d_p_pank’s BodyBlog

If you are a newbie to my little blog, I’m coaching two soccer teams this fall. One is my usual boys team that I know and they know how I work. I can basically continue with skill development to prepare them for Jr. High. I’ve got them under control.  My other team is a girls U12 team. This is a new experience. I’ve learned so far that skill development is going to be secondary. Upon a few optional summer workouts, I noticed that my biggest challenge will be getting all the girls up to game play speed, develop confidence in themselves and know that anything is possible if they are willing to work hard and listen.

That said this blog was inspired today when I was reading through a blog that discussed how some women just don’t have self confidence and put themselves in very scary situations.

That being said, I’ve learned that encouragement on my girls team goes a long way. I’ve tried to teach them to push themselves to do things the right way. I’ve stopped them when I notice they have developed improper techniques. I’ve also learned that by doing this I need to take a minute to show them what I need them to learn to do.

The real test comes this weekend as they will play their first 3 games for me! I’ve implemented long stretching before and after practice for the first time for a lot of them. I’ve worked on all their shooting skills, and now a lot of them are getting their first nicknames ever. I’ve modeled  a lot of their nicknames after national team players, that I think they all have similarities in their playing style.

If there is anything else I need to know that you have experience firsthand in dealing with coaching the ladies, please let me know.

Fall soccer season is right around the corner. Keeper camp went really well, I recruited a susper star to run it! Now back to the normal practice schedule with my two teams. I think with my boys the biggest focus will be on technique and tactics as this will be their first time to play 11 v 11. The girls team however will be technique and confidence building. I’ve noticed a reluctance to take charge. If you’ve ever coached and noticed this issue especially with coaching the little women.

 I have also decided that I need to revamp my workouts to reduce the wear and tear on my body. I’ve convinced both of my teams to practice on Tuesday and Thursday so I can still fit in the weights on the off nights, but will have very little time to recover if I run too much with them at practice.

I’ve also set a 5k race walk date with one of my friends who has never done one for the end of September.

I’m enjoying one more week of just conditioning and instructional stuff before the practices begin.

I’ve been quite busy in July. I’ve been fitting in my workouts! I’ve been to several concerts. Oh, and I officially picked up a 2nd soccer team to workout for the fall season! I could not just stop with my U-13 boys team, I said yes to helping out a U-12 girls team. Why? Because I’m crazy? No, I know that if you don’t start sharpening specific soccer specific skills at this age, you will have no chance to develop them in Jr. Hi/High School. Now that my leg is getting back to normal I can actually coach/demonstrate what I want, while supporting what I talk about by playing on the field with them at practice.

I’m off the hook after a week of cat sitting. I like dogs better, but since my friend and her husband actually agreed to do vacation together with their son, I was glad to hold down the fort. I did miss my bed, but realized some of the trails in Pittsburgh, that were once rail road tracks are really a lot of fun to ride on my bike. The view of the urban environment with the special trails is unbeatable, I just feel bad for all those idiots who are still going to PNC Park. I’m a competitor, I like watching young guys try, but I don’t like being the training ground for the rest of MLB. I remember when Sid Bream slid across for the Braves and started the dismantling of one of the greatest teams in Pittsburgh baseball ever! I hope Bonds makes it into the HALL to at least give me something to remember in my old age, since we didn’t win anything back then.

OK sorry for the diversion. Soccer training for my two teams officially begins in two weeks. I’m not a big fan of making kid’s burnout on a sport they like. The other people I coach with didn’t believe me that a two week break was due. I held informal/pick up games once a week to give the kids more or less a chance to meet up during the summer, since their school district is very large. It also gave me a chance to see what the kids do well without any coaching intervention.

Ok this is another challenging week. I gave my team’s 2 weeks off but have organized a goalkeeper camp. I have 35 little keepers signed up with another 5 parent/coaches to take notes for their season. I think I may need to book another hour-long massage again this Friday.

Well I need to get on with the laundry and maybe actually take my bike out around town today.