MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Hi everyone, let me take a few moments to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year ... with many U11 Wizards Wins!  ;-)

Also, a special thank you to all (players and parents) for your hard work, commitment, encouragement and support.  The success we will have in 2011 will come from all of our combined efforts!

As always, I found a few videos for you to enjoy until we start up again in January...

Video 1 is from the Pro Am Soccer Coaching / Coerver Coaching Essex Academy... I love this video because its shows kids working hard, and sometimes making mistakes too!  The ball skills we worked on in the fall are all in this vid... lots of difficult moves, but lots of simple small things as well... the most important to me is that you can see the kids working hard - no standing around, all paying attention and in line on their toes ready for their next turn... This is the type of pace and tempo our practices will have!

Video 2 is called FIFA World Cup 2002 - Top Ten Super Skills... check it out!  Not all moves turn into goals, but sometimes the moves are so good the defender has no choice but to commit a foul! ...again all the things we have worked on are in this video as well...

Also, I wanted to give you the link to the FIFA Ferenc Puskas Award nominees for the most beautiful goal of the year... This is why soccer is called the beautiful game!

It's not a secret that I'm a big Arsenal fan... check out this video of the Arsenal Goals of the Year!

Finally, the Best of Cristiano Ronaldo video seems to be everyone's favorite so I thought I would post it again.

So, have a great holiday and see you in 2011 at the indoor season ( I will be coaching a team with Coach Anthony Vadacchino), and at our Team Development Sessions... I'm looking forward to a great 2011 with the team!

PS. I was told it's NOT TO LATE to register for the Team Development Sessions... registrations will be accepted up to the week before the Sessions begin...

Coach Jim

Boys, pls read this article... something to think about!

Hi Boys, I found this article about Samir Nasri (a 23 year old Arsenal FC midfielder), and what he says about how he plays soccer and how he has grown as a player is very interesting... I find it inspiring and I hope you do as well... Here are a few quotes from the article:

"Sometimes it is just something in your head, you think you can do it, you manage it once or twice and then you say 'yes, it is possible'.

When I am in front of a goalkeeper, I am more relaxed now, before I felt too much pressure to score, I wanted it too much maybe.

Now I don't worry as much, I am more at ease with the game and I am not looking for goals, I am looking to work for the team.

If you feel like that, the opportunities come along naturally. I think more with my head - things are 90% in your head and everything else comes after that.

If you can see things earlier, you can anticipate the pass, the shot, everything like that."

 You see, the very best soccer players have a certain "magic"... they can visualize and they can anticipate where the ball will be and what they will do next with it...

So, when you hear me yelling: "ANTICIPATE WHERE THE BALL WILL BE", or "WHERE IS THE BALL GOING?" - this is what I'm taking about! ...This article is just something for you to read and think about...

BTW, Nasri was just voted as French Player of the Year for 2010...

Keep in touch...
Coach Jim

PS: 10 Days Till Christmas!!!!!

OFF-SEASON PROGRAM UPDATE: Team Development Sessions to start January 19, 2011

Hi Parents and Players, I'm excited to inform you that our Team's Off-Season Program will continue in January with formal Team Development Sessions.

The sessions, designed by the WSC's Technical Department (Coach Rob), are part of the Club's continued focus toward player and coaching development. This will be an 8 week program focusing on the team and our prospective players. All sessions will be indoor at the WSC and are scheduled from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Cost is $100 per player for the 8 weeks.

Our sessions will be on Wednesdays, beginning January 19 and we are fortunate to be training with Coach Frank DeChellis and his U12 SRSL Team... our boys will benefit greatly from training with the older SRSL boys.

All participating players must register at the Welland Soccer Club, 469 Rice Road, Welland before December 21, 2010. Office hours: 2-9 pm Monday through Thursday. DEC 24 UPDATE: IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER! REGISTRATION OPEN UNTIL THE WEEK BEFORE SESSIONS START.

The Team Development Sessions are not mandatory but are highly recommended if you are trying out for the team. The more opportunity each player has to train with the coaches prior to the selection of the team, allows the coaches to make a more informed player evaluation, and to ultimately make the best and right decisions for the team.

