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Thank you, Vienna Youth Soccer Strike...
Author’s note: I just finished six weeks working with the Vienna Youth Soccer (VYS) Strikers, 3 teams of U14 girls soccer players who compete in WAGS and ODSL. They are professionally trained by Gerardo Ramirez, Elise Fasick and Andon Tsarev. They invited Fit2Finish to introduce soccer-specific fitness and injury prevention.
Dear Strike [...]
GMU Women’s Soccer, Playing to ...
Do you struggle to help your female athletes play confidently because they’ve been raised to step back?
Check out today’s Soccer Wire to read my article about the ”leadership council” initiated by Head Women’s Soccer Coach Diane Drake. She has created and defined an environment where the cooperation natural to w [...]
Youth Soccer Players: What College Co...
Do you have what it takes for college play?
Are you ready for big time soccer? Here is what Diane Drake, head women’s soccer coach at George Mason University, has to suggest to the player investigating the college soccer ranks.
Know the rules for contacting coaches and when they can contact you. You can contact college coaches with you [...]
Youth Soccer Cross-Over Programs: Is ...
Does she come alive on the field?
She’s always where the ball is. She’s aggressive. Nothing gets past her. Other players defer to her on the field. She scores 4 goals single-handedly. You cheer. You smile. She’s only six years old, but you are sure she’s headed for stardom. Should you be?
Diane Drake, head coach of the George Mason wome [...]
Girls Soccer Needs Less Force, More F...
Girls stop at nothing when the game is on the line.
Boys play differently than girls do, even at the top levels of the youth game. Take a couple minutes to watch this video from US Youth Soccer National League championship play.
It begins with boys games, then at about 4 minutes it shifts to the girls’. Watch how the girls are heavier [...]
Runners:5 Easy Ways to Stay Motivated
Does you running have this energy?
How’s the motivation coming? Somehow, things are easy to start. And when we see the finish line, they’re easy to finish. The problem comes in the middle. How do you stick to your training plan when you’re on down the road but don’t yet see the finish line? Here are 5 hints to help you [...]
Soccer Stretches for Coaches and Athl...
These stretches will take just a few minutes after each practice and game, but it’s time well spent. One coach contacted me to say his biggest challenge was parents who would want to whisk their kids away. Yes, we are in a hurry these days. Just email those team parents and let them know you are planning to stretch. This is an importa [...]
Coaching Fitness by Being Fit
What is the most important thing you can do to encourage good fitness in your players?
a. have them run?
b. have them do calisthenics?
c. give them a home program for non-practice days?
d. be fit yourself
As an exercise physiologist, I certainly believe running, strength and home programs are important to help kids get fit, but being fit your [...]
Soccer Stretch: Dynamic Before, Stati...
These young players are learning the dynamic warm up. Player in the foreground shows hamstring and core weakness as she needs arms to assist with pushing herself up.
I get this question a lot: should they stretch? YES
Follow up question: when and how? Before and after. Here’s how.
Before practice they should perform a dynamic warm up, m [...]
Core Training with an Exercise Ball
Lots of runners (walkers and hikers) think they just need to do cardio training and maybe a few leg exercises to be fit to finish. They’d be wrong. Studies show that upper body strength makes stronger runners, but only if they can translate that strength efficiently to their working legs. This happens through the torso or trunk. Fitness [...]
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