The evolving game | may 2017

E M A G G N I V L O THE EV May, 2017

Issue 40 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Coaching Newsletter

Grassroots Update - Training Sessions US Soccer will be unveiling their newest grassroots coaching pathway for volunteer coaches working with players playing 4V4, 7V7, 9V9 and 11V11 in 2018. Within the new progression, you will notice a whole, part, whole guidelines or a play, practice, play as it refers to soccer coaching. This new progression is meant to get players actually playing with less emphasis on drills or exercises. Within each session there will be more guided discovery questions, more constructive feedback during play and less freezes. For the coach new to soccer it should provide for a more effective method of teaching and for young players a chance to focus on playing.

Mike Barr Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Technical Director

WHOLE

GAME

PART

PRACTICE

PART

PRACTICE

WHOLE

GAME

Inside: An Interview with Brent Jacquette

DIGITAL COACHING CENTER (DCC)

UPCOMING COACHING COURSES National E License - Glenside

June 2 - 4, 2017

Glenside, PA

National E License -Reading

June 2 - 4, 2017

Leesport, PA

National E License - Birdsboro

June 9 - 11, 2017

Birdsboro, PA

National E License - Lancaster

June 9 - 11, 2017

Lancaster, PA

National E License - Red Lion

June 16 - 18, 2017

Red Lion, PA

National D License - Hanover

June 16 - 18, 2017

Hanover, PA

National E License - Parkland

July 14- 16, 2017

Parkland, PA

National E License - Upper Dublin

July 21- 23, 2017

Ft Washington, PA

National C License - Manheim

July 23- Oct 17, 2017

Manheim, PA

National E License - Fox Chase

July 28- Jul 30, 2017

Philadelphia, PA

@EPaCoachingEd

For more information, details and registration, please visit EPYSA.org

Game Watcher ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

LA LIGA

SERIE A

BUNDESLIGA

May 7, 11:00AM Arsenal v Man Utd

May 6, 12:30PM Barcalona v Villareal

May 7, 2:45PM Milan v Roma

May 7, 9:30AM Wolfsburg v Mรถnchengladbach

May 14, 11:30AM Tottenham v Man Utd

May 14, TBA Real v Atlanta

May 21, 9:30AM Lazio v Inter Milan

["2]

May 20, 9:30PM Dortmund v Werder

MEET THE COACH Brent Jacquette- Widener University, Chester Upland How did you get started with Chester Upland Soccer for Success?

So I’ve been the men’s soccer coach for eight years. About five and a half years ago, (we) caught wind of the Soccer for Success grant. So our university convened with a group of people in the area: Crozer, the Union, about 15 different organizations at the time. I was just part of the committee. We got the grant and didn’t really have the infrastructure to run it. So we had a couple meetings and a few people said we’ll hire somebody fulltime to do it and obviously didn’t have the money to do so.

So after a couple meetings, it fell in my lap, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

Was it new to you? Had you done any other similar programs in the past?

On a much smaller scale. The timing was kind of ironic because this all occurred…less than 12 months prior we had done a really small scale of this at one of our current sites. It had nothing to do with health and wellness. It was strictly a physical activity, gym-class type of thing with soccer. I had also done the same a number of years prior when I

first started here at Widener at another school that didn’t have gym class, no phys ed. So we had done a couple small scale soccer programs. And then with the Will Trippley Foundation here, who’s done camps and things over the years, we’ve always played a part in that. So there were there some small scale, more one off opportunities, nothing to this scale, nothing really with the health and wellness.

Are there other Widener teams that get involved with similar programs, or was this an initiative of the soccer program?

This is definitely the largest scale program in our department.

University-wide, we do a lot of civic engagement. It’s something we hang our hats on. Within the athletic department we do a lot of different things. There are a number of other, different nonprofit type of organizations that we support in various ways. But (Soccer for Success) is probably the largest scale undertaking as it pertains to civic engagement, that’s strategically aligned for 12 months with measurable outcomes, things like that, that our university has. It just so happens that I was on the committee.