The Team Development Sessions are not try-outs. I will schedule formal final try-outs following the Team Development Sessions. The sessions are open to all Y2K boys who are serious about trying out for the team, so please invite your friends and give them my contact info!

Coach Jim

Coaching Certification Clinics in 2011

Hi Parents, some of you have expressed interest in acquiring coaching certifications.

GREAT NEWS!  I have learned that clinics are being hosted by Club Roma on Jan 15th and 22nd, and in Grimsby in March. 

I will be attending the sessions at Roma in January.  Please let me know (within the next few days) if you are interested and I will give you the info/help you get booked for the January clinics.

Thanks
Coach Jim

Registration for 2011 Winter Indoor Session

Hi Parents and Players,

Registration for the 2011 Winter Indoor Session is underway (Final Day to Register is December 11)... As you know I highly recommend signing up and playing if you can - the more touches the better! ... and invite your friends to join as well!!!!!!!

Click here for the link

Coach Jim 

Practice/Tryout: MOVED TO SATURDAY AGAIN

Hi Parents and Players,

As we did last week, we are moving practice to Saturday 2:00 - 3:30 pm (at our same Niagara College location).  Again the weather looks to be very wet Sunday but dry on Saturday... it will be cooler though, so dress appropriately...

Much of the practice plan will be the same as last week as I found a couple of the drills were very effective.  Players, as always spend time practicing your juggling, your step-overs, Cryuffs and roll-overs - we will continue to focus on these basic moves (over and over) so that they become second nature for you!

I can't stress enough that these skills are the BASICS and NECCESARY if you want to play TRAVEL SOCCER...

See you on Saturday...and remember, TOUCH THE BALL EVERYDAY!

Special Schedule Notice:
This will be our last practice/tryout for 2010.  We will take a December break and then resume our practice/tryout off-season program indoors in January... I will have more information on the when and where later.

Coach Jim

Practice/Tryout this week MOVED TO SATURDAY

Hi Parents and Players,

We are moving practice this week from Sunday to Saturday afternoon, 2:00 to 3:30 pm at our same Niagara College location... the weather looks to be very wet and windy on Sunday, but Saturday is supposed to be 14 celcius and cloudy - perfect! 

Boys, are you watching the videos and practicing your moves?  Really spend some time juggling and practicing the step-overs, roll-overs and Cryuff turns - we will continue to focus on these basic moves (over and over) so that they become second nature for you! These skills are the basics and neccesary if you want to play travel soccer...

See you on SATURDAY  ...and remember, TOUCH THE BALL EVERYDAY

Coach Jim

Good Practice Again Boys!

Well, we did it again, another great practice yesterday... I'm introducing lots of new technical skills and your up for the challenge! 

Boys, I hope you could feel what I saw out there - with every rep of every drill, you were getting better and better with the Step-Over and the Cruyff!  KEEP IT UP! 

Practice these two moves on your own during the week so that next Sunday's practice will be even better.  At this time of year we are only together for an hour-and-a-half per week, so you need to practice on your own during the week what you are learning on Sunday's ... this is why I loaded the youtube videos last week... for you to watch them, study them, and then practice them... Trust me, mastering these skills will raise you from being a good player to being a GREAT player...

In the meantime here is a Best of Cristiano Ronaldo video for you to enjoy... do you recognize any of those moves we are practicing?!  Yes, the Beautiful Game! This video is sick!!

So, see you next Sunday - same time, same place
...and remember, TOUCH THE BALL EVERYDAY!

Coach Jim

Preparation for this Sunday's Practice/Tryout

Hi boys, I found a few videos of drills we will work on this Sunday... please watch them carefully to understand them and then practice on your own so that we are ready to go 100% on Sunday...

Dribbling and the Cruyff Turn
Soccer Dribbling with a Step-Over Turn

Cruyff Turn Video 2
Cruyff Turn Video 3
Cruyff himself, from 1974
Step-Over Video 2

See you on Sunday.... and remember, TOUCH THE BALL EVERYDAY!

Coach Jim

Fantastic Practice Today Boys!

Boys, thanks for the EFFORT today... it was a great practice, I hope you had fun and learned something new as well... well done...

I know I go on and on about the JUGGLING but trust me when I tell you how important it is for your confidence with the ball... keep practicing... touch the ball everyday... for help between practices, watch the instructional JUGGLING VIDEOS I posted last week... we will work on it every practice...

