Soccer Smarts: 75 Skills, Tactics & Mental Exercises to Improve Your Game

by Charlie Slagle

Overview

Gain the competitive edge you need to win with soccer skills and strategies

To reach your full potential as a soccer player, you need to know the right tactics, understand when to use them, and have the skills to carry them out. Soccer Smarts delivers the professional coaching you need to do just that. Written for intermediate soccer players and above, Soccer Smarts presents 75 innovative skills, tactics, and mental exercises to help you become a complete soccer player, inside and out.

Soccer Smarts offers access to the proven methods of Charlie Slagle, former president of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, current CEO of the Tampa Bay United Soccer Club, and lifelong soccer player. Through Charlie's time-tested techniques you'll learn exactly how a good soccer player becomes a great soccer player.

Inside the pages of Soccer Smarts you'll find:

• Specific lessons for perfecting individual player techniques from the basics to the more complex—such as 1 v 1 defending, power shooting, side volleys, goalkeeper shot blocking, and more.
• Cutting-edge team tactics that will help you and your teammates adopt a united approach and become a highly efficient soccer team, from possession to combination play to scoring.
• Game-changing mental exercises that will increase your awareness and enhance your mental aptitude to become a better player and a better leader.

Step-up your game with the skills, strategies, and tactics in Soccer Smarts, and discover what you're truly capable of, both on and off the field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781641522151
Publisher:	Callisto Publishing
Publication date:	10/30/2018
Pages:	188
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	1040L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

CHARLIE SLAGLE is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tampa Bay United Soccer Club. Previously he was the Executive Director of the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club in Denver CO, and the CEO of the Capital Area Soccer League in Raleigh NC. He coached the men’s soccer team at Davidson College for 21 seasons, and he was the NCAA Division I coach of the Year in 1992, the Southern Regional Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1992, and the Southern Conference Coach of the Year seven times. Slagle is a past president of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and a member of the NC Soccer Hall of Fame and the Davidson College Athletics Hall of Fame.

Table of Contents

Introduction x

Skills

1 1 v 1 Defending: Don't Get Beat Behind 3

2 Dribbling Moves: Finish Your Defender 5

3 Keep the Ball: Use Your Body 7

4 Dynamic Step Overs 9

5 Receive the Ball to Play It 11

6 Juggling: Be Creative and Test Yourself 13

7 Group Juggling 15

8 Power Shooting: Hammer It 17

9 Volleys: Don't Be Satisfied Just Hitting It 19

10 Long Balls: Get Elevation 21

11 Heading 6cThrow-Ins: Put Your Back Into It 23

12 One-Touch Passing: Keep the Ball 25

13 Goalkeeper Shot Blocking 27

14 Goalkeeping: Facing High Balls 29

15 Hitch Kick/Bicycle: Expand Your Shooting Range 31

16 Side Volleys: Strike Them Down 33

Tactics

1 Receiving the Ball: Give Yourself Options 37

2 Play the Way You Face 39

3 Get Open: Make Runs 41

4 Runs for Crosses: Get Open and Finish 43

5 Crosses: Set the Table 45

6 2 v 1 Overlapping: Spread the Defense 47

7 What to Do When You Have the Ball 49

8 Pressuring the Ball Defensively: Be Solid 51

9 Give-and-Go: One-Two to Break Down the Defense 53

10 Look for 1 v 1 Opportunities 55

11 3 v 2 to Goal: Break Down the D 57

12 Receive with a Purpose 59

13 Triangle Support 61

14 Support Your Teammate with the Ball 63

15 Pass and Move 65

16 Attacking from the Flank: Be Dangerous 67

17 5 v 2: Make It Worthwhile 69

18 Keep Possession with Bent Ball Passes 72

19 Get in Defensive 1 v 1½ Situations 74

20 Space-Opening Runs 76

21 Attacking the Wall 78

22 Pressure the Ball 80

23 Support on Defense 82

24 Defensive Cover 84

25 Stretch the Defense 86

26 Penalty Kicks: Hit Them Hard and Low 89

27 Defending Close-in Indirect Kicks 91

28 Long Free Kicks 93

29 Offensive Indirect Free Kicks 95

30 Learn Your Opponent 97

31 Goalkeeping Positioning: Know Your Angles 99

32 Start the Offense as a Goalkeeper: Dead Balls 101

33 Start the Offense as a Goalkeeper: Balls in Play 103

34 Goalkeeper Playing Crosses: Remember Cinderella 105

35 First-Time Finishing 107

36 Add Some Spice to Your Game: Nutmeg 109

37 Dummy the Ball 111

38 Heading to Finish: Hit the Goal Line 113

39 Heading to Clear: Get It to Safety 115

40 Heading to Pass: Keep It 117

41 Increasing Your Chances of Scoring 119

42 Scoring on Close Indirect Kicks 121

43 1 v 2: Test Yourself 123

44 Tackle or Delay? 124

Mental Exercises

1 Numbering of Positions 129

2 Outside Backs: Own the Flank 132

3 The Buck Four: Defensive Positioning Is Key 134

4 Width and Depth: Offense 136

5 Width and Depth: Defense 138

6 Setting the Wall on a Direct Free Kick: Part 1 140

7 Setting the Wall on a Direct Free Kick: Part 2 142

8 It's Your Ball Until Proven Otherwise 144

9 Move on Corners 146

10 Make Your Weak Foot Acceptable 148

11 Get Soccer Strong 150

12 Get Game Fit 152

13 Win the Bali: Start the Offense 154

14 Working the Ball Out of the Back 156

15 Beating the Offside Trap 159

Glossary 162

Resources 166

Index 168

Editorial Reviews

"Soccer Smarts is indeed smart. Follow along and it will improve your physical and mental skills to become a top-notch player."—Sam Snow, Owner/CEO, American Made Soccer Consultants

“Soccer Smarts is a great tool for parents and coaches to pass along to their young players to encourage them to own their development and teach them that the game is the best teacher of all.”—Lesle Gallimore, President of the United Soccer Coaches, Head Coach University of Washington Women's Soccer

"Coach Slagle has positively influenced youth and collegiate soccer in so many different ways. He has a wonderful way of articulating his experiences and knowledge for the game. Every young player and soccer family could benefit from his insights."—Carlos Samoano, Head Coach, UNC Men's Soccer

"Soccer Smarts offers the novice coach insightful tips to give to their players for easy comprehension. It also provides the experienced coach important reminders that are often forgotten."—Vince Ganzberg, Education Content Coordinator, United Soccer Coaches

"Charlie Slagle is one of the most knowledgeable figures in soccer. Soccer Smarts is a must read for anyone looking to improve their game."—Robbie Church, Head Coach, Duke University Women's Soccer

"Soccer Smarts is a great read for players and family members alike. Players will enhance their playing ability and their knowledge of the beautiful game."—Jerry Yeagley, Former Coach, Indiana University Bloomington Men's Soccer

"Charlie Slagle has worked for decades in every aspect of soccer in this country and he knows what it takes. His work is thorough, clear and easily digestible to players looking to get their game to the next level."—Garth Lagerwey, President and General Manager of the Seattle Sounders

"Coach Slagle has written the ultimate how-to for a player to take charge of their own development. Over 30 years as a college and club coach gives him unique insight."—Lynn Berling-Manuel, CEO, United Soccer Coaches

From the Publisher