How he made the decision to turn pro

What he did to get there

The obstacles and challenges that he conquered

Effective allows soccer players to train like a pro whenever and wherever they are.

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– Gives coaches a way for their players to train individually (perfect for off-season)
– 100+ performance-boosting videos.
– Intelligence training with Reading FC & Fulham FC coaches.
– Track & earn XP for every activity completed.

SPECIAL OFFER: Use ‘PODCAST’ and you’ll get 25% off any Effective subscription.

Plans start at just $14 a month. If Effective is the most complete, best soccer training program you’ve ever seen online, email nick@traineffective.com within 30 days of purchase for 100% money back.
Twitter @TrainEffective

Contact Nick @nickhumph

YouTube Effective Soccer Training

Website: TrainEffective.com

The post How to Train Effective with Nick Humphries – part one appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

Diego recounts what life was like training at La Masia and even living there as a teenager. He recounts learning from such coaches as Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Jordi Roura, and many other Spanish Coaches. Diego spent 8 years playing for Barcelona’s La Masia and even had a few caps for the Spanish Nationnal Youth team. Unfortunately Diego suffered a few knee injuries that hampered his playing career. He played professionally in Hong Kong, but had to retire at an early age due to knee injuries.

Diego’s Development:
Environment: He grew up in Spain, his father played professionally, and his friends played in school.
Playing with Family: Diego started playing early with his father “since I was very young, about 3 years old”.
Youth Academies: He played for some of the world’s finest youth academies and coaches.

Today Diego and his partner, Toni, are giving back to Soccer – Futbol with their services at Barcelona Soccer Excellence. BSE offers a line of EUFA Pro Coaches to help with Camps, Clinics, and a development program. They also offer a soccer residency program at La Masia, Soccer Tours, a chance to attend and play at the MIC (Mediterranean International Cup) tournament, and a program to implement the Barcelona philosophy in your own club! You can reach out to Diego in several different ways below.

Get a Free Coaches Clinic when you visit the website!

Links
https://www.barcelonasoccer.club/
Diego’s website and where you can learn all about the services that he and his partner provide through Barcelona Soccer Excellence.

Email: Diego@Barcelonasoccer.club
Diego on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dgh12
BSE on Twitter https://twitter.com/BSE_soccer
Diego on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-g%C3%B3mez-heredia-a9283473

Thank you again Diego for offering your time and insight to the podcast and our community!

The post Real Madrid Youth Academy and La Masia give Diego Gomez the experience to build Barcelona Soccer Excellence appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

IMNOTYOU.COM is a brand reserved for highly competitive athletes, who desire to take their game to new and dominant levels, and refuse to “fit in” and settle for average.

It’s the mindset you MUST have if you want to dominate your sport and reach your goals.
As an athlete, there are 3 areas that you have got to master if you want to succeed and break through and Niyi breaks these down for us during the podcast.

Mindset
You must have unshakeable believe in yourself and your abilities. Your beliefs, your visions, and your language and attitude have got to reflect the goals you have.

Habits
You MUST make sure you are doing all the things necessary, every day, to develop the consistency and skill. If you don’t, you can never expect to dominate, or even play well, on a consistent basis.

Systems & Strategies
You can’t afford to be “random”. If you take random actions, expect random results. All of your moves must be calculated, and part of a bigger picture.

If you want the results you say you do, you are going to have to take on an entirely different attitude, a different mindset. You will have to adopt the belief that will set you apart, and make sure that you stay strong when others are weak.

You’ll have to adopt the same belief I had during 3 hour 2 a day practices in blistering New orleans heat, when I was the lowest man on the totem pole trying to earn my spot. That belief is..

“I’m Not You.”

They give up. You re-up.

They compete. You Dominate.
If you’re up for that challenge, then listen to the podcast, visit www.IMNOTYOU.com/yse and get the Free report to start dominating.

