Product Description

Soccer’s top practice games book returns bigger and better than ever! Engage your players and make each practice more challenging, productive, and fun with 175 games!

Customer Reviews (14)

Great for dads who need soccer practice help
Great ideas to teach skills and give someone who has never played soccer some ideas for practices. This book is working great for our team.

Excellent Book for Coaches of U12 and Younger
This book is a mix of some of the more traditional, well known soccer drills/games and some more unusual one. The best part about this collection of exercises is that most of them are designed to be fun, so the kids will actually enjoy doing them.

Other coaches will look at you strangely for some of the games in this book. That is, until they see how good your team is.

I say that from experience. I incorporated the leapfrog exercise into our warm-ups, and people thought I was crazy, but the team was developing their strength and balance, and the kids loved it!

If I could only pick one book of activities to use during practices, this would be my choice.

Soccer Practice Games
Good book, easy games with comprensive images, is a good book to start to teach how introduce the principles of soccer.Is a book you must be havein your library.

Decent Resource for Youth Soccer Coaches
These game-style drills make soccer practices much more fun, and they help teach fundamentals at the same time. This book doesn't really get into strategies or position playing, but it is a good collection of drills that will keep all of your players busy and learning.

One of the better tools for coaches of pre High School players
This is a useful book when you know what you want to work on with your players and are just looking for another way to approach it. Not all the games are going to be effective but you should find some that will apply to your team and age group.Specifically, if players can't "score' and earn points "goals" then they are of more limited use and are really drills not games.The book has both. ... Read more

Product Description
Rob Lasher is just an ordinary soccer player, good at the game, but not great. Then one afternoon, he saves his coach's life in front of all his teammates. Suddenly, he's the team's hero. As some members of his team and the rest of the town continue to laud Rob's heroic act, Rob realizes he doesn't want the attention and any unearned accolades that come with it. Kids will learn that doing what is right should be the norm, not the exception. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

soccer hero
grandkids loved it, good reading material,glad we found this and other books on this web site.

Couldn't put the book down!
Reviewed by Lake Furney (age 10) for Reader Views (12/07)

Rob Lasher is a player on the Pirates soccer team.After saving his coach's life everyone treats him like a hero.He doesn't like the attention and wants people to just forget about it. After the new coach makes Rob team captain, things get worse.They struggle to get along and work together as a team.

This book, "Soccer Hero," was awesome!Most of the time I didn't want to put it down.It's great for 8-11 year olds.
... Read more

Product Description
Soccer is much more than just the most popular game in the world. It is a matter of life and death for millions around the world, an international lingua franca.

Simon Kuper traveled to twenty-two countries to discover the sometimes bizarre effect soccer can have on politics and culture. At the same time he tried to discover what makes different countries play a simple game so differently.

Kuper meets a remarkable variety of fans along the way, from the East Berliner persecuted by the Stasi for supporting his local team, to the Argentine general with his own views on tactics. He also illuminates the frightening intersection between soccer and politics, particularly in the wake of the attacks of 9-11, where soccer is obsessed over by the likes of Osama bin Laden. The result is an astonishing study of soccer and its place in the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Fascinating book, but with outdated references
If you think England's notorious soccer hooligans represent the worst expression of violent behavior in competitive soccer, read Soccer Against the Enemy. As British sports journalist Simon Kuper explains it in this lively book, soccer, like war, is merely politics by other means.

The style a national soccer team brings to the game is also widely thought to be an expression of national character. As Kuper writes, "Soccer is never just soccer. In debating soccer, the Brazilians also debate the kind of country Brazil should be." Presumably, much the same holds true for South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, Argentina, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, and most of the other countries whose soccer scene Kuper profiled -- despite the fact that playing styles may change from year to year and manager to manager and that any given country at any particular time may employ a "Brazilian" style while the Brazilians themselves have adopted an entirely different approach.

A handful of dictators surface in the pages of Soccer Against the Enemy, and Kuper treats us to the colorful tales told about their meddling ways. Perhaps one or two of them actually stayed in power for a year or two longer as a result, but their citizens' passion for soccer may just as easily have been a factor in their undoing. It's an exaggeration to claim, as the book's subtitle does so brazenly, that the World's Most Popular Sport Starts and Fuels Revolutions and Keeps Dictators in Power.

