Tag: Club
Welcome to our First Club Season
Olé Soccer Family,
As we near the start of our first ever club soccer season, I want to just say thank you to everyone who believed in us from the beginning as well as those newcomers to our club for seeing what we are building together. These are exciting times and we couldn’t have made it this far without each and every one of you!
With that said, I am so proud of all our coaches and players for coming so far. I look back and see parents sharing photos, videos and tagging us on events we had when we first started. It is crazy to see just how far our players have come in such a short amount of time.
The dedication from our parents is amazing and the dedication from our coaches is second to none as well! When I first started this along with my brother Mario, we had a vision to create some of the most creative and intelligent soccer players in our area. We know how to train soccer players but didn’t know how to run an organization. As many mistakes as we have made, it is humbling to see that the amount of people that stuck by our side through it all. We continue to learn everyday and have the best intentions always putting our players first.
After over two years of non-stop work and the amazing partnership with all of our friends from Juggle the World, I am happy to say we have created something amazing together! As we continue to turn heads in the club soccer world, I expect our parents, players and of course coaches to go and represent where we come from. Represent what we have all done together to get to this point, represent our mission of creating the best soccer players possible, but also the best human beings possible as well!
Olé is very fortunate to have some of the best coaches in our area. The coaches on our staff love their team and will do anything for their players. Each session is well thought out and no coincidence to see how well they have done after competing in their first few official club level tournaments. We can’t thank our staff enough for the commitment you have to your club. This belongs to all of us and you all are doing an extraordinary job with your teams!
We are all a reflection of our club and know our coach will do the coaching, players do the playing, and supporters do the cheering! Looking forward to an amazing first season in Coast Soccer League.
One love,
Coach Walter
Co-Founder of Olé SC
@OleSoccer
Warm Up With the Ball
What does recreation level coaching do for a warm up?
Have you heard a coach say, “take a lap to warm up.”
As the level of the game develops here in the states, we feel it is vital that the level of the sport continues to step up. One of the best things you can do as a coach is to have your team warm up with the ball.
Improve the sport, don’t embarrass it!
How about we switch that up and have them warm up with the ball instead? In just a short amount of time you’ll notice the confidence on the ball and see the creativity with the ball in your players increase. Olé Soccer wants to see the level of the sport continue to improve and not only catch up to the level of the world but surpass it!
We will not be able to do this by having our players playing youth soccer warm up by taking laps.
Bring a Ball to Practice
Each child should be responsible to bring their own soccer ball to practice. A coach can only do so much and this also helps the child become responsible for taking care of their ball. The most passionate players around the world can’t sleep without their ball next to them.
Why is this important?
The ball allows the coach to execute age appropriate drills to improve their skills in the warm up. Developing ball mastery at a young age lays the foundation for a fundamentally sound player as they get older. If your son/daughter does not dribble correctly or use different parts of the foot to turn with the ball by age 10, their coach did them a disservice!
Maximizing the amount of touches your players gets on the ball at each practice is key for development at a young age. Players should see results in just a short amount of weeks if they are new to the sport. The best teams in the world practice this daily and you can notice the HUGE difference in each position because they are all fundamentally sound. When your son/daughter gets to a certain age, you can’t have the slow players playing defense and the fastest players scoring the goals. A good coach will be able to exploit the holes in your team and make you pay.
How can I help improve my child’s skills?
There are lots of ways to help improve your child’s skills, the warm up with the ball is extremely important if they are playing on a team already. Don’t be afraid to ask your child’s coach why the team does not warm up with the ball! Parents have a say and can have their input on the team even if you are new to the sport. Check out this drill here that will help with dribbling, turns and using both feet – Figure 8 Drill
Olé offers a solution to help your child improve their skills right away! CLICK HERE
Wherever you decide to have your child train, just be sure that they are getting as many touches on the ball each session. You will see quick results and see their confidence in their game fairly quickly. Speed and agility are important of course, but if you can ONLY run fast and don’t know how to trap the ball or dribble the ball you might as well have your child play Flag Football.
Please let us know your thoughts. Is a warm up with the ball important to you? How can we continue to develop the level of the sport in the states? Thanks for reading!
Written by:
Coach Walter
@OleSoccer
Benefits of Futsal
Futsal is becoming more and more popular in the United States soccer scene. I remember growing up playing street soccer with friends often. When I would go and train with my club team I would notice the ball speed on grass was slower and my first touch had definitely improved. I personally enjoy futsal more than the outdoor game just because of the amount skill involved and the speed of the game.
What are the benefits of futsal for your child?
Having a player train in different surfaces will help their development and allow them to improve quickly. One of the best, if not the best form of development for any player, but especially a young player is futsal. The benefits of futsal are obvious, check out this great video below.
https://youtu.be/-tR4slb3ztE%20
When playing futsal, you notice that the space is tight and your first touch is key for your team to keep possession. Ball movement is quick and it is non stop. Finding the space on the small court is key so the person off the ball must be moving all the time to give their team an option.
What to expect
In a matter of weeks you will notice your child’s skills and ball control improve. When you are playing on a full size field, the coach encourages longer passes and at times can get away with a heavy touch. Futsal courts challenge players to master their skills with the ball and keep the ball as close to their foot as possible.
Lots of learning involved and if you’re a fan of scoring goals, you’ll have fun being a part of the games. Expect lots of goals in a game, even for little ones there will be a good amount of goals.
One thing that changes from the outdoor game is that there is no offsides rule. You can have a player behind the last man or stand next to the opposition’s goalkeeper and not be ruled offside. This player wouldn’t be helping his/her team much on defense but technically you can do that.
The president of the Spanish futbol federation gives credit to their World Cup trophy in 2010 to futsal. He says that many years ago, Spain decided that futsal needed to be part of youth development in Spain.
We are excited to see the development of the sport here in the states and Olé is proud to be offering a pre-club soccer league as well as a club level futsal league for boys & girls born in 2008 as well as 2007.
Join Olé and be part of the development of our next generation to improve the sport domestically and give these kids a great opportunity to play at the highest level!
Written by:
Coach Walter
@OleSoccer
More Effort
When you ask a coach this simple question, “do you prefer a gifted player or a hard working player on your team?” Most coaches would say hard working player, right? But what if you can create a team that has the best of both worlds?
The question is how?
In an ideal world, we would all like to have the most talented and hardest working players. The players that would run through a wall for any coach, any team, any club and know they could because it would be for the benefit of the team.
How do you get more effort from all of your players is the question?
What type of parent, coach, player are you? If you live your life accepting mediocrity, not taking chances, not living your life to its fullest…it will show. I have come to learn that our body can withstand so much more pain than we think.
Now, who is willing to suffer more “pain,” or give a little more “effort,” in order to be the best? Our brain tricks us into thinking we are physically tired, physically drained, but do you give into these thoughts is important. As a coach myself, I try my best to push myself to my limit on a daily basis. This might be physically, mentally, emotionally, etc. When I think I have reached my limit, I try to go just a little longer, push a little more. How are you pushing yourself to your limit?
Step 1: Be Truthful
You are tougher than you think! Kids are tougher than they think as well. If you’re a coach like me, your team is a reflection of you. I have coached some teams where I have not “succeeded” on the scoreboard, losing by so many goals I lost count at one point. After a loss like this, I always ask myself how I could improve my team and my coaching so this doesn’t happen again. The majority of the time when playing a superior team, all you can ask from your players is to try their best. Know they left that field and gave everything they had. What more can a coach ask for?
You can not lie to the person in the mirror. The first step to having more effort is being truthful with none other than yourself!
At practices, do you see the team performing with as much effort as they can? If not, it is the coach’s responsibility to correct that and make sure all players are pushing themselves each time. Pep Guardiola says, “the way you train is the way you play.” I’m sure other coaches have said something similar or maybe even used these same words, but when I heard this, I knew my team, my players would need to step up the intensity at practice in order to perform during their games. More effort comes down to being truthful with yourself, know you left that field giving it your all!
Step 2: Challenge Your Team or Teammates
This is something I am constantly trying to do as a parent and a coach. Look for a peer or another professional you can learn from and challenge yourself to strive for more. If I am a coach, I try to play superior teams to see how my team fairs against them. It is not about who has the better team at the end, it is about who challenges their team and teammates to be their best.
There should be some players on your team that are more advanced than others. Coaches pair these advanced players against each other during drills at training to make sure they push each other. Play against elite and you will become elite. Train like a professional you will become a professional. If you feel like you are not elite as of yet, at least attempt to go against the elite to see how much further you need to go to get on that level.
