Soccer Specialist

I had an Indoor game last night and we were playing the top ranked team in our league. It was the last game of the season and they were undefeated leading up to our game. They were a lot younger than our team and all around they had better players. We played very hard and led most of the game, which shocked them a little bit. We could tell they were getting very frustrated and we continued to attack. It was a close game and we were up 3-2 with 2 minutes to play.

In our league when a team commits 6 fouls the other team gets a penalty shot, the shooting player can dribble and try and beat the goalie one-on-one. All of the other players have to be behind half field, but once the ball is touched they can rush down the field. So with 2 minutes to go, they commit their 6th foul. I was selected to take the kick by my teammates, I usually take them when I am in because I had not missed up until last night’s game.

I have the same routine every time, I touch the ball to the right to get the goalie leaning that way and then I rip a shot to the left. The goalie is always off balance and the left side of the goal is open. Last night I set the ball, the ref blew the whistle, I touched the ball to the right, the goalie did exactly what I wanted him to, I ripped my shot and watched it bounce off the wall right next to the goal. I tried to recover and get the ball back, but their team had recovered and stopped any attack we had. To make matters worse it proved to be a turning point in the game as the momentum turned in their favor. They scored 2 quick goals to go up 4-3 and we lost the game by a point. I could not apologize to my team enough after the game, and I am still frustrated about my shot.

It was one of those moments where I wish I could try the shot again. I have hit a ton of those penalty shots, and I don’t know how I was so far off. I will use it as a learning experience and make the rest of them from now on.

What do you do to prepare for your penalty shots? I feel it is important to have consistency and do the same thing every time, I would be interested to hear the different things people do to prepare for a penalty shot. Leave a comment and share what works for you and how we can all improve on penalty shots.

Here is a video that will teach the proper technique to shooting the ball.

I started playing soccer when I was 4 years old. I was one of the youngest guys on the team and I had no idea what I was doing. My brother’s played as well so I had seen a lot of soccer, but it was a lot different playing myself. I was told to play defense and so I went back and stood on the line for the goalie box and didn’t move. I would move laterally across the line, but never in front or behind it. For some reason I thought that playing defense meant I could only stay on that line and not go anywhere else on the field. I have come a long way since than and I have learned a lot about playing defense.

We all know that we don’t have to stay on the goalie box line when we are playing defense, but what are the limitations of a defender? How far can he go up before he is going to be in trouble on a counter attack? I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to this. The best defenders I have watched usually act on their instincts. In indoor soccer I have seen defenders lead the league in scoring because they know when to go up and shoot and when to stay back and defend. A general rule of thumb is to make sure one person, usually the sweeper, is watching to make sure everyone will be covered in the event of the opposing team’s attack. A great sweeper will communicate a lot on the field and direct the defense with the goalies help.

A great team communicates well and moves together well. It takes unselfishness from everyone to be able to move together. When a defender makes a run from the back it is someone elses responsibility to move back and cover for him. This is what seperates good players from great players. Good players will continue to move up and go for the goal even if a defender is making a run. A great player will look out for the whole team and cover the defender while he makes the run. Having a defender move up from the back to attack the goal can be a great strategy and can pay off well if everyone moves together. Also, that is a lot of ground that the defender will cover. The defender will be tired and that is another reason why it is important to help out.

Great teams are willing to share the glory with each other. I have seen good players struggle on a team because they wanted the glory for themselves and did not even look how they could help their teammates. Keep your head up and plan your next move. Don’t always look straightforward, look back and see what you can do to help your team. Not only will your team improve, your coach and teammates will love playing with you because of this simple idea.

Please share your comments so we can all improve our game!

I graduated from college with a Bachelors degree in Speech Communication. Needless to say I view communication as an important part of our lives. Communication can separate a good team from a great team. It is very important that your team communicates well with each other.

When I was playing recreation soccer I had a coach implement keywords to help us communicate on the field. They seem silly now, but at the time they were very helpful in teaching young soccer players to talk to each other while playing. The main word we were taught was “Peanut Butter” If you heard someone yelling that it meant you had a backwards pass available. As I grew up playing soccer I learned the value of communicating as a team. There should be constant chatter on a team to help each other in certain instances. Your team can use simple directions or alerts, such as ‘man on’ and ‘turn’ or ‘you have time’ to make playing so much easier. Good communication becomes more important as the game speeds up at higher levels. Great teams always communicate well with each other and help each other to know what is going on and what plays are available.

Not all communication is good for a team. I know this sound counterproductive to my statement that communication makes great teams. Communication is effective when it is positive and influences players to do well. There is a difference between yelling to another player and yelling at another player. It is important to make sure you are heard as you give direction to your teammates, this is yelling to another player. When you yell at another player you become a negative influence on the team and impact your team in the worst way possible. I have played with players that have a tendency to yell at their teammates and I will do whatever I can to encourage them to keep it positive. If they can’t keep it positive and continually yell at teammates you will find they don’t last on teams very long.