I also go on and on about TRIANGLES... we will work on our passing, creating spaces, making good decisions and controlling the ball using TRIANGLES at every practice as well... check out this video from an Arsenal game ... 28 passes in a row leading up to a goal !  Watch all those passes - created with TRIANGLES !! 

You see, when we learn to control the ball and make good decisions, we will also control the games... Even today, I was asking for 3 passes before shooting, and a couple of times you did 6 and 7 passes!  Bravo! Great work!! That's what it takes to be a good team!  See you next week.... and remember to touch the ball everyday!

Coach Jim

The JUGGLING Challenge !!!

Hi boys, to help you learn and practice juggling the ball I found these videos for you... have a look and try it out... we will do this at practice on Sunday...

JUGGLING INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS
Lasalle Academy Soccer Juggling
Guillermo Gomez ExpertVillage Juggling Skills
U9 GIRL JUGGLING SOCCER BALL 585 TIMES

I also found a great article for you and your parents to read which explains why I am stressing ball juggling skills in our training program... in a nutshell, it is proven that juggling the ball will help with:

• Ball Control - First Touch
• Dexterity - Foot & Eye Coordination
• Balance
• Positioning - keeping the ball close & under control
• Increased Concentration - focus on the ball
• Flexibility & Strength
• Anticipation - where is the ball going? where are you taking the ball?
• Swiftness - react quickly, move the ball with speed, suddenness
• Motivation & Determination - set a goal, achieve it, set a new higher goal
• Confidence
• and last but not least......... IT'S FUN!!!!!!!

So, practice at home...and if you struggle a little at first, don't worry about it...have FUN with it... soon you will be showing off your new ball skills to everyone you know!

See you at practice on Sunday (2:00-3:30 pm Niagara College across from Kuska)

Coach Jim

Off-season Training/Tryout Schedule

Hi Parents and Players, we will be going with regular training on Sundays from 2:00pm to 3:30 pm at the Niagara College Field (Rice Road across from Kuska School).   We start this Sunday, October 24. Once the weather gets bad we will look to going indoors...

The training sessions will focus on:

• Conditioning
• Agility
• Techical Skills
• Decision Making
• Team Play

The Juggling Skills Challenge is on! All players will be expected to juggle the ball at least 10 times by the time formal try-outs start in the spring. As I mentioned earlier the challenge includes ME.. I will do it with you!  Don't worry about it - practice and it will come!

I will post some youtube videos shortly that will help teach juggling and first-touch and show you how to practice it at home on your own time...

As always, make sure to touch the ball everyday... 10 mins, 15 mins, 30 mins... or as much as you can.... but make sure it's EVERYDAY!!!

See you this Sunday...

Coach Jim

General information and off-season plans

Hi Parents and Players,

I’m happy we were able to get two practices in on the big fields before the club closed them for the season.  It was great to see 11 boys at the first practice and 9 boys at the second practice - in bad September and October weather!  I hope the boys had as much fun as I did… I was so pleased on Tuesday when I called the end of practice at 7:00pm, the boys asked to do a few more reps of the last passing/shooting drill - and we finished strong !!!

OFF-SEASON PROGRAM

Formal try-outs will be in the March-April time-frame (the team does not have to be set until then).  Until the spring I believe its absolutely necessary to get in as many practices and training sessions as possible and to attract as many newcomers to join us as well.  These practices are not mandatory in any way, but please come to as many of our training activities as possible. If we want to develop our skills and be the best we can be, we have to commit to it and work hard!

Over the fall and winter I will be watching as many indoor games and talking to as many parents as possible.  If you have any friends born in 2000 that want to join us in our off-seasons program and are interested in playing next year, please give them my name, number and our team blog web address.

Today I have a list of 21 boys who have indicated interest in playing next year. My goal is to have at least 25 serious boys at tryouts come March.

Regarding your schedules, just as we expect full commitment to this team during the in-season soccer schedule, we understand that there are other sports and activitites and encourage the boys to honour their current in-season commitments (i.e. if they have hockey, basketball, martial arts etc).

