If you want to be a good soccer player, you'll need to make choices.  You can't do everything.  Parents and coaches, it's our job to help our players understand and prioritize those things that are important to them so that they can reach their goals.  Learn about the sacrifices and rewards of working hard to be the best soccer player you can possibly be.  And most important, learn the best jersey number in soccer!  Don't forget to check out http://thesoccerspecialist.com/podcast 

Players, parents, coaches this is a must listen.  This is a letter I wrote to my own players a number of years ago.  I think one of the things we need to change is the culture and environment surrounding our players while helping them to get all they can out of their youth soccer experience, in addition to helping them on their journey to becoming the very best soccer player possible.  If there is an episode I want everyone involved in youth soccer, but especially players, this is the.  I hope it motivates, drives and inspires you to great things. Learn more at Letter To A Youth Soccer Player

Not many players set goals for soccer.  Too many focus on the wrong things.  These are usually things they can't control, or at least not control completely.  They may go into games with the goal of winning. But does a goal of winning really increase your chances of winning?  Not really.  But there are things you can control, as a player and as a team, that will help you improve and develop.  Take 6 minutes and learn about them now.

Competition is an important part of learning and development.  Players don't get better without competition.  It's what drives them.  But allowing competition to cross a line into a toxic learning environment where players are stressed out and afraid to make a mistake or perform poorly at practice won't help them improve.  It will stunt their development and maybe even drive them out of the great sport of soccer.  The adults are key here.  Parents and coaches need to be on the same page, communicate with and support one another, for the players.  Because it's not about the adults.

Discover the biggest thing a player can do to accelerate their development as a soccer player.  You'll learn how to combine this with all the little things a soccer player can do that don't require talent but will equal big results!  When a player zeroes in on these aspects of the game their development will rapidly jump to another level, allowing them to compete with bigger, faster, stronger and even more technically skilled players (yet, also improving their own skills faster than ever before).  This episode is BIG! 

Youth soccer in America can seem overwhelming for coaches, parents and players.  From club politics to all the different leagues, from pay to play to the quality of the coaches, there is a lot to consider and worry about.  There are so many things in which it seems players don't have any say.  But that's not the case.  There are many things players can do on their own, and parents and coaches can support, that can help them develop much more quickly into the player they want to be.  Here are 2 simple put powerful ways players can quickly improve their soccer game without relying on clubs, coaches, leagues, organizations or even parents!

While it seems there is a lot about youth soccer about which we seem to have no control, coaches and parents at the grassroots can have a huge impact on the game and it's players.  First, let's stop chasing good coaches out of the game and empower them instead.  Parents and coaches should be working together, not butting heads.  We can change everything!

Episode 5 is a continuation of the Elite Youth Soccer Summit talk and we dig in to a lot of goodies, such as why so many players quit around age 13 and how we can fix this problem.  You'll learn why we need to stop calling soccer THIS.  It's not.  Discover why chaotic practices are not only not bad but are actually crucial for long term player development.  Listen up, competitiveness is not a dirty word. Discover how to use it to your advantage to become a better player.  You'll also learn how to skyrocket a player's focus and intensity.   We'll also talk about why you need to lower your expectations and stop treating them like little adults if you really want them to love the game and become better players.  And lot's more.  Grab some caffeine and have a listen.  I also mention the importance of foot skills players can do at home and videos I've created they can use.  You can find those foot skill videos here <<==

Inside you'll learn the most important thing a young player needs to be successful and how you as coaches and parents can support them in developing it.   We'll also discuss why we need to stop yelling THIS at games, and what to do instead.  Inside is also the magic formula for young players, how it's fun, and how parents can't get mad about it!  Discover how a certain type of player will struggle when they are younger but will have the last laugh as an older player. And much more!  Enjoy!

America lacks creative soccer players and there is a big reason for that.  In this episode of The Soccer Specialist Podcast we dive in to what's preventing America from developing creative soccer players and how we can all work together to fix it.