There are seven important points to remember about Soccer.

1. Every player on the soccer team needs to keep themselves in shape even in the off season. Soccer players need to be fast, strong and skillful. Always remember to due warm up exercises before practices and games.

2. Soccer is a team sport. A player needs to know each of his teammates abilities and be able to work together as a group.

3. Every player on a soccer team needs to enjoy challenges. A player cannot be intimidated by the opposing team. A player needs to be aggressive but not a bulli.

4. After you are aggressive and know how to challenges, you must be skilled at you position. A ball can be taken away from an opposing team if you know the right moves and know how and when to use them.

5. One of most important principle in soccer is -Ball Possession Determines Everything. Remember if the team doesn't have the ball no goals can be scored.

6. A good soccer player will not only learn from his coach, but listen to experience players on his team.

7. Lastly, enjoy the game!!!! Wining is great but you can have a good time playing a more challenging team even if you lose.

How to Find a Coach

When looking for a coach, you should make sure that person has some good qualities for the job. Unfortunately not all coach are the best, so ask other soccer players. Know what areas of playing you want to improve, so you can find a coach that can help you in those area.

1. Coaches should be able to set and share goals for his\her team and together the team and the coach should try to reach that goal.

2. Coaches should be patient yet at the same time be able to discipline his\her players to be better players.

3. Coaches should be able to help the players see how the game is played and run.

4. Coaches should know the background of the sport they are coaching, although they don't need to have played at a high school level.

Soccer Injuries

Although soccer is thought to be a safer sport than football, you should not be led to think that girls and boys can not get hurt. Your soccer bag should have the following items in case you become injured:

Ace-bandage, Instant ice pack, Surface bandages, Tape

Another very important item is always have water at practice and games.

Common Injuries in Soccer

In Soccer, when a player is injured, all players fall to their knees until the injured player is removed from the playing field. The referee will blow the whistle to return to play.

Ankle Sprains:

The most common soccer injury is a sprained ankle. Almost all soccer games below college level are played on grass. Stepping in a hole in the grass can turn ankle over, spraining the ligaments. A player who steps on the side of an opponents foot when going for the ball can also sprain an ankle. Ice should be placed on a sprain as soon as possible. If you are going to return to the game, wrap the area in a ace-bandage

Soccer Shoulder:

When you go to head the ball and fall down on your shoulder or elbows, you can sprain a ligament connecting the collar bone to the shoulder joint, separating the shoulder. A partial dislocated of the shoulder is sometimes confused with a separation. A partial dislocated occurs when the shoulder slides partially out of joint and then goes back in by itself. A dislocated shoulder will not go back in by itself. When soccer shoulder occurs, the player should not return to the game.

Quad and Hamstring Pulls:

Pulled leg muscles are very common in any running sport. Soccer demands sudden acceleration and direction changes which make you prone to muscle pulls. When a players has a pulled muscle, ice it for twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off until in a resting position until the pain subsides. As soon as the muscle can tolerate it, begin stretch program to strengthen the muscle.

Head Banging:

Many times players collide by banging heads when trying to head the ball Never take a head banging lightly. See your doctor.

Nutritional Strategies for the Soccer Player

"The Last Supper" You should eat dinner seven to twenty hours before a game. Here is an example:

2 cups spaghetti with tomato meat sauce steamed spinach and carrots.

3 dinner rolls optional diet margarine

8 ounces skin milk

32 ounces water thought out evening

1,300 calories 59% complex carbohydrates 24% fat 17% protein

The morning before a game. Here is an example:

One scramble eggs.

One English muffin one teaspoon margarine

8 ounces orange juice

8 ounces skin milk

16 ounces water

470 calories 58% complex carbohydrates 25% fat 17% protein