Indoor Soccer to go High Tech By Lance Winslow

One of the newest trends in the World of Soccer is the high-tech indoor soccer stadiums. They are used for all year around play without regard to seasonality. Many of these stadiums are owned by companies, which lease or rent them out to the teams. The business model is quite profitable and some markets have more than one company with more than one facility each. These companies also sell items such as soccer balls, refreshments and video play back services. They also often have automatic kicking machines for practice like those used in tennis or for batting training in baseball.

Since these soccer arenas are indoors and climate controlled I propose that we take the coaching and training to a much higher level. I propose that we incorporate Holographic Technologies, which are getting closer to becoming reality, and use them to teach soccer techniques. Imagine the benefits to coaching if you took some of the greatest plays in World Cup Soccer and allowed the kids to replay them. Setting up the holographic 3D images to move in full motion video on the field.

First you would put an athlete next to each of the players and then run the projection as the athletes matched them stride for stride and step for step, aligning themselves to confront the opponent by moving with the hologram into position and taking the shot or defending the goal. The athletes and players would learn emensly by watching and playing along side the greats. And all this is nearly possible. By using special coatings on the artificial grass to help the projection reflection it could be done quite easily. Think on this new technology and what it means for youth soccer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/98428

Chelsea Set to Dominate European Football By David Carter

There is a new heavyweight force in European football, they are being bankrolled seemingly by the Russian economy, they mean business, and their name is Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club have always been a decent club in the second strata of English clubs. In London alone Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have invariably been ahead of the Chelsea Blues, even West Ham have often put Chelsea in the shade. But no longer, for in the season 2004-2005, Chelsea won the English Premier League title for the first time in fifty years, their only previous winning season.

But they haven't stopped there, in the new season 2005-2006 they are already well clear in the title race leaving all their rivals gasping, and now they have set their sights on the pinnacle of all the club trophys, the European Champions League. Chelsea have never won the Champions League, indeed no London club ever has. And it is clear that their charismatic manager Jose Mourinho is intent on winning the Champions League again, he did so with his previous club Porto, of Portugal.

So what of the traditional English giants? Manchester United, often described as the world's richest football club, have fallen into the hands of the Glazer family of Tampa Bay fame, but they reportedly needed to borrow half a billion pounds to buy United, a debt the club now shoulders. Spending on new players has so far been thin on the ground and United's brusque Glaswegian manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has admitted that United, for so long England's most successful club, cannot compete with Chelsea when it comes to buying players. The hordes of United fans are not amused, the natives are growing restless.

Arsenal, London's biggest and most successful club, lost their skipper and driving force Patrick Vieira last summer, he moved to Juventus in Italy for £12 million pounds and with their star striker Thierry Henry suffering fitness problems, they picked up some uncharacteristic defeats at unfashionable clubs like West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough. This is their last season at their famous old Highbury Stadium before they move to their new purpose built Emirates stadium almost next door. The increased capacity of 60,000 will undoubtedly give their French manager Arsene Wenger more money to spend next year, but of course they have to pay for that new ground too. Far from challenging Chelsea again, it would seem that Arsenal are more likely to fall further behind.

That leaves Liverpool and Newcastle. News comes through just today that the American Kraft Company and family are interested in investing in Liverpool F.C., perhaps even buying the club outright just like Manchester United fifty miles up the road, but that is some way down the line. And they too are seeking to build a brand new stadium on Stanley Park and of course that all costs big money. Despite last year's freakish win in the Champion's League, Liverpool's league form this season has again been patchy, and that included a 4-1 walloping by Chelsea on their own Anfield pitch. The idea that Liverpool might challenge Chelsea for the title remains a far-fetched one. Newcastle, England's second best supported club are gradually improving, and they have signed England's centre forward Michael Owen, but they still remain unconvincing at the top level. They haven't won the title since Noah was seen building his ark, or so it seems, and they aren't going to do so this season either.

So though it is very popular for foreign investors to snap up the leading English (and Scottish) football clubs, it appears that only Roman Abramovich at Chelsea has the financial muscle to buy the best players around. He is the only one to put unlimited funds on the table. Top class players now command a transfer fee of £40 million each and whereas Manchester United might afford one of them a season, Chelsea's purse seems bottomless. They have already spent £220+ million and are still in the market to buy again when the transfer window re-opens in January.

They have already achieved success by winning at home, now the European Champion's League is the Holy Grail for them, a trophy they are now the outright favourites to win with the odds layers. And astonishingly they have achieved their success to date with an array of strikers who haven't really cut the mustard. Mutu the Romanian, was promptly sacked for drug taking, Crespo the Argentinian, was sent out to Milan on loan last season, and though he is back now he is hardly setting the world afire,or even playing that often, Gudjohnson an Icelander, plays more often than not, the muscular Drogba from the Ivory Coast, seems to have finally claimed the number nine shirt as his own, yet many blues followers still remain unconvinced about him, so it would seem likely that Chelsea may yet be looking for another proven goal scorer come January, especially after a recent rare defeat at Manchester United.

It would take a brave man to back against Chelsea in any competition at the moment. But if you'd like to, you can still have a free $30 dollar bet at Betfair.com by entering the code 6CHE3VPWJ when prompted. But one thing is for sure; no one would be surprised if this time next year the Premier League trophy AND the Champions League trophy were both on display in the Chelsea boardroom. It seems that only the Italian giants Milan and Juventus, and the Spanish top two, Real Madrid, and most especially Barcelona with their Brazilian superstar, surely soon to be the world player of the year, Ronaldinho, might stop the London blues. It really does seem as if we have entered a new era in European and world football, or if you prefer the ridiculous name that no one ever uses, Soccer. Chelsea fans have never had it so good while everyone else is left gasping in their wake, for it is a fact that Chelsea Football Club have raised the bar for everyone else to follow. Time will tell if anyone can.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/96756

Soccer Betting - An Introduction By Rob Mellor

Lawmakers have been thus penned down to make tough new measures to crack down on corruption in sports related betting. Bets are placed on individual player's performances, the winning team, scores in the game, etc.
Technology aids available

Today you can bet on the Internet, at casinos, through national lottery and also on cell phones. Growth of Internet betting exchanges has made sports more vulnerable to fraud and match fixing. Now betting is done with the help of GPRS technology, which is a more faster and reliable way for account holders to place their bets. Users are charged for the volume of data rather than the time spent using the service. But the police are now resorting to the use of electronic surveillance techniques to track down the alleged racket.

