Mass Youth Soccer Monthly Connecting Soccer families across Massachusetts
May 2016
GOAL OF THE MONTH COACH EDUCATION WHY USE SMALL SIDED GAMES?
Summer Soccer
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District Select ODP Training Centers Martha’s Vineyard Clinic Mass Pass
Volunteer at Copa America 2016 - Details on Page 10
Stay strong and avoid an ACL tear.
OUR TEAM IS YOUR TEAM We’re here for athletes with personalized treatment, injury prevention programs and expert surgical care. Learn more: bostonchildrens.org/aclprogram Make an appointment, call 617-355-3501.
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Summer Programs 2016
District Select • • • •
Represent your District in a competitive environment Age Groups from U11-U19 1-2 Training sessions per week Weekend games at Lancaster For the purposes of the DSP, the state is divided into seven Districts. To find which district your town is in, visit: DISTRICT SELECT TOWN LISTING Coach and Tryout Listings
DSP provides players the opportunity to continue their development during the summer in a fun and competitive soccer environment. The District Select game schedule runs from July 9th to 31st, with the tournament on August 6th and 7th. All games will be played on Saturday or Sunday at the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Fields at Progin Park in Lancaster.
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District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7
“I love Districts because I get to play with friends from different towns and clubs. The soccer is great and there is no pressure”
Each year each DSP District conducts formal tryouts to select players for each of their teams. Each District is responsible for scheduling their own tryouts. All Tryouts will be held in the months of April and May. Players selected to play DSP will be notified by early June.
Click here to learn more
Mass Youth Soccer & Team App - Press Release For immediate release - 21st April 2016
Mass Youth Soccer is excited to announce a strategic partnership with the worldwide leader in effective digital team communication - Team App. This partnership will drive a communication platform that not only will be FREE (forever) for all organizers and users; it also enables new sources of revenue for any organization in our association that creates their own Team App. www.teamapp.com Rob Holiday, Director of Communications and Marketing stated "We began our evaluation of Team App over a year ago and built our own Team Apps to communicate at a variety of levels including our State Cup last summer. Additionally we received positive user feedback from afÞliates that use and like Team App". We are proud to join other Team App partners in this effort to enable improved communications. These Team App partners include the soccer governing bodies of Tennessee, Michigan, Alabama, Missouri, Ohio North, Indiana, Rhode Island and more locally the Mass Bay Youth Lacrosse League.
Dan Dougherty, GM for Team App USA adds: "The Team App platform sells itself. A strong group of executive leaders across youth soccer have found and learned that Team App offers the best next generation communication platform and they are referring it to their peers. We are glad to add Massachusetts Youth Soccer to our growing list of advocates we call "Team App Medalists". Mass Youth Soccer highly recommends that your league, town or local team create your own FREE Team App. How? Click here to do it yourself: https://www.teamapp.com/clubs/new
Contact: Dan Dougherty e: dan@teamapp.com m: +1 7814056561
www.teamapp.com
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Summer Programs 2016
ODP STC’s July 18-21
Wilet Field
Attleboro
July 25-28
Mechanic St Foxboro
August 1-4
Shawsheen
Wilmington
August 15-18 Trotting Park Falmouth Massachusetts Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP), Summer Training Centers (STC) are returning to the basic mission of developing elite players. These training centers will provide the most challenging and competitive environment possible for current and aspiring Girls and Boys ODP level players born in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
$140 per player Monday-Thursday 9am-11am Players born 2004-06 ODP STC’s are run by the Massachusetts Youth Soccer technical staff, the most qualified and experienced coaches, trainers, and coach educators in the state. All Full Time Staff are nationally licensed US Soccer and NSCAA educators.