What was it like in the beginning? Was the community fully embracive?

Was soccer even something on their mind?

It was interesting, because many of the people that were on our committee and were supposed to be alongside of us said it was not going to work. Even though

there’s an MLS team here, the community doesn’t care about s o c c e r. S o w e w e r e f a i r l y strategic in how we wanted to operate that we decided we would be solely school based. So as soon as the school bell rang, the students were all running to our program instead of going to parks or things like that where parents would have to worry about getting them there. So we were strategic in that with the program being kindergarten through eighth grade, we started with some older age students in the first year and didn’t have a lot of success. They were registering for the wrong reasons. It was a better alternative than academic work. Their parents wanted them to do it. They weren’t bought into it. So we pretty quickly pivoted to focus on kindergarten to third grade, grew gradually to K to five, and now we’re pretty much top to bottom K to eight. We’re going to launch a middle school league next spring that will include all the middle school programs, all five throughout the community. Within five years, we’re working with the school district to try and have a high school team. So we’ve been able to grow fairly organically, where the kids that are in Kindergarten to third grade don’t know any different that this is a basketball town and that’s what everything drives.

MEET THE COACH

Brent Jacquette- Widener University, Chester Upland How did you change that attitude?

I think just showing that the game can be fun. Again, Kindergarten, third grade, fifth grade, it’s an enjoyable game. I think the big thing for us is the continuity that a lot of programs throughout this community have come and gone. We’ve had a bit of staying power to make sure that we’re coming back. And the mentorship component has been beneficial. The schools have bought into it. Many of the parents have started to really buy into it, because they see the coach mentors we have are there on a regular basis. That three days a week, that person is there for their child. Everybody— parents, schools, the university, businesses in this community— everyone says we want to do better by the youth in Chester Upland. Everyone believes it; there just aren’t a lot of people doing it. So our simple program has the ability to actually be a constant in these kids’ lives.

What are some of your bigger events throughout the year that have been real successes?

Our play day is our annual event that is the largest scale, probably our most enjoyable event, because it’s the one day we focus on competition whereas other days are not. Some of the other signature events that we’ve been able to do are the sweet potato dinner at Stetser (Elementary School) where over the years we’ve built over 20 raised-bed gardens along with our participants, coaches, people

from the school. Then every year in the fall, students harvest sweet potatoes from those gardens. I believe the count was about 150 they were able to harvest this past year. Aramark, who does our food services on campus, takes in those sweet potatoes and makes a meal based around sweet potatoes so shepherd’s pie, sweet potato cookies, salad, things that are all healthy. We have a night where we invite all of the parents in to witness their children playing in the program, the enjoyment they’re having, the physical activity component. Then after that, we have a sit down meal so we can make it somewhat of a farm to table idea.

We recently partnered with the public school district on a couple neat events that are built around parent engagement. That’s really the next piece. We’re doing a good job with the soccer piece. I think the mentorship, we’re doing a pretty good job in terms of continuity in the children’s lives.

The next piece is really getting the message into the homes, because as much as we’re trying to educate the children about healthy eating, things of that nature, we need the parents to

buy into that to make sure the food is accessible for the youth.

How involved are your college players?

We don’t really do anything officially in the fall, because we’re in season. I have some of them help behind the scenes.

Right now, we have probably have seven or eight as coach mentors. It’s a good opportunity.

I’d just as soon have all of them, but with our team being a lot of engineers, the lab time doesn’t allow for that.

We have a good amount of our players, Swarthmore College has been a good partner as well, Brendan Grady, our program director, coaches there as well.

So he’s been able to get some of their players involved on a daily basis. They also support us on the play day.

MEET THE COACH Brent Jacquette- Widener University, Chester Upland How have they’ve embraced it, the kids who do come out to support the program?

