Weekend Review: Palo Alto Tourney

Extreme Family,

Overall, I would like to keep the positives of the weekend firmly in mind because I believe that we can deal well with the disappointment of placing second. We have a great future and we can be a real force. But of course, it's difficult to accept going home from a tournament with second prize.

When the girls were able to get the ball on the ground, link passes and play as a team other they played excellent soccer.  They struggled when they tried to do too much on their own or didn't know their options before they received the ball.

Soccer is unpredictable but I believe in this team. We lack some calmness and experience at times, but the spirit to compete in this group is good.

In the coming weeks we will continue to work, train & prepare those aspects of our game that need sharpening as well as bolstering our strengths.

Soccer Elements for Improvement:

1. individual & team defending - 1-4-3-3 shape
2. speed of play
3. passing accuracy
4. set pieces
5. match fitness

Juggle testing start Tuesday!!!

See you at training.

One Club! One Love!

Howto: Practice at Home

She is having fun playing with the ball and experimenting with what she can do.

Shin juggling, using the crossbar to juggle, lift-up tricks, aerial tricks & ground moves make a confident player.

Get out and play! Go have fun.

Juggle Testing Starts in June

The Benefits of Juggling:

Players gain more confidence on the ball while increasing overall skill.

Juggling is a fantastic exercise to develop touch with the soccer ball. When juggling, learning to control the body is very important. Being able to make quick, bodily adjustments with all muscles is developed through juggling.

Juggling also improves Balance & Coordination . With good juggling skills, players will become better passers, beat defenders more easily, and be able to hold the ball against defensive pressure because of better touch on the ball.

And Juggling Will Help You Score! Don't believe me?.. Here are a couple examples. Enjoy.


Valencia's Pablo Hernadez. Take a bow!


Rivaldo for Barcelona. Probably one the the best assists of all time, although I think he meant to score. What a first & second & third touch.

***UPDATE***

Here are some more Juggle goals.

HowTo: Play the #9 position

Here are the match responsibilities for a Sac United #9

The Central Striker: Individual Tasks During Possession

• be open! available for a pass at the right moment
• pick up the ball from defense & midfield & ball from sides
• cooperation with #10 > create space for mids
• control over ball / combination
• individual action
• compete for balls in the air
• read the play
• individual action --> dribble
• search for the combination/pass
• capacity to score
• over the ground
• through the air
• must be able to play with your back to the goal / play the way you face. (look to "drop the ball" one line)
• always sprinting into spaces
• always thinking goal

With this in mind, here are some examples of good #9 play from the recent Champions League Final.

Here the #9 challenges for the 50/50 in the air. Finds the #10. Then quickly sprints into space to get behind the defense and receive a pass. And then apply the finish. Classic #9!

Inter Milan Vs Bayern Munich 1-0 Milito 22/05/2010

In this next clip, the #9 picks up the ball around the half field line. While the #11 makes a strong run (holding the central defenders attention) the #9 takes on the defender with one thing in his mind.  Score! 

Bayern Munich 0 - 2 Inter Milan [matchhighlight.com]

Sometimes as a goal poacher you have to be greedy in front of goal!

Goals of the season: 2009/10

Here is a great list of some of the goals of the season. It's a great watch & my favorites are after the "Read More...."

Assist of the Week

And now our weekly celebration of the creation of scoring chances with the best player in the world.

Evaluations - Spring League

We will have 2 sets of evaluations this season: Spring, Fall.

Evaluations help players to identify areas of improvement and to get feedback on their soccer progress.

This is an important step in helping players achieve their soccer goals.

The first evaluations will be conducted at the end of the spring league season and will be 1-on-1 talk during training and a hard-copy for every player to take home.

Recovery Strategies

The process of regeneration from a competitive match is the first step towards the preparation for the next match.

During tournaments, these parameters will play a vital role in determining your performance potential. The importance of adequately preparing yourself for games cannot be overstated.

