If you play competitive soccer at any level, there’s a good chance you’ll have to partake in a number of tryouts.
Even playing for your high school team typically requires an annual tryout where players vie for their places on the squad.
The more you climb the ranks, the more trials, tryouts, and assessments you’re likely to participate in.
Continue readingThe number of participants (male and female) in high school soccer has steadily increased over the past two decades.
Close to 1 million players represent their schools in the U.S. each year.
However, student-athlete recruitment is highly competitive, with only 7% of high school hopefuls making it to varsity level in college.
Despite the competitive landscape, high school players shouldn’t be deterred.
Continue readingSoccer players are among the fittest sportspeople on the planet.
While they don’t require the energy resources of endurance athletes, they rely on nutrient-dense foods for high-level performance.
They are constantly moving and cover tremendous distances throughout a game.
Continue readingRemember, the role of soccer captain is a leadership role.
While the captain takes direction from the coach, they should also be a positive field presence who communicates well with teammates on and off the field.
A good team captain can be a crucial piece in executing your vision for the team.
A bad one can demoralize a competent team and cause serious problems.
Continue readingIn traditional soccer history, the role of a defender was simple enough – keep the ball away from your goal.
It didn’t matter much whether you were a center back or a fullback, your first and single most important duty was to defend your goal.
Every other thing was secondary.
Then came the players who revolutionized the defensive roles.
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