*ACTION ITEM FOR PARENTS: please send me a quick email to let me know what other teams your son is on and commitments you have time-wise. Before I set a formal off-season schedule for our team I need to know what works schedule-wise for you. Please let me know what nights / days and times work for you with regards to our soccer practices.

INDOOR SOCCER AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS

The indoor season started last week, it was great to see many of the boys playing. I believe you can still register to play if you contact the club immediately.  The more playing time the better!

Player Development Sessions delivered by the Welland Soccer Club’s Technical Department for our age-group starts on Tuesday October 26. I would highly recommend it for all the boys if it fits your schedules. As always the more touches the better!  Hopefully I will be assisting Coach Rob with the drills.

EXPECTATIONS FOR NOW

Boys, the only way to develop and become the player you want to be, is to practice.  I am putting together an off-season program for you but the majority of your practice must be on your own time.  Commit to touch the ball EVERYDAY… I can’t be more serious about this - even if it is just passing/shooting the ball against a brick wall and then juggling the ball for at least 15 minutes a day… Do it and trust me, you will see your first touch with the ball improve and by March you will be very proud of how far you have come.

Regarding Juggling… it is proven that ball juggling skills improve your first touch, and your ability to control the ball on the field. I have set a goal that by April every player should be able to juggle to ball at least 10 times… use both feet, your head and your chest… By the way, this Juggling goal is for me as well!  I will do it with you! I will post a good juggling instructional video from youtube for you to watch...

COACH JIM'S 3 RULES

I have only three simple rules for the team, but they are important and we need them to be followed:

1. Be on time - it's so important to be on time and ready to go... our time together is limited so let's make the most of it!
2. Pay Attention - Players, when we are on the field, I need and will demand 100% of your attention... pay attention to the instruction and teaching so that you can get the most out of it, don't short-change yourself !
3. Play ALL OUT when I tell you to! - drills or games, 100% effort, always!

THIS BLOG

Finally, regarding our team blog… I hope you like this website and will find it a useful tool for communication and learning.  I will post all team information here - everything I email will be here.  I will use this blog to post videos for the boys to watch what we will be practising… please add this site to your Favorites and visit often…

As always please contact me at anytime... I am fired up, excited and honoured to be your coach!

Thanks

Coach Jim

Practice Tuesday Night!

Hi everyone, I was able to confirm Field 4 at the WSC on Tuesday night from 6:00 - 7:00... weather looks to be OK as well! I will  be there at 5:30 so your welcome to come earlier, but we will start working at 6:00... see you in a few days!

.......and remember, touch the ball EvErYdAy!!!!!!

Coach Jim

Monday Night it is...

Hi Parents and Players... I got a hold of nearly everyone and the majority went with this Monday night, 6:00-7:00pm, at the WSC Field 7...

Sorry to those who can't make it but no worries, we will have lots of time together in the fall... As I mentioned my plan for the hour is to introduce the bigger field to players, to talk about some of my plans, introduce the new coaches and have a bit of a workout...

IMPORTANT: Please do me a big favour and bring your own soccer ball as I don't have the supply from the club yet...

See you in a couple days!

Coach Jim

Big News!

Parents and Boys, today I was confirmed as coach for the 2011 U11 Select Boys team!

I'm thrilled, excited and have lots of ideas (like this blog) for our team... We have great experienced assistant coaches ready to help and we are now developing an off-season program that will include team building, technical and fitness training...

We want all of you to join us in our voluntary offseason program as much as possible. The offseason program will be open to all year 2000 boys that are interested. The final team will not be set until next April. I will send you all an email within the week with a plan for some fall pre-tryouts/practices... keep coming back to this, your blog website, for team updates and info... please stay in touch and let me know if you have any questions...

Thanks!

Coach Jim

Shooting

Hi boys!

This is one of the first technical skills we are going to be working on... please watch these videos, practice what you see and get ready to shoot the ball better than you ever dreamed of!!!!!

How to kick a soccer ball
How to fix your soccer shot

Player Development Sessions

Hi Players and Parents, Coach Rob has designed technical training sessions for us... they will be on Tuesdays starting October 26... here is the link with details....

Some World Cup Highlights

Found some fun videos.... enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4fpYAyP1fM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRKUKV3fFRU

Nike - Write the Future!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE