The Soccer Specialist

You might be a wizard with the ball when you're nine. What happens after that? Let's talk about it.

Do you train on your own? Of course, you do! Glad to hear it. In this episode, we cover 3 common training mistakes most youth soccer players make during their sessions. Fix these and you'll find your training will produce better results in less time. You'll take your skill development to another level a lot faster than you would have otherwise.

If you're enjoying The Soccer Specialist Podcast please check out the Supporters Club at https://thesoccerspecialist.com/supporters to help support the show for less than a cup of coffee.

Take a listen and improve your play now!

Wow.  2024.  Really?

 It's gone so fast that it took me a minute to figure out why Baby New Year 2024 stopped by earlier to chat about all things youth soccer (she's a big fan).

 I asked Baby New (I call her Baby New - we're ride or die) how she felt about all the memes, motivational quotes, and sayings out there this time of year.

 People are excited.

 I told her she may be the most popular baby new year EVER!  Til next year of course, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

 Parents and players can't wait to get back out on the pitch!

 She didn't seem all that excited though.

 It turns out she's stressed out about all the pressure. 

 I asked what she meant and she said everyone always expects the new year to be magically different and better than the previous one.

 Then she dropped the bombshell. 

 She said it's not going to be different.

 WHAT?!  No one wants to hear THAT!

 Thankfully, she clarified.  Hit play and let's talk about it!

As a soccer player, you know the ability to change direction quickly, efficiently, and effectively is an important part of the game. Soccer players are having to change direction all the time. Often, it's in reaction to something else happening on the pitch. For example, a defender in a 1v1 situation is going to need to be able to change direction well in response to what the dribbler is doing. If not, he's going to get beat, or worse, get nutmegged or end up on their butt. Check out what the difference is between change of direction and agility (they are not the same) and how you can train them properly to improve your own performance. Don't forget to check out https://impactsoccerperformance.com

As you move up in competition the game changes. Things that worked at a lower level at age 8 aren't going to work at a higher level when you're 13. But there are specific parts of your game you can improve that will help you be able to compete and excel at the next level. Take a listen now and discover 7 things you need to master to play at the next level.

First, we'll talk about the importance of learning to overcome adversity and challenges, how Dest is a bad example of doing so, the ultimate 5 ball challenge (you'll love this) and more! You'll also get the details on the ultimate holiday gift deal at https://impactsoccerperformance.com/holiday Thanks!

Inside this amazing episode, we discuss the #1 confidence builder you need to know to take your game-day performance to the next level. We'll also share wisdom from Nick Saban and more! So much more!! It's almost shocking. Have a listen.

In today's episode, we tackle the tough challenge of being overlooked as a player. What does it mean if you get benched or cut? How come you aren't getting better as fast as your teammates? Does this mean you'll never catch up or be the player you want to be? Listen to the stories of these athletes and discover how this can help you on your journey. Let's get it!

After a very so so three games and being inches away from getting knocked out of the World Cup in the group stage for the first time every, Carli Lloyd had some words of wisdom for the national team that no one else seems brave enough to say out loud. Here's how it can help you become a better soccer player! Let's get it!

Do you have dreams or goals for your soccer? Let's dive in on what you need to do to reach them. You'll even hear from Kobe Bryant on his "secret" to greatness. And a whole lot more. Have a listen!

If there's one piece of advice I can give you to help you with your soccer development, it's in this episode. Have a listen!

I ran into one of my players earlier this week. She's home after completing her freshman year in college. She'll be 20 in October! Crazy! Seeing her reminded me of one of our most interesting seasonal journeys (and her biggest goal ever scored). Come take a trip down memory lane with me and learn some valuable lessons about how to overcome set backs and huge mistakes. Let's go!

Confidence is a crucial part of performance. It's a topic I get asked about all the time. So let's dig into it a little bit in this the latest, and longest episode that we've ever done! Confidence directly affects a player's decision-making, risk-taking, and ability to perform under pressure. When a player feels confident, they are more likely to take calculated risks, make quick decisions, and trust their instincts. On the other hand, when a player lacks confidence, they may hesitate, make poor decisions, and second-guess themselves, which can lead to mistakes and missed opportunities. Let's dig in!!

How is it that a pro footballer can't do THIS? That's crazy! This is what happens when you don't get out of your comfort zone. Learn all about it and how you can be even better than this guy! Plus, a crazy walk off game winner, Alanis Morissette, and so much more. Take your game to the next level (don't you always wonder how many levels there are?)! Oh, and my first rating that isn't 5-star! Let's get it! Have a listen!

Way too many players stay in their comfort zone. But you'll never grow or develop as a player this way. Take a listen to this episode to discover seven (or is it eight?) ways to get out of your comfort zone starting today. Learn how to spend time in the UNcomfortable zone, where great things happen!

Why do we let players stay in their comfort zone? How is this helping in any way? You don't develop or grow in your comfort zone. Let's talk about it. Oh and there's some good 1v1 stuff, too! Enjoy!

Actions, expectations, goals, outcomes, behaviors, schoolwork, guitars, pop culture references and more... all leading to soccer greatness! Come hang out with us and start chasing greatness!

High levels of motivation aren't going to help you become a great soccer player. On this episode of The Soccer Specialist Podcast we talk about what will! Join us on your journey to chasing greatness!