Most professional soccer players are professional soccer players because they earn the right to sign a contract through years and at times a lifetime’s work. Nothing is handed to anyone in this world, you must challenge your team and teammates consistently. More effort is needed in this aspect and not enough players/coaches are taking the initiative.
How are you challenging your team?
Step 3: You are Your Own Competition
Who are you really competing against? Is it the other team, best players, teammates?
There will always be someone better than you at something! That is the harsh reality of life. We are never going to be the best, someone will always be just a little better. But, as long as I am the best I can be, I will be satisfied with that effort I gave. Last thing I want to do is live with regret, knowing that I could have done just a little more. Gave a little more effort to be better than I was yesterday. Could have run just a little faster, studied a little longer, cared a little more to be MY BEST!
If we are all trying to improve in something everyday, then do it! Write it down, set a goal, crush it and be proud of your efforts to challenge yourself. Will you be successful each and every time? Of course not! But the journey to become that person is something we should all take away from our efforts.
Compete against yourself and be better than you were yesterday and pretty soon, you will be in the elite category and living your dreams!
Hope you enjoyed and please don’t live today without giving just a little more effort.
Written by:
Coach Walter
@OleSoccer
@WaltMerino
Ole Futsal League
Futsal has been recognized as one of the best ways for the youth to develop and improve fastest.
What is futsal?
(Via Wikipedia) Futsal started in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani Gravier, a teacher in Uruguay, created a version of indoor football for recreation. His goal was to create a team game that could be played indoor or outdoor but that was similar to football, which became quite popular there after Uruguay won the 1930 World Cup and gold medals in the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.
Its name comes from the Portuguese Futebol de salão , which can be translated as “room football”. It was developed in Brazil in the 1930s and 1940s. It is a 5 versus 5 game played indoor or on a flat surface.
Olé Futsal League Starts February 20, 2016!
Olé Soccer is launching a developmental futsal league for kids ages 4-10 years old. We here at Olé are providing every opportunity possible to those in our organization and those who would like to be part of it, the best training and overall development possible. We believe that in order for a player to excel, they must be able to play on multiple surfaces and environments to receive the most amount of practice as possible.
The Futsal league will be an excellent form of practice and allow our youth to develop here in the San Fernando Valley. As there are some Futsal facilities in the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles areas, there aren’t many actual Futsal leagues. Olé couldn’t be happier to be offering this league for our community and help improve the level of play to compete with the best players around.
Check out what some of the United States Soccer Federation coaches had to say about the U.S. Futsal Development.
What does my child need?
First thing you must do is make sure your child gets introduced to the sport, we highly recommend having them attend some practices before coming out if this is their first time playing. Here is a good start if you live in the San Fernando Valley or surrounding areas, Friday Night Clinics. We offer these clinics every Friday for kids ages 3-12 who are just getting introduced to soccer or who are very advanced and play club soccer. Also offer Friday night goalkeeper clinics for kids ages 4 and up which dedicates time to each goalie who wants to learn or excel in their position.
Attire Needed
Please have your child bring flat shoes, futsal (rubber soles) preferred. Having your child prepared is extremely important because you can avoid injuries like falls, blisters or worse for not being prepared. Uniforms will be an extra cost and will not be included in the league registration fee.
You can not expect a player to perform at their best without the proper gear and proper nutrition.
Nutrition
We here at Olé are major advocates of nutrition & wellness. You can not expect the body to perform at its highest level if you are not fueling it with the proper ingredients. It is highly encouraged to speak to our Nutrition & Wellness coach, Carlos Charney and our chef, Coach Jasmine Delarosa. Be sure to follow up on Social Media @OleSoccer, as well as checking out our blogs for health tips and recipes to take you and your family to the next level.
Our mission is to not only improve the fundamentals and skills of your child but to also be sure they leave our program with as much information they can use off the field when it comes to maximizing their health and well-being. Wherever you decide to put your child, please be sure it is the absolute best possible solution for them. Money should not be an issue, we are really trying our best to provide our service to all willing families!
“You have a Formula 1 car and can’t expect it to perform its best if you are putting Unleaded fuel in it.”
– Coach Walter
Where will this take place?
Olé Soccer is based out of the San Fernando Valley area and will be starting our first Olé Futsal League at the Northridge, California. Please be sure to sign up for our email list to stay updated on the location and the schedules.
Prices and schedule info coming soon!
