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Updated:
Monday August 04, 2008 Girls Playing Boys
Free To Become A Warrior
From Coach Dorrance:
"The hardest problem in making females into
great soccer players is trying to get them to excel in the 1v1 environment -
especially against a friend or teammate. 1v1 is the most important drill for
teaching not only optimum soccer skills but the psychological dimension
needed to compete. I cannot stress enough its importance. Some of the most
extraordinary female players in the world have evolved going 1v1 against
boys, who thrive on this type of challenge. Imitate the boys. The stress of
playing against someone who is trying to destroy you is wonderful for your
athletic development. Jump in and play with your brother or your neighbor.
It's not a social struggle, because for guys, it's not personal; it's not
about friendships.
Competitive
fury is totally accepted and embraced in the male culture. It needs to be
introduced and accepted within the female athletic culture as well. One of
the most important points I can stress in this book is to understand
competitive anger, and not make it a negative trait or a personal issue. I
don't just mean competitive anger toward a rival. I know girls can get fired
up to beat their opponents. You need to take it a step further, so that
competitiveness is so ingrained and automatic that you use it every time you
play against friend or foe. You want to be on the edge of your intensity
without, of course, entering the dark side - which is to maim and mangle the
opponent. But I want you to play with physical intensity, to give yourself
permission to compete, keep score, not be embarrassed about being a winner.
To maximize
your development, always play with boys if possible. Again, I go back to a
line I preach throughout the book: play 1v1, and in this case with a guy. I
don't mean once in a while, or even once a month. You need to do it often,
and consistently. As I have mentioned earlier, one of the aspects of playing
with boys that makes it easier to do is that the issues that are stressful
for girls and women are non-issues against boys. The common female fear of
confrontation, or of "offending" a friend by beating her, doesn't exist in an
environment with males. You're free to be a warrior, to keep score, to
compete, to win. The male culture embraces that attitude.
Almost every
great female player I've ever coached has had one of her greatest development
stretches while she was playing with boys, and playing them 1v1."
Anson Dorrance
Excerpts from: The Vision Of A Champion
 "The
vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the
point of exhaustion when no one else is watching."
Anson Dorrance is the legendary women's soccer coach at
the University of North Carolina. His program is commonly referred to
as "The Dynasty." He is not only the most successful coach in the
women's game - a four-time National Coach of the Year - but an ambassador of
the game, a highly sought-after motivational speaker, a major force in
training young players through wildly popular soccer camps, and a successful
television broadcaster. His teams have won 18 NCAA National
Championships and many of his former players have gone on to become the most
accomplished players in the world. For excerpts,
kick here...
Dressing For Cold Weather
Layers, Layers, Layers
 Basically, the first rule is to
avoid cotton at all costs, including
undershirts and socks. When cotton gets wet, whether from sweat or rain,
or (ugh!) snow, it stays wet, ensuring that you will become cold and stay cold
during the game. Your best bet is a "wicking" fabric like Under Armour
(and others) that will carry
moisture away from the skin, through the garment, and out into the air.
Secondly, we all know that kids get cold faster than adults do, so players will
need to dress warmer than parents or coaches would if they were working out in
cold weather. Goalkeepers, especially, will need extra layers, as they
run less than the other field players. A good idea is to buy a high
quality "wicking" turtleneck to wear under the jersey, and, possibly "wicking"
long underwear or pants underneath the uniform shorts. Layers can be key
to keeping young players warm. Rather than buying one bulky item to wear
under the jersey, buy two or three thin "wicking" layers. Wearing layers
creates a barrier of air between shirts, keeping heat in, close to the body.
Other items you may want to consider for cold weather play
are: a thin pair of gloves, a thin hat, sock liners (basically, thin socks made
of a wicking material to be worn under the thick soccer sock), long underwear
tops and bottoms, fleece pants, and water-resistant shirts and pants.
One thing to remember:
When playing, the temperature will feel 10-15 degrees warmer. Be prepared
to shed a layer or two!
...Hydration Is Still Important!
Many players tend to forget how important hydration and
nutrition are when the weather turns colder. The cold air can suppress
feelings of thirst, leading players to not drink as much as they should during
outdoor exercise in cold weather. However, the importance of correct food
and drink for cold weather athletes can not be emphasized enough. First,
because thirst is suppressed in cold weather, players might not realize that
they are becoming dehydrated until it is too late. Secondly, wearing
additional layers and heavier clothing can cause athletes to sweat more and
lose more body fluid during exercise.
Benefits of Girls Playing Soccer
Promotes Physical and Mental Well-Being
As a female soccer player, you are benefiting from the many
general advantages for girls who play sports. Here are just a few of
them:
- Physical activity appears to decrease the initiation of
high-risk health behavior in adolescent girls, such as smoking.
- Research suggests that girls who participate in soccer are
more likely to experience academic success than those who do not play sports.
- High school girls who play soccer are more likely to do
well in science.
- Women student-athletes graduate fro college at a
significantly higher rate than women students in general.
- Half of all girls who participate in some kind of sports
experience higher than average levels of self-esteem and less depression.
On the health front:
- High school sports participation may help prevent
osteoporosis (loss of bone mass).
- One to three hours of exercise a week from the teens to
about age 40 may bring a 20-30% reduction in the risk of breast cancer and
four or more hours of exercise a week can reduce the risk almost 60%.
-From the Women's Sports Foundation
Soccer Skills
Typical Game Requires 5 to 6.5 Mile
Trek
 Soccer
requires every conceivable physical skill. Here's a breakdown of a
typical game for a U12 player:
The distance covered during a game is between 5 and 6.5 miles -constantly
walking, jogging, running, sprinting - in all directions. Rest pauses are
only about 3 seconds every 2 minutes.
Less than 2%
of the total distance, or only about 200 yards, is with possession of the ball.
So, the majority of the time is comprised of movement off the ball.
There are about 1,000 activity changes in a game, which means
a change of speed or direction every 6 seconds.
Games are typically played at 75% of a player's physical
limits.
-U.S. Soccer Sports Medicine
Mia Hamm: Go For The Goal
Advice from the best player in the world
 There
are a lot of books out there about soccer. But, none of them tell the
story the way Mia does. She talks about her life and about how to
play the game of soccer. If you like to read, this is a good one. I
have the book if you would like to borrow it.
For some excerpts, kick
here...
Coaching Memos
Keeping you up to date
 Every now and
then, I'll provide a review of what the team is doing in practice.
Water, Just Water!
Beware of Sport Drinks
 July
18, 2007 - Sure, we talk a lot about hydration, but only
because it is so vitally important to the health and
performance of athletes. A new report published by the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America sheds some new
light on the topic. Did you know that sport drinks can
actually be harmful?
Kick here to read on...
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Also, see...Hydration
Guidelines
Nutrition for Soccer
NSCAA study
offers healthy advice
Most people know
and understand the importance of eating correctly. Nutrition lacking in the
essential elements to cover your Basal Metabolic Rate - the energy required to
keep your body functioning, for growth and for exercise may lead to
physiological and psychological consequences. The NSCAA has some tips for
soccer players.
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