The crucial difference between an elite performer and one who is good is often not visible to the casual observer. Having a good Mind Game can make all the difference! “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Mark TwainAuthor It Doesn’t Matter the […]
Continue reading
Stand OutsSometimes, a really good referee just stands out in the crowd. It’s more than the calls. There is a comfort and synergy on the field, a connection with players and coaches, a message that carries on the wind that says to everyone: “we’re in good hands.” I met a set of referees this weekend that […]
Continue reading
I’m literally typing with hunt and peck, and getting ready to head out to the Emergency Room (ER) as I produce this episode. Lot’s of good information here about soccer injuries, but I don’t have a lot of time to chat this week. I’m taking my own soccer injury to the doctor this AM. I should […]
Continue reading
How Would You Deal With a Bad Referee?I had occasion to find out how I would deal with a bad referee this weekend. It didn’t go as well as I would have liked What would you do if you were faced with a bad referee situation? What is a Bad Referee?If you’ve been following this […]
Continue reading
What Makes a Winner? Can you lose a game and walk away as a winner? There is ZERO question that a youth player can be a winner when the scoreboard reads in favor of the other team. Let’s talk about how player can leave the field as winners – even when the score board says otherwise. […]
Continue reading
In the Line of FireThis past weekend, I was asked to be the Assistant Referee (AR) for my son’s 2003 travel game. I’m not a referee, but on this day I had just come from a game and was wearing my coaching uniform. We look like race cars on the field and stand out from […]
Continue reading
Being Cold is No FunIt’s amazing to me how many parents I see every year on the sidelines who are unprepared for the weather. I expect this from my teenaged kids, but when I see full grown adults shivering on the sidelines, I think I need to do an episode on this subject. There is […]
Continue reading
The Adventure of CoachingI think most parents come into the world of coaching out of a love for their own kids and a desire to support them and provide well rounded learning experiences wrapped in fun. If we consider the world of grassroots soccer, by that I mean non competitive travel or select soccer, we […]
Continue reading
The Reason We CompeteCompetition between human beings has been around a long time. Paintings in the Lascaux caves in France, it is believed, show images of sprinting and wrestling around 15,300 years ago. Similar paintings and sculptures show humans participating in sports like wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, and archery in Mongolia, Libya, Japan, Iraq, Egypt, and […]
Continue reading
What is so Important About Commitment?Commitment makes The Soccer Sidelines “Important Stuff” list across all categories: parents, players, coaches, and volunteers. Commitment is a basic building block of the foundation for every youth athlete and is something that each member of a community – from parents and coaches, to organization leadership and volunteers – all […]
Continue reading