Over the years there have been a number of in depth articles published here, but being a blog, they can often be hard to find unless you're using Google. So I've pulled together a collection of the more informative articles published here and created a Youth Soccer Reference Guide. There are sections for Coaches, Team Managers, and Parents. Click to continue reading...

Over the years there have been a number of in depth articles published here, but being a blog, they can often be hard to find unless you're using Google. So I've pulled together a collection of the more informative articles published here and created a Youth Soccer Reference Guide. There are sections for Coaches, Team Managers, and Parents. Click to continue reading...

Over the years there have been a number of in depth articles published here, but being a blog, they can often be hard to find unless you're using Google. So I've pulled together a collection of the more informative articles published here and created a Youth Soccer Reference Guide. There are sections for Coaches, Team Managers, and Parents. Click to continue reading...

A soccer mom who wore a firearm openly at her daughter's U6 soccer match is fighting to keep her concealed weapon permit. Have you ever contemplated that parents at your child's soccer match might be carrying a loaded weapon? Click to continue reading...

A soccer mom who wore a firearm openly at her daughter's U6 soccer match is fighting to keep her concealed weapon permit. Have you ever contemplated that parents at your child's soccer match might be carrying a loaded weapon? Click to continue reading...

A soccer mom who wore a firearm openly at her daughter's U6 soccer match is fighting to keep her concealed weapon permit. Have you ever contemplated that parents at your child's soccer match might be carrying a loaded weapon? Click to continue reading...

The Center for Sport Policy and Research at Middle Tennessee State University is investigating the experiences of parents in youth sports and is looking for youth sport parents to complete a survey to assist in their research. Click to continue reading...

The Center for Sport Policy and Research at Middle Tennessee State University is investigating the experiences of parents in youth sports and is looking for youth sport parents to complete a survey to assist in their research. Click to continue reading...

The Center for Sport Policy and Research at Middle Tennessee State University is investigating the experiences of parents in youth sports and is looking for youth sport parents to complete a survey to assist in their research. Click to continue reading...

Many teams require their players to wear matching 'practice attire'. Is it worth doing, and if so, can it help team spirit? I gave it a shot with my team to find out. Click to continue reading...

Many teams require their players to wear matching 'practice attire'. Is it worth doing, and if so, can it help team spirit? I gave it a shot with my team to find out. Click to continue reading...

Many teams require their players to wear matching 'practice attire'. Is it worth doing, and if so, can it help team spirit? I gave it a shot with my team to find out. Click to continue reading...

When girls age up to U12 in competitive soccer - the game changes and becomes more physical. This isn't a bad thing, but it can also be a bit jarring to see girls who only a few years ago had ribbons in their hair and were playing swarm ball on a tiny field now drenched in sweat going in hard for a ball and coming up with grass in their teeth. Click to continue reading...

When girls age up to U12 in competitive soccer - the game changes and becomes more physical. This isn't a bad thing, but it can also be a bit jarring to see girls who only a few years ago had ribbons in their hair and were playing swarm ball on a tiny field now drenched in sweat going in hard for a ball and coming up with grass in their teeth. Click to continue reading...

When girls age up to U12 in competitive soccer - the game changes and becomes more physical. This isn't a bad thing, but it can also be a bit jarring to see girls who only a few years ago had ribbons in their hair and were playing swarm ball on a tiny field now drenched in sweat going in hard for a ball and coming up with grass in their teeth. Click to continue reading...

You might think that loud obnoxious parents are 'Soccer Parents From Hell' in a coach's eyes, but they aren't. Debra-Lynn explains about true soccer parents from hell over at Journey in Parenting: We are the parents who make the coach think really hard about retiring, the ones who always forget to pay our fees, who can [. Click to continue reading...

You might think that loud obnoxious parents are 'Soccer Parents From Hell' in a coach's eyes, but they aren't. Debra-Lynn explains about true soccer parents from hell over at Journey in Parenting: We are the parents who make the coach think really hard about retiring, the ones who always forget to pay our fees, who can [. Click to continue reading...

You might think that loud obnoxious parents are 'Soccer Parents From Hell' in a coach's eyes, but they aren't. Debra-Lynn explains about true soccer parents from hell over at Journey in Parenting: We are the parents who make the coach think really hard about retiring, the ones who always forget to pay our fees, who can [. Click to continue reading...

I love responding to comments from readers - it's part of what makes writing a blog fun. But occasionally I find a comment and/or the response warrant a full blown post, so don't be surprised if you ask an intriguing question and it ends up on Page 1 Recently a parent posted a comment on [...] Click to continue reading...

I love responding to comments from readers - it's part of what makes writing a blog fun. But occasionally I find a comment and/or the response warrant a full blown post, so don't be surprised if you ask an intriguing question and it ends up on Page 1 Recently a parent posted a comment on [...] Click to continue reading...