Click here to Register for ODP STC’s
Mass Youth Soccer Monthly May 2016
Utilizing Small Sided Games Preparing teams for competition We as soccer coaches are always thinking of ways to get our teams match fit for the game. If we believe the game is the best teacher, why not use the game to prepare the players for the challenges ahead. The first thing players ask when they arrive at practice is “When do we play the scrimmage?” Another question they ask is “What are we doing today?” They ask these questions because they want to make sure that they will be playing the game at some point during practice. As coaches, we need to listen to them and make sure that our training sessions have moments of uninterrupted play. The more players play the game during training, the more they are able to comply with the technical, tactical, physical and psychosocial demands of the game.
3v3 Small Sided Game
As a coach can have the players play 3v3 to small goals if you do not include the goalkeeper, however I recommend playing with a goalkeeper and making the game a 4v4. This way, every game looks like a small version of the game on the weekend. Small sided games will have many positive results in your players. If we look at the four components of the game, it is easy to see the benefits of SSG’s for players. Technique Dribbling, Receiving, Passing, Shooting, and Tackling SSG’s will allow players to have more touches on the ball, with only 6 -8 players on the field, each player will get more opportunities to dribble and/or take players on and receive, pass, shoot, and tackle the ball. The demands in SSG’s are more realistic than in a drill, therefore a players ability to execute technique under pressure will improve due to the limited time and space they will have.
4v4 SSG with GK’s
What are Small Sided Games? US Youth Soccer says “These are soccer games with fewer players competing on a smaller sized field....fun games that involve the players more because fewer players are sharing one ball.” Small sided games (SSG’s) will make your training sessions more enjoyable and definitely will assist you with development of your players. 4v4 Small Sided Game
‘If we believe the game is the best teacher, why not use the game to prepare the players for the challenges ahead.’
Utilizing Small Sided Games - Loy Urbina Check out mayouthsoccer.org/coaches/session_plans/ for examples of small sided games for all ages! As a coach you can utilize SSG’s to focus your feedback to players on effective technical execution. Once a players technical ability improves, they will be more creative, SSG’s are the perfect environment to cultivate creativity. Tactics Tactics are decisions. There are three different decisions in soccer: individual, small group, and large group decisions. The small sided game is a great tool to teach individual decisions which are the basis and beginning of good tactics.
‘Small Sided Games allow coaches to introduce the Attacking Principles Penetration, Support, Mobility, Width and Improvisation and the Defensive Principles - Pressure, Cover, Balance, Delay, Compactness, Composure & Restraint’ SSG’s allow for More attacking responsibilities – Players with the help of the coach will learn to recognize when to dribble, pass, or shoot assisting them with solving recurring soccer problems: • When, where, and why to dribble • When to pass, where to receive, who to pass to • When and where to shoot Similarly, SSG’s place more defensive responsibilities on players. Players with the help of the coach will learn to recognize when to defend and more specifically: • When and how to put pressure • When and where to get back • When and how to cover
4v4 Four Goal SSG
Small sided games ensure players have to be involved on both sides of the game - Attack and Defense; therefore, they will transition from one to the other more times and faster. Players will encounter the same situation over and over. They will learn how to deal with it and transfer the appropriate decision to the game.
4v4 SSG to Goal and Counter Goals
Psychosocial – Collaboration, Competition, Cooperation! The Psychosocial component is an often overlooked element of the game. Small sided games are more fun than drills, because they are playing and enjoying the game, players will have higher levels of concentration because of the continued action. Small Sided Games promote team work, players have to work together to attack and defend, the players have to be active participants in the game and they learn to compete! The increased opportunities for repetition that SSG’s allow for give players more success thus increasing self-esteem and confidence. Physical – Agility, Speed, Coordination and Balance Because of the dimensions of the field, players will be running forward, backwards, turning, jumping, changing direction, doing the same movements required to play the game. Players will be on the move constantly during the duration of the small sided game, coaches can play games for several minutes with a 1-2 minute rest, then play again for the same amount of time. This way, the coaches are manipulating the active/rest times to improve physical recovery.
