Posts Tagged ‘soccer’

Sports and Child Development

Posted: November 28, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation
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Sports have more effects on a child’s  development than most realize. Physical exercise is required for a child’s  healthy growth, and several social, physical and emotional benefits exist as  well. Participation in sports helps children form lifelong positive attitudes  about goals, sportsmanship, teamwork and exercise. The effects reach outside the  ball game and into other parts of their lives.

Physical Development

  • In addition to eating nutritional foods and getting adequate sleep, children  need plenty of exercise  to keep their bodies healthy and help develop strong bones and muscles. Physical  exercise also strengthens children’s developing hearts and lungs. Playing sports  improves their motor skills, such as kicking, throwing and running. A child’s  motor skills development and hand-eye coordination can be stunted if she does  not exercise during the critical growth stages. Participating in sports  regularly decreases a child’s risk of becoming obese and developing  obesity-related health problems. It promotes better sleep, which helps children  grow mentally and physically. Finally, physical exercise helps develop a child’s  immune system.

Social and Emotional Development

  • Participating in sports forces children  to play with other kids, which helps them develop good social skills such as  communicating, sharing and empathizing. Children can often find good friends and  develop strong relationships with others on sports teams. Playing family sports  provides a time for family members to bond and an opportunity for adults to  model healthy exercise habits for children. A child who plays sports learns  about teamwork and being a part of something bigger than himself; he learns that  he plays a role in the bigger picture in order for the team to  succeed.

 

Emotional Development

  • Sports help children learn to deal with defeat. Learning this early on  prepares a child for bigger defeats later on in life. On the other hand, a child  also has the opportunity to experience success based on her efforts.  Participation in sports builds up a child’s self-confidence, which is an  important part of emotional development. Exercise in general helps young  children develop a healthy self-image, as they take pride in their physical  accomplishments. Sports also teaches children to set goals for themselves and to  work toward achieving them.

Practical Considerations

  • The sports program a child partakes depends on the child’s age, physical  development and attention span, as a program to complicated and challenging  leads to embarrassment,  frustration and discouragement that has negative impacts on a child’s  development. The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends a sports session  of a maximum of  20 minutes of structured sports activity, followed by 30  minutes of free play.

     

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Motivating your Athletes

Posted: August 12, 2012 in Best stuff, Motivation, Uncategorized
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5 Keys to Motivating Your Athletes

Below are five important considerations as you go about developing a plan for motivating your athletes, your team, and your support staff.

  1. Get input from your athletes (and most importantly your leaders)- check with your athletes to determine if what you are communicating to them is understood, what they need, and what they want. Encourage your leaders to make suggestions as to how things (e.g., practices, travel, game day preparations, etc.) might be improved. Remember, if you are asking for input… at least be willing to incorporate something (a suggestion) at some point. 
  2. Keep your athletes informed as to when, where, how, and why (and WHY is most important)- people are not generally motivated to start (or finish) a task that is not clear in terms of when, where, how, or why. Take away any questions or doubts that your athletes may have by clearly and consistently communicating your expectations and intentions. Be clear as to when, where, and how . . . but most important, be sure your athletes know “why” they are being asked to do something.

     

  3. Create an environment that allows for challenge, recognition, appreciation, and quality – some of your athletes will be motivated by a challenge, some by recognition, some by appreciation, and some by qualityof performance. It is important to know your athletes and what their primary motive might be. Challenge some (1 v 1 against a teammate), recognize others in front of their teammates (at the end of practice or in the locker room), appreciate others in private (in your office or the hallway), and provide others with a chance to show you a quality performance (quality over quantity of work). Remember, different athletes are motivated by different situations and feedback. 
  4. Give your athletes a reason to want to work hard- take the time to develop genuine, honest, caring, and trusting relationships with your players. Athletes will work harder (and longer) for someone they know genuinely believes in them, cares about them, and is committed to helping them achieve their potential. At the heart of player motivation . . . is the quality of the coach-athlete relationship. 
  5. Model what you want to see – be motivated yourself. If you want someone to work hard, you better be working hard. If you want someone to put in extra time, you better be putting in extra time. Athletes do what they see. This is why the motivation of the coaching staff is so important and why it is so important to have quality team leaders who can lead by example, hold accountable, and promote a climate of motivation and inspiration. Set a motivational “standard” by what you do, say, and expect. Say it, expect it, but also make sure you do it!

