘THE’ ANSWER?

Dr. Jozsef Fabian comments on the ‘Open Letter’ Roby Stahl sent to US Soccer. I cannot go into every detail of (Roby Stahls’ article – ‘US Soccer Needs to Reset) and everything that US Soccer does poorly.  There is insufficient time to deal with all that in one article.  However, the answers can be found […]

SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR RESPONSES   

The author (John Magnusson) missed a central point — the over-emphasis on competition (wins and losses) as opposed to player development. In short, every hour spent riding a bus 600 miles to play is lost in physical, technical, and tactical development. I also challenge the notion that the quality of coaching education and certification is […]

OUR SOCCER CULTURE IS THE CULPRIT

The lack of soccer culture in the USA is the biggest hindrance to becoming a consistent performer at the world-class level.  There is truth in all being said, written, and done regarding the ‘No Need To Re-Invent The Wheel’ article.  How many youth players were glued to the screen during the World Cup this past […]