Brian "Tino" Granados asked:

My nephew trying out for his freshmen high school soccer for the first time.

Jim’s answer:

High school is tough , but I will tell you the work rate off the ball and receiving the ball in motion are the top items I look for.
"trapping" the ball is one thing but a purposeful first touch at that age is a rare thing.
I also see many ... Continue reading »

Fred Freeman asked:

I am a first time soccer coach. Looking for great practice formats and drills. do you know a good free site to find tips ?

Jim’s answer:

6-8 years old??? ... The game is the teacher , fun is the product... dont be nervous be fun , if you are not the most adept player then celebrate the learning with the kids they dont know what you dint know ... and if there is a parent who wants to be ... Continue reading »

Jim De Boer asked:

What can parents do to squelch an unruly fan?

Jim’s answer:

Of course we all have established league/club policies and some level of enforcement , 2 things you can do ... if on your sideline ... share a bag of tootsie pops... otherwise just lead by example

Bre Caygle asked:

ABOUT HOW MANY MILES DO YOU THINK A SOCCER PLAYER RUN IN A WEEK WITH PRACTICE?

Jim’s answer:

We actually tracked a BU14 player at a 90 minute practice using GPS trace and it came out to a little over 2.5 miles including a jog to the washroom