The Benefits Of Soccer

Is soccer a sport that has benefits? It certainly is and it is especially good for children and youth.

Many children today have health risks due to obesity and inactivity. Soccer is a sport that encourages kids to turn off the T.V., get off the couch and get some exercise.

Soccer is exercise and it is also fun. When kids play soccer they learn discipline and how to get along with others. They may also decide to play other sports and this leads to a more active lifestyle. These are habits that result in healthier living as the child grows older.

Children who play soccer may also enjoy watching soccer. Not only will they be able to learn more about the game but they may find excellent role models.

Soccer is a game that is equally fun for boys and girls. They burn calories and increase muscle mass. Kids who play sports are more likely to learn how to eat properly and to think in terms of which foods will do the most for them.

Playing soccer is a way to make friends and being involved promotes self-esteem. Athletes are often more careful about taking care of themselves and avoiding habits that can detract from their game. Self confidence and pride are other positive results of soccer. Soccer players develop a team attitude and become protective of each other. They care about the other team members and look out for them in other areas of life besides soccer.

Kids who play soccer in small towns or begin playing when they are young are often part of coed teams. This is a plus for everyone involved and doesn’t happen in most other sports. Boys learn about respecting girls and everyone benefits from this. When boys and girls learn to work together as equals, lessons are being learned that will serve both sexes well.

Soccer is a game of skill and one that has many benefits, especially for those who play the game.

The Secrets of Soccer Speed Unlocked

Why is soccer speed even important?
For forward thinking coaches, gone are the days when soccer speed was limited to having a ‘fast sprinting speed’. They now understand the various components of soccer speed – all of which need to be developed by following a comprehensive and holistic speed development programme.
Soccer speed is composed of many elements (including):
• Acceleration
• Maximum speed capacity
• Quick response to passes
• Ability to change directions swiftly
• Ability to look at the opponents’ flaws and quickly take advantage
• Ability to sustain speed
• Ability to manipulate the ball at speed.
• Ability to assess a given situation before the ball arrives.

Therefore an effective training programme should aim to address these.
Having discovered these elements that make up speed in soccer, the question then becomes: how to keep the elements in mind and programme drills to enhance a player’s speed of thought and movement? In top clubs such as Manchester United and FC Barcelona, speed is at the top of the agenda and thousands of pounds are routinely spent in it’s attainment. However, most coaches don’t have that kind of resources and even if they did, spending thousands of dollars will not necessarily lead to quicker players.
Buyer beware! Some programmes are based on theories that haven’t even been tested. As coaches, it’s your duty to find and/or develop programmes that suit the type of players and teams you are coaching AND use one that have been tried and tested.
What’s the importance of genetic potential in soccer speed?
A soccer player’s genetics definitely help in soccer speed training. It identifies the player’s maximum speed limit. However, it’s not the only determinant of one’s speed. At best a player’s genetics simply prescribe just how fast he or she can run. Let that be a warning to those so-called naturally quick and a word of hope for the rest of us!
Remember – there are a lot of instances when humans have been able to go beyond their genetic limits. The same holds true for soccer; some have unbelievable potential for soccer speed but, for one reason or another it never gets developed, while others manage to exceed their limits. Generally you’ll find that the best soccer players are not the ones who are genetically predisposed to be quick, but those that train hard enough to be so.

What’s an effective soccer speed training schedule or programme supposed to cover?
A good schedule must at least cover the following:
• Begin with a warm up – not doing so can be dangerous
• Ball (skills) work – do as much with the ball as possible
• Simulate game situations – bringing meaning to what players are asked to do and perform
• Drills that encourage tempo and speed techniques
• Drills that encourage direction changes
• Drills that encourage short bursts of sprinting
• Drills that encourage decision making under pressure
• Drills that encourage quick feet
• Finish with an appropriate warm down

Mancini-Tevez secret peace talks fail

Mancini-Tevez secret peace talks fail
Despite a late night meeting between Carlos Tevez and Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City duo were unable to thrash out their differences.
According to reports in the Sun, the Argentine was called by the Man City manager late on Wednesday night and told to go to the Italian's home as soon as he returned to Manchester.
The striker boarded a 9pm train from Euston and arrived at Mancini's abode just around midnight, expecting to find a way to calm to furore that emerged after the ex-City captain seemed to refused to take to the pitch in their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
However, he was hit by demands from the Italian for a public and private apology to both the manager as well as chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, and was also told that even with an apology, disciplinary action from the City hierarchy would still continue.
In response, Tevez then sought an apology from Mancini for accusing him of revolting by refusing to play, but the manager refused, saying: "No."
A source quoted by the Sun, who was apparently close to Tevez, revealed: "Carlos went to Mancini's house as he was asked but to be told to apologise was not acceptable."
The Argentine then returned to training with Manchester City on Thursday, and was greeted by a frosty reception, as he was immediately dispatched to do fitness work on his own.