Advantages over other sports
Precisely betting on a football game has been an extremely popular form of winning big money for years, producing far better prize money amounts for relatively low stake money. Today a punt on the football pools or spot the ball for a quid could win you thousands upon thousands. A bet on a horse cannot produce the same odds. This is perhaps a clue to the nature of betting on a football. Complete change in the lifestyle for a stake that he can afford to loose and demand for no work in return is what allures an aspiring punter to football betting. This is the lure for many working class punters, both male and female regardless of their taste for football. Football betting is the most appropriate technique to make money for those who want to skip the hurdles and mushroom their profits without taking any pains.
Thus the lawmakers have called for various sports governing bodies to have a say in the type of bets offered to punters and to make bookmakers set up "audit-trails", something the new betting exchanges already do, to allow suspicious betting patterns to be traced. Lawmakers have also called for the governing bodies of various sports to devise common standards on who may bet on their sport, types of bets that can be placed on the concerned sport and what the other logistics for placing a bet on their sport should be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/86587

Soccer in Scotland By Stuart Noble

Scotland has throughout its history been playing Soccer. Historically Scottish soccer players weren't limited to 11 players per team, whole villages of Scottish soccer devotees used to challenge other villages to a game.

The rules of soccer at that point weren't very uniform and there was little if any provisions against violence, because of this attempts were made to outlaw the game, with King James I even saying in Parliament, "That na man play at the Fute-ball" (No man shall play football/soccer). Despite the attempts of clerics, sheriffs, mayors and even a King the game was kept alive by Scottish soccer players.

As times changed Soccer became a widely accepted sport again, firstly being played at school and universities. At these institutions the rules for soccer were formalized to something closely resembling today's game. The game's popularity then spread beyond the school campuses, and local soccer clubs were formed, soccer became a popular spectator sport with "blue-collar workers".

With the wide acceptance and popularity of soccer, the World's first international game was set up, between Scotland and England. The game took place on 30 November 1872. The Scottish side was one of Scotland's oldest and most established Soccer club, Queens Park. Two thousand people came to the game and saw the last and possibly biggest revolution in the playing of the game. The Scottish team introduced a whole new aspect to the game that day, a team based approach utilizing, passing. Up till then the way the game was played was to "muscle" the ball up the field in Rugby like fashion, after that game the English began adopting a playing style to match the Scottish soccer team, and Soccer in its current form was born.

The Scottish soccer team did not exist that day in the form that we now understand; soccer was played by Universities or Clubs, with no central organization to elect a national team. There was no Scottish team picked from the best players around, but a club to represent the whole country. To cope and control the rising popularity of the game Scotland formed a Football Association three month after the first match between England and Scotland. Wales then followed and formed a FA in 1875, and then Ireland in 1880. England on the other hand had formed their Football Association in 1863. With the formation of a Football Association, Scotland was able to establish leagues, tournament and even a national team.

With forty two different professional teams over two different leagues, it is understandable that Scotland has some of the most dedicated Soccer fans in the world; this also applies to the female fans. Scotland has also always had a strong legion of female soccer lovers and players. Seeming to always be pioneers in the game Scotland and England were also the first two countries to have an international woman's match. Fifty three thousand people came to watch this event, in which unfortunately the Scottish soccer team lost 22-0.

Soccer is in the hearts of the Scotts, it always was, and always will be part of their heritage. Visit us at Scottish Heirloom Jewelry, to see how we can help you celebrate your heritage and love of soccer.

