Unpredictability

un⋅pre⋅dict⋅a⋅ble
–adjective
1.
not predictable; not to be foreseen or foretold: an unpredictable occurrence.

–noun
2.
something that is unpredictable: the unpredictables of life
Being unpredictable is crucial to success in soccer. Once a defender or opponent can read what you're going to do, you're going to have massive amounts of trouble beating them. You must mix up your game so a defender never knows what you're going to do.
First time you get the ball pass quick, second time dribble at a defender, third time play a long ball, fourth time shoot, etc… Never allow obvious patterns to develop, go right, go left, go forward, go backwards.
Soccer is an athletic game of chess. You have to think ahead and outwit your opponent. Keep yourself unpredictable and your results on the pitch will be favorable.

Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley is the defensive central midfielder for the US National Team. He plays his club ball for Borussia Monchengladbach in the German Bundesliga. He's a fantastic player and is also the son of US National Team coach Bob Bradley.
Bradley is a very simple, steady midfield player. He is strong in the tackle, industrious, and a very good passer of the ball. He's a perfect role player to build a team around.
He had a great FIFA Confederations Cup and unfortunately got a red card in the semi-final against Spain which ruled him out for the final vs. Brazil. For me, it was an incorrect call by the ref which makes it even more unlucky. Keep your eye on Michael Bradley; he's going to just continue to get better with time.

US National Soccer Team

I want to take this time to salute the US National Team and their performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup. They upset the world's current #1 team Spain 2-0 in the semi-finals and lost a heart breaking final to Brazil 3-2. They were leading the South American giants 2-0 at halftime.
In the group stages they lost to Italy and Brazil in their first two matches and needed a 3-0 victory over Egypt in order to advance. They magically pulled off the feat and went on to play some impressive soccer.
Even though Brazil came from behind to win the final, I was definitely proud to be an American soccer player after watching our national team play these past 2 weeks. Our nation is absolutely making strides to becoming a soccer nation.

1v1 Defending

1v1 defending is a necessary skill to learn in order to play at any level of soccer. The basic stance is to have your legs staggered one in front of the other and your body at a slight diagonal angle facing the player dribbling at you. You never want to be standing with your body square to the player dribbling at you; it’s a very unathletic, immobile stance.
Having good agility and flexibility in your hips is crucial. As a player cuts and swerves, you must constantly adjust your stance. The obvious goal in 1v1 dribbling is to win the ball and start a counter attack.
Watch outside defenders defend on-coming wing players; you'll get a good visual of exactly how 1v1 defending is meant to be done. Whether you are playing pick-up with your friends or you're in a cup final, you'll be encountered in a 1v1 situation. Take the time to learn this skill so you're ready!

The Differences…

Two very high levels of soccer that are attained by very few players are NCAA Division I and Professional. It takes tons of hard work and training to make it to these levels. Even though these are both great achievements, there are numerous differences that dictate which players can make that final leap into the pro's.
For me, speed of thought and understanding of your personal strength's are the key. The higher you go in soccer, the faster the game becomes. You have less time and space to make decisions. Being able to think ahead of the game is crucial to success in the professional rank.
Understanding of your personal strength's is probably not often mentioned. Different players bring different skills to the table. Some players are great passers, some are great in the air, some are great defenders, some are extremely athletic, etc… Knowing exactly what makes you a good player and bringing that to the table every day will make sure your name is on a professional team roster.
These two details can be the difference that pushes you over the top!

Kaka

The new Real Madrid midfielder/former AC Milan star is a truly spectacular player. For me, he's a combination of Brazilian flare with European power. He plays internationally with Brazil and developed his game in the Sao Paulo youth system.
The tall attacking midfield player has all the skill to work his way out of tight spaces. He adds to that a long stride to eat up ground as he powerfully penetrates through the opposing defense like it's a walk in the park. His clean striking ability and nose for the goal makes him a total attacking threat.
He scored many important goals for AC Milan and I'm sure he will continue the trend in La Liga with the Galacticos. Keep your eye on Kaka to have a truly remarkable season this year in Spain.

Real Madrid

The Galacticos are my early prediction to win the 2010 UEFA Champions League. They are a talent-filled team as it is, and the offseason transfers they have made in the past few weeks are just downright frightening. Coach Ramos is going to have some chore trying to figure out who his top 11 will be.
Real Madrid has been without a trophy for the past 2 seasons which is completely out of the question to their board of directors and fans. They boasted world class talent such as Arjen Robben, Ruud Van Nistelroy, Wesley Sneijder, Sergio Ramos, and Iker Casillas just to name a few.
The summer transfer pickups of David Villa from Valencia, Kaka from AC Milan, and the heart breaker for me, Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United are making waves around the soccer world. I'm just curious to see who else they will pickup. Keep an eye on Real Madrid in 2010; they are going to have the fire power to be something special.