It’s been great. One of the things I’m most proud of is that we’ve only, in our five years and probably over 300 coach mentors we’ve had, we’ve only had one person quit. They felt it wasn’t a good opportunity for them.

Everyone else including college students, it’s been a great experience. The fact that it’s grown through word of mouth has been important for us, because it allows us to attract better quality, more committed coach mentors that we know are there for the right reasons. We’ve been really fortunate.

What do you think is the most important characteristic to have to work with these kids?

I think you need to be flexible, because there are days where it’s going to be challenging. I say all the time to anybody who’s getting involved that it’s not necessarily a soccer program, so don’t go in thinking about that. You’re going to walk away saying I can’t do this again, I’m not going to go back, because it was just a challenge.

But at the end of the day, they’re kids and they don’t know any better. They need that presence.

Flexibility is an important trait and dedication is the other. When someone gets involved, they need to understand the importance of what they’re doing for that child. If they aren’t attending every day, especially after a while when some of those barriers are broken down and that child is expecting that constant to be there and all of sudden that coach isn’t there, that

really can be harmful. Make sure you know what you’re getting into.

Be dedicated, be flexible. And at the end of the day, have energy.

Sometimes you have to fake it and get on with it. If you go in with energy, you’re going to pick the level up. I think that’s a trend anywhere in soccer, but especially residents in this community.

What things would you like to do down the line if you did have the resources?

I think the parent engagement piece is really uncharted territory.

Many of the suburban organizations don’t need that, because the parents are there and when you need something, you can get them on the phone, you can send an email. That presence does not exist in this c o m m u n i t y. S o h a v i n g t h e resources internally to be able to better connect with the families, even if that’s visiting them at homes, and finding out what challenges are they facing. What’s most important to them? What can we offer beyond a safe place for their kids to play as well as the health and wellness components?

Is food access the biggest thing for them? Is it the need for child care? Is it not knowing where to go when they need medical treatment that isn’t accessible?

We’ve been fortunate to grow.

We’ve had over 1500 participants in four and half years. We’ll have 550 in this academic year alone.

We’re in every single school.

We’re in the Boys and Girls Club.

We just partnered with the Chester Housing Authority. So I think we have a pretty wide network to disseminate

information. What we do with that information isn’t always the best, because we don’t have that infrastructure. I don’t know if we need to grow by participation. I think for a community of this size, we’re probably touching all of those who would be most interested in the program, because it is a basketball town, it is a football town. I think the number that we have is a good, manageable number. But I think we can do a better job with each of them and that starts in the home.

Have you had players who have stuck with the sport or who have gone on to play for local clubs?

We have. We have two young men in particular right now at Stetser Elementary who are playing with Nether United, who are doing extremely well, both great young men, both fantastic in the classroom. It’ll be exciting to see. We’re still in our infancy especially starting K-3, that at most, we’ll have students in the middle school age group. I’ll be excited to see how the middle school league goes next year, because we will have a few students who would have started as third graders that are now in middle school that are now becoming full blown soccer players. Who knows what will happen in the future with the high school team? But there have been a lot of positives that have come from it, both in soccer accomplishments and things we just hear about turning around academic performance as well.

The Gift of “Play” Is The Easiest One You Can Give A series of empty lots sit underneath I-95 just off Front St. in South Philadelphia. The expanse of asphalt, with lights for security, provides a perfect place for Mummers to practice in anticipation of New Year’s Day. Other residents allow their dogs to run loose, chasing tennis balls on blacktop rather than grass, a rare commodity in the neighborhood. That limited resource also poses a challenge to soccer players who are forced to make do with the space available to them. Sometimes when you drive onto one of the country’s busiest highways you can see a collection of youngsters playing a pickup game with parking curbs as goals and columns as sidelines.