Scottish Soccer - league winners

1892 Dunbarton

1893 Celtic Glasgow

1894 Celtic Glasgow

1895 Heart of Midlothian

1896 Celtic Glasgow

1897 Heart of Midlothian

1898 Celtic Glasgow

1899 Glasgow Rangers

1900 Glasgow Rangers

1901 Glasgow Rangers

1902 Glasgow Rangers

1903 Hibernian

1904 Third Lanark

1905 Celtic Glasgow

1906 Celtic Glasgow

1907 Celtic Glasgow

1908 Celtic Glasgow

1909 Celtic Glasgow

1910 Celtic Glasgow

1911 Glasgow Rangers

1912 Glasgow Rangers

1913 Celtic Glasgow

1914 Celtic Glasgow

1915 Celtic Glasgow

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1918 Glasgow Rangers

1919 Celtic Glasgow

1920 Glasgow Rangers

1921 Glasgow Rangers

1922 Celtic Glasgow

1923 Glasgow Rangers

1924 Glasgow Rangers

1925 Glasgow Rangers

1926 Celtic Glasgow

1927 Glasgow Rangers

1928 Glasgow Rangers

1929 Glasgow Rangers

1930 Glasgow Rangers

1931 Glasgow Rangers

1932 Motherwell

1933 Glasgow Rangers

1934 Glasgow Rangers

1935 Glasgow Rangers

1936 Celtic Glasgow

1937 Glasgow Rangers

1938 Celtic Glasgow

1939 Glasgow Rangers

1947 Glasgow Rangers

1948 Hibernian

1949 Glasgow Rangers

1950 Glasgow Rangers

1951 Hibernian Glasgow

1952 Hibernian Glasgow

1953 Glasgow Rangers

1954 Celtic Glasgow

1955 Aberdeen Celtic

1956 Glasgow Rangers

1957 Glasgow Rangers

1958 Heart Of Midlothian

1959 Glasgow Rangers

1960 Heart Of Midlothian

1961 Glasgow Rangers

1962 Dundee

1963 Glasgow Rangers

1964 Glasgow Rangers

1965 Kilmarnock

1966 Celtic Glasgow

1967 Celtic Glasgow

1968 Celtic Glasgow

1969 Celtic Glasgowv

1970 Celtic Glasgow

1971 Celtic Glasgow

1972 Celtic Glasgow

1973 Celtic Glasgow

1974 Celtic Glasgow

1975 Glasgow Rangers

1976 Glasgow Rangers

1977 Celtic Glasgow

1978 Glasgow Rangers

1979 Celtic Glasgow

1980 Aberdeen Celtic

1981 Celtic Glasgow

1982 Celtic Glasgow

1983 Dundee United

1984 Aberdeen Celtic

1985 Aberdeen

1986 Celtic Glasgow

1987 Glasgow Rangers

1988 Celtic Glasgow

1989 Glasgow Rangers

1990 Glasgow Rangers

1991 Glasgow Rangers

1992 Glasgow Rangers

1993 Glasgow Rangers

1994 Glasgow Rangers

1995 Glasgow Rangers

1996 Glasgow Rangers

1997 Glasgow Rangers

1998 Celtic Glasgow

1999 Glasgow Rangers

2000 Glasgow Rangers

2001 Celtic Glasgow

2002 Celtic Glasgow

2003 Glasgow Rangers

The Author, a Scot, is Stuart Noble, the founder and Chief Executive of the Scottish Heirloom Jewelry Company, manufacturing jewelers, specializing in the production of Scottish Family Clan Crest Jewellery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/54943

The Nitty Gritty to Soccer Safety By Rebecca Blain

As soccer is one of the most well loved sports on Earth, many children and adults are lured into participating in playing on a daily basis. Due to this wide spread popularity, soccer injuries are very common.

With over 80,000 adults and children going to emergency rooms every year as a result of soccer, knowing the safety rules is vital. When playing and watching, there are certain things that you should always be aware of so that you and your teammates or family members are not among those hurt through either playing or watching. There are several categories of safety rules that you should be aware of. These consist of the following:

• On Field Safety
• Goal Safety
• Stadium Safety
• Equipment
• Weather Safety
• Miscellaneous Accessories

On Field Safety

Of all of the categories, on field safety is the one that players are constantly aware of. This is where most children and adults are injured. Whether it is a sprained ankle from tripping over the ball, collisions, and other accidents, there are several things that you can do to prevent injury. Sprained ankles are one of the most common soccer injuries, as there is a great deal of foot work involved.

These injuries can be avoided by using a slight amount of caution when passing or receiving the ball, as well as taking care when running down the field. Proper foot position when handling the ball is one of the most effective ways at preventing this type of injury. Unfortunately, accidents will happen, regardless of how careful you are. By being diligent, you can make certain whatever injuries you sustain are minor and should not interfere with future game play. The key rule to preventing injuries on the field is to always be observant. Know where the ball is and know who is around you.

Goal Safety

Whether you are the goalie, or a player on defense, the goal can occasionally become a safety hazard. In most instances, collisions with goal or goalie are caused by lack of observation. Whether you trip and fall into the goal posts, or hit the goalie by accident, you need to make certain that you are always watching where you going when moving in to score. Not only can this action cause injury, it can also get you carded which could potentially have you removed from the game.

Another point to consider when shopping for 8 x 24 soccer goals, is to consider goals with rounded posts instead of square posts. When colliding with a post, you're more likely to skip off a rounded one and avoid serious injury.

Stadium Safety

For parents, guardians and friends, there are a few stadium safety tips that tend to be neglected when the subject of soccer safety comes up. Occasionally a player can lose control of the soccer ball, and it enter the stands where you are observing the game. Injuries due to being hit with the ball, or any other piece of equipment that flies your way, can be easily prevented by making certain you pay attention at all times.

Running through the stands, or through the player's area can be dangerous to you and others. As a rule, common sense is the best safety precaution you have. If it involves doing something that could harm yourself or others, such as walking over the back of the bleachers, climbing over people and tall benches, it should be avoided for your sake and others.

Equipment

Without soccer safety equipment, all of the in game rules would be ineffective. Shin guards, cleats, jerseys and proper fitting shorts and socks all work together to ensure that every player can enjoy the game without being at high risk of injury. Shin guards are used to prevent bruising or breaking of the lower portion of the leg, where cleats and soccer balls are highly likely to hit you. Without these, such as lotto shin guards, you put yourself at high risk.

Wearing a proper pair of cleats, such as the ones designed by Nike, gives you more grip into the turf. This grip helps to prevent sprains and breaks in the ankles. These shoes also give your feet adequate protection from other pairs of cleats and impact with the soccer ball.

Proper fitting clothing, ranging from the jersey, shorts and socks, contribute to player comfort. This is important, as distractions from the game can lead to injuries to yourself and others. It is always advisable to wear your proper jerseys to practice or to games. Specially designed jerseys and shorts are designed to handle the rigors of soccer. The fabric in particular is designed to stand up against grass stains as well as be comfortable.

Weather

One aspect of soccer safety that is forgotten by many players and parents is weather conditions. Playing in the rain can be a fun, invigorating experience, treasured by players for years to come. Despite this, playing in muddy conditions is dangerous. The slipping and sliding that creates a great deal of the enjoyment taken from playing soccer in the rain leaves room for a wide variety of different injuries. If you choose to play soccer in the rain, make certain you take every precaution possible, from wearing cleats, guards and your protective gear.

When a full fledged storm comes up, complete with thunder and lightning, game play should be ended immediately. A soccer field is the worst place to be in the middle of a lightning storm, and parents as well as players have been killed or maimed by lightning. If lightning is spotted and your referee does not end the game, you should still leave the field as soon as possible.

Miscellaneous Accessories

Before you play soccer, you need to make certain that you are not wearing miscellaneous accessories such as earrings, anklets and other pieces of jewelry that could be broken or cause harm. Earrings in particular are prone to being torn from earlobes when contact is made with a soccer ball. By removing these pieces of jewelry and other items of this nature, you can help prevent injuries to yourself that could be disfiguring. If you are considering getting piercings and you play soccer, you may want to consider planning to have your piercings done when the soccer season is over.

If you keep all of these things in mind while playing or observing soccer games, you should be able to enjoy the sport while being at low risk of injury.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/25101

The World's Most Beloved Sport - The History of Soccer By Rebecca Blain

While it is undisputed that the origins of modern soccer, or football, originated in Britain, there is a great deal of evidence that points to this beloved game as having an older history.

