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!