SOCCER MANAGERS
A soccer manager is someone who manages the team as the name implies. The manager plays a huge role in decision making both on and off the pitch. Managing a soccer team is one of the hardest things to do out there but also one of the most fantastic jobs anyone could ask for. I believe that if a manager has a very good relationship with his or her players, the better the team will be.
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SOCCER TIP 

It is true that if one wants to excel as a soccer player, one needs to be very agile and always run an extra mile. That is very true but during a game, one also needs to know when to use his or her energy, and when to conserve it. This is one of the hardest things to know but the more you play, the easier gets. For starters, one needs to practice this act before actually making it second nature. You need to pick and choose where and when you need to use your energy to destroy the defense. This skill requires one to be able to know what to do way before one has the ball. This aspect is called speed of play and in every team, the player with the fastest speed of play is usually the most valuable player. It is definitely not easy to do all this but as the saying goes, practice makes permanent, so the more you practice, the easier it gets. Final tip to you guys is that, play soccer as much as you can during the day, and you will definitely see a difference. 

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DFFERENT LEVELS IN SOCCER

In the United States, one could participate soccer activities in multiple different programs. Some people enroll in a club soccer team, high school soccer team, recreational soccer team, and organizations such as, AYSO, YMCA, etc. Some people enroll in more than one soccer program like for example; I am doing club soccer which is active from fall to winter and then summer, and I also participate in our high school soccer team which is in season during the spring. It is great that the different programs are scheduled in a way that no two programs will be in conflict especially with time and commitment. Most successful soccer players play soccer year round and those are the people who dream of making in it into a division one college, get recruited by a professional team, and represent his or her country in the world cup and international related tournaments. 

The purpose of this piece is to address the similarities and differences between club soccer and high school soccer, and as to what extent it affects a player. I would like to advice that these notes are strictly from my own point on view and traits that I have observed from both high school and or club soccer players. First off, both programs are very good at least here in Iowa, and it keeps one busy all the time. The high school season officially starts around March 17th or so, and then goes around to about June 6th. The high school season's commitment on a varsity team level is a little high but not as high as that of club. Remember these points I am about to make are strictly from my own personal experience. For my high school team, we practice six times a week about two to three hours per day which adds up to an average of 12 to 15 hours a week. Our games are usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and every Wednesday after practice, we have team dinners. During our team dinners, we have a nice healthy meal, and then watch our previous games and see what good we have done and what places we need to improve on based on performance. We are also mandated to keep our grades up in order to participate in the program while still committing to the hard work everyday before and or after school. When the high school soccer season rolls around, I rarely get 7 hours of sleep because practice usually ends at 8 in the evening, and before I get home, freshen up, and eat, its about 8;30pm and I still need to catch up with my assignments, so on average I usually get to bed at 1 in the morning and then wake up at 6. The nice thing about high school soccer is that some teachers give you extensions on homework and projects based on your commitment to the class and the sport. 

The club soccer program is a little different compared to the high school program. The commitment level in both cases is about the same because in my club team, we usually practice about 2 to 3 times a week. I bet some of you are saying that the high school program requires more commitment because we have to practice 6 times a week but hold on. In the club soccer program, committed individuals which is usually about 98% of team do some extra work outside of practice. My buddies and I usually go out to the trail or the field and do some technical work and put in some good deal of conditioning. Remember, the club program is filled with players who are committed to playing in college and hopefully higher so every competitor has to put in that extra work in order to meet the level of play in this program. Club soccer teams travel all around the state and outside the state too. The tournaments are usually during the weekends. The tournaments been during the weekend limits your leisure time with friends because you need to catch with homework and possibly study for upcoming tests and quizzes. In the high school soccer program, no payment is required but in the club program, one has to pay thousands of dollars in order to play. When it comes to getting extensions from teachers, it is likely that one will get none because it is an outside of school program. In addition to all these time consuming commitments, the club program also requires a great deal of commitment from parents who spend thousand of dollars on this program travelling in and out of state for tournaments and games. 

It is crystal clear that both programs require a lot commitment but the club program requires a little bit more commitment. Both programs are fantastic and offer a lot of exposure to college coaches. In conclusion, players engaged in the club soccer program and high school program are the most committed to furthering their skills and getting more exposed to coaches who will hopefully recruit them. Soccer takes up a lot of your time but every time and money consumed is 100% worth it. I would advice that if you are financially able to, enroll in both programs in other to learn more about the beautiful game and exploit your skills to college soccer scouts. 

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SOCCER TIP

For todays’ tip, I would like to strictly advice that this from my personal observance and not any proven scientific fact. To be a great soccer player, you first of all need to be a great athlete. Climbing, running, jumping and doing all crazy stuff will make you a better athlete which in turn makes you a way better soccer player. Every professional soccer player in the world is very athletic and they worked to be what they are today. The bottom line is, to whatever legal thing you need to do to make you a better athlete and a better soccer player.

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SOCCER TIP

For today's tip, I want you guys to know that playing soccer is not just about winning, we all play to win because it is the nature of the sport but that is not the reason why we play. We play because we love the game, we enjoy everything about the sport from dribbling, scoring, to conditioning. Play as much as you can and always remember to have fun!!!! 

