Preparing your athlete for the rigors of playing soccer can go a long way in achieving endurance during this fast-paced sport.  Part of making the drills effective is knowing how to train your athletes the right way.  Training youth athletes should be taken seriously, as permanent injury can have devasting effects for young athletes.

1. Take the time to prepare.  Research and learn the drills that will work best for the age group you are working with.  Be prepared and have a plan for your practices and coaching sessions.  A clipboard with a checklist can help you plan the time effectively so your athlete gets the most out of the session. 

Your list should include items you want to cover and implement in training, including some step by step instructions for the  drills you plan to introduce.  Observe your athletes and evaluate their progress.   Have a plan for penalty warm-ups in case they have to be handed out.  When a coach makes it clear they know what they are doing, wasting the time of athletes who take their training seriously by not demanding discipline during training can easily derail your practice and undermine a coach’s authority.  The last thing you want to happen is to have your athletes feel you don’t know what your doing.  This undermines the respect for the coach and dimishes his authority.

2. Have the training equipment ready and in tip top shape.  Get to your practice early, set up cones, prepare your practice area before your athletes arrive, guaranteeing more quality time is spent on training.

Make it safe!  Check the playing area and make sure it’s free debris and harmful objects on the field that may cause injury.  Secure the goal posts and make sure each athlete has gear that protects them before they step on the field.

 3. Vary your drills for each practice.  Investigate new methods of training and coaching so there’s a lot of variety to hold the athlete’s interest. Never be satisfied and always keep your eyes open for new drills and coaching methods.   Keep track of the drills practices and determine how the athletes respond and if they’re effective drils. 

4. Keep a supply of water and a first aid kit ready at all times.

5.  Winning is fun and so is practicing!  Kids sign up for sports activities for the social exposure and they want to have fun.   Encourage the athlete during practices.  Keep the smiles on, the interest high and challenge them to compete in a friendly environment.  Kids love to compete and show off their athletic prowess, so encourage through humor and make praising your athlete your practice!

Winter sports are a lot of fun, but it is important to make sure your child is
properly prepared for the outside sports. Most kids do not mind being cold,
especially if they are participating in a sport, but as parents we need to make sure
that they are prepared for the elements.

Stay Warm- make sure your child is dressed in layers and has the proper protective
gear for the sport they are participating in. Make sure ears and fingers are covered
when possible to avoid frostbite.

Wear sun block and lip balm with a spf – even if it is cold outside you can still get
sunburn, especially when skiing, sledding or snowboarding. Sunlight can reflect
off the bright white snow and right back onto your face, lips, etc.

Whether you are skating for fun or playing ice hockey, the number one rule is to
always skate on approved ice. Never skate on ice that has not been approved. Just
like with swimming, never skate alone.

If you play ice hockey, don’t step onto the ice without the proper gear. The most
important safety gear is an ice hockey helmet. Do not try to substitute with a
football or baseball helmet.

Always make sure you sled safely. Check your sled to make sure it is in good
working order. Do not use a homemade sled like a garbage can lid, plastic bags
or pool floats. Never use a sled that has any sharp or jagged edges, this can be
dangerous for you and other.

Always were gloves and boots, these will benefit you two fold; they will keep you
warm and also can prevent injuries to your hands and feet.

Make sure that the hill you choose to sled down is not to steep. Also make sure
that the bottom of the hill is not close to the road or a parking lot. You always
want to pick an area that is not cluttered with trees and other obstacles that you
may hit. It is hard to control a sled once it is in motion so take some precaution
prior to sledding.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Before you hit the slopes, make sure that your equipment fits you properly. It is
imperative to have the right size equipment, borrowing an older siblings equipment
can cause you to fall, lose your balance and get hurt.

Make sure that all boots and binding are the right size for your feet, also make sure
you wear a helmet and goggles at all times.

It is also a good idea to take a few lessons prior to doing either on your own.

Have fun this winter and be safe.

If you have any advice on winter sport safety please let us knows about it.

Dashing through the snow…

It is inevitable, the winter months are here and will be here for the next 6 months…especially in Chicago, here are some ways to keep your kids (and yourself) active through these dreary days.

My personal favorite is Dancing! When I was young, I loved watching any show that had music playing and people dancing. Dance Party USA was a must record TV show and even featured an early Kelly Ripa. Nowadays, Dancing with the Stars is a great alternative. You don’t need any equipment, or safety gear only a dance floor. Turn the volume up and get moving. I sometimes try to mimic my daughter, she is only 3 and has moves most have never seen before. She uses every muscle and has never complained
about being tired. There is also nothing like watching an uninhibited child dancing her feet off.

Now I hate to promote video games, but if you have a Wii, you already know that it is a terrific way to stay active inside when the weather doesn’t permit outside. Wii has games that accommodate all ages. When I say all, I really mean it. They even have games for your tiniest tot. Wii sports and Wii Resort are games that come with a Wii console system and are packed full of fun. Boxing is my personal favorite, golf, bowling and tennis are just as fun. Wii Fit is a great gift to get your fitness enthusiast as it provides a great workout (with personal trainer) all from the privacy of your own home.

If you are eager to still get outside and be one with nature, snow is a great resistance mechanism when it comes to any normal exercise. Shoveling the driveway, building a snowman, or a typical snowball fight is certain to get the heart beating, but if you are looking for something a little more exciting, sledding should be at the top of your list. Sure, going down the hills may increase your heart rate, but climbing to the top of the hill to go again is a guaranteed calorie burner.