The post How Young Athletes Can Dominate Soccer And Other Areas of Their Life appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

courtesy https://www.facebook.com/liviubird Playing the Seattle Sounders

Sport’s Illustrated’s Liviu Bird stops by to discuss a controversial topic regarding soccer player development that many people don’t know about. Known to many as the “solidarity mechanism”, this FIFA policy allows clubs to be compensated for developing players. The controversy is over whether or not US clubs will be compensated. At this no US clubs are compensated for developing players. Please read this article first Crossfire VS MLS. You will then want to follow up and read the second article here. The stakeholders involved in this controversy are very prominent, the Crossfire Youth Soccer Club, DeAndre Yedlin (by no fault of his own), USSF, MLS, and FIFA.

Definitions:

Training compensation – designed to reimburse clubs for money spent to develop pro players. Crossfire is NOT looking for any compensation through this rule.

Solidarity Mechanism – to incentivize player development – promote grassroots and reward youth clubs for doing a great job.

But before we discuss his article, we get into Liviu’s own soccer player development experience. Liviu will discuss how his parents were always involved with his playing and development. They pushed him but always supported him.

He discusses how he grew up playing on the streets of Romania. How kids improvised and made goals on the street.

Liviu discusses how he just started playing goalie during Recreational soccer. At 16 yrs old he started to specialize in goalie. He feels that it was important that he played on the field before that as 60-70% of a goalie’s involvement is with their feet.

Liviu also discuss the importance of goalies being able to read the game and how it can impact the outcome of matches.

Free Play days, are those still too organized? or do we still have too much control? Why it’s so important to play with friends, siblings, and family.

LINKS

Learn More about Liviu Bird: http://www.si.com/author/liviu-bird

https://twitter.com/liviubird

https://www.facebook.com/liviubird?_rdr=p

First article on Solidarity: http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/06/29/us-soccer-youth-club-compensation-crossfire-deandre-yedlin-mls-fifa

Follow up article, response by FIFA: http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/07/21/fifa-crossfire-us-soccer-mls-youth-training-compensation-solidarity

If you like the show, please consider giving us a review on iTunes

The post Solidarity Mechanism’s Impact on Soccer Player Development with Liviu Bird from Sports Illustrated appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

What an awesome opportunity to host Santino Quaranta a former USA U17, U20, and Men’s National Team member. Santino did not hold anything back. He really went deep into his journey and shared with us the important things that helped him succeed. Santino Quaranta grew up in the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. Those same streets are the foundation that helped build a tenacious soccer player. Santino credits those streets with helping him develop the skills to excel at the next level. He also praises his father and uncle whom he looked up to growing up.

Santino Quaranta shared several stories regarding his player development years. From playing small sided games on the streets of Baltimore until sundown, to playing with some of the nation’s top players at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FLA. His development continued throughout his career as he played alongside and against some top international players.

One of the things that stuck out most to me was the environment that Santino keeps mentioning. How his mother has stated that he started playing soccer when he could walk, it was part of his Italian roots. Santino was emulating his father and uncle whom also played. Those streets of Baltimore created many elite players, and Santino thinks that it was due to all those games they played on the street. He learned how to play against older kids. Winning didn’t matter there, it was all fun. What they didn’t realize was that all the fun was creating elite talent.

I hope you enjoy this great interview, it’s not everyday we get to learn from National team players.

Links

http://pipelinesoccerclub.com/ – Santino is a founding member of the Pipeline Soccer Club

Twitter –    @santinoquaranta                  @PipelineSC

The post From Street Soccer to IMG Academy to MLS and USA Men’s National Soccer, Santino Quaranta discusses his soccer Journey appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

Colorado Rapids Senior Director of Player Development, Brian Crookham Photo Courtesy of Garrett Ellwood.

The Interview with Brian Crookham

What an amazing interview that offered not only player development insight, but also some behind the scenes of MLS and the Colorado Rapids’ preparation as they begin their 2015 season. Brian Crookham was first referred by a listener of the Podcast. I appreciate all of you tuning in and listening and I especially appreciate those of you who write and engage with me to make YSE even better. This is truly turning into what I had hoped for, an educated soccer community that is larger than any one single entity.

Brian Crookham also takes us on his player development journey and discusses how things have changed since his playing days. A young man from Jenks, Oklahoma, Brian Crookham went the soccer route. He recalls being exposed to small sided games in the late 80s and early 90s and how it changed his view on Player Development.