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SHOWCASES 

What is a college soccer showcase? College soccer showcases are events hosted by soccer committees who invite college coaches at all levels to watch young soccer players play for the possibility of getting recruited by a college soccer coach. College showcases are hosted in numerous locations, multiple times a year, and in all sorts of weather conditions. These showcases are usually very competitive and are always composed of players at different skill levels. In most common or most popular showcase like the Nike soccer showcase, are usually filled with the best of the best players out there and the top coaches in the nation. College soccer showcases usually aren't free and the average per club is about $250 depending on the one you go to. One needs to be in a club team in other to participate in a college soccer showcase and increase your chances of getting recruited. If you aren't enrolled in a club, there are some methods you could use to perform in a showcase. One could enroll in a club as a guest player and most elite clubs require some form of tryout to see where one fits on the team. Showcases are great because it helps you evaluate yourself compared to other players in your graduating year, and your chances of getting recruited. It is also good for the coaches because, it helps them weed out the players with high potentials from other players who need to improve on their technical, mental, skill, and physical aspects. I would like to focus this article on how one could excel in a showcase, and stand out from the thousands of players who participate in these fantastic events. There are many components that add up to make you look good in the eyes of college coaches and I hope that the components I am about to share with you guys will be helpful in speeding up your recruiting process 

I will likely to strictly advice that these tips are strictly from my experience and knowledge I have gained from elite coaches and other recruited players. One of the most important components that college scouts look for is leadership. Leadership is one of the most important aspect in the game of soccer and the players with the greatest leadership attributes stand out to college scouts. You could show and train  your leadership potentials in numerous ways. One method you could use is communication. Using this method is efficient because communicating with your teammates both on and off the ball shows that you are not only going to improve your personal skill set, but also your teammates' who will learn from your leadership roles.  

College coaches also look at the player's punctuality. Coming to the game about an hour and a half early, getting everything setup and especially coordinate the warm up is really important because it tells the coaches that you are consistent and could be counted on. Appearance and behavior is also another form of punctuality they look at because the player's relationship with the coach and teammates, is significant to the team's overall performance. Behavior towards the referee is extremely important because, when a player gives a referee the respect that he or she deserves, the coaches see it as that the player can be easily coached. Appearance, looking professional and having all required equipment for the game is also important because it shows that you are a well respected lady or a gentleman who has fantastic professional traits that cannot be altered. 

Passion is a very important aspect of getting recruited because of all the commitments one needs to have towards the beautiful game of soccer. Playing with a smile on your face and going at the ball hard, communicating and motivating your teammates tells the coach that you love the game and everything about it. Been passionate means that been positive no matter what, especially if your team is losing, keeping your head as well as your co players in the game, shows that you love the game much more than just the results. This attribute is valuable to the coaches because, it shows them that you can keep the team moving whether in a winning situation, or a heartbreaking losing situation. You could also show how passionate you are about soccer by playing fair and been a good competitor. This attribute also ties in with leadership and college teams want players who will be leaders both in and outside of team. The reason why passion is so valuable to college coaches is because, passion is an attribute that you can't teach. Coaches sort out players that have unteachable attributes from those who don't, and these little aspects can totally change your chances of developing your professional soccer career. 

Determination is a fantastic trait to have because it says a lot about you as person and as player. Coaches want players who are teachable, now what does that mean? Well, it means that coaches want players who are willing to learn, listen to instructions, and determined to learn new things from the coach, the assistant coach, the whole soccer staff, and co players. Determination doesn't differ much from passion especially when we are talking soccer. You almost show determination in the field the same way you show passion. Just like passion, you can show how determined you are on the field especially when trailing by a goal, and motivating your other teammates to keep working alongside you to equalize and tie if not win the game. 

There are a lot more attributes that you can have, which can increase your chances of been recruited and the ones I listed above are just a part of the puzzle. My tips to you guys is, play as much as you can. Play anywhere, in the streets, in the grocery store, just simply get as much playing in as possible. I promise you my friends, you will definitely see a dramatic improvement in your ball control, and all around ball movement. My final advice is that, talk to your coach about the recruiting process, and try to go to as much ID camps and showcases possible. I hope that these few tips will help speed up your recruiting chances. 

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OFFSIDE 

In soccer, the offside rule states that when an offensive player is on the opponent's side of the field and a teammate touches the ball, there must be at least two opposing players who are closer to the goal line than the offensive player is, or that player cannot become involved in the play. For example, a player who has only the opposing goalkeeper between him or her and the goal cannot receive a pass from a teammate. The two defenders closer to the goal line usually include the goalkeeper, but that it not necessarily true. When an official calls a team for being offside, the other team is given possession of the ball for an indirect free kick. 

Timing is Crucial 

This rule was created to prevent offensive players from "cherry picking" near the opponents' goal. Without the rule, offensive players could hover near their opponents' goal even when the play is on the other side of the field, with the hope of a long pass and an easy goal. The offside rule applies at the moment the ball is touched or passed, not when the ball is received. Therefore, if the offensive player who will receive the pass is onside at the time the ball is touched, then runs past the defender before receiving the pass, the receiving offensive player is not offside, and the play is legal. 

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