The following aspect of your preparation will be crucial in relation to how successful we will be:

• Recovery session – After the game to assist you to return to a normal physical state
• Stretching, icing sessions (for any knocks)
• Pool sessions – properties of water help promote recovery (10‐15 minutes of movement
• and not swimming laps or laying out in the sun)
• Fluid intake – before and after each game
• Food – Used immediately following games – fist 30 minutes most important

Following a game:
First 10 mins after a game – recovery of energy

1. Drink & eat carbohydrates and protein
2. Stretch while warm
3. Light dynamic movements for 5‐10 mins – cool down with Team

10 minutes after game – recover physically

1. Ice bath
2. Shower
3. Continue rehydrating

Within the first hour after the game – continue to recover

1. Pool Recovery (if available) ‐ moving through water for 10‐15 minutes
2. Drink plenty of fluid
3. Have additional Carbohydrate foods
4. Use relaxing music or techniques to unwind

In the evening – continue to unwind

1. Hot shower
2. Continue to hydrate
3. Stretch

10 minutes before bed – switch off
I. Use relaxing skills – visualize, music
II. Get out of bed if you cannot sleep (In your room)

Next day – Self monitor ‐ recovery response
I. Color of urine (pee test) should be clear!
II. Additional stretching, and rehydration

Nutrition for Soccer

SNACKS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING GAMES – WITHIN 30 MINUTES AFTER THE EVENT

1. Chocolate milk (except those players that are lactose intolerant or specific vegetarians),
2. Water,
3. Sports Drink – Do not try a new sports drink at a tournament,
4. Peanut butter and honey sandwich – half sandwich on whole wheat bread,
5. Clif Bar / and or Energy Bits,
6. Cinnamon Raisin, Blueberry or Plain Bagels,
7. GOLEAN by Kashi Granola Cereal,
8. Yogurt,
9. Fresh Fruit: Bananas, oranges, grapes and apples,
10. Cheese and Crackers

RESTAURANT FOOD SUGGESTIONS

Sub Shop: Ask for the low fat subs – ham, chicken or turkey,

Grilled Chicken

Bean Burrito, low fat chips

Pasta: with red sauces, instead of white (alfredo sauce)

Smoothies

WHY CHOCOLATE MILK

Chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles.

You are an athlete eat well consistently for peak performance.

After the game you are preparing your body for the next game.

Match Update Friday May 14th, 7pm: Vs Patterson @ Mangan

Hi Everyone,

Our home match against Patterson has been rescheduled again to THIS FRIDAY.

Right now we are scheduled to go at Mangan 7pm, but it might move to Granite if the field is available.

Thanks for your flexibility 

The World Cup is Coming

World Cup 2010 is happening this summer.

Whose excited? I know I am!

2010 World Cup Countdown

HowTo: Play the #10 position

#10: Individual Tasks During Possession

• be open/available for a pass at the right moment
• pick up the ball from the defense/midfield
• pick up the ball from wingers
• cooperation with #6 & #8
• move into the open spaces
• stand wide
• control of ball possession/combination
• individual action
• capacity to score
  
  
  1. ground
  2. air
• high speed of play in tight spaces
• great insight related to space, depth, and finding the third player
• creative player

Here is a video of Wesley Sneijder, one of the best #10's in the world. You can go down the checklist of tasks in the clip below and in this game.

Game Notes: Rocklin SC Elite, May 9th

Extreme Family,

Well the goals were flying in this past weekend. Lots of different scorers and some great goals to celebrate.

I was particularly impressed with some of the passing in the build-up to the goals - one move in particular saw the girls link six quick passes from the defense to the midfield with a visionary assist from Paige to a sprinting Tigre topped off with a one-touch belter. I hope the girls will continue to progress with understanding their soccer options on the ball. Knowledge is power. Knowing/reading your soccer situation before you get the ball gives a player the confidence in her actions.

Next weekends matches should prove a sterner challenge with Woodland coming to town and a trip to Patterson.

This Week's Training:

Tuesday: Physio-Motor, Speed & Agility + Technical Training (dribbling to possess)
Thursday: Learning the System: Attacking and defending + Feyenoord crossing game

See you out there. One Club! One Love!

Good Luck This Saturday

Hi Everyone,

We have two matches this weekend that we can really improve our soccer. At practice this week we focused on their continued soccer awareness with two trainings designed to give them confidence as a team when going forward and the different ways to solve soccer problems while in possession.

On Saturday in Madera, the girls will be with Coach Dave Rubio as I will be in Turlock for the U14G State Cup Final.

Good luck to the girls going down south. Have a fun trip down there. I'll see you on Sunday.

One Club! One Love!

HowTo: Become A Student Of The Game

In The Vision Of A Champion, Anson Dorrance talks about the importance of becoming a "student of the game" for women soccer players.

You consistently hear the same refrain: watch the best soccer. But why? The only way you're going to play high-level soccer is by seeing it first, because you're not going to be able to do it until you understand it. A good coach can talk to you about it, but you need to see it demonstrated in order to imitate it when you play.

"HowTo" posts will highlight EITHER the responsibilities of each position in the Sac United System (Attacking/Pressing 1-4-3-3) OR examples of group play within our system of play, for example the right side #2 + #6 + #7.

