E M A G G N I V L O THE EV July 2020
Issue 51 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Coaching Newsletter
What Defines you ? Coach in Lockdown… I was recently on Facebook, an instrument for information that brings me little solace or happiness. A question was posed from a friend “What word would best describe you?” I examined the answers and was drawn to one response of another Facebook friend who wrote “soccer.” Being involved with the sport for so many years I was disappointed to see his response. I probably would have written the same insane reply ten years ago but even before the Covid 19 environment that surrounds us, my feelings had changed dramatically. I have watched youth soccer have a strangling effect on values, child rearing and rational thinking within families. Important parental priorities have been pushed aside to make sure their children are playing for the right club, the right coach, the right team, and the right soccer future. Strangely enough, many of these parents have been caught up in the unwavering nudge to keep up with neighbors and the success of the neighbor’s child. This pandemic has forced me to realize that soccer or any sport should not be the word to describe an individual. We all should strive to be caring, benevolent, kind and possibly be part of a solution to a world that is slowly being suffocated by hate, greed, lies and prejudice. In this quarantine, I have rediscovered my love for rhythm and blues, writing and nature. My 89-year-old father passed away during the pandemic, but I remember a statement he made to me two years ago, “Is there anything better than watching a child or baby laugh?” There is not, because that one small moment takes you away from fear, anger, and disappointment that life sometimes bring us, especially now.
KwikGoal Clipboard with Mike Barr
I appreciate birds singing in the morning, seeing videos of our youngest granddaughter, the rich colors of trees and flowers, and being closer to my entire family. Mike Barr
This may be a time for parents to Technical Director re-examine values and goals in Eastern Pennsylvania raising your children because life Youth Soccer is so unpredictable. With time on our hands my wife and I began to decide what things to remove from the basement. All the plaques, trophies, and accolades had lost their luster to me and found the trash. Instead, I thought of all the lost moments I could have experienced with my family that did not involve soccer. I remembered entire months, weeks, and weekends where soccer was my only focus and I missed milestones in my children’s lives. I was driven to be successful, blinded by a sport at the expense of my family and others. Do not let youth soccer or any sport define your lives and the lives of your children. Allow your children to find their own passions and interests, not yours. US Soccer has a slogan attached to a slide in a power point of every coaching license taught, “Let’s make soccer the preeminent sport in this country.” Doesn’t it make more sense to say, “Let’s make youth soccer available to all children but allow them to experience different sports or activities and choose their direction as they mature.” Soccer die-hards, find more words that will define your life!
Inside: Crystal Dunn Thanks
US Soccer Education License Pathway - In Person Courses available National D Licenses to be available in the fall. PRO pathway opening 2021
Open to Registration Game Watcher NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE
July 17th, 10:00am Houston v Utah July 18th, 12:30pm Washington v Sky Blue
LALIGA
June 19th, 3:00pm Leganes v R. Madrid July 19th, 3:00pm Deportivo Alavas v Barcalona
EPL
July 19th, 11:00am Tottenham v Leicester
BUNDESLIGA
Bayern München
July 26th, 1:00pm Newcastle v Liverpool SERIE A
July 18th, 3:45pm Milan v Bologna July 20th, 3:45pm Juventus v Lazio [!2]
MLS
July 20th, 8:00pm Union v Orlando July 16th, 8:00pm Montreal v Toronto
In Appreciation of Crystal Dunn Viewers tuned into the NWSL Challenge Cup will find a familiar player in an unfamiliar position. Crystal Dunn, who starred at left back for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2019, lines up as an ‘attacker’ for two-time defending league champions North Carolina Courage.
to 2014 Germany, which defeated France, Brazil (in embarrassing fashion), and Argentina in successive stages to lift the trophy.
As of this writing, the Courage lead the Challenge Cup with a record of 3-0, and it’s no surprise. Any team that inserts Dunn onto the field benefits from her versatility as much as her talent.
But the American women faced something a bit different: the deepest field in women’s soccer history, not to mention the off-field pressures of an ongoing lawsuit with their own federation and a detractor in the White House. Factor in their place as returning champions and one could justify anything past the quarterfinals as a successful tournament.
That’s what the world found out last summer, although a year on, she still remains an unsung hero. After all, she made the Women’s World Cup Best XI but somehow missed out on the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World11. Let’s take the opportunity to help change that narrative.
Instead, the USWNT dispatched Spain, hosts France, England, and European champions the Netherlands. They did it all without really being threatened while setting a new goalscoring record. It was pure dominance when the stakes had never been higher.
to expose a deficit in the American backline. All their efforts did was instill confidence. Dunn played so well in the first half of the final against the Dutch that the result was a foregone conclusion. Her performance was overshadowed by Megan Rapinoe’s, who became something of a national hero, and Rose Lavelle’s.
There’s an argument to be made that no World Cup champion, men’s or women’s, went through a tougher gauntlet than the 2019 USWNT. Sure, you could point
And Dunn made it all possible by moving out of her preferred position. Jill Ellis knew the one weakness (if you could call it that) in her team was on the left side of defense. Every other position was covered and then some, especially in t h e m i d fi e l d . S o s h e challenged Dunn to make left back her own. It took time, but the experiment paid off.
But Dunn deserves more. That becomes clear as she continues to dominate NWSL games. Dunn also emphasizes the importance of versatility. Casual observers might call it selfless, and there’s a touch of that. It’s more that she’s confident in her abilities—that it doesn’t matter where she fits in the lineup, she’s going to contribute.
That’s a rare attribute in a player at any level. So often soccer players get locked into an “I’m this” or “I’m that” attitude. Dunn, however, represents the pickup contingent that plays wherever, whenever, both in place and position.
Dunn didn’t just hold her own; she thrived when the Americans needed her most. France and England, in particular, made efforts to attack down their right size. In [!3] they hoped singling out Dunn,
In Appreciation of Crystal Dunn
We s h o u l d p o i n t t o h e r example more often. Positions are just where you line up. The game is something d i f f e r e n t . Yo u m a y fi n d yourself in the attacking third as a defender. You may find yourself in the defending third as an attacker. The quicker
you break down those barriers, the better you’ll play. Fewer situations will intimidate you.
result, she has become a world champion at one position and a league champion at another.
Dunn showed that last summer. She was willing to defend further upfield and attack from the back. And as a
That’s inspiring and worthy of our appreciation.
By Dillon Friday [!4]
Digital and video formats released to aid and assist new and experienced coaches
Kwikgoal Clipboard (featuring Mike Barr)
Once a week an exercise is presented by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer's Technical Director Mike Barr. The exercise targets coaches who are starting down their coaching pathway or experienced coaches looking for fresh or new ideas.
Coach Barr gives you the information to set up the training environment and also his insight on how he uses the exercise and how it can be tweaked to tailor to your needs. Definitely worth a watch and should increase your coaching toolbox! \
FSE Series (Fun Soccer Exercise)
Once a week an exercise is broken down by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer's Grass Roots Manager JT Dorsey. Coach Dorsey works with Mike Barr and the Education Department to develop each exercise. The exercise is for inexperienced or even knowledgeable coaches looking for new ideas when working with Recreation and/or Intramural Programs. Definitely worth a watch to find a new go to exercise! [!5]
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