Tips parents should know from Minnesota soccer pros

The youth soccer boom, if you will, began in 1994, the last time that America hosted a World Cup. With this version of the World Cup on our soil, we're seeing already the demand, the interest, the questions about how to become involved, and we're really, really excited about what already is a very popular sport becoming an even more popular one. The reason I got into it, my parents, they just saw me running around and having too much energy, and they were like, let's just have him try it, and it got all my energy out, and then I just slowly started loving it. We focus a lot of our energy on the experience and making sure that we develop kids and players who love soccer and become soccer junkies, soccer nerds if you will, so they enjoy it all the way through. From age 5 to 12, 13, that's when you really just got to enjoy it, be out there as much as you can, play in the park, play in the backyard, all those types of things. Really try and, you know, go out to events like today where Team USA plays, or Minnesota United, and really show them what this game is about, and that's really the biggest advice I can give. That's just the easiest thing, is just get a ball out there, start kicking it around, and then, you know, watching these games is a big thing too. I think they can gain inspiration from seeing these players and everything they're doing. I believe that we will win! So I think it's just getting outside, going to a local field, and just starting to play. I don't really try to give them too much of instruction and try to tell them too much about what exactly they need to be practicing on. For me, the biggest thing when I grew up was having fun, enjoying the game, enjoying learning about it. The recipe for putting together fun but hard work. That is the challenge of the coaches and we play soccer with the active word being play there. The main goal of any coach should be will they return next year and will they provide an environment that is welcoming, supportive, friendly. Where they model the right behaviors, and we believe that if more coaches exhibit the traits that I just mentioned, they'll play the sport for longer and come back next year. I think it takes just, you know, having the right coaches and just a lot of sacrifice. I think it takes a lot of time away as a kid, you know, wanting to be the best and trying to get better. So, I mean, I think it's just really trying to go out there and just try it. So we like to do a lot of things and activities that are fun. Playing the game is the most fun but also we have teams that go on trips around the country. We have teams that go on trips around the world. I know tryouts are probably coming up for a lot of club teams and I know there's been even more club teams being created in Minnesota so I think it's just trying to you know get your kid out there you know just have them try. One priority for us as an organization is supporting clubs in not only the elite levels but At the more recreational levels, the more entry into the sport levels, so that they can continue to support those players so that they return next year. Our training sessions are built around making it look like the game, so we try to avoid a lot of standing around drills and repetitive things that aren't any fun. I think the biggest thing is just touching the ball, but maybe just learning how to juggle with them, or just passing it back and forth. I think that's the biggest thing, just learning the basics and just touching the ball. I mean the more you touch the ball the better it's going to become your front end. I think that's just the easiest thing you can do. You still have to build fitness and run. So we try to disguise that in relay races. I can put kids on the line and have them run and they hate it after two or three, but we can do relay races and they're doing a dozen of them with no problem. So it's all the challenge of coaching and being creative in that way. Yes, working on your first touch, your second touch, your passing, your shooting, all those technical aspects are important. But the biggest thing is to have fun and enjoying it. If you have fun practicing and playing, you automatically get better. We're seeing a trend where now my friends who have kids that played with me growing up now are on the sidelines. We think that's super healthy. We also are encouraging those folks to become referees, to become coaches. We need more people that are invested in the game, know the game, are aware of the cultural intricacies of the game to be involved and teach the next generation. and we think. By having more levels of play and more opportunities, even younger, we'll create an environment that is welcoming and supportive for the team members.