‘As coaches, we can see the benefits of playing small sided games and what a great tool they are to prepare our teams in our quest to get our players match fit and helping them to reach their full potential’ - Loy Urbina
‘If we look at the four components of the game, it is easy to see the benefits of SSG’s for players.
Mass Youth Soccer Tournament Directors, Thanks to our partnership with Skillzys®, your club benefits from a 10% DISCOUNT on Tournament Tags® for your event(s). take advantage of In addition, ta Skillzys® Tournament Partner Perks, which include free coaches’ gifts, free ID credentials for your staff, or free Juggling Skill Tags® for your club’s U9s. To get started with custom concepts, please upload your logo and design specs on the Tournament Tags® page at the Skillzys® website (www.skillzys.com), or contact Stephanie.
Stephanie Lattrez steph@skillzys.com (888) 510-6233 x104
Official Custom Tag Provider of Mass Youth Soccer
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Summer Programs 2016
MASS PASS - Lancaster • 16 sessions for only $140 • All sessions at Progin Park • Mon-Thurs 6pm-8pm • Boys and Girls Sessions • Open to all players born in 2002-2007 For only $140, players can take advantage of 16 sessions with our full time professional coaching staff at the Mass Youth Soccer Complex at Progin Park. Sessions will take place from 6pm-8pm on Monday-Thursday Each week sessions will follow a specific theme with practices replicating the demands that players will face in games! July 18-21
Attacking from the Back
July 25-28
Attacking from the Midfield
August 1-4
Attacking from the Front
August 15-18
Goalkeepers and Strikers
Manage your schedule with the Mind Body App:
Click here to Register for Mass Pass
Coach Education
Upcoming Courses US Soccer National E License
June 13,14,15,16 Progin Park, Lancaster Register June 18 & 19 Berkshire Academy Register June 25 & 26 Spencer Soccer Club Register
US Soccer D National License August 20 & 21
Progin Park, Lancaster Register
Course info Accommodation Course info Course info
US Youth Soccer National Youth Coaching Course August 20 & 21
Progin Park, Lancaster Register
Course info
US Soccer C License
July 24th-31st, November 11th-13th 2016 Massachusetts Youth Soccer will be instructing the National C course in collaboration with US Soccer from July 24th-31st and November 11th-13th.
Click here for more info!
Volunteer at Gillette this Summer
The Copa America Centenario will be coming to Boston for games on June 10th, 12th and 18th. If you are interested in volunteering, please register on the Volunteer Portal. In the section where it asks “Are you registering as part of a group� please select Yes and enter Mass Youth Soccer. Volunteers must be 18 Years of age. If you have any questions, please email Caitlin Pickul (c.pickul@ca2016loc.org)
Click here to visit the Volunteer Portal
Bend it like Bush!
Click here to view Austin Bush’s April GOTM Winner Each Month winners of the Mass Youth Soccer Goal of the Month will receive a family pack of tickets a New England Revolution game, as well as having their goal shown on the jumbotron at Gillette Stadium during a Revs game! To submit a video for our Goal or Save of the Month competitions, tag Massachusetts Youth Soccer (@mayouthsoccer) in a video of your Goal or Save on social media via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Alternatively email a copy of your video to marketing@mayouthsoccer.org. All video’s must be in horizontal format!
Click here to visit the Goal / Save of the Month webpage
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Summer Programs 2016
Martha’s Vineyard Youth Summer Training Center
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Players born in 2002-07 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM $140.00 per player Open to Vineyarders and Vacationers!
The Youth Training Center will provide the players with a fun, quality and competitive soccer environment from start to finish.
Click here to Register
August 8th-11th - MV Regional High School Open to all players entering or returning to high school in the Fall of 2016.
Vineyarders HS Pre-Season Training
Focus on Technique, tactics, fitness and mental strength! • 5:00 - 7:30 PM • $140.00 per player • Open to Vineyarders and Vacationers!
Click here to Register
Click here for info on the MV Clinics
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Mass Youth Soccer Monthly