Where did the game of soccer really begin, and how old is it? To understand how many different varieties of "soccer" there are, you need to understand a bit about the older versions of the game and how they have evolved.

Below, you will find a list of the predominant cultures that had a variety of soccer, and learn how each one differs from what we play today. And no, they never used anything like Lotto shinguards back then either!

• Chinese Soccer History
• Japanese Soccer History
• Egyptian Soccer History
• Greek/Roman Soccer History
• British Soccer History

Chinese Soccer History

To many, this is the oldest version of soccer to exist. However, there is quite a lot of controversy of whether or not this is the oldest, or Japan's version is the elder. The Chinese version of the game, originally named "Tsu Chu", involved players on a field that had to hit a leather ball stuffed with fur into a small hole. Like Soccer, no hands were permitted during the play of the game, and it was considered an honor to be a member of a team.

The Emperor of the Han Dynasty, when the game was developed, was an avid player and fan, and spread the popularity of this game all over China during his reign. This roughly dates back to 300 B.C., although there is controversy on the subject of dating, which could result in the origins of the game being as far back as 5000 B.C. Regardless, this version of Soccer is extremely old. Despite that, there is still a version of Tsu Chu played today. While the two games are similar, Tsu Chu has had no effect on the modern version of the game, as it was originally developed and created for play in Great Britain.

Japanese Soccer History

Kemari, the Japanese version of "Soccer", is perhaps one of the most different forms of the sport, in comparison to modern soccer. Kemari was a game of "Keep it up", much like modern hacky sacks, although used with a larger ball that was stuffed with saw dust. This version involves a "pitch", or the field, designated by the selection of four trees, the cherry, maple, pine and willow. Many great houses in Japan would grow trees to have a permanent pitch, or field, established.

Kemari was normally played with two to twelve players. Established in roughly 1004 B.C., it vies for position of the oldest game with China's Tsu Chu. In fact, China's Tsu Chu players and Japan's Kemari players were the first to have an "International" game of their versions of Soccer, which is dated to have occurred in roughly 50 B.C., although a definite date of 611 A.D. is known. Regardless, this game stands with China as a sister sport to Soccer, while it never affected the modern version of the game.

Egyptian Soccer History

While not much is known about Egyptian Soccer, or other ball games, it is thought there was a version of a type of ball game played by young women during the age of Baqet III. On his tomb, images of this sport were depicted, although no one is certain how the game was played or whether or not it truly affected the outcome of modern soccer. Recordings of this game date as far back as 2500 B.C., although not much more is known asides the fact that it was played with a ball. The lack of information on the sport and how it was played has eliminated it from runnings as the first evidence of a game similar to soccer.

Greek/Roman Soccer History

Perhaps the closest relative to modern soccer are the games that were formed by the Greeks during the prime of their culture. They had numerous varieties of football style games, some of which required hands, some of which forbade hands. In the end, after the Roman conquering of Greece, the game Harpastum is what modern soccer would be based from. This game, probably a modified version of the Greek's "Harpaston", which translates roughly to handball. While grossly misnamed, this game is what is considered to be one of the precursors to modern soccer.

British Soccer History

In Britain during the 8th century, soccer was created, not as a recreational sport, but as a war game. One of the stories of the original roots of the sport comes from when a Danish Prince was beheaded, and his head was used as a ball and was kicked around. Ever since this 'legendary' tale, villages and other communities would play a game where they would have to kick a ball to a specific goal. It was a violent game, where injury and death were not uncommon, but it was popular nevertheless. In fact, it was so violent, that in 1331, King Edward the III passed laws to try to stop the playing of the game. It did not work, however, and the sport continued on.

There are even stories of soccer games that involved hundreds upon hundreds of players. In these games, there were many deaths, some resulting in the hundreds. It wasn't until 1815 when Eton College set up a series of rules for the game that it became less violent and more of a true sport. At this time, other colleges and universities took up the banner and began to play under similar rules. Later, the rules were evaluated and judged, and the Cambridge rules were created as a result in 1848. In the Cambridge rules, shin-kicking, carrying the ball and tripping were all forbidden. Rugby rules allowed these aspects, and the two varieties of soccer, or football, split to form their own followings.

On October 26, 1863, London schools and sports club sent representatives to the Freemason's Tavern, where the Football Association was formed. Rugby supporters left this association to form the Rugby Association. This is where the birth of modern soccer began. In 1969, the Football Association finalized the modern game of soccer by forbidding the use of hands in the game.

The term "Soccer" was coined when someone was asked if he was a Rugger, which is a Rugby player. The -er signified that the person participated in a a particular sport. The individual, Charles Wreford Brown, replied with "Soccer!", taking the phrase from Association, SOC, and adding the -er. The term stuck. While British individuals still call the game Football, Americans and other countries call it Soccer, especially if they have heavy support in American Football present. Ever since the foundation of the Association, "Football" has risen in popularity, becoming one of the best love games in the history of Earth. Now, hundreds of thousands play the sport, although it lacks the initial violence present at its creation.

Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys taking care of her fish and educating people about soccer equipment such as goals which you can read about here:

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/32702

Why Coach Soccer? - How To Have Fun By Richard Kerr-Bell

Warren Buffet might not know soccer, but when he said, "Tell me your heroes and I'll tell you how your life will end up", he was onto something. When it comes to coaching, everyone wants a say but few are willing to turn their words into action and take a team... even under 8's which is where yours truly started. How can You enjoy coaching soccer?

Let me count the ways:

1. Coach your kids and you get to spend more time with them at something you can help them have fun at AND enjoy mastering new skills.

2. Coaching young people of any age gives you the opportunity to have a massive and important influence on the future of your community and country! This is not just talk. Ask any adult who has played sport for a while and there is a good chance the had great people who were their coaches.

3. You will be remembered for all the right reasons and kids will copy your example. There are no less than 3 great coaches I remember until I left town at 17. Mr Nicolas (Fatherly man who really cared and It was much appreciate) Mr Edgar (fantastic accent I still haven't mastered but he was fair and encouraging), and lastly Bobby "Feed the Bear" Mutter (A burly Scotsman whose belief in me propelled my confidence sky high, I can still hear him call, "Who's the boss Richard? Show him who's the boss!"