Click the "Read More" to find a couple ways to quickly become a student of the game.

U.S. National Team member Brandi Chastain plays soccer with an amazing level of sophistication. She play with a lot of subtlety and wonderful deception. She also understands the rhythm, of the game. She plays at a pace appropriate to the situation; that is, she knows when to speed up or slow down. She has these abilities because she is one of the best students of the game. Brandi is famous for her passionate interest in watching high-level soccer, and it shows in her playing.

Becoming a student of the game is one sure way to work on your soccer understanding, and will also impact on your soccer sense. This means watching, reading, and learning - in the same way you would with any other subject of interest or importance to you.

To study the game means to really watch a game. I'm not saying you have to dutifully watch all 90 minutes of a game, but you should build up your high-level soccer diet so you can have a critical eye - really search for aspects that will impact your development.

So now you now the why, but what about the HOW first...

There are all kinds of ways to watch soccer. One is to look at the artistry, that is, the flair and creativity. I think every true fan watches in this fashion. That's how most of us are drawn into the game, which is great way to view it.

When you watch a game, see what parts you like. Also, notice the players who are exciting to you. Take it a step further. Find your favorite players and make or buy videotapes(OR look up on YouTube -nk) of them playing, and learn their moves. Practice them in the backyard or your basement.

For me it was Diego Maradona, I remember seeing him play in the 1986 World Cup Final. He was left footed, like I was. He was the smallest player on the pitch, like I was. And nothing made him happier then dribbling or passing around players, and that's what I wanted to be as a soccer player.

Anson talks about a second deeper way to watch soccer...

A more sophisticated way to watch the game is for its rhythm. Notice how the players calm the game down if it's too frantic, or explode if a defender or defense is lulled or ball-watching. Then, you can fully appreciate that at its best, soccer is basically a game of surges and tranquilities, a rhythm of slow motion and acceleration. It consists of quick, explosive moves combined with slower action in which someone gets the ball, cleans it up, slows it down, recomposes, and then does something dynamic again. It is this change of pace that makes a player or a team unpredictable and hard to defend.

Why is rhythm important? Because a game without rhythm or someone sophisticated enough to control the flow turns into kickball or a track meet. A game with one predictable speed.

A savvy student of the game, one who has studied the game, understands its rhythms and how to create them. They know how to lull a defender with a shift of weight or how to slow up a frantic attack to get more players involved or how to slow up attackers in midfield by denying the right passing lanes. To learn these you have to seek out the highest level you can - that means the college game, WPS, WPSL, TV soccer from England, Spain, Holland, Italy.

Another way to look at a game is in terms of shape. Shape is the positioning of the players, or, the attacking and defensive construct (in other words - watch away from the ball & look at players that play the positions you want to and watch the decisions they make -nk). Every team's shape can be different, and yet still be effective. Differing shapes is one of the elements of soccer's variety. Again, at lower levels you can see bad shape (e.g., players bunched into the center of the field). You want to study the game with good shape (e.g., players pushed up and spread wide while on attack), then emulate what you see.

You are a work in soccer progress. Learning the various aspects of the game will mold you. Make sure you model your soccer palette off the elite players. From that palette you can create your own soccer personality.

Assists of The Week - May 2

Here is the first of many regular posts you can expect on the Extreme Blog called Assists of the Week.

Sometimes we need to celebrate the architects rather than the finishers. These videos also help us to form more advanced soccer ideas by showing what goes into a good team goal -- the vision of the passer, the off-the-ball runs, and the teamwork and recognition of how create a scoring opportunity.

Game Notes: Rocklin SC Elite

Extreme family,

We were up big at halftime and cruising but I was still thought could play better overall soccer.

I felt this would be a great opportunity to work on developing some of the more advanced soccer ideas the girls will need in order to progress as soccer players and as a team (especially since we had set a pregame goal to work on our attacking combination play -- wall passes and overlaps).

To the girls credit, they came out in the second half and dominated with a much better brand of soccer and a much more positive attitude towards their soccer improvements.

The goals were spread around which is good for the team. A few girls even scored their first goal for the team which is super exciting!

The spring league matches give me a great opportunity to evaluate how the girls are progressing and what we need to focus on in training to make us hit top gear.

This week's training:
Tuesday: Group Play (attacking and defending in small groups)
Thursday: Learning the System 1-4-3-3

I'll see everyone on Tuesday.

Thank You!

What an amazing & thoughtful gift you gave our family.  You guys are super sweet.  I wish I would have had a camera to show you my wife's expression when she saw all the baby goodies in the back of the car.

Thank you so much.  You're the best.