I was recently on a team that yelled at each other a lot, I would discuss it with the team and they would keep it positive for a little bit, but eventually would start yelling again. I eventually quit the team because it is not fun to be on a team like that. I was frustrated after games and we did not play to the potential we were capable of playing due to the negative feeling on the team. It is not beneficial for anyone to have those players on the team. If you are one of those players that is constantly yelling at your team, knock it off. You may hurting your team’s chance of ever being a great team. If you are on a team with someone that yells at your teammates a lot then talk to the player and possibly the coach about the problem. Taking care of the problem will result in a better environment for players to learn and be successful on the soccer field!

Tips for effective communication on the soccer field:

• Communicate with your team and you will improve and grow as a team.
• Use positive communication with your teammates.
• Use keywords to tell your teammates what is going on and what plays are available to them.
• Get rid of negative comments towards other players on your team.
• Have fun and enjoy the greatest sport in the world!

Now you can kick a soccer ball like a professional soccer player with this great soccer video - Blast The Ball! Learn the proper technique and form to control your kick and gain the maximum power from your kicks! You will be able to pass more precisely, shoot better and become a more rounded soccer player! This video is great for coaches to use as a teaching tool, or for players that want to gain the advantage over players their age. Make sure to order Blast The Ball today so you can start kicking like the Pro’s!

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I would like to receive any feedback you may have for my site. Also I would like to start posting funny soccer stories on my site. If you have any funny stories let me know and I will put it on my site for everyone to enjoy. I would like to do a weekly funny story so email me at, travis@soccer-specialist.com, with your funny stories! I will start with one of my own:
This story takes place when I was a freshman in High School playing for my J.V team. It was an away game, so the Varsity team stayed to watch the game as well as all of the coaching staff. I was trying to impress the coaches and get my first shot at playing for the Varsity team. It was a close game and there was about ten minutes on the clock, I was having a good game and our team was doing really well. I received a pass on the right side of the field and headed up field right in front of our team bench. There was not a player within 20 yards of me and I had open field in front of me. As I was dribbling down the field I must have stepped on the ball or something. I fell flat on my face in front of the whole team and coaches. Luckily I had enough time to get up and continue dribbling down field before anyone was able to even get close to me. I was so embarrassed, not only was my team laughing, the other team was laughing as well. We ended up winning the game and afterwards the Varsity coach and my whole team came up to me and had a good laugh about my fall. The rest of the season I ended up getting some Varsity time, but I never lived down stumbling over the ball when I was wide open! My coach teased me for all four years I was in High School about that tumble. Whenever I see him, 7 years later, he will still mention it and get a good laugh.

Email travis@soccer-specialist.com with your funny stories and experiences!

There is nothing like soccer in the spring! I live where there are four seasons and I love it when the snow melts and I can get outside and kick a ball around! I love the smell of the grass as it is coming back to life after winter. I love running around and breathing in the fresh air! I love preparing for the upcoming season and making sure I was ready to perform at my highest level! I love going to adidas Soccer to get all of the latest gear! It is my favorite time of year for soccer! I love playing indoor soccer during the winter, but there is nothing like lacing up your cleats for the first time and running around outside!

This is a great set of Adidas warm ups for the upcoming cold months. Stay warm between plays and for the walk to the victory party. Snug-fit collar and cuffs beat the chill. Loose-fit, lightweight pant makes them easy to pull over soccer shorts.

• Jacket: Full-zip with rib-knit stand-up collar, cuffs and bottom band
• Front welted pockets
• Pant: Elastic waistband with drawcord
• Open leg hems with zippers
• 100% polyester
• Made in China

Click here to get your Samba Warm ups

With the cold weather approaching it is imperative to keep your muscles warm while training, or playing in cold weather games. I posted a warm up jacket for guys a few posts back, so now it is the Ladies turn. I found these warm ups that are perfect for keeping your muscles loose while warming up for a game, practice or training out in the cold. This training suit features ClimaCool mesh inserts to keep heat and sweat at bay. The top has handy side pockets, while the pull-on pants have side-seam leg zippers to slip easily over shorts. The top comes in four colors that will surely match your team colors, or you can choose a different Adidas Training Suit style from their wide selection of training suits.

• 30.5″ inseam (size Med)
• Ventilated ClimaCool® keeps you cool, dry and comfortable
• Front pockets on top and pants
• Full-front zip jacket and pull-on pants
• adidas brandmark on left chest and thigh
• 100% polyester
• Imported

Click here to buy your Adidas United Training Suit

Learn how to get Super Soccer Skills with this soccer training DVD! Advance your skills, by Learning new skills with quick tests to challenge yourself. Increase your acceleration and learn new combinations, fast foot skills, & how to get full control, whether the soccer ball is in the air or on the ground. You will learn how to develop the quickest touch to open space with or without a teammate.

Click here to advance your soccer skills!

Beneath the simple lines of this woven jacket lies the secret to better performance: A TechFit™ design that actually helps your muscles work longer and stronger for more power.

• TechFit™ focuses your muscles’ energy to generate maximum explosive power, acceleration and long-term endurance
• Bonded side-seam pockets
• Full-front zip
• Ribbed cuffs and hem
• Heat transfer adidas brandmark on left chest
• 100% polyester
• Imported

Click here to see all of Adidas Jackets