Brian then takes us behind the scenes of the Colorado Rapids Player Development system and discusses how resources are allocated in order to ensure that the curriculum is being implemented correctly, which is no easy task. The Colorado Rapids Player Development Pyramid which is used to enhance the visual of what the Rapids are doing with all of their programs. It’s very inclusive with pathways for each player regardless of their potential. At this time the Colorado Rapids Player Development system serves over 12,000 kids.

Learn the role Brian Crookham plays in coordinating all the programs within the Rapids Soccer Development Program.
Adidas Alliance partners – Group of clubs that have a Commitment to creating an environment where players can reach their potential.

Brian Crookham gave some great advice for parents and coaches: you must be Committed to the process and not necessarily the outcome. Do not be short term outcome based.
Winning is not bad, but you should win through the process. Buy into the process!!

Then he leaves us with this statement, which I LOVED!
“There is not one coach that can walk in and make a player a pro, but every one has the ability to limit a player”. And that includes coaches and parents! We cannot guarantee that they will be a professional player, but we can help them be prepared in case they reach that level.

For the future, Brian’s vision is that we must have clear pathways for players, a process, information for players, parents, and coaches. The more programs that buy into the holistic approach, the better off we will be. We need to limit the costs associated with player development.

Finally, how would Brian Crookham go about developing a 5 yr old?
The child would need an environment where he would enjoy soccer, “me and the ball”, then check where I am. Start with motor skills.
Later focus on soccer skills, then worry about understanding the game, making decisions. Then learn to compete and learn to function in a competitive environment. After that, enjoyment comes from practice.

Thank you so much for your time Brian!

Links
http://www.coloradorapids.com/youth/staff Learn more about Brian Crookham

http://www.coloradorapids.com/youth Learn more about the Colorado Rapids Program

Follow Brian Crookham on Twitter

Receive a 60 FREE TRIAL with MyTeamSpot for our listeners only, when you use promo code YSE60. Improve your communication with players and parents, share videos and photos, update schedules, and focus on player development!!!!

RECEIVE TWO FREE AUDIO BOOKS

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast, if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. Thank you.

The post Colorado Rapids Director of Soccer Development, Brian Crookham appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

Stan Baker, author of “Our Competition is the World” and winner of the 2011 US Youth National Coach of The Year joined us to celebrate our 20th episode. Stan is not only a good friend, but he’s also a great coach to players, mentor students and players, and just an ALL-Around outstanding person. He is well traveled throughout the world, studying and learning through coaching certifications from such soccer hotbeds as Brazil, Argentina, and Spain. Oh yeah, and he holds his USSF A License. Although licenses and certificates are not what make Stan a great coach, it does demonstrate his desire to continue learning, something we can all appreciate. Stan will be the first to tell you that he is still hungry to learn more and that’s just one of many reasons he is so intelligent.

Do you want to improve your soccer game for free? We discussed numerous topics around player development and received his input on how to improve at a very very low cost, even for free. There are no more excuses for not developing our players.

• Stan discusses the importance of finding a wall and how he used one to develop his own game and why he teaches kids to do the same today. Just like Mark Burke discusses in his book “A Different Kind of Soccer”
• What happened at the young age of 13 that improved Stan’s development?
• Problems with coaches who want to be in control, but players are artists, they should be allowed to be free and creative
• Why you need to improve comfort level in small spaces with the ball
• Problems that arise when we see the game in terms of other sports like basketball and baseball. Those sports have timeouts and set up plays, but soccer is an open game, constantly changing. Players need to learn what to do on their own, and the game can teach them.
• Learn more about Funino here and visit their website here
• From Brazil – they warm up the spirit by playing a game before training, may show why Brazil plays so creative and loose (yes I know they lost the semifinal in the WC, but how many teams wouldn’t kill to be in that position).
• Argentina – they take it a little more serious, educate kids early on 11 v 11. This was interesting to learn.

VOTE FOR STAN!