Soccer Against the Enemy was originally written in 1992-93, when Kuper traveled the world to investigate the relationship between soccer and politics. Starting out as a 22-year-old fresh out of Oxford, he backpacked his way from one continent to the next, often traveling on buses and second-class trains, staying in cheap hotels and hostels, wearing worn and often torn clothing, and yet somehow managing to secure interviews with many of the soccer world's biggest-name managers, owners, and players.

Kuper successfully illustrates the interrelationship between big-time competitive soccer and the politics of many of the countries where it's taken most seriously. He recognizes, though, that the impact of the sport is limited. "The game is a good way of studying what is going on in repressed societies, but it rarely changes these societies." (So much for that misleading subtitle!)

Kuper clearly wrote the book for readers who were familiar with the leading soccer figures of the day, since Soccer Against the Enemy repeatedly refers, often using nicknames only, to players and managers whose names have long since been forgotten. The Americanized Kindle Edition I read routinely substituted the word "soccer" for the English "football" and included an extra chapter written in 2005 and an afterword along the lines of "Where are they now?" Little else was changed since the early 1990s.

(From Mal Warwick's Blog on Books)

From a new soccer fan
I recently became interested in soccer through watching the 2010 World Cup and seeing the sport's influence on the culture of so many different nations around the world.I was especially impressed at the egalitarianism of the sport and the wide range of its fans.It seems that everyone from the African townships to the corporate empires of the G8 is rooting for one team or other.And I was also interested to note that many US fans were not supporting the US national team but one of the teams from Africa or South America.Thus I chose to read Soccer Against the Enemy because I was eager to understand a game that is clearly more than just a game -- a game that, as the book jacket says, "starts and fuels revolutions and keeps dictators in power."

Author Simon Kuper clearly loves the sport and knows it well.He has done a great deal of research on the sport and perhaps more importantly, its fans.His book provides an excellent account of the last 30 or so years of the sport, how it has grown in popularity around the world and how it crosses the boundaries of nationality, politics, race and class.I was especially interested to learn about the influence of the Dutch on the style of play and how their rivalry against Germany in 1988 and 1992 fueled old resentments, and in some cases hatreds, from the Second World War, when the Germans invaded the Netherlands.

The one disappointment I had with this book is that it was reissued in 2010 with a brief update from the author, but the vast majority of the content is from the 1990s, which is when the author did his original research and first published the book using the name "football" in the title rather than the US term "soccer."That in and of itself is fine, except I was expecting to learn more about the game and the influence it has today, rather than a decade ago.In the author's update he explains that globalization has changed the loyalties of fans to the extent that many now support clubs in nations not their own and in fact nations that they have never visited nor have any connection to.I would certainly have liked to understand that shift and its causes, as well as more about the world of soccer as we enter the second decade of the 21st century.This is not the fault of the author so much as the publisher and the way the book is described in its promotional copy here on amazon.

So, bottom line from a new soccer fan:This is a very well-written, superior book about the recent history of the sport but if you are looking for something that puts soccer in the context of the world as it is today, you will probably have to look elsewhere.I think I will read either Soccernomics or How Soccer Explains the World to get a more contemporary view.

Read it just for the story of Roger Milla and the imprisoned pygmies
Having read the author's Soccernomics first (which is not a light read), I expected a sweeping panorama (perhaps from a poli-sci point of view) of football-soccer and its often prickly relations with political power. Fortunately, the book is much more interesting than that. It is composed of vignettes written by the author as a twenty-something backpacker investigating world football a couple of years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and before globalization flattened the world. Some of the pieces clearly don't fit in well with the political theme (Gascoigne in Italy, the interview with Helenio Herrera, and Robson in Holland, which deal less with politics and more with culture clashes), but they do not detract from the book and are interesting in themselves. What I liked most of all was the discovery that the sport is just as conflictive, opaque and just plain weird as the wide world it inhabits. The story of Roger Milla and the pygmies he imprisoned in Cameroon's national stadium is worth the admission price alone. The mention in the new epilogue about Qaddafi's son playing in Italy's Serie A and getting suspended for steroids is just icing on the cake.

Pretty good soccer book, not a classic
This was a good book, but not the classic that it has been billed as.Some of it is kind of all-over-the-place in a way that turns me off.I'm not sure the narrative really means anything, rather than just a disjointed grouping of stories.It