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” ~ John Quincy Adams

Bay Area athletes at the London Olympics

Posted: July 29, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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Several Bay Area schools are known for their athletic prowess and  this year is no exception with dozens of local athletes donning their home  country’s uniform as they walk through Olympic Stadium tonight before the  games begin.Many athletes from the Bay Area will be representing Team USA, and  others born abroad and living here will represent their home country.    The University of California at Berkeley, known for its Cal Golden  Bears, has sent 45 Bears to the Summer Games.Athletic officials tallied 38 Berkeley athletes, five coaches, one  chief medical officer and one event manager in London for the 19 days of  competition, making the East Bay campus the most represented American public  university at the games.

Nineteen of those athletes will be in the water, such as Olympian  swimmer Natalie Coughlin, and water polo Olympic medalist Heather Petri.    Other sports the Bears will represent include basketball, rowing,  soccer and track and field.

From the Peninsula, 27 Stanford students and alumni are in London  this summer taking on competitors in sports ranging from gymnastics,  synchronized swimming, diving, rowing and more.

Walnut Creek synchronized swimmer Mariya Koroleva, a Stanford  communication major, will compete this year with her partner Mary Killman in  a duet, despite the larger national team’s miss at attending the 2012  Olympics.

Stanford undergrad Kristina Vaculik will be chalking her hands  during the gymnastics events, but will be at the Games with Canada.

Another Cardinal with Bay Area roots in Santa Rosa is Silas  Stafford, competing in men’s pair rowing.

The lesser-known sport of fencing will push a San Francisco teen  into the spotlight at his first Olympic appearance.

Alexander Massialas, 18-year-old son of three-time Olympian Greg  Massialas who coaches at Halberstadt Fencers’ Club in San Francisco’s Mission  District, will compete for Team USA in the foil event.

The young Massialas will be an incoming freshman at Stanford  University in the fall.

The West Coast Conference, which represents athletic teams Santa  Clara University and Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, proudly listed five  connections to the Olympic Games, including several men on the U.S.  basketball team; a women’s rowing coach and a men’s volley team manager from  Saint Mary’s.

Santa Clara University alumna Brandi Chastain from US Women’s  soccer fame will serve as a women’s soccer commentator at the games.

Rowing: Zach Vlahos and the U.S. men’s eight crew powered their way past Australia and Poland into the final Saturday in Windsor, England. The Americans won their heat on the first day of the rowing regatta, joining favorite Germany in Wednesday’s final.

Vlahos, a Piedmont native and Cal grad, is coxswain for the U.S. team that also features oarsmen Jake Cornelius and David Banks, both Stanford grads.

Table tennis: Bay Area teenager Ariel Hsing won her debut singles match. Hsing, a senior-to-be at San Jose’s Valley Christian High, defeated Yadira Silva of Mexico 11-9, 11-8, 11-3 and 11-5.

Palo Alto teenager Lily Zhang lost 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 and 11-5 to Cornelia Molnar of Croatia in the first round of the knockout format.

Women’s soccer: Former FC Gold Pride star Christine Sinclair scored two second-half goals to help Canada beat South Africa 3-0.

Tennis: Twins Bob and Mike Bryan, the enduring doubles team from Stanford, held off the Brazilian duo of Thomaz Bellucci and Andre Sa 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in their first-round match.

Women’s volleyball: Former Stanford star Logan Tom had nine points, including eight spikes, and the United States held off late-charging South Korea 3-1 in their opening match in London. Destinee Hooker had 21 points in the Americans’ 25-19, 25-17, 20-25, 25-21 victory. Tom is appearing in her fourth Olympic games.

The sterner the discipline, the greater the devotion.
– Pete Carill

USA womens soccer team to face France in opening Olympic game

Posted: July 25, 2012 in Best stuff, Uncategorized
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I still remember That incredible game, and year when womans soccer took off in 1999 with Brandi Chastain making that memorable goal to win the World cup.  Now the sport has become one of the most popular sports, and  the women’s team is stacked with talent, and celebrities.  I’m looking forward to seeing how well they do this year and “Hope” Hope Solo can dominate like she does.