Proper Hydration

With the summer months of camps, tournaments, and leagues approaching, hydration is the key to staying at your peak performance. There's really no science to hydration, drink a ton of water before you play, sports drinks during the activity, and a combination of the two within 30 minutes of completing the activity.
For those of you who have trouble with cramping, get some electrolyte packages and Pedialyte. You're probably asking yourself, "Does he mean the stuff that babies drink?" Yes that’s exactly what I mean. It's legendary for re-hydrating yourself when your muscles are telling you they've had enough.
So parents, before sending your kids to their U.S. Premier Soccer Academy Summer Camps which start the second week of July, make sure they have coolers filled with water and sports drinks! It'll ensure a much more enjoyable experience.

Speed of Play

The major difference between a world class soccer player and a mid-class professional has all to do with speed. If you're thinking the answer is how fast the person runs…you're wrong! It all has to do with speed of thought, also known as, speed of play.
Andres Iniesta, Andrea Pirlo, Xavi are all central midfield players with not much to speak about athletically. Then how can they be three of the best midfield players in the world? Where there legs don't rapidly turn over, their brains are making decisions at a quicker rate than everyone around them.
Soccer is a thinking man's game. I've mentioned in earlier blogs that 90% of the game is played above the neck. My advice to young players out there, get pickup games with the older kids in the club who are bigger, stronger, and faster than you. There superiority in athleticism will force you to think quicker in order to keep up. This will make you a far better player.

A perfect pass speaks 1000 words…

Everyone has heard of the saying a picture speaks 1000 words…well the same goes for passing. Today we are going to discuss foot communication. There are numerous different ways to give a pass: straight, lobbed, driven, hard, soft, curling, etc… You can also strike the ball with either the inside, outside, laces, or sole of the foot. All of these variations make up foot communication, there's a time and place for each one of these passes.
I learned this training with a professional coach from the Sao Paulo FC Youth System in Florida. Sao Paulo is one of the largest clubs in Brazil. To give a wall pass, or a 1-2, it's best to use the outside of your foot. This way you can pass the ball in your stride and disguise the pass so the defender can't read it. A cross for the most part should be a driven, curling pass.
There are no absolute definitions when it comes to foot communication. The game itself dictates what the right pass is at that particular time. The examples listed above are merely two of an endless list of scenarios. How many words does your passing speak?

Soccer in Argentina

Argentina has not won a World Cup in many years, but they are a perennial favorite every four years. There must be something in the water there because the talent that comes out of this nation is not of a human standard.
They currently have players such as Lionel Messi, Kun Aguero, Javier Zanetti and an up and coming talent Jonas Gutierrez. They play very quick, sharp combinations all over the field and make the sport look extremely simple to play.
They are coached by the legendary Diego Maradona. Keep your eye on Argentina in the upcoming World Cup. Also look at your local listings to see them play in World Cup qualifying. They recently beat Colombia and should have another game coming up soon.

Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona is arguably the greatest soccer player to ever live. He's a short, stocky attacking player with endless talent and ability. He was born in Argentina and has played for Boca Juniors and Napoli in the Serie A amongst many other top European sides.
He scored a famous goal against England in the World Cup called, "The Hand of God." He punched the ball with his fist over the goalies head and was not caught by the referee. Argentina went on to win that World Cup. You can see this controversial goal on YouTube.
He is currently the Head Coach of the Argentinean National Team. Despite his rocky off field life, his talent is undeniable. Go to your local soccer shop and buy a video of Maradona, he is truly a special player to watch.

Soccer Adult Open Summer League

The U.S. Premier Soccer Academy is proud to announce the Adult Open Summer League for the summer of 2009!
The Adult Open Summer League is a fun competition for players over the age of 18. The league starts the week of June 22nd and ends the week of August 10th. There will be 8 games over that time period on a day of the week that is most convenient for the teams participating.
The Adult Open Summer League is played in a 6v6 format (5 field players and a goalie). The cost is $800 per team.
The location is Como Park in Seaford right off of the Seaford Oyster Bay. Additional locations can be added.
The U.S. Premier Soccer Academy will cover registration, scheduling, and referees. Email ddesroches@uspsocceracademy.com and/or
mavellino@uspsocceracademy.com to register

Technical Base

When developing young players, the term "technical base" is used a lot. For those of you who are new to the sport I'll take the time to explain what this means.
A player's technical base is simply their ability to perform the fundamentals of the sport. A technical base to soccer is the same as the foundation of a house. In order to play in a full sided game, a player must be able to pass the ball, control the ball, dribble the ball, shoot, and tackle. These are the techniques that make up your technical base.
Before you move on to doing Cristiano Ronaldo moves and freestyle juggling tricks, make sure your technical base is sound. Without a foundation your game is sure to collapse!