How do you separate the teams?
We will have only 4 teams per ages groups at the moment. Maximum of 9 players per age team so each player can receive enough playing time to learn the game.
Born 2011-2010
– Boys & girls that are 4 to 6 years old
– If your son/daughter is too advanced for this age group we will speak to the parent and decide if they would like to be challenged and moved up a division
Born 2009
– Boys & Girls who are 6 turning 7
Born 2008
– Boys & Girls who are ages 7 turning 8
Born 2007
– Boys & Girls who are ages 8 turning 9
Born 2006
– Boys & Girls who are ages 9 turning 10
Where do I reserve my child’s spot?
We are excited you are considering having your child be part of our program and know he or she will benefit from all we have to offer. First thing you must do is know that this is a commitment from all of you! Olé is anxious to meet new friends as well as see returning faces for our new league.
Please fill out information below to have your child’s spot reserved. Please be as detailed as possible and keep in mind this first season will be nothing but recreational for the time being. More details on cost, practices and teams will be provided in the next few weeks.
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Once you sign up, your contact info will be added to our list of pre-registered players to update you on the upcoming events and details of the league.
Advanced Trapping And Passing Drill
Want to improve and take your first touch to the next level?
Here is a great drill we use often for beginners as well as academy level players. This advanced trapping and passing drill will be sure to challenge your first touch and accuracy in passing.
1. Make a square about 4×4 space
2. Player stands in the center of the square ready to receive ball
(If player does not ask for ball you DO NOT pass them the ball)
3. With 2 touches they must return the ball back to the passer/coach
4. First touch with the inside of the right foot outside the square then right foot pass back to coach
5. Repeat with left foot
6. Focus on the quality of the first touch and firm pass using the locked ankle technique back to you for getting that strength in the passing
Want more drills and videos?
We would like to hear from you and give us your feedback on the quality of this drill. If you would like more drills and videos please leave a comment below. Share this info and keep working on your game everyday!
How to Increase Speed
What is the best way to increase your speed with and without the ball?
There are numerous ways you can do this, but below is one of the best soccer drills we found to increase your speed with and without the ball. The most important thing to remember when training is, “the way you train, is the way you play.” Do you know how to increase speed? If not, we can teach you how with this simple drill below.
How did we come up with this drill?
Through experience and combining different drills we have learned from previous coaches, we created this drill. A different coach may already be using this soccer drill or something similar at training, but this is a drill we have been using for many years.
Short sprints vs. Long Distance Running
Short sprints not only increase speed but they also increase strength and endurance at the same time. If you are also looking to get fit, or stay fit, your best bet is to do this drill. It will give you quicker results compared to running long distance at a slower pace.
Here is our extremely effective speed drill you can use with kids as young as 4!
Turbo Drill
Equipment Needed:
- 5 cones
- You do not need cones, you can use anything as place marks…NO EXCUSES!
- Stopwatch (recommended)
- This will help you keep track of how quickly you do this drill
- Also helps for you to keep track of when you started and in a few weeks how fast you’ve become
- Soccer ball
- We recommend using the ball so you can measure your speed with and without the ball when doing this drill
4. Be sure to space the cones out like the image above, leaving enough space using the correct measurements for best practice.
Ready to Start?
Now that you have your setup and equipment ready, you should warm-up before going all out. Here are some helpful tips on warming up properly – Warm-Up Exercises
Let’s Start!
Step 1
No Ball
- Start off at the yellow cone and run as fast as you can to the center cone
- You can choose to go either Right or Left, in this example we chose to go right
- Make sure you go around the center cone
- When turning make sure you focus on the first 3 steps to use the “TURBO” button inside you and explode to the next cone
Tip: Use little steps when turning that help you accelerate and change direction.
Have a friend time your start and finish or you can wear watch to start/stop your drill as well
With Ball
- Start next to the yellow cone and explode to the center cone
- Make sure you dribble with the outside of the foot and touch the ball each time you take a step to maximize the touches and ball control
- First time doing this drill, try using both feet throughout the drill
- If you are dribbling with the Left foot, use the inside of the Left to go around the cone and proceed to the next cone
- If you choose to use the Right foot, use the outside of the Right foot to proceed to the next cone
Step 2
No Ball
- Accelerate to cone 2 and use little steps again to go around and explode as fast as you can towards the furthest cone (3)
- Don’t forget to use little steps to work on change of direction getting away from defenders when you have the ball and to catch up to attackers if you lose the ball on defense
- Sprint across pumping your arms as fast as you can and your feet will follow
With Ball
- Using your Left foot dribbling the ball close using the outside of your foot with little touches to increase speed
- If you are using the Right foot to dribble you will cut around the cone using the outside of the Right foot taking little touches to cut as fast as possible
- Be sure to get as many touches as possible (Messi like dribbling) keeping the ball as close to your foot as you can.