The scene reminds us how simple soccer can be—it requires a ball, players and little else. That’s why it’s so important to share the game when we have the opportunity. On April 6, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer hosted a fundraiser to benefit three terrific programs, Chester Upland Soccer For Success, the JT Dorsey Foundation and Eastern Pennsylvania TOPSoccer, which gives special needs children a chance to play soccer. While raised money into the thousands, the spirit of the evening was nearly just as important: Some kids don’t have access to soccer—how can that be?

Think of South Philly, South America or even Afghanistan, where a young boy created a Lionel Messi jersey out of a plastic bag. He later met his idol in Barcelona and received a proper kit. It’s a heartwarming

tale and one worth retelling, especially in the light of modern youth soccer.

For many of us who have found ourselves on the other side of soccer—as coaches or administrators rather than players—a cynicism pervades the sport. High costs, a strict pay-to-play model, aggrandizing clubs, charges of recruiting, rogue coaches and a resultsover-development mentality that is difficult to break down robs soccer of some of its enjoyment; the game hasn’t changed, but some of the circumstances surrounding it have.

It’s selfish to let that sentiment overtake us, though. And one only needs to visit with Brent Jacquette—Executive Director of Chester Upland Soccer for Success—or JT Dorsey to understand how big of an impact we all can still have. Many of the children these men and their colleagues work with don’t have simple amenities including a healthy school lunch or afterschool activities. Soccer for Success and the JT Dorsey Foundation work to provide these services while using soccer to teach the benefits of healthy living. The players show up and smile wide and their enthusiasm often transfers to the coaches, teachers and even the families as a whole. Some kids move on to more serious soccer. Others stay in the sport recreationally. But there’s no telling the positive impact the organizations have had.

The money collected at the fundraiser will go a long way in supporting JT, Brent and their programs as well as our own

Dillon Friday Sports Journalist Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Marketing Coordinator

TOPSoccer groups. They can provide better services to more families, which is always the goal.

But it’s not just the disenfranchised who need our support. It’s okay to be negative about the game from time to time. It’s okay to question the intentions of coaches and clubs.

We also must remember that soccer is important to those we teach for reasons we may or may not know.

Give the gift of play; it’s a simple one, an unselfish one and an easy one that means more than you can imagine.

Created by Gary Stephenson

Last Update: Apr 28, 2017

TRAINING SESSION: RECEIVING AIR BALLS AND TRANSITION Objectives To improve and gain confidence in knowing how/when to receive air balls - looking to transition.

Receiving air balls and transition 3v3 Cones, vests, balls Intensity: 00:00 min ( x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest)

Coaching Points During 3 minute break provide feedback through open- ended, guided discovery type questioning.

Description (Small sided gameWHOLE) 3v3 20X25 grids with goal at each end. 20 minute games. At break explain the value of getting the ball forward off the dribble and when to penetrate at speed. Emphasize the value of being able to beat a defender in a 1V1 situation.

Skill Circle 6v3

Coaching Points Proper technique utilizing thigh, instep or chest. Player should attempt to play two touch inside the circle

Balls, vests, cones

Description (9 Players) Six players with a ball in a circle, three players without a ball inside Intensity: the circle. The three players check to within eight yards of each player with the 00:00 min ball to receive aerial serves (from (25 x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest) player’s hands or short chips 2 minute intervals, (12 minutes)

4 v ( 2 & 2) 4v4 goals, cones, vests, balls

Coaching Points When to dribble or pass, creating 1V1 situations, triangles in attack, spreading out, movement off the ballVariation – All serves from the coach are played in the air or a bouncing ball. Examine proper technique on aerial serves.

Intensity:

Description Coach on touchline at center of field with a 00:00 min supply of balls. Two teams of four with one (20 x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest) team placing two defenders in front of each goal. The team of four players attacks one goal creating a 4v2 situation. When a shot is taken or the ball goes off a touchline, end line or into the goal the same four

7v7 Receiving air balls and transition (Whole) 7v7 vests, goals, balls, goals Intensity:

Coaching Points Why is it more difficult to receive a ball in the air?What could you do to become more efficient with receiving air balls?Why is transition so important and what players are involved in transition?Did your receiving air balls result in a goal?What is the benefit of using your chest or your instep?