Driven Soccer Balls

There are a bunch of small details that make up the difference between professional and amateur players. One of these details is driven balls. You can tell the quality of a player in warm-ups just by how he drives a ball to his teammates.
The key to a driven ball is to strike through the center of the ball cleanly with your laces. You want the ball to travel on a straight path about head height all the way to the target. The harder you drive a long pass the better. The quicker the ball reaches your teammate, the more time he/she will have to make a decision.
At the lower levels of soccer players tend to float balls real high in a looping pattern to each other. It's an easier technique to perform, but to make it to the next level you must be able to consistently drive the ball firmly over distance.
Homework assignment, go to a local park that has a wall, tape a box on the wall, and drive balls until you hit the box 10 times in a row.

AC Milan

The Rossoneri are one of the biggest teams in world soccer. AC Milan has been uncharacteristically trophy less for the past few seasons with the emergence of inner city rivals Inter Milan taking over the Serie A. They call the San Siro home and share it with Inter Milan as well.
They play a very attractive style of free flowing soccer. Their midfield is a treat to watch consisting of players like Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Kaka, and the ever famous, Ronaldinho. America's favorite soccer player David Beckham plays for them as well.
Despite the lack of a championship, they have still finished quite respectably in the Serie A the past few years. They are a very good team to watch and learn from. Go on YouTube and watch some Milan highlights, you won't be disappointed!

Paul Scholes

One of my all-time favorite players. The Dandy Red Head is a creative midfield player for the 2009 Barclay's English Premier League Champion, Manchester United. He is a red devil through and through considering he grew up as a young boy playing in the Manchester United youth system.
I had the pleasure to watch Paul Scholes play in person when United took on Juventus at Giants Stadium a couple of years back. His passing and movement is so sharp and crisp. He hits 50 yard driven balls with the accuracy that most players hit 10 yard inside of the foot passes. Truly remarkable.
He is known to score many goals on balls laid back to him at the top of the box or balls cleared off of corner kicks or crosses. His clean striking technique is his trademark. He is very quiet and laid back off the field, but his game makes a lot of noise. Look out for the #18 the next time you watch United, he has bright red hair, you can't miss him!

Club Teams Wanted!

At the U.S. Premier Soccer Academy, we are dedicated to giving the most professional training available to the youth of Long Island at a reasonable price. We want to positively impact as many players as possible to help them achieve their dreams. Whether the dream is to play professionally, or to use soccer to get into a great university, we are here to help you make it there.
Our professional coaches are available to train your local club team. We have coaches strategically placed all the way from Montauk to Queens and everywhere in between. We give a scholarship to every team that registers with us and you become part of the U.S. Premier Soccer Academy family for future events.
We are so confident in the coaching services we provide that we give a free demo session for every team interested. Let us send one of our professional coaches to your team practice at our expense so you can see first-hand what we have to offer.
For more information on having a U.S. Premier Soccer Academy professional coach train your team, email mavellino@uspsocceracademy.com.

Soccer Summer Camps

The U.S. Premier Soccer Academy is running summer camps starting in July. Come down to work with our professional coaches and improve your game in a fun-filled atmosphere.
The developmental camp is scheduled for the week of July 13th to the 17th and the week of August 3rd to the 7th. The cost is $195 for 1 week of full day camp and $125 for 1 week of mini camp.
The sessions run from Monday thru Friday, 9:30am to Noon for mini campers and 9:30am to 3:30pm for full day campers.
The team camp is scheduled for the week of July 20th to the 24th and the week of August 10th to the 14th. The cost is $195 for 1 week of full day camp and $125 for 1 week of mini camp.
The sessions run from Monday thru Friday, 9:30am to Noon for mini campers and 9:30am to 3:30pm for full day campers. Registration done as a team (6 player minimum).
For full itineraries and registration go to www.uspsocceracademy.com. Register early to ensure your spot to work with these professional coaches!

Soccer - An alternative route to the Ivy League

Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton, etc… are some of the most prestigious academic institutions not only in the country, but in the world! There are two ways to achieve an acceptance letter to these universities that are so incredibly difficult to get into.
The first way is to study very hard to maintain a perfect GPA and get a perfect score on your SAT's; and be President of at least 4-5 after school clubs/committees.
The second way is to play a sport you love, become very good at it, also study hard, and get an opportunity to get that degree that so many young people long for.
Plain and simple, being good at soccer can open up doors for opportunities that you normally wouldn't have. One of our coaches, Sean Lynch, is studying at Princeton. He's a smart kid, and he's using his talent to set himself up for the rest of his life. Moral of the story, when you're done hitting the books hard, go out in the yard and work on your technique!