Okay, there's some chat about eating between tournament games, Ted Lasso, and even Band of Brothers! What? Exactly! You simply have to listen!

Yep, that's right. We owe a lot to dirty teams. They can help take your performance to an entirely new level... IF you approach the experience the right way. Learn how inside and discover how it can happen for EVERY game you play, not just against the dirty teams.

Take a look at what it takes to become the best player you can possibly be, learn how one moment can change everything and how to use it to your advantage.

One day she was a keeper on a very low-level team.  The next she was the starting (and only) keeper on a much, much better team that has their sights set on a conference title.  How'd she do?  Come on in and learn about the triumphs and the tears and maybe take away a few powerful nuggets that can help you on your own soccer journey.

Your mental game plays an important role in your physical game on the pitch.  Have a listen as we discuss three different athletes and how their mental game had a huge impact, positive and negative, on their physical game.  Don't dismiss the mind.  If you want to achieve excellence on the pitch you need to train your mind just like you train your body and your skills.

Finally, we talk about the World Cup!  Why did the US lose to the Netherlands?  Take a listen and find out and you'll also discover how it can help you become a better soccer player!  What's so great about Messi? Did you know he might be a better X than he is goal scorer? Find out what, why and how it can help you and your development.  

From participation trophies to 'everyone makes the team' trends where a club creates as many teams in an age group as it can based on the number of players at tryouts, it seems all you players are special.  Is this true? And does that mentality really serve players best and help your development?  Let's examine who isn't special, who is, and how it can be you!

That's right! The Soccer Specialist Podcast has survived to it's 100th episode!  I wasn't sure we'd get to episode 10 but here we are! Have a listen.

I'm saddened and frustrated by how I often I come across the "my 8 year old is an attacking mid, my 9 year old is a keeper, my 7 year old is a striker..." stuff.

99.9% of "Elite" youth players in America can't control the ball at their feet or check their shoulder! Your 11 year old is NOT a position!

Please don't worry so much about what position your young player plays (when they are young they should play them all anyway). They need to become soccer players, not strikers, or wingers or attacking mids. Who knows where they will be needed or wanted when they are older, trying to play at a higher level. They should be developing as soccer players, NOT soccer positions!

Come on inside and learn WHY this is important and HOW it can help you become an even better player!

A player (that the coach selected for the team) asked what he could do better to get playing time.  The coach told him to gro.  WTH!?!!  Are you kidding me?  As you can imagine this nonsense fired me up!  Hopefully there's something useful in here for you, like all the things you can do to be a great player that have ZERO to do with your height!

Story time!  Discover how 10 days changed everything for a team, my view on development and how it can help you become a better player, too!  Listen!  Listen now!  Ha!

Conventional wisdom is to spend a lot of time working on your weaknesses. Is that really the best way to go about becoming a great soccer player?  Let's take a deep dive into the reality of that wisdom and see if we can come up with a better plan for your development.  Take a listen!

Have you ever seen (or been a part of) a team that is playing really well and then it completely collapses?  Or they are getting dominated and manage to turn it around?  It's like watching two very different games in one.  Come take a listen as I walk down memory lane to talk about two games just like that... and what you can take away from  the experience to make you a better player.

Yes, the game should be fun.  It doesn't mean it will be fun every second.  What does that mean for your training?  What if you want to play in college? Do you need to be on some fancy national league team? All this and more.  Have a listen.

Could horse racing be the key to your development as a soccer player?  Sounds crazy, right?  Maybe not so crazy.  Take a listen and find out!

Can you believe it?  Sounds crazy but it's true.  What can you learn from it?  Guess you'll have to listen!

One of the most difficult things in youth soccer is understanding how to make off the ball runs successful.  Too many players don't want to commit to them unless they know they are going to get the ball. This dooms the run to failure before it even happens.  Take a listen and learn simple secrets to turning off the ball runs into a success that also make the passer a much better player with the ball.

This is part 2 of last week's episode, focusing on 14 different ways to help build your confidence.  Last week we covered the first 6 and today we'll talk about tips seven through 14.  Have a listen!

If you want your performance to be the best it can be on the pitch, you need to play with a lot of confidence.  Sadly, this is a struggle for many players for many different reasons.  In this episode of The Soccer Specialist podcast we'll discuss 14 fantastic confidence boosting tips you can use right now to improve your confidence, including the #1 confidence builder there is.  Take a listen now!

Had a crazy thing happen in a game that I've actually never seen before in my coaching career.  Or while playing.  Or while watching soccer! That's how rare it is.  Listen to how my player reacted.  It's all about your reaction when it comes to overcoming obstacles.  You'll also discover what music scales have to do with soccer and how you can re-frame your negative thoughts to become a better, more confident player.  Whew!

Did I call Ada Hegerberg the world's best striker?  I did! I mean, she does hold the single season Champion's League record of 15 goals. That's a pretty good record to have.  In this episode of The Soccer Specialist Podcast Ada talks about her experience as a 17 year old player in Germany and what it takes to become a great player.  Have a listen!

We all have periods when everything is going great.  We're working hard, having great training sessions that we never miss. And we see the results, too!  But then, for whatever reason, we have to miss a session, or we have a bad one.  Then we miss again.  And again.  Next thing you know, we are way off track, far from our goals, and we feel overwhelmed and frustrated with trying to get back to where we were.  Many times that keeps us from even getting started on the journey back.  Have a listen.  Maybe this will help!