The Qualities of a Good Sports Captain

In any sport, a team captain can be invaluable if the right person is given the role. Team captains shouldn't just be the best players on the team or the player that the coach likes the most, it's about having certain qualities that make that player a good leader and a reliable force on the team. These are some of the most essential qualities for any good sports team captain to possess.

3 Essential Reasons Kids Quit Sport

Sports have a countless number of benefits, from physical health to emotional well-being to the development of traits, skills and lifelong friends. So it's a mystery why any kid would want to quit a sport. But then again, there are several factors that just make kids no longer want to participate, all of which are very fixable. Here are three essential reasons why kids quit sport, coming from someone who quit two sports at an early age due to some of the reasons listed below. Although this list is not exhaustive and many more explanations exist, these three reasons are some of the most widely researched and discussed in the literature.

5 Ways To Modify Small-Sided Games

Over the past decade, small sided games have become the preferred method of teaching game mechanics in football. Whether for young players or pros, small sided games have been proven to have benefits in allowing players more touches on the ball, more decisions to make but less time to make them, more 1v1 situations, more … Continue reading 5 Ways To Modify Small-Sided Games

Coaching Lessons From a Video Game – FIFA 19

One of the biggest dangers in the world of coaching in youth sports today is the concept of "joy-sticking" - whereby coaches control every act their players do and do not give their athletes freedom to be autonomous in their decisions. What is described in this article may be controversial as it is a literal form of "joy-sticking". However, this article presents the various ways that playing EA Sports' FIFA video game can be useful in analyzing your players, tactics and playing style, especially if coaches are mindful that what they do on the game may not translate into the real world. Although it is only a video game and a literal form of joy-sticking, every coach can benefit in a lot of ways from creating and playing with their team on FIFA 19. 

Best Formations for 11v11

In the ever-changing world of football, dozens of formations are being used on a day to day basis around the globe. Choosing the right formation can affect the balance of the game, while the decision of which formation to play can also be instrumental in getting the best out of the players a manager has … Continue reading Best Formations for 11v11

Best Formations for 7v7

The 7v7 game arrives at the pinnacle of optimal learning for kids developing their footballing trade. The smaller size in field allows players to have more touches on the ball, creates more 1v1 situations and is an easy transition from 5v5 into an easy-to-understand formula for success out on the field. 7v7 formations are by no means complicated and they are extraordinarily easy for players to understand, even for players that are only ages of nine and ten. The focus with 7v7 soccer should always be on a player development first and as such a formation should always come second. That being said, here are some of the best formations for 7v7 football to help you get started and encourage optimal player development within your team.

Issues Facing Women In Sport

A 2017 survey of 25,000 girls and boys in England and Northern Ireland found that both boys and girls understood the importance of an active lifestyle but that girls still struggled to meet daily requirements. Painful periods, issues with confidence, lack of encouragement and the pressures of academic work all contribute to a lack of … Continue reading Issues Facing Women In Sport

Playing in a Midfield Three

In the post 4-4-2 era, the 4-3-3 is one of the world's most popular formations. Not only is it attack-minded but it is inherently possession-based by providing an extra man in central midfield. That is one of the prime reasons why a midfield three has become the first choice of many managers around the world. … Continue reading Playing in a Midfield Three