This was an article from the Irish News Irishcentral

One of the most celebrated, most successful women’s  soccer teams on the planet begin their Olympic campaign on Wednesday night  against france. They will bid to win their fourth Olympic medal at the 2012  games, which begins with a tough task against the French in Glasgow, Scotland on  July 25th at 12pm ET.

The game, which will be broadcast live on NBC Sports  Network and the NBC Olympic soccer channel, kicks off the campaign for the  women’s side who have been in Glasgow since July 17th adapting to the rainy  weather with a pre-Olympic training camp. Group G are hosts to the USA who will  play Colombia on Saturday, and Korea DPR on Tuesday the 31st of July in Old  Trafford, Manchester.

The USA Roster is without doubt a star studded  line-up with Hope Solo minding nets, defenders Kelley O’Hara and Christie  Rampone governing the defence and Shannon Box, Tobin Heath, Carli Llyod, Heather  O’Reilly and Megan Rapinoe marshalling the midfield. Forwards Abby Wambach and  the attacking minded Amy Rodriguez will be at the heart of everything the USWNT  do offensively.

Alex Morgan leads the scoring with 17 goals in 15  games this season while Hope Solo has played the most minutes. Seven Olympic  newcomers join the squad but do so with a wealth of international experience  while three players (Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly and Heather MItts) are  participating in the third Olympic games. The youngest player is Sydney Leroux  who is just 22 years of age and is the only member of the squad who not involved  in the 2011 World Cup.

OPENING ROUND OF FIXTURES FOR JULY 25TH LONDON  2012 WOMENS SOCCER

Great Britain v New Zealand

Japan v Canada

USA v  France

Cameroon v Brazil

Sweden v South Africa

Colombia v Korea D

Vincent Lombardi
The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.

Power of having a good Coach

Posted: July 8, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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What Makes a Good Coach

It is often said that coaching is both an art form as well as a science. A successful coach not only understands how to communicate with players in a way that achieves results, but they effectively guide, inspire and empower their players to realize and develop their individual potential.
The role of a coach in any sport is both powerful and pivotal. Having a good coach not only means the difference between having a team that is successful, but one in which the team members enjoy, excel and thrive. A good coach often wears several hats. They are frequently a mixture of teacher, counselor, cheerleader, motivator, and mentor. Additionally, they must possess several distinguishable qualities that make them a truly good coach.
What does make a good coach? Here are just a few qualities that help define what a good coach is. A good coach is often hard to find and it’s rare that you will find someone that has all of these characteristics. However, a good coach will likely have several of these qualities:

Commitment and Dedication – dedicated and passionate about what they do and it shows in their words and actions.
Knowledge – have an in-depth understanding and comprehension of their sport that goes beyond the basic fundamentals.
Highly inquisitive – are always seeking out and learning new information and ways to improve themselves and their coaching methods.
Disciplined – expect that their players follow a particular code of conduct and adhere to the rules. They also believe strongly in “practicing what they preach”.
Communicative – able to explain their ideas, expectations and instructions in a way their audience can understand with the need for yelling, screaming or demeaning their players.
Motivate – are positive, enthusiastic and inspiration. Good coaches teach their players to believe in themselves and their ability to achieve their goals.
Attentive – can identify and appreciate the individual differences in their players, working with them to accentuate their strengths and accommodate and improve their weaknesses. Their priority is the welfare of the individual players and they look out for their well-being.
Approachable – receptive and available to their players, open to listening to suggestions, questions and concerns, willing to modify training methods based on feedback received.
Coaching is more than just a job, it’s a calling. Anyone who views it as “just a job” is probably not going to fit into the category of a good or great coach. I believe Eddie Robinson, a former head college football coach for Grambling State University summed coaching up best. He was once quoted as saying, “Coaching is a profession of love. You can’t coach people unless you love them.”
Coaches do what they do because they truly love their job. Most strive to be the best that they can be. Not all succeed in become a guiding, inspirational force in their particular sport, but there are many fine examples out there. If you find a team that has a good coach, you are one step closer to achieving your personal and team goals. .

More Great Motivational Sport Quotes

Posted: July 2, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Inspirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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There is a time you really need to take a moment to get motivated.  Some you may have heard before, but each one can mean something to you in your own way. 

Motivational sport quotes

“Sports don’t build character; they reveal it”.

“My favorite part of the game is the opportunity to play.” -Mike Singletary

“Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly.” -Shaquille Neal

“It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts; it’s what you put into the practice.” -Eric Lindros

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” -Coach Darrel Royal

“A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” -Ara Parashegian

“Do not throw in the towel; use it for wiping the sweat off your face.” -Unknown

“Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.” -William A. Ward

“The purpose of any athletic endeavor is to challenge human limits both on and off the playing field.” -Unknown

“There are no gains without pains.” -Benjamin Franklin

“Winners make goals, losers make excuses.” -Unknown

“I’ll always be Number 1 to myself.” -Unknown

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” -John Wooden

“Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary.”  -Ray Knight

“The important thing in life is not the victory but the contest; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought well.” -Unknown

“Nice guys. Finish last.” -Unknown

“Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates.”  -Magic Johnson

“If you are not big enough to lose, you are not big enough to win.” -Walter Reuther

“Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.” – Henry Van Dyke

Work Like a Champion, Act Like a Champion, Be a Champion

Posted: June 30, 2012 in Best stuff, Football, Inpirational quotes, Motivation
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CHAMPION

Football is a champion’s sport,

 The smell of fall is in the air,

 You walk onto the field and see them looking down at you,

 The feeling is indescribable,

 The smallest player on the field,

 Yet, you may have the biggest heart,

 You pour out your strength and determination,

 Trying to put points on the board,

 Then you switch to defense,

 And you become fearless,

 One of the hardest hitters,

Never one of the quitters,

 Giving it all for your team,

Hate losing and giving up yards,

Then you shout a few words of encouragement,

 And you help put your team back on top,

 Win or lose,

you walk off the field with your head held high,

 Because you will always be a champion, if you play like one.

“A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.”

PROS AND CONS OF CHILDREN IN SPORTS

Posted: June 28, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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I Read This Article from LIVESTRONG.COM and had to post it.  I belive highly in these statements and think many new parents, and coaches would learn a lot from it.

Health care providers place a growing emphasis on  physical fitness for kids. One way for children to stay healthy is to play  sports. Sports also help children develop social skills and practice teamwork.  However, tough competition and pressure to fit too much into an already packed  schedule are reasons for kids to shy away from sports. It is important to review  the pros and cons of sports for kids before deciding if signing your child up is  the right choice.

Sportsmanship

If your child plays a team sport, he will quickly learn  the art of sportsmanship, sharing credit and sharing responsibility. The website  Education claims that when a child is part of a team, he will learn to think  about doing what is best for the group as opposed to focusing only on himself.  Team sports help children drop any self-centered attitudes they may have.  Children on teams also discover the positive feelings associated with cheering  others on and feeling proud of teammates’ accomplishments, as well as their  own.

Stress Relief

Many kids find stress relief on the field. Kids Health  claims that when people exercise or play sports, the brain releases chemicals  that improve their moods. If your child is feeling pressure in the classroom,  sports may be the answer. Sports are also fun. Playing on a team with friends is  a fun way to take a break from the pressures kids feel in school. Sports makes  kids feel happy.

Too Much Pressure

Some kids don’t find relief from stress on the field;  they actually feel more stress there. The American Academy of Child and  Adolescent Psychiatry claims that the highly competitive world of collegiate and  professional sports has carried over into the children’s sports arena. Some  coaches, parents and even kids put too much emphasis on winning. This can be too  stressful for some children. It is wise to consider your child’s personality and  her ability to handle stress before allowing her to participate on a  team.

Physical Strains

Some children can’t recognize when they need a break or  are too shy to ask for one. The Mayo Clinic warns parents that children don’t  handle hot weather as well as adults do. They don’t sweat as much as adults d,o  and they produce more heat. They also often drink less than they should. This  combination could spell dehydration. If you don’t think your child will  recognize the signs of dehydration or stop for a water break, you may want to  make sure he avoids sports that require activity in hot weather.

Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play. -Mike Singletary

3 Ways to Find the Right Sport for Your Child

Posted: June 25, 2012 in Best stuff, Motivation, Uncategorized
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1. She’s a Natural

Is your 18 month old making baskets in her mini  basketball net? Does your little girl dance to the beat of your favorite CD, kid  songs or commercials? Does your child expertly kick and dribble a soccer ball  around the back yard for fun? If so, you are easily able to identify natural  abilities and inclinations they may have for certain sports. Taking that  knowledge, you can cultivate their interest and skills through formal lessons,  teams and play. Sometimes, it is not easy to spot these athletic abilities and  match them up to the right sport. For instance, you may see your favorite little  guy loves climbing trees, but what sport would that translate to?  Possibly rock  climbing, maybe wrestling. Think outside the box as to what athletic skills and  inclinations they are demonstrating, and then see what other sports use them.  Climbing a tree requires much upper body strength and grappling ability, both  great skills to have in wrestling.