Stan is involved in the in Comcast SportsNet’s inaugural All-Star Coach Program. It is aimed at recognizing the region’s top K-12 public school coaches, and the finalists are in and Stan Baker is one of them. Let’s vote for him!! I can assure you that he definitely deserves it.

From numerous nominations, finalists were selected by a panel of community leaders based on exemplary commitment to the school, student-athletes, parents, and the community; excellence in coaching style and interaction with student-athletes; distinction from other coaches; and, quality of coaching, including respect and inspiration. If you liked the podcast, please thank Stan by voting for him!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE:  http://www.csnnw.com/page/all-star-coach

LINKS

Do You Want To Learn More About Stan? http://www.csnnw.com/article/all-star-coach-finalist-stan-baker-woodburn-hs

Visit Stan’s website http://www.soccer-artistry.com/

Stan’s Book “Our Competition is the World” Stan discussed in the podcast why he decided to write the book after being inspired by Claudio Reyna speech about player development.  

The book mentioned by Stan during the Podcast, “The Boys From Little Mexico” about the kids in his school.

Horst Wein Books

http://thebeautifulgame.ie/

Receive a 60 FREE TRIAL with MyTeamSpot for our listeners only, when you use promo code YSE60. Improve your communication with players and parents, share videos and photos, update schedules, and focus on player development!!!!

RECEIVE TWO FREE AUDIO BOOKS

LINKS Discussed During Podcast
Thank you so much for supporting our podcast, if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. Thank you.

The post YSE 20: How to improve your soccer game for free, with author Stan Baker, Part 1 appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

If you have not listened to Part 1 of the Jon Townsend interview, please click here. 

• Jon Townsend discusses the environment he grew up in and how it impacted his soccer development.
• No player has ever reached a high level just by playing in an academy system, free play must be utilized to maximize soccer development
• Parents view dollars as an opportunity and think they can buy their way to talent, so soccer development is viewed as the more money you spend the higher level kids should be able to play.
• Way too many coaches making money off parent’s ignorance about soccer development. Parents are desperate and willing to pay whatever it takes.
• Intensity, volume, and frequency is what will help you improve
• Creativity is being coached out of the kids and they are not allowed to be artists with the ball during their soccer development. Cant expect kids to be creative if they are made to do anything.
• Free Play is one of  the best tools for player development and it’s free, but parents want to pay for it because they feel that soccer development should cost a lot of money.
• Is the obsession with control that so many coaches and adults have hurting our soccer development?

Finally Jon discussed his plans for his book on his player development journey as a player, which will be appropriately titled “Its just a ball”. Can’t wait to read it Jon.

You Can Follow Jon here: And let him know how much you enjoyed the podcast and article!

Twitter @jon_townsend3

Email: farpostfooty@gmail.com

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Receive a 60 FREE TRIAL with MyTeamSpot for our listeners only, when you use promo code YSE60. Improve your communication with players and parents, share videos and photos, update schedules, and focus on player development!!!!

RECEIVE TWO FREE AUDIO BOOKS

LINKS Discussed During Podcast

Raheem Sterling’s discovery was discussed in the book The Nowhere Men: The Unknown Story of Football’s True Talent Spotters

Great piece on Icelandic Football by Jon Townsend

http://farpostfooty.com/ – Jon Townsend’s very own website where he posts other articles about soccer and player development.

http://www.thesefootballtimes.net/ where you can get many other great soccer related articles with Jon Townsend and other writers.

http://www.theoriginalcoach.com/#!the-game-is-free/cj8q –  “The Game is Free” article written by John Townsend

https://www.yearzerosoccer.org/ – Project Jon Townsend is currently working on.

The post YSE 19: Jon Townsend, The Game is Free, Part 2 appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

Jon has great stories about growing up in a Latino community in Chicago and San Jose, CA., and how that helped shape not only his soccer development, but his way of thinking about it. Jon feels he is a product of the street game and academy system, and players should not just depend on an academy for development.

Jon discusses some of the reasons he wrote the article. One reason is that he spend time in Europe and In Europe kids are playing all over, in the US we have an abundance of land, but don’t let kids play on that land unless they belong to a league or club team. This is hurting the youth soccer development. Instead of kid playing outside at the park, kids play video games.

