Sean Walker asked:

I coach a YMCA team or 10-12 yr olds. It was sugg. to play a staggered 4-4 using the keep as stopper and offsides in my favor. Thoughts?

Matt’s answer:

Sean, does your league play with 11 players on the field at once? Many younger leagues do not, but I'm not sure I've ever heard of a strategy to play the goalkeeper out at such a young age. 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 are the most common 11-aside formations with th... Continue reading »

Dwight Corley asked:

why is the 4-4 defense the best defensive play there is

Matt’s answer:

The 4-4 is great for younger teams that don't feature as much downfield passing (only one safety), but I'm curious if coaches in older leagues try it and have success?

Bill Campbell asked:

cut plays and responsilty

Matt’s answer:

Alexis is right, it depends on the situation.
For example:

If the ball is hit to Left Field with nobody on, the 2B covers second base preparing for a possible play at the base if the runner attempts to advance to second base. The SS breaks for the ... Continue reading »

Kat Baldwin asked:

what can I do to train to join my high school's soccer team?

Matt’s answer:

Kat- making the high school team is a great goal to shoot for! Not sure how old you are, but if you are still in junior high and not yet in high school, the key is to play as many games as possible, perhaps look at some of the soccer camps in your area... Continue reading »

Amanda Rivera asked:

any ggod techniques for the catcher, drills, etc...?

Matt’s answer:

Hi Amanda,
There a few drills over at the softball Skills and Drills area that are just for catchers. Things a player can do by herself or have a coach work on in practice.
http://www.weplay.com/youth-softball/drills/skills/catching

Frank Mullen asked:

Does anyone know where to find free 5 on 5 flag football plays?

Matt’s answer:

Frank, I know that goflagfootball.com has a number of plays on their site. Also, I'm not sure if it's free or not, but have you checked out USA Flag Football's site? I think they have some plays for 5v5, 7v7 and up...
http://usaflagfootball.com

Wesley Mumaw asked:

What are some good fundamental drills for a t-ball coach to practice with thier players?

Matt’s answer:

Wesley,
In addition to picking up some pointers under the "beginner" area of the baseball skills and drills section on Weplay (http://www.weplay.com/youth-baseball/drills/skills/beginner), there are some great sites for teaching beginners.

The best... Continue reading »

Marcus Calhoun asked:

What are some simple basketball drills for 5th graders?

Matt’s answer:

Hi Marcus, We've just launched a basketball skills and drills resource library here on Weplay. You can find a bunch of drills in a variety of area for your fifth graders.
http://www.weplay.com/youth-basketball/drills
Good luck!

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 ?

Matt’s answer:

Hi Fred,
You might want to check out the collection of Skills and Drills we've put together here on Weplay.

http://www.weplay.com/youth-soccer/drills

You can also find more drills/skills from each of our featured partners on their own websites ... Continue reading »

Erlinda Martinez asked:

Is it better to make the team stretch prior to their warm-up throws to reduce any pulled muscles??

Matt’s answer:

I've also heard and read a lot about both sides of this discussion.

The common thread that everyone agrees on is that warming up incrementally is the way to go. Stretching too much can actually temporarily weaken muscles and throwing too hard right ... Continue reading »