Author: erica

26 Oct Year-Round Periodization for Youth Soccer Players

Posted at 11:28h in Blog, Girls' Soccer Training, Periodization, Podcasts, Recovery, Soccer, Soccer Science by erica 0 Comments

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This much I know: youth soccer players train and play more than professionals. The year-round schedule is packed with practices, technical training sessions, free play nights, games and tournaments. And sometimes, players play two to three games a week with an itty bitty 24-hour recovery window. Excuse me,...

24 Oct Second Appearance on the WVSA Beyond the Pitch Podcast

Posted at 20:45h in Blog, Overuse Injuries, Podcasts by erica 0 Comments

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There are few things in life I do more than once: 1. Watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 2. Order tacos. 3. Order more tacos. 4. Appear on the Beyond the Pitch Podcast. I was honored to be a two-peat guest to discuss the dangers of overuse injuries, how...

24 Oct Being A Strength Coach Is Not A Hobby. It’s A Profession.

Posted at 19:49h in Blog, Career, Coaching, Strength and Conditioning, Uncategorized by erica 8 Comments

2 Likes

This year, I spent $5,000 on continuing education. This year, I told 100 people I don't give free sessions. This year, I lost 10 clients because I don't offer discounts or package deals. This year, I spent $10,000 on systems, products, eCommerce, and new equipment to ensure my...

20 Oct College Soccer Recruiting Tips: Written By A Recruiter

Posted at 21:48h in Blog, Coaching, College Recruiting, Uncategorized by erica 4 Comments

14 Likes

The college recruiting process is disorienting and confusing. And I totally get why it feels you are navigating through an unending labyrinth with a variety of directions, pathways, and twists and turns. Full disclosure: I recruit for Johns Hopkins women's soccer. And no, this isn't your clue to...

18 Oct An Open Letter to Female Coaches

Posted at 17:31h in Blog, Coaching by erica 0 Comments

1 Like

Dear Female Coach, You are more than just a role model. You are a coach - one who is competent, confident and capable. You are someone who can speak intelligently about the game. You can run intense practices. You can write a year-round training plan with ease. You can be meticulous...

14 Oct Conditioning for High School Soccer Players: Stop Jogging Laps Part 2

Posted at 12:39h in Blog, Conditioning, Soccer Science, Total Youth Soccer Fitness by erica 0 Comments

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This much I know: conditioning programs will make or break your athletes. You’ll either build them up to withstand the demands of their sport, or you’ll tear them down and hinder their health and destroy their love for movement. So yeah. I'm going to drop the mic right...

13 Oct A New Perspective on Dealing with Performance Anxiety

Posted at 14:45h in Blog, Mindset, Uncategorized by erica 4 Comments

4 Likes

Mental health is a touchy subject. Especially when it comes to sport performance, there is a stigma around speaking out about anxiety and the stressors of being an athlete. You're supposed to be the tough one. The resilient one. The gracious one. The strong one. But alas,...

04 Oct Conditioning for Youth Soccer Players: Stop Jogging Laps.

Posted at 17:44h in Blog, Conditioning, Soccer, Uncategorized, Youth Training by erica 5 Comments

9 Likes

If everyone would take their children to the playground for an hour a day, run around it fast, run hard for 60 seconds or more, rest to eat oranges for a few minutes, then repeat, I wouldn't need to write this article. Alas, here I am:...

01 Oct An Open Letter To Youth Athletes

Posted at 18:39h in Blog, Uncategorized, Youth Training by erica 6 Comments

5 Likes

Dear Youth Athlete, You're not a soccer player. You're not a basketball player. You're not a volleyball player. You're not a hockey player. You're a kid. In fact, you're a kid with a multitude of hobbies, aspirations, and talents. Yes, you might be good at one sport over the other, but...

26 Sep What To Do When You Get Injured

Posted at 11:43h in Blog, Injury Prevention, Knee Injuries, Motivation by erica 0 Comments

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Let me set the stage. You're plopped on the sofa. You have crutches propped up against it. You are rocking a full-leg boot that feels like a hot air balloon on your leg. You turn Stranger Things on Netflix. You're feeling sorry for yourself. So you crush a pint of Ben...