4. You get to develop skills in something you have a passion for and coaching soccer skills is full of challenge and rewards.

5. Get a life! No longer wandering the streets looking for something or sitting in front of the TV, rock up to your local soccer club or school and I'm sure there will be opportunities to add a new dimension to your life and the lives of others.

6. Build contacts in your community and neighborhood. If you coach kids they have parents and they have lives too that may provide a way to help you with something in your life.

7. Leadership, responsibility, and commitment all have their own rewards and these are abundant when you coach soccer.

8. If you are a player in a club you get praise from members in the club, you get on the "in" with the other coaches in case you wanted to advance a career in this way, and you get some equipment to use whenever you want to improve your own game.

9. It will add to your attractiveness to employers as coaching soccer or any sport, shows the attributes above. These are easily re-worded to suit the job type. E.g. Active Member of my Community. It shows commitment, reliability, purpose, and that you can get out of bed in the morning.

10. Personal satisfaction. Winning your competition, one game, or having kept a bunch of people happy and off the streets. Plus you are involved doing what you love, Soccer (sport). I once coached soccer at a local high school and these young boys (11 and 12 yrs) came to class with short black pen marked on the top of their wrists and hands... "What is that for?", I asked, "We're you" they said! Never under estimate your power. There are many coaching videos, courses (often run by your local Soccer Club), books and other coaches to help you. A good way to start is to support the coach, be a manager, or gear minder person and learn that way. Showing up to practices to help is also useful.

Coaching soccer is a full on commitment that reflects everything the Real Madrid's and Manchester United coaches experience (except the money and chance off being replaced if you lose!) So enjoy the rush of excitement and adrenaline that coaching gives on matchday.

(PS. Look up soccer club directory online in the search box or thumb through your phonebook to find a club near you.) Get out there coaching soccer and make a difference and remember, if you are there for the game or kids... you have already won.

By Richard Kerr-Bell Copyright 2004
About The Author
Richard Kerr-Bell has played soccer for 32 years and coached for 12. He currently coaches at the Academy of Sport for the Otago Polytechnic. All items can be copied as long as the author and contact/web details are added.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/25054

Warm-up for Soccer Training and Games By Kevin McGee

To improve your soccer coaching skills, you've got to make sure your players give their bodies the chance to perform at their best. That means sensible warm-ups and cool-down, before and after a match or a soccer training session of any kind.

Soccer is a demanding physical game. So providing encouragement and instruction and making sure your players do adequate physical preparation is one of the most important responsibilities in soccer coaching.

The warm up is a process to increase awareness, improve co-ordination, improve elasticity and contractibility of muscles, and increase the efficiency of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Soccer training and blood flow to muscles

In a body at rest, the blood flow to the muscles is comparatively low, and the majority of the small blood vessels (capillaries) supplying them are closed. When soccer training or playing begins, the blood flow in the exercising muscles increases markedly, as the capillaries open.

At rest, 15-20% of the blood flow supplies muscles, while after 10-12 minutes of all-round exercise, the percentage of blood flow supplying the muscles rises to 70-75%. A muscle can only achieve maximum performance when all its blood vessels are functional.

Physical work increases the energy output and temperature of the muscle, this in turn leads to improved co-ordination with less likelihood of injury.

A warm-up therefore prepares the body by:
o raising muscle temperature towards an optimum level for performance
o enabling metabolic processes in cells to proceed at higher rates
o and allowing nerve messages to travel faster

Why warm-up is important in soccer coaching

Reasons for conducting a thorough warm-up prior to soccer training and games include the following:

o To increase blood flow to muscular tissue
o To increase muscle temperature
o To reduce muscle tightness
o To elevate body temperature
o To stimulate reflex activity related to balance and co-ordination
o To achieve full joint mobility in the specific joints involved in the activity
o To achieve full soft tissue extensibility - muscles, tendons, ligaments
o To enhance the functioning of the neuromuscular system
o To prepare the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
o To prepare the player psychologically for the coming activity
o To familiarize themselves with the environmental conditions

Warm-ups should be intense enough to increase the body temperature, the effects of which will ultimately wear off depending upon its intensity and specificity. The procedure should begin with movements of the large muscle groups, as these are the main areas to which blood is redistributed. These include the following areas:

o Back lower leg: gastrocnemius and soleus
o Front lower leg: peroneals (shin)
o Front thigh: quadriceps
o Back thigh: hamstrings
o Inner thigh: adductors
o Back: erector spinae
o Trunk: abdominal muscles
o Shoulders and chest: deltoids and pectorials

Specialized soccer exercises

After the general warm-up players can begin more specialized exercises including mobilization of the joints and dynamic movements of muscles, particularly of the lower extremity. The final stage of a warm-up concentrates on technique, and/or practicing a specific movement.

Whether warm-ups are performed with or without a ball depends entirely upon the philosophy adopted by the coach. This part of the soccer training session does provide an opportunity to work on specific technical skills in conjunction with mobility work and may also provide a greater mental and neurological stimulus for the players. In soccer coaching generally a lack or improper use of a warm-up and a cool-down is a risk factor for lower extremity overuse muscular injuries, especially during running.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/24880

A Ball, Some Friends, and a Soccer Goal By Nick Smith

If Pele, Maridona, and Beckham don't sound at all familiar to you, or if you think Freddy Adou is a guy you may have gone to high school with, keep reading... please. This article covers all the equipment and skills you'll need to join the rest of the world in playing the wonderful game of soccer.

Actually, the rest of the world plays football - they call the sport that Steve Young used to play American football. The term 'soccer' came into being in the later part of the 19th century when people began abbreviating the French variation of 'association football' to soccer. Whatever name you use (I'll call it soccer for the purposes of this article), it refers to the fast-paced, exciting game that has captured the interest of more and more Americans in recent years. If you've found that you've been left behind when it comes to the sport, here's a few equipment tips and skills you'll need to have to start playing.