Step 3
No Ball
- Going full speed towards cone 3 your body must get ready to cut and do a 180 around the cone changing direction once again
- One of the main focal points in this turbo drill with or without the ball is taking little steps when changing direction
- Once you go around cone 3, you will head back to cone 1 (center)
- Explode by pumping arms and digging into the ground
- Try to wear your cleats to dig into the grass/turf for better traction
With Ball
- Keeping the ball close to your Left foot, use the inside of your foot to cut around the cone and head to the center cone
- Using your Right foot be sure to use the outside of the foot and a turbo burst of speed to the center cone (1)
- Whatever foot you’re dribbling with, don’t forget you can always use different parts of your feet to turn
Example: Ole Soccer likes to incorporate Futsal type dribbles (sole/bottom of foot) to turn or dribble
Step 4
No Ball
- When sprinting to the center cone from cone 3, be sure to take longer strides
- Turn and go around the right side of the cone to accelerate directly to cone 4
- Don’t forget to focus on the first 3 steps when going around the center cone (1) to cone 4 then take long strides once again for explosion
- Once you get to cone 4, you will once again go around it, doing a 180 with short steps while pumping your arms and sprinting as fast as you can back to the start cone (yellow)
- On the final sprint back to the start cone be sure to go as fast as you can and drive your legs using powerful strides to go past the cone
- DO NOT STOP BEFORE THE YELLOW CONE!!
- Remember you must pass the yellow cone then you can stop your watch to see your time
With Ball
- Using the Left foot, go around the center cone using the outside of the Left foot and changing speed to cone 4
- If using your Right foot to dribble, use the inside portion of the foot when you get to the center cone and go around changing speed to cone 4
- Be sure to use a change of speed from slowing down dribbling around using either inside of Right foot or outside of Left foot
- Once you go around cone 4 you will explode as fast as you can touching the ball with either the outside of Right or Left foot
- This last sprint from cone 4 to the start cone (yellow) should be the fastest because it is all out with no turns involved
Ole Soccer Tips:
- Do this drill 3x with both feet
- 3x with Right foot ONLY
- 3x with Left foot ONLY
- 3x with no ball
Did this help you out? Be an advocate on how to increase speed, send us a shout out on Twitter!
Time yourself each time you complete the drill and write down your times.
If you do this each week you will be sure to see results in a matter of a few weeks.
If you wish to receive more of these type of drills or updates on our training, please be sure to subscribe and follow us on Social Media to learn more. We try to provide as much value as possible for all our students and subscribers. If you decide to use or share this drill, please give us credit, we work hard to come up with original drills for development.
Please share your thoughts on this drill and what drills you use to improve speed. We would love to hear from you and connect. Thank you for reading and hope you go out there and improve today!
Top 3 Warm-Up Drills
How great is your warm-up?
Do you start off with agility then get into the ball drills?
We offer 3 great drills for your warm-up with the balls to help improve the first touch, movement off the ball, dribbling with speed as well as quick turns using different parts of your foot.
Ole Soccer believes that in order for your players to see quick results, they must warm-up with the ball. Getting them as many touches as possible is the key to having them improve the fastest.
Improve today and Download Now
Tip: try to avoid lines where kids are standing not doing much. Have each player do the same drill with their own ball
Players will see great results in a matter of only a few weeks if they execute the drills at a high level. In order for you to get the most out of each exercise, players must perform with high intensity.
'The way you train, is the way you play.'
If you are a player that is looking to improve, always be sure to push yourself to improve each drill, each session, each game. It is the coach's job to make sure the players are giving their best effort at each practice.
Ole Soccer has been using these 3 simple but effective drills for years and has seen amazing improvement in all our players. These Top 3 Warm-Up Drills will be sure to improve the level of play at practice and games.
If you have any questions, or would like more information about our training, please contact us. Go out there and improve your game today!