• John discusses the environment he grew up in and how it impacted his soccer development.
• No player has ever reached a high level just by playing in an academy system, free play must be utilized to maximize soccer development
• Parents view dollars as an opportunity and think they can buy their way to talent, so soccer development is viewed as the more money you spend the higher level kids should be able to play.
• Way too many coaches making money off parent’s ignorance about soccer development. Parents are desperate and willing to pay whatever it takes.
• Intensity, volume, and frequency is what will help you improve
• Creativity is being coached out of the kids and they are not allowed to be artists with the ball during their soccer development. Cant expect kids to be creative if they are made to do anything.
• Free Play is one of  the best tools for player development and it’s free, but parents want to pay for it because they feel that soccer development should cost a lot of money.
• Is the obsession with control that so many coaches and adults have hurting our soccer development?

I love the story about Jon’s Siberian Huskey. He would go to his backyard and grabbed a toy or ball and played one on one vs the dog. This is actually something I used to do, and I am sure many others have. You should try it, it’s a lot of fun and you both benefit. The dog gets tired of chasing you around and has fun, while you improve your soccer development.

Also discussed a great story about a European academy coach looking for NATURAL talent, not cone player. He wanted to see what the kids would do in a “free play” environment.

A HUGE PROBLEM that was discussed and I had not thought about is that many Academies and Big Clubs are going into ethnic communities and taking players out, instead going in there and enhancing their environment by building fields and actually helping them. Don’t remove them from that environment that made them so good before they were removed.

Finally Jon discussed his plans for his book on his player development journey as a player, which will be appropriately titled “Its just a ball”. Can’t wait to read it Jon.

You Can Follow Jon here:

Twitter @jon_townsend3

Email: farpostfooty@gmail.com

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Receive a 60 FREE TRIAL with MyTeamSpot for our listeners only, when you use promo code YSE60. Improve your communication with players and parents, share videos and photos, update schedules, and focus on player development!!!!

RECEIVE A FREE AUDIO BOOK

LINKS Discussed During Podcast

Raheem Sterling’s discovery was discussed in the book The Nowhere Men: The Unknown Story of Football’s True Talent Spotters

Great piece on Icelandic Football by Jon Townsend

http://farpostfooty.com/ – John’s very own website where he posts other articles about soccer and player development.

http://www.thesefootballtimes.net/ where you can get many other great soccer related articles.

http://www.theoriginalcoach.com/#!the-game-is-free/cj8q –  “The Game is Free” article.

https://www.yearzerosoccer.org/ – Project Jon is currently working on.

The post YSE 18: The price of soccer development and how to overcome that barrier, with Jon Townsend Part 1 appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.

This a picture with Me and Coach Tozer!

• Why Futsal is critical to player development
• What kind of an impact it will have on player development across not only the United States, but the entire CONCACAF region. He also discusses the impact it will have the USMNT (futsal and soccer teams).
• During the podcast, we discussed how the idea about a professional futsal league was born and the plan for success.
• What some of the goals are moving forward for the Professional Futsal League
• How to get involved and support PFL
• New Futsal coaching certifications

And I have an awesome announcement….. This Podcast is now sponsored by My Team Spot.  MyTeamSpot is the ultimate team management tool for coaches, parents and players. Customize your dashboard, contact players and parents, schedule practices and games and provide real-time updates, team histories, events and much more.use PROMO CODE YSE60 for a 60 day free trial for our listeners. Thank you My Team Spot. 

Drew Ducker and Falcao

Futsal Coaching Seminar and Futsal Player Camp with Drew Ducker. Click on the links for additional information. Don’t forget the YSE Promo Code for a discount!

LINKS

Professional Futsal League              @profutsalleague

Barcelona Futsal team to visit US and play the inaugural Futsal game for the PFL

Follow Coach Keith Tozer @coachTozer @mwfutsalassoc 

USsoccer.com Futsal

Midwest Futsal Association

The post Keith Tozer, PFL Commissioner and USMNT Futsal Head Coach appeared first on Youth Soccer Evolution.