Soccer: helping prepare our youth for the “Real World”…or so it should
Creating a blog that promotes the improvement of soccer in North America is not easy. The reason it is so difficult is because the focus for most athletes and fans lies in the realm of such sports as hockey and football. These are factors that, as a person attempting to increase the knowledge of soccer, I am prepared to deal with and work with. Put simply, other sports are more popular in North America (that is slowly changing however as soccer continuously becomes more and more powerful).
What I was not expecting to deal with was an article that I read in the National Post this morning who’s title read: win a soccer game by 5 points and lose, Ottawa league says
Excuse my while I go bash my head against the wall… Read more
The Do’s & Don’ts — Marketing Yourself Online
I was recently browsing one of my soccer friends facebook page and noticed he put the link to his personal soccer website. Like many young soccer players, he is trying to be noticed by professional clubs, make a name for himself and play at a higher level. After looking through his site I noticed a number of areas where he could greatly improve his site. These areas aren’t so much about design and colour but the content of his site. Read more
North American Keepers Making It in Europe
I once read an article in a local newspaper about a talented young soccer player who was only fourteen years old. He was asked where he’d like to play in Europe and the boy said either Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon. The truth is that this boy was serious. Read more
How to defend a Corner-Kick
Corner-kicks are one of those dimensions of a soccer game that seem to be over-looked and under-appreciated for whatever reason. Simply put, they are one of the most effective ways to create a goal scoring opportunity. Many teams, at various levels of the game, take time to setup a plan as to where players should run and where the ball should be placed. There are numerous tactics and different approaches to setup a play to score a goal. But what about defending a corner-kick? Read more
Zinedine “Zizou” Zidane…Role Model??
Zinedine Zidane is a legend. He has proved over and over that he is one of the best players of his generation, and potentially of all time. Zidane’s resume consists of two Serie A titles with Italy’s Juventus, and two La Liga titles and a Champions League with Real Madrid. Maybe most importantly he was part of a French national squad that won the 1998 World Cup. As if all this was not enough to include him among the greats, he was voted FIFA World Player of the Year four times in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006. Read more
Pardon Goalden’s Interruption: is Mourinho the real deal?
A recent discussion between the founders of Goalden (Phil & Ivan) has created the stage for what resembles the popular sport tv show Pardon the Interruption (PTI). For those of you unfamiliar with the show, it is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon and they address the top stories of the day related to sports. Phil & Ivan have created a similar idea of the sport tv show called Pardon Goalden’s Interruption (PGI). Discussing, and even arguing, we will blog about topics that arise in the world of soccer. Read more
Pardon Goalden’s Interruption: World Cup soccer balls
In another addition of Pardon Goalden’s Interruption, Phil & Ivan discuss their feelings about the World Cup soccer ball and the constant whining and complaining that surfaces from players right before tournament kick-off.
What’s on your mind boys?
Dealing with big game pressure – find out how
Every athlete deals with pressure in a different way. However, the pressure in a soccer game cannot be put into words as there is often more than the game itself riding on that particular match. There are different ways to pre-prepare yourself for the pressure you will face in a big game. Read more
How to Become a Clinical Goal Scorer
In a previous blog I talked about natural goal scorers and some of the characteristics they have on the soccer field. I made a point to distinguish the difference between a natural goal scorer and a clinical goal scorer. In this blog I would like to talk about the characteristics of clinical goal scorer and how you – with practice – can become a clinical goal scorer yourself. Read more
10 Ways to Separate Yourself from the Competition
The sport of soccer is growing in North America and more kids are beginning to dream of playing at a higher level. With that being said you’ll need to separate yourself from the competition and below are some areas you can apply to your game which will help you do so. Read more
Marketing Yourself – For High School Players
If you’re a high school soccer player and want to continue playing in college, start planning as early as your freshman year. While premier-level teams or developmental programs like ODP usually market their players and are well known to college coaches, some other teams aren’t so organized.
If your team is lacking in the marketing department, you can still make a college squad. It will just take a little more effort on your part. To make sure you find a spot on a roster when your time comes, consider doing the following. Read more
9 Things to Know About Athletic Scholarships
Athletic scholarships drive college searches more than they should. Some parents seem to think the money they’ve “invested” in training, teams and travel should come back to them by way of college scholarships.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality. Athletic scholarships should not drive the college selection process and it’s important to understand the advantages—and disadvantages—of receiving them.