As the name 'football' suggests, you'll need a ball. Soccer balls come in many different sizes, materials, and styles; and league specifications vary depending on the age and level of the players. If you just want to buy a 'normal' ball, double check with the store clerks to make sure you've chosen the right one; or if you're buying online, you can check the ball size against the standards found at http://www.fifa.com/. The best material for your ball depends on the type of surface you're going to play on. If you'll spend any time at all kicking the ball around on the street or playground, I would shy away from buying a nice leather ball - the asphalt will tear it up. Synthetic materials will usually hold up better on those surfaces, and typically cost less.

Once you've got your ball, you're going to need at least one pair of feet; however, if you want to do more than just kick the ball against your garage you're going to need at least two sets. There are a number of different techniques when it comes to kicking the soccer ball - I'll just summarize them all by saying that the goal of kicking the ball is to hit it with some part of you're foot and make it go in the direction you want it to. In fact, in soccer matches you may use any part of you're body to move the ball except your hands and arms. If you grew up playing catch in the back yard, the first couple of times you try to kick the ball you'll probably look even more awkward than you feel, and it's very likely your kids are going to laugh at you. Practice makes near perfect, and you'll get better over time. Kicking the ball back and forth between two or more people helps. Once you feel like you might be able to kick the ball and jog/run at the same time, you're ready to graduate to playing a game.

Goals (pronounced 'gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal!!!' in actual soccer matches) in soccer are scored by kicking the ball through a rectangle shape appropriately called the goal. Though the rectangle is standard, goals can be made by placing any two objects a few steps apart. I have personally played in neighborhood games where the goal posts were chairs, barrels, younger siblings, and shoes (if you're playing barefoot, make sure no one is wearing cleats). Kicking the ball below head height and more or less between the makeshift goal posts constitutes a goal, though you will find each goal will be heavily debated.

Competitive leagues almost always require shin guards, and you can usually pick up a decent pair for pretty cheap. Even in a friendly park setting, players can get pretty passionate, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to wear them during the game.

The rules are simple and easy to learn. The basics you need to know are that you should try to avoid kicking people, you can't tackle people like in American football, and you can't use your hands. In that sense, except for the hands restriction, soccer is a lot like life. Other rules apply more in competition, but it wouldn't hurt to read up on them at http://www.fifa.com/.

As with any sport, the most important thing is to look good, so go out and buy yourself some silky soccer shorts and jerseys. Long hair and an Italian accent certainly won't hurt your chances of going pro - but if neither of those is an option for you, just remember to have fun and play fair.

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Soccer The War Game! -Looking Back To Its Origin By Ray Smith

Believe it or not, but the modern day soccer owes its origin to the barbarous war mongering nature of human beings.

There is no proper documentation that can state the date and place of origination of the most popular modern day sport--Soccer. However, depending on the socio-historical facts and data we can assume that some type of a ball game was played somewhere in this planet for at least over 3000years now.

The earliest evidence of soccer was found in Kyoto, Japan where a field marked to play a ball-kicking game was found.

There is also proper documentation that supports the fact that the Chinese military forces around 2nd and 3rd century BC (Han Dynasty) played a game that involved kicking a ball into a small net. This was then an essential skill building exercise for the armed forces.

Historical evidence also shows that some form of Soccer was played also by the Greeks and the Romans, however, the primitive form involved a larger team on each side. At times the team strength would go up even to around 27 people on each side. The Greeks were playing four different forms of the ball game, namely "Episkyros", "Ourania", "Pheninda" and "Keritizein". Episkyros was the closest to football. In this 2 equally numbered teams, would try to throw the ball over the heads of the other team. There was a white line between the teams and another white line behind each team. Teams would change the ball often until one of the team is forced behind the line at their end.

Now, how many of you would believe that the modern day soccer actually originated as a war game?

Unbelievable, but true! The first Football (as Soccer is called in Britain) game was played by the locals of east of England, where they started a game, kicking around the severed head of a Danish prince whom they have defeated in a war. That marked the origination of Football as a war game.

After this, for a long time, football was played by rival towns and villages where the objective was to move the ball to a predetermined spot. Hundreds of people would take part in these games and a single game could last a whole day. Punching, kicking, biting , everything was allowed.

The savage nature of this form of football was not much appreciated by the rulers and the Royalty took all possible steps to stop these games. King Edward III of England, passed laws in 1331 to stop the game, he was followed by King James I of Scotland in 1424. The Queens were not far behind, rather, had a more strict approach. Queen Elizabeth I of England, enacted laws that could sentence a football player to jail for a week followed by penancing in a church.

However, in spite of all their best efforts and intentions they could not stop the game. It was too popular among the masses and they loved the game.

The first approach to regularize and give a civilized form to this game was taken by the famous Eton College of England in 1815 when they established a set of rules for the games. These rules were accepted by the other schools, colleges and universities. Later, in 1848, these rules were further standardized and a new version was adopted by all the schools, college and universities. This new set of rules was known as the Cambridge Rules.

At this stage, there were actually two set of rules that were being followed in this game. Some organizations preferred to follow the rules of the Rugby School, that allowed tripping, kicking and carrying the ball, whereas the Cambridge rules prohibited all this methods.

In October, 1863, The Football Association was formed, when eleven London schools and clubs came together to establish a single set of rules to administer any football match that were to be played among them. On 8 December 1863, Association Football and Rugby Football finally split onto two different organizations.

In 1869, these rules were further amended to exclude any handling of the ball beyond the scope of acceptability and that created the foundation for the modern day sports mania--SOCCER !

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Guide To Be A Successful Soccerpunter By Winder Liao

Why becomes a soccer bettor one may ask? Where it is considered a negative occupation where it is often regarded as non productive, immoral behaviour. well as for every other thing everything there is the pros n cons.if you able to use it to your advantage it could be becomes your full-time occupation or a second income. morever, soccer betting is a big thriving business where it is prevalent throughout the worldBy the use of statistics, experience and practice, an astute gambler can consistently beat the posted odds .however to do so one must behave in a manner consistent with success. one thing a successful bettor must do is to continually learn.

Handicapping

There is no single method that is considers the best method, everyones tackles the soccer problem differently,one thing for sure is the harder one works intelligently and practically and the more experience he has the more positive results he will realised.