Description 00:00 min GameWhole4V4 or 7V7 play with keepers.

(20 x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest) Utilize tool box with individual feed-back related to the topic. If 7V7 is an option play a 1-2-3-1. 20 minutes, two nine minute halves, with 2 minute break after nine PAGE 1/1 minutes.

Created by Gary Stephenson

Last Update: Apr 07, 2017

TRAINING SESSION: PENETRATING OFF THE DRIBBLE TO CREATE SCORING CHANCES Objectives Confidence in dribbling forward to create opportunities to score goals

Penetrating off the dribble to create scoring chances Coaching Points During 3 minute break provide feedback through open- ended, guided discovery type questioning.

3v3 Cones, vests, balls Intensity: 00:00 min ( x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest)

Description (Small sided gameWHOLE) 3v3 20X25 grids with goal at each end. 20 minute games. At break explain the value of getting the ball forward off the dribble and when to penetrate at speed. Emphasize the value of being able to beat a defender in a 1V1 situation.

Penetrating off the dribble to create scoring chances Coaching Points Confidence in dribbling forward to create opportunities to score goals

1v1 Goals, balls, vests Intensity: 00:00 min ( x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest)

Description ( Activity 1PART) 1V1 with server, 3 players, 10X15 grid but add a 5X10 end zone for players to dribble into the end zone under control and stop the ball for a goal.

Play begins with the server playing ball into attacker who is attempting to dribble into the opposite end zone by beating the defender. If defender wins the ball he attempts to dribble into the opposite end zone to score. Players rotate when the ball goes off touchline or a goal is scored.

Penetrating off the dribble to create scoring chances (Part) Coaching Points What did you have to think about as the ball was played by server? What factors made you decide to dribble?”

3v2 ball, vests, goals Intensity: 00:00 min ( x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest)

Description ( Activity 2PART) 3V2 with server, 20X25 grid with 5X20 end zone, Same rules as activity one but now players are forced to recognize when to penetrate of dribble or pass. After a goal is scored or ball goes out server joins the two defenders and the attacking players rotate to defense with 2 defending and one player acting as the server. Activity 20 minutes, during four minute break ask players, “How was this

Penetrating off the dribble to create scoring chances (Whole) Coaching Points “ That’s not bad but can you think of anything else you could do to create space behind the defender?”

7v7 vests, goals, balls Intensity: 00:00 min ( x 00:00 min, 00:00 min rest)

PAGE 1/1

Description GameWhole4V4 or 7V7 play with keepers.

Utilize tool box with individual feed-back related to the topic. If 7V7 is an option play a 1-2-3-1. 20 minutes, two nine minute halves, with 2 minute break after nine minutes.

Created by Kyrsten Kamlowsky

Last Update: Apr 06, 2017

TRAINING SESSION: ATTACKING- BUILD UP FROM DEFENSIVE HALF Objectives TRAINING OBJECTIVE(S): Attacking: Improve my team's ability to build up from the defensive half. Who: 3,5,4,2 primarily; 6,8 indirectly Where: flank and middle channels of defensive half. When: our defenders have possession in our half of the field, goalkeeper distributes the ball to 3,5,4,or 2, and the opponent prevents us from playing directly. Why:

Warm Up (Attacking - Building Up from Defensive Half) 4v4 Soccer balls, cones Intensity: 2 14:00 min (4 x 03:00 min, 00:30 min rest)

Coaching Points Make sure your ankle is locked and the ball stays on the ground. Focus on receiving the ball in a way that sets you up to make the perfect pass to your teammate (body position).

Description Organize players into groups of 4. Pass around the 10x10 yd boxes staying on your toes. Start with 2 touch, then 1 touch, then reverse direction.