What do you do to keep active during the winter?

In case there is anyone out there that is unsure of what fantasy football is I thought I would help explain it.

I had heard about it for some time, but I was not 100% sure how it worked, so I looked it up on Wikipedia and found some very interesting facts.

To Quote Wikipedia:
“Fantasy football is an interactive, virtual competition in which people manage professional football players versus one another. Fantasy football allows people to act as general managers of a pseudo-football team. The players that an individual is able to manage are professional American Football players in the National Football League. The different actions people are able to make are: drafting, trading, adding/dropping players, and changing rosters. Due to the growth of Internet, fantasy football has become far more popular in America today than ever before.”

How it all began:

In 1962 Wilfred Winkenbach, Bil Tunnell and Scotty Starling came up with the rules that became fantasy football. The inaugural league was called the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League (GOPPPL). The league was made up of eight members, the members were wither pro football journalists, administrative affiliates or anyone that had purchased or sold 10 tickets to the Raiders 1663 season.

In the GOPPPL each roster had the following: two fullbacks, two quarterback, two kick/punt returners, two field goal kickers, two defensive backs/linebacker, two defensive linemen , four offensive ends and four halfbacks.

The first ever number one fantasy football selection was George Blanda.

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I read a very interesting article  at www.ehow.com, the article focused on how a sports injury could really effect the mental well being of  some athletes.  Most athletes exercise everyday, and they need to exercise not only for their physical well being but also for their mental.  Exercise is a proven way to release stress and many people use exercise as therapy.  Injured athletes can become depressed very quickly.  Below are some ways to help remain sane during the recovery time.

1. Try to stay as active as possible without causing more damage to the injured area.  For example if you break a leg, try doing arm exercises, or vice versa.  You can also try water jogging instead of running if you have a leg or knee injury that requires less pressure on the area.
2. Try to improve another area that you may have been putting off.  Perhaps work on your abs, or biceps.
3. Focus on no sport activities.  Learn to cook healthier foods, or read up on supplements that might help you.
4. Continue to associate with your “sport buddies” most of them were probably in your shoes once and can relate to what you are going through.
5. Avoid negative people.
6. Keep a journal regarding your progress and your emotions during this time of recovery.   It may be helpful for your physical therapist or doctor, and it is also something you can read and reflect on.

I hope these tips have been helpful, if you have any helpful tips please feel free to tell us about them.

Believe it or not! The Los Angeles Times reported a California father filed a lawsuit seeking $1.5 million in damages from a school district after his 15-year-old son was demoted from the varsity to the junior varsity basketball team. The suit claimed the demotion was messing up his son’s future and professional earnings. (Los Angeles Times, May 5, 2003). A popular softball tournament in Arizona was canceled because of a lawsuit filed by a player who broke his ankle in the tournament the year prior. The man was injured sliding into third base in a game at the city-owned sports complex. According to the suit, the city is responsible for the dangerous condition existing at third base. (Arizona Daily Sun, September 15, 2003)

Amateur sports clubs are everywhere. Young athletes from the age of 6 – 18 are participating in community sports clubs in record numbers. Not only are the kids competitively involved, the parents are just as enthusiastic. New state of the art amateur sports facilities are under construction or being upgraded or expanded to encourage the interest and promote the health benefits that being involved in sports clearly provide.

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I just returned from a cheer convention in Maryland, it was a lot of fun. Conventions are a great place to meet potential customers and to network with other people in your business. There are several different conventions that take place every weekend.  If you are a business owner I find conventions to be an affordable avenue to advertise your business. Conventions can vary in size from hundreds to thousands of attendees.  The cost to rent a booth is usually dependent on the size of the event. The bigger the event the more costly the booth.  The size of the booth you rent also determines the cost.
Conventions allow you to meet potential customers, introduce yourself and have them put a face to your name. As salespeople we usually sell ourselves before even the product.  I find conventions to be a great way to sell yourself.

Conventions usually range from 1-3 days, with set hours per day.  What I have found helpful is to check and see if the convention you want to attend offers “concentrated hours”.  Those are hours that there are no classes or seminars going on and most attendees will be available to go to the vendor booths.  I attended a convention last year, where the organization gave free drink tickets, and the bar was located right in the middle of the vendors.  I thought that was a great idea.  Most conventions will do scavenger hunts, which consists of a list of questions that each attendee must get answered by each vendor.  If they get each question answered they are put in a drawing for a free gift.

Here comes the fun part, what items do you want to give away at your booth.  Giveaways serve two purposes, one they are great advertisement ( your name, number and email address will be listed on all of them) and two they attract people to your booth.  In selecting what giveaway you want, you should think of a few things:

1. What type of budget do you have?
2. What type of event are you going to?
3. What do you think will attract people to your booth?

For example I was just at a cheerleading convention, and I gave away mini sewing kits, they seemed to be a big hit. I polled several cheerleading organization prior to the convention and asked them what type of giveaway they would like. I think a little preparation goes a long way in choosing your giveaways.

There are times throughout the convention where there are very few people coming to your booth, I would use this tie to visit and introduce yourself to the other vendors.  I met several vendors that I could potentially work with in the future.  All in all conventions are a great way to network and can be very cost effective for smaller businesses to advertise.