Objective approach

The use of statistic to help the bettor to determine his picks. It should be noted that statistic are fundemental but its how they are used that makes the difference between winning and losing. however if everyone comes to the same conclusions the oddsmaker could still eliminate any advantages by adjusting the line to keep everyone guessing. either way it is to the bookies advantage.

Subjective approach

After yrs of handicapping the sub-conscious mind help the bettor to finalise his picks. when he starts to win the bettor will get carried away however if his results turns negative his emotions and his mind will short virtually making the bettor ineffective. it is extremely important the bettor at this time knows to hold back and observe for his form to pick up before betting again.

Trends

It should be noted that the best trends are those that are unique, valid and relatively unknown. any seasoned soccer bettor knows that once the trend becomes too popular the linesmen will adjust the line to leave people lost. when using trends you should notice whether it is getting stronger and weaker?

Bankroll mangement

Definition-the amount of money you set aside for betting and not hose for paying bills, groceries or money even when lost would not cause much unbalance in the bettors life.

How much to bet per game?

I would suggest 5% of your bankroll to be used for betting and not to bet more than 3 matches per day, reason because its very difficult to pick winners for every match and the most likely results are you will have a few winners and a few losers resulting in minimal bankroll growth which is the most likely results or worse lose all the bets which is highly possible. Another very important reason for this is you are able to gauage more accurately how much you will lose should you indeed lose.

Summary

To begin with, one must understands what he is up against, there is no method or systems that could contiunues to win every game , everyday, every week , month or year. good consistent handicapping means selecting more winners than losers. in order to be a successful bettor one must give lots of thoughts to why is the results this way ?and is there any reason behind it. when you manage to reveal the meaning behind it it is the time you feed back on the fat cow(bookmaker).

Soccer forum

I have seen a great prevalence use of soccer forums where soccer bettors post their picks. it is often noted that a lot of beginners try to note down those tipsters who is in hot form meaning those posting the corrects picks and then bet big following them .i strongly discourage people from doing so cause they were betting their hard earn money on people whom they never even meet or know and blindly follows theirs picks .this is very unhealthy why? cause the bettors himself have failed to come out with his own picks ,where he could be learning from his own mistakes and who knows those that are in the forum might be bookies themselves posting picks to lure the ignorant ones to be hooked.

Getting prepared mentally

One should be prepared mentally for losing and winnings cause either way it would lead to what I call a gambling syndrome. when the bettors keeps winnings he will be feeling over the moon during his hot streats and starts spending money like he is a king overnite however once he starts hitting the rough patch he will be losing sleeps if he bet a very substantial amount or can't concentrate in his work. this is very unhealthy and how to curb this problem?By following a systematic money-management programs.

Is it possible to strike rich in a very short period say 1 month? It is possible for a soccer bettor to strike rich but that is provided he is extremely lucky during that month and makes more than 60% corrects picks and of those correct picks are those he bets bigs and the remainder 40% lossess are those he bets small. however one knows that what goes up must come down and the winners are those who are able to tide over the rough patch and then starts winning back when his form is back

Is it important to know all about the soccer team , soccer players statistic n does that makes me a better soccer better?

The answer is no cause soccer betting arena is a place where the booksmakers earns their money if by knowing every details could make you rich then all the soccer writers, soccer magazines editors are the ones who are driving big cars and living in big houses.

What makes a true soccer bettor an expert?

The ability to convert a given bankroll into profits based on practical bankroll management program and against some standard of odds and over a large number of games and over a period of time.

How to become a true soccer expert?

1. He should keep a record of all that days opening odds and closing odds. 2. print out the each respective wide table. 3. Write down the score 4. reason why the results to be this way and is there any trends. of course in order to look for particular trends you need soccer records. 5. keep meticulous and honest records of his play decisions and their results. this will teach him his strength and weakness. 6. learn how to bet on his own handicapping in order to realize the greatest profit. he then must discipline his action and play in respect of this plan in order to get the best results. 7. learn how to tackle his emotions as well as personal problems out of his decisions. if this becomes too difficult he should stop playing. 8. be constantly on the alert to make changes to his handicapping methods and techniques. 9. set up a plan of action for bankroll management and stick diligently to it.

Does soccer betting involves luck?

Answer: no, cause soccer results is preplanned meaning before the matches starts the results is already out. If you have been betting soccer for a period of time and keeping soccer records deligiently you would have discovered a trend and realized that its a cycle.

So which leagues are you gd in?

for each people they they dwell in different leagues for me I specialize in only 4 leagues namely EPL, Italy serieA , Spanish primera and german bundesliga.

How to tackle soccer cups and normal weekend domestic league?

There are lots of soccer matches throughout the soccer season and the techniques involves in dealing with different matches differs differently and at different timing of the season.

Does the bookmaker lose money?

ANS : yes there are times but seldom. bookmakers lose money then the strong team win throughout the tournamnet eg euro2000 but that is short-term loss.They will continues to win the soccer punters money as long as there are soccer matches. Why? Cause there will be different opionions from different soccer punters just the vigourish/water money alone is able to cover their losses and that is excluding fixed match where they win even more. Another useful tool they are armed with is they understands that all gamblers have a common weakness. They bet bigger and bigger when winning and bets even bigger to chase their loss when losing.in either case it is to the bookmakers edge.

Contary to the belief of many where they think they are winning the bookmakers money , it is the other soccer punters ie, their friend's money whom they are winning.the only way to bust the bookmaker/bookies is not to bet or share part of the pie the bookmaker is having.

Soccer cups

There are namely a few more popular ones are uefa cup, uefa champions league, league cup, fa cup, worthington cup, international friendlies, Italian cup, Spanish cup.

Why is it important to do a form analysis on oneself?

It is because people when they are in a winning streats they tend to win more frequent cause I find that it got to do with ones confidence level. they becomes not afraid to lose and I believes that if one believe in himself strongly he will perform much better than one who is afraid of losing.

Betting strategy

Overview- When you do keep records you could trace your own form and make adjustment from there.

Flat betting strategy

This is the strategy I use when I am determining which way my form is going. up or down. Another reason to test out new leagues where I'm unfamiliar.

