Warm Up With the Ball

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Ole Soccer

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

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Ole Soccer

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

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Ole Soccer

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

Pre-Club Futsal League

Posted on January 13, 2016February 26, 2016 by Ole Soccer

Starting February Olé will have our next developmental league. This will be a soccer league that will be challenging for all players but know our players will learn faster and improve each game.

What should you expect?

The pre-club futsal league will be for boys and girls who may be learning the game but also for advanced players as well. It will be a competitive league where kids must use their creativity and skills they have been learning at practice at each game.

The speed of futsal is much faster than the outside surface or even artificial turf. Tight spaces and lots of touches are exactly what a young player needs in order to develop at any age but especially at a young age.

Info on League

10 Game Season Starts 2/27/16 ends 4/30/16

Location:
17431 Roscoe Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91325
(Inside the church basketball gym)

20 minute halves
Every game will be played between 8am-2pm
5v5 on the court with Goalkeeper included
Maximum of 8 players per team
$70 registration fee per player
$5 ref fee per game for each player
We will have 4 teams in this pre-club futsal league ONLY
4 teams will help us develop and coach each player to their full potential
Uniform cost IS NOT INCLUDED!

Deadline to register your child for the league will be 2/12/16.

Please fill out form below after making payment!

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Futsal League Registration

Posted on January 5, 2016January 19, 2016 by Ole Soccer

Olé will have a competitive futsal league for club level teams in the Coast Soccer League as well as SCDSL (Southern California Developmental Soccer League).

There will be only 2 age groups for the club level teams competing. We are limiting the amount of teams that can enter to 4 per age group.

2008 – Girls & Boys Ages 7 turning 8

2007 – Girls & Boys Ages 8 turning 9

As of 2016, the U.S. Soccer Federation requires youth teams to now play the calendar year. If your son or daughter was born in one of these years above, his or her team can apply to join our league. We will only be taking teams on a first come first serve basis with a maximum of 4 teams per year & per gender.

Futsal League Details

Cost: $375 per team
Ref Fee: $30 each game
(If your team does not show up to a game, you are still scheduled to pay the ref fee the next game)

Starts 2/20/16
Ends 4/23/16

Location:
17431 Roscoe Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91325
(Inside the church basketball gym)

10 week season which includes 10 games every Saturday. 25 minute halves and will be applying the futsal rules as well. Goalkeepers will be allowed and will have futsal size goals. Each team will have a maximum of 8 players on their team and will be playing 5v5 on the court.

Futsal shoes are required and can not wear turf shoes!

The futsal league registration is based on a first come first serve basis. If you do not register and enter your info your spot will not be saved. Once all spots are filled we will create brackets with teams and advise everyone on the schedule.

REGISTER YOUR TEAM NOW!

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Glendale Youth Soccer League

Posted on November 18, 2015January 24, 2017 by Ole Soccer

Ole Soccer will have 2 teams joining the Fall 2015 Glendale Youth Soccer League. Our BU8 and BU7 teams will be participating in this developmental and competitive league to help improve our teams.

When does the League Start?

First games of the season will kickoff 11/21/15. All games will be on Saturday from 11/21/15-2/6/16. There will be a break on Thanksgiving weekend 11/28/15 and 2 weeks off during the Holiday Season.

Schedules and more info on the league will be posted on their website www.GlendaleYouthSoccerLeague.com

Address:
501 S. Pacific Ave.
Glendale, CA 91204

League directors- Artur A. & Jack
We were invited by these coaches and working with local teams in Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles and East Valley.

Download the Schedule here

Boys Under 7 Team

First game for the BU7 team will be against Barcelona (non-club) from the Los Angeles area at 11am.

We require the players to show up minimum of 45 minutes before the game to get mentally and physically ready. It is vital to have players show up on time to have the coaches guide them on the instructions for the game.

501 S. Pacific Ave.
Glendale, CA 91204

This BU7 team will be the only BU7 team in the league and will be competing against our BU8 team as well as other BU8 teams in the league. This will not be an easy task but we know the team is capable of competing at a high level.

Roster:

Alvaro Vicente
Adrian Martinez
Christopher Figueroa
Carlos Santamaria
Sebastian Angulo
Josiah Suarez
Christopher Valencia
Angel Aguirre
Henry Guerra
Jakob De Leon
Axel Lopez
Pedro (Chato) Hermosillo
Angel Valdivia

The majority of the players on this team will be 6 & 7 with Axel who is 4 years old, Josiah and Chris Figueroa who are 5 years old. The purpose of this team is to have them play at a high level and also experience good competition. We are not focused on winning, but on competing and learning the game as we feel is best for these players to develop.

