Last week, I went to an under 10-year-old travel soccer game to watch one of my amazing child athletes play. I was pumped to see her crush it on the pitch, ooze joy for the game, and play in the present moment with a smile on...
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:...
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...
"It was the best of times...
It was Sunday morning. My alarm went off at 7:30am, and a reminder popped up on my phone, "Die Healthier Podcast 8:00am." I had 30 minutes to grab a large black coffee, plug in my computer, and sign onto Google Hangouts to talk everything youth training and...
"Erica, you're getting in the car and going to soccer practice!" my mom yelled at 6-year-old me. "1...
If you coach kids, I would hope they are leaving your practices and training sessions with a beaming smile on their faces. Surprisingly enough, fun is the most overlooked component of youth training. Nowadays, people want the intense Instagram post with the rap music sounding in the...
If your players aren't in-season strength training, I question if the longevity of their careers is important to you. And if you're a coach who says, "well, weights will make them sore for my practices and the games!" My answer: the two-to-three game a week template and...
Overuse injuries are a lot like stepping on dog poop: the more you ignore there's a problem, the more it's going to stink. I mean, come on...
"Speed training for soccer players is more than flying through sprint drills. It is more than strapping on parachutes. It is more than ladder drills. It is more than plyometric training and box jumps." Soccer players all want speed. They want explosiveness. They want a faster "first step." Well, I'm...