I love responding to comments from readers - it's part of what makes writing a blog fun. But occasionally I find a comment and/or the response warrant a full blown post, so don't be surprised if you ask an intriguing question and it ends up on Page 1 Recently a parent posted a comment on [...] Click to continue reading...

If you purchased a folding soccer net in recent years, you should measure the size of the net squares to see if they are 4″ or 5″ across. Regent Sports Corp is recalling these nets, made under the Mitre and MacGregor name, after a toddler got his head tangled in a net and died before [... Click to continue reading...

PART 3 Lance Dempsey now coaches soccer in North Carolina. Seeing the game from the other side of the sidelines gave him a new respect for the work his older brother put in. "My parents sacrificed a lot," he tells me. "But I don't want it to sound like something crazy, like we were homeless, like [.. Click to continue reading...

Here is the real reason the USMNT breezed past Trinidad & Tobago so comfortably on Wednesday. But T&T's indoor kickabout brought back fond memories of me taking out different parts of my parents' living room as a boy with my regulation weight ball. *Still with T&T, the ticket-scalping and embezzling CONCACAF President & FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner might think he is untouchable despite his Click to continue reading...

Jozy Altidore hipped me to this clip of 8 year old nasty-boy Eric Valentine via Facebook this afternoon. All you need to do is watch the first 55 ankle-breaking seconds to know that this kid is the truth. Or Clint Dempsey 2.0.

This kid is just straight up outlandish. And he's repping for Prince William Sound Courage U-9's out of Manassas, VA so if you are reading this DC United, get those Discovery Claim form's up & poppin' ASAFP. Click to continue reading...

Bob Jordan, over Glendale Soccer, has a nice write up on yesterday's anniversary of the first official High School game played within the Springfield Public Schools between Glendale and the Central Bulldogs. He's got details from the Springfield Daily News report of the game that day, check it out.

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Missouri Ozarks Futball Club will have soccer practice this Saturday September 6th at the Freeman Family YMCA in Neosho at 9:30am. All age groups will be practicing at this time.

If you have not registered for league play and would like to play competitive soccer in a US Youth Soccer Affiliated League, with USSF certified referees, we ask that you do so at this time for the games are starting rather quickly.

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Sorry for not getting at least a little bit out on the Rapids. Between the parents being in town, work, and trying to find time to sleep there hasn't been room for other things. It was wonderful to get up this morning and see the Rapids had racked up a win. With how messy the teams in the West are this year, not only are the Rapids not the worst in the league but it's still not overly hopeful for them to take 3rd or 2nd. Click to continue reading...

By JONATHAN NORTHCROFT As humble inhabitant of a nation of football players wearing slippers instead of football shoes, I was eagerly awaiting the birth of a new superstar: Robin van Persie. I know his parents are both artists so I'd like to compare him with Rembrandt: a man with genius in his Click to continue reading...

With the Hawthorne-based American Youth Soccer Organization cranking up its season, the nonprofit group has released a video expousing its positive, "everybody plays" philosophy aimed at parents whose kids have just started playing.

With AYSO increasingly becoming as much a part of America's fall culture as college pointy-ball football, this should be mandatory viewing for parents.

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Can you spot the Matildas in the photo and not just the Wannabee's

Wannabee's Matildas flocked to show their skills to World Cup hero Caitlin Munoz and Asian Cup star Amy Chapman on a cold Friday night at Dickson Oval.

The usual training session was taken by not one, but two, of Australia's star players. Click to continue reading...

Did you see Davy Arnaud's goal over Chivas USA this weekend? The Wizards midfielder out of West Texas A&M University --sorry but I had to put in a shout out for Randall County, where my parents live-- put one in that was equal parts And 1 Mixtape & trained seal performance. If this whole "I'm a pro soccer player thing" doesn't work out he can always join the circus. Click to continue reading...

At this, largely under 23, level Argentina are probably the world's best. So the Olyroos v Argentina would attract capacity crowds at a ground in Australia.

But on Channel 7 they won't tell when their delayed telecast starts. So there will be no pub loads of fans watching that then. And all the kids whose parents can't afford Foxtel don't even get fair warning and promotion on the free stuff. Click to continue reading...

Boy, you see this and you just have to wonder what Paul Hartley was thinking. Obviously, he didn't see Bent, but if I were his youth coach, I'd of had to really calm down or li'l Paul's parents would probably have had me removed from the field!



And watching Lee Naylor screw this up is just reason No. Click to continue reading...

You take a single day off and things go crazy. My son had minor surgery yesterday - though any of you that are parents realize no surgery is minor when your baby is involved - and I decided to take... Click to continue reading...