Boys Under 8 Team

First game of the season will be Saturday 11/21/15 at 12pm.

This new team consists of a mixture of players coming together to form one of our newest teams here at Ole Soccer. Some of these players will be playing together for the first time and others will have some experience playing together.

One thing I can tell you is that both teams will be ready to play!

Roster

Alexis Villagran
Emiliano Cardenas
Mark Rodriguez
Triztan Grajales
Havok De Leon
Adam Lopez
Gabriel Kartch
Louie Piceno
Joshua Hernandez
Gianluca Cavallini
Ernest Walker
Javier Espinoza
Brian Martinez

Per the league meeting on 11/17/15, each game will be as follows:

8v8 games
20 minute halves
Unlimited Substitutions
Home Side will be on side of field closest to street
League will provide game balls
$25 per team for referee fee
Club level referees
Possibly 3 refs but as for now just 1 center referee
Goal kicks will be punts from goalkeeper instead of goal kicks from 6 yard box (new club rule)
Parents must remain off the field and in designated fans area
Schedule and games might be canceled last minute and will notify us ASAP if something changes
Each team must be sure to be professional and will NOT permit parents to be coaching on the sides, only the Head Coach will be allowed to instruct the players
Each team will have their own side of the field

Above are some of the rules and topics that were discussed at the meeting for everyone to be clear on. It is extremely important our parents stay respectful towards each other and as always respect the other teams as well. If for some reason one of our parents can not be respectful and courteous to other teams or our team, they can possibly be removed from the team permanently.

The Glendale Youth Soccer League will have playoffs for the first 4 teams on the top of the league. There will be 2 semi-final games and also be a 3rd place game 2/13/16 as well as a final 2/20/16. The first and second place teams will be receiving medals, but only first place team will receive the League Trophy.

Please be sure to stay updated on the league status, updates and if you have questions please contact them directly.
Thanks for reading and please be sure to come out to our games and support our teams!

Thanks,

Coach Walter
info@olesoccer.org

Ole Futsal League

Posted on November 12, 2015January 5, 2016 by Ole Soccer

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.

Agility with Passing and Turning Drill

Posted on October 28, 2015October 29, 2015 by Ole Soccer

Who can benefit from this drill?

Ages 6 and up (advanced to intermediate)

What is needed?

Cones/Markers (4)
Soccer Ball
Energy & Hunger to Improve

How to set up drill:

Set up a triangle with 5 feet in between each marker
Set up hurdle/cones next to side marker so player can jump back & forth over
Have player start on either right or left side of the triangle
Player starts by jumping over hurdle then returns to receive ball
Basic step is to receive with the inside of foot
Once player receives the ball, have them take 1 or 2 touches to the top marker/top of triangle then turn to cut back and return pass
Immediately repeat the agility from Step 4
Repeat this 10x per side and add more advanced steps for skill level of player

What is the benefit of this agility with passing and turning drill?

Amazing for fitness (If done with intensity the player should be getting tired by 9th or 10th rep)
Great for first touch
Works on cut backs or spins
Focus on returning the pass with accuracy and correct technique
Players must demand ball and helps with leadership skills on the field

We hope you are enjoying these drills and see the benefit of having young players develop and be challenged at a young age. Ole Soccer is dedicated to maximizing the amount of touches each player receives at each session in order to grow their confidence on the ball.

If you would like to see more drills or interested in personal training for your teams or child, please contact us directly – info@olesoccer.org

Advanced 2 Touch Passing Drill

Posted on October 28, 2015October 29, 2015 by Ole Soccer

How to set up the drill:

1. Set up 3 markers, cones or poles in a triangle 5 feet from each other
2. Player starts at the top marker and starts either left or right
(In this video he starts going right side first)
3. Player checks in to outside of right marker then check out again creating space for him/herself
4. First touch is with the same foot of the side you choose. If you go to the right, use your right foot.
5. Player must return the ball back in 2 touches
– First touch must be into space passed the marker in order to return pass
6. Repeat same steps on the opposite side focusing on using inside of the foot each time

This advanced 2 touch passing drill is great for fitness, first touch, passing, receiving and for all positions on the field. We recommend using it for kids ages 7 and up to challenge them.

Want more drills? Please let us know! We would love to create more videos for you.
If you are interested in private sessions, please contact us directly – info@olesoccer.org

Be sure to follow us @OleSoccer

Advanced Trapping And Passing Drill

Posted on October 16, 2015October 29, 2015 by Ole Soccer

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!