PROS - this strategy would produce a even amt of risk for money wagered but however if you are able to pick on the right team you could earn a average profit, CONS -but due to the water money and the increase in the no.of bets before you could see a tidy handsome profit this will constitue to be the downside.

Progressive betting strategy

I adopt the progressive betting strategy method which is to multiply my previous winnings by 0.5 and use it for the next bet which is the strategy I adopt when my form are good.ie when 3 or more wins consecutively. Reason why? There is a Chinese saying "hit the iron while its hot" which I find it to be very true cause there are many opportunities in soccerbetting where if you are able to recognize it and bet bigger than usual, PROS- there is a potential higher return rate then if you flat bet.CONS-when you do adjust your bet amt you are relatively exposing yourself to more risk this is the tradeoff where you could lose potentially more.

Reduced betting strategy

When do you adopt this is when you have been picking the wrong team all the time example say 3 straight lose which is very common caused I realized that this is the time where people starts to bet big to chase their loss. this is very wrong caused when one is down on luck or the bookmaker has adjusted the line to confuse the bettor they should stay calm n reduced their bets or not bet at all.PROS- reduced money lost and try to minimize serious damage to original bankroll.CONS-if the picks do win you could not cover back your previous loss due to reduction in wager.this is the trade-off.

Why is it important to find the right time frame before u bet and does it make a difference?

It is important because if now you are in a losing streats it is best to control oneself before you jump into it and wack hard to chase back your lossess most likely you will lose .it is best to make own prediction first and see if your form is back if it is slowly getting back now is time to jump in cause once you run out of bullets during your losing streats it is very difficult to fight back.

Best regards
Winder Liao
Winder sports

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The Need For Speed In Soccer By Neil Travers

Soccer players are athletes, but unlike a 100m runner where there is explosive speed for 10 seconds in a straight line, there are many other abilities that soccer players need to develop.

Here are 5 key soccer related speed abilities that you should develop in your players.

#1 - Speed of thought

Soccer players have a great deal to concentrate on. There senses are constantly being blitzed with information, which they need to quickly decipher. Here are some examples:

- Where opponents are positioned

- Actions of their team mates

- What's infront of them and their peripheral vision

- The conditions of the pitch and the weather

- The noise from team mates, crowd, coaches and opponents

- Their tactical position and the strategy of the team

#2 - Speed of anticipation

Some players have a great reading of the game. I have a friend who although he is now in his late 40's early 50's still plays regularly and competes well with players half his age!

How does he do this... because he's played soccer all his life at professional and international level he has built a huge database in his brain of playing situations, player characteristics, tactical situations etc. and he is able to draw on this which gives him superb speed of anticipation.

Sure for explosiveness and reaction times the younger players would win every time, but as the old saying goes..."the first couple of yards are in the head!".

So here it is important that players develop a knack of interpreting the actions of the opponents and what that means to the games development.

#3 - Speed of reaction

As mentioned in the last bullet, speed of reaction is vital.

Anticipation is one thing, being able to react quickly is another.

Consider the role of the goal keeper, their reaction time to a sudden shot, deflection, switch in angle of attack, flight of the ball must be very acute.

But how does a goal keeper react and what to? In this instance, the goal keeper will react to a number of external stimuli, here's a list:

- The visual element of the opponent with the ball, are they carrying it, have they got backlift as if ready to strike the ball, is the opponent in space and is their a clear line of sight on goal

- The auditory element, do they hear the strike of the ball, is it fizzing, does it take a deflection of a player (thud), a shout from a team mate, maybe a close opponent barracking the goalie " he's going to shoot!"

All of these stimuli will have an effect on the player.

Once stimulated the player should choose the best option available to them to react to that situation.

Again we will use the goalie;

If a shot is fizzing towards them low and hard, the pitch is wet and quick, and there are a number of players the ball has to go through before hitting the target, do they get down low anticipating a clear strike on goal, have quick feet and get their body in line with the expected flight path, do they dive towards the ball, kneel or hack the ball?

The answer to this question lies in the ability, confidence and experience of the player.

#4 Speed of feet

Here we are talking about the basic running / sprinting motor skills.

Initial explosion and acceleration are vital to covering the ground quickly. Speed of feet is without the ball, and since it is without the ball it is rarely in a straight line.

Therefore, as a players progress is often inhibited by other players they must adjust and change direction in relation to their team mates actions and those of the opponents.

Explosive speed is generated from the leg muscles stretching and contracting to achieve maximum power, but good running technique, driving through the arms and co-ordination are also vital.

#5 Skill speed

Watching a player run at pace and carry the ball is a truly awesome sight.

Sprinting full out while keeping possession and holding off any challenges from opponents to dribble and create an opportunity to shoot at goal is a tremendous ability.

This key skill though is still built on the last point which is speed of feet.

However, while a player may be very quick is only advantageous if their ball manipulation and technical skills are as up to speed as their pace (pardon the pun).

So, what can you do to help coach the 5 key speed principles?

#1 Speed of thought - enable players to make their own decisions, that means give them lots of opportunites to make choices. Condition games so that it forces them to think.

Play soccer games with them, don't just do drill work. By playing games they will also gain experience which help them build their database from which to draw on.

Keep them motivated, players will not think unless they are motivated and stimulated to do so. Finally, let them be free of any fear and stress of making wrong decisions.

#2 Speed of anticipation - play more soccer, coach them through the game.

Ask plenty of questions on how they are reading the game development.

Offer your insights into positions they have taken up in relation to opponents advances, both strengths and weaknesses.

#3 Speed of reaction - use reaction balls, have goal keeper starting positions with their back to play and react to shots, play rebounds off walls.

Try not to use your whistle or command as the key for the reaction as this wouldn't happen in a real game so don't practice this way.

#4 Speed of feet - always, always warm the muscles up before doing any speed work!

Do some sprints, keep it high intensity with short sharp bursts. Develop good running technique with the use of speed ladders and hurdles.

Try using some different starting positions to like standing, from a jump and land, on their back, on their stomach, incorporate turns, feints and directional changes.

#5 Skill speed - make your training as game related as possible, focusing on speed with the ball, movement, game related distances and challenge.

Hopefully this has given you some good food for thought, enjoy your training!

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