2. Schedule

Time and energy are big issues when determining what  sports are right for your child. Ask these questions: how many practices/games  and of what duration? What is the location of the activity? Being able to  comfortably fit it into both of your schedule is vital to success. If swim team  is five days a week at 6 a.m. and dance class is twice per week at 5 p.m., you  may have to opt for dance. Practicality is important. So keep these in mind when  you select and/or offer sports training to your child.

3. Communication is Key

Ask them what they want and have lots of suggestions with  details ready so you can both come to the best agreement on finding the right  sport. Just because you love watching figure skating on TV does not mean you are  raising the next gold medalist. Be realistic when trying to find the right sport  for your child. Ask them what they like to do. They may not be able to verbalize  “I want to play indoor soccer,” but may instead say, “I like playing with the  balls inside gym.” Talk it out with them; even the young ones have a lot to say.  If it is a collaborative effort between a parent and child, you can be sure you  have found the right sport for your child. Keep in mind, kids change their minds  often, so be willing to be fairly flexible

 

“The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.” Edward Bulwer-Lytton

How to Spot A Bad Sports Coach

Posted: June 15, 2012 in Best stuff, Inspirational quotes, Motivation
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While there are lots of good youth sports coaches, sadly, there are still way  too many coaches in this country who are failing to teach and model ethical  behavior or, worse, physically, emotionally, and  psychologically abusing children in their care, playing favorites and  placing winning ahead of having fun and skill development.

Some coaches are well-meaning but may not have the skills, temperament or  personality to be good coaches. They are easy to spot.

Less easy to identify are the coaches who appear to know what they are doing  but are still bad coaches. In particular, there are three kinds of coaches to  watch out for:

The drill sergeant

Watch out for coaches who:

  • treat young athletes like warriors going into battle
  • think that making a child cry is the most effective form of motivation
  • believe sports is place for “boys to become men”
  • push players to be tough and play through pain and injury (“suck it up”) and  never show emotion, or
  • bahing girls or their sports

The entrepreneur

Some coaches, especially at the elite level, are coaching for personal or  financial gain and will do just about anything to win and get ahead.

In particular, be in the lookout for coaches who use charm and flattery to  make unrealistic claims about your child’s talent. They are usually the coaches  who lead your child (and you) to harbor unrealistic dreams that there is a  scholarship or Olympic gold medal with his or her name on it if only he:

  • practiced more
  • took a particular “nutritional supplement”
  • attended a particular summer camp (funny, how often it is a camp where the  coach is a paid instructor)
  • transferred to the school where he is the coach, or
  • spent an extra year in middle school so he would be older and bigger when he  got to high school (“redshirting”).

The Loose Cannon

Be on the lookout for coaches who:

  • constantly yell or scream at players
  • argue with officials
  • exhibit rapid mood swings
  • are impulsive
  • have an inflated sense of their own importance
  • have an unhealthy need for admiration
  • exhibit an unhealthy lack of empathy
  • turn on anyone who disappoints them
  • try to make you inadequate and question your credibility if you dare to  question their judgment
  • are overly defensive and controlling about even minor matters
  • jump from job to job, never staying in one more than a season or two (this  is a sure sign of trouble ahead).

Avoiding bad coaches

The best way to protect your child from a bad coach is, of course, not to let  him play for such a coach in the first place.

Do whatever you think is reasonably necessary to find out about the coach before the season starts when, hopefully, there is still time to find him  a place on another team:

  • Talk to parents of athletes who have played for the coach
  • Ask them if you can talk to their children to get their perspective
  • Find out if any complaints have been filed against the coach with the local  police, club, league, or national governing body.
  • If the club conducts evaluations of coaches (as it should), ask to see them,  or, if they won’t provide the actual evaluations, ask for a summary and for  information on how he ranks against other coaches.
  • Trust your instincts: it is better to be safe than sorry.

“A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” Ara Parasheghian