Small-Sided Activity (Attacking - Build up From Defense) 10 Players pinnies, cones, soccer balls Intensity: 5

Coaching Points Don’t force/rush moving forward, keep it under control. Focus on accurate passes with pace while keeping the ball on the ground.

Use overlapping runs and combinations.

Description 30x30 yd. / 10 players (4 red, 4 blue, 2 neutral) / cones (12 large for gates) / Dribble through a gate = 1 point

09:00 min (8 x 01:00 min, 00:10 min rest)

Expanded Activity (Attacking - Build Up from Defense) 7v5 2 goals, soccer balls, pinnies Intensity: 5 17:00 min (8 x 02:00 min, 00:10 min rest)

Coaching Points Pass and dribble away from pressure, not into it. Use full width of the field.

Communicate! Utilize combinations with 6 8 in order to send them to goal.

Description Use 3/4 of the field / 10 field players, 2 goalies / 7v5 counterattack both directions.

2,3,4,5 will pass up to 6 8.When red team has ball, press them and gain possession back as quickly as possible, then expand and spread out.

Game Coaching Points 7v7 2 goals, soccer balls, pinnies Intensity: 8 20:00 min (4 x 03:00 min, 02:00 min rest)

PAGE 1/1

Description No restrictions

Created by Kyrsten Kamlowsky

Last Update: Apr 06, 2017

TRAINING SESSION: DEFENDING - IMPROVE ABILITY TO DEFEND AGAINST THE COUNTER-ATTACK

Objectives TRAINING OBJECTIVE(S): Defending: Improve team's ability to defend against the counter-attack. Who: primarily 7,9,11,10,8,6,4,5; indirectly 1,2,3 Where: central channels and flank areas of both defending and attacking half. When: the ball is turned over to the opponent in the middle or attacking thirds of the field. Why: prevent opponents from

Warm Up (Defending - Improve Ability to Defend Against the Counter-Attack 10 Players 5 soccer balls, 10 cones (1ft. Apart to create speed ladder) Intensity: 4

Coaching Points Thrower/receiver stays on his/her toes.Keep your ankle lockedKeep your eye on the ball Description 10x30 yd. / Group players into pairs /1.Laces Volley 2. Inside Foot Volley 3.

Thigh to Foot Volley 4. Header 5. Chest to Foot Volley. Stationary with partner or 1-5 run thru order. Dynamic stretching

17:00 min (8 x 02:00 min, 00:05 min rest)

Small-Sided Activity (Defending - Improve ability to defend against the counter-attack) 3v2 cones, pinnies Intensity: 6 08:00 min (8 x 00:30 min, 00:30 min rest)

Coaching Points Cut passing options for red, angle of run by 1st defense as she presses the ballcarrier.

2nd defender must recognize 1st defenders body position, cover and squeeze red into a pocket working together. Immediate pressure, force red to turn back under duress.

Description 30x25 yd. / 3 reds attack and initially 2 blue press to stop/slow counter attack. When red makes 1st pass a 3rd blue enters the field. Dribble through cones = 1 pt.

Expanded Activity (Defending) 6v5 cones, goal, pinnies Intensity: 6 16:00 min (8 x 01:00 min, 01:00 min rest)

Coaching Points Compact and balanced, stay organized, support 1st defender, slide as a defensive unit. Immediate pressure, force red to turn, eliminate passing options and try to intercept aerial or ground passes (restrict red to 2 touches) Blue +1 on red pass.

Description Half field, 1 goal on half line, 6 cones (makes 3 mini goals) at opposite end goal line / 11 players, 1 goalie / Blue gets 2 pts for dribbling through cones, 1pt pass back to goalie.

Game (Defending) Coaching Points Move together as a unit, pressure + cover

6v6 pinnies, 2 goals Intensity: 5 20:00 min (8 x 02:00 min, 00:30 min rest)

PAGE 1/1

Description Unrestricted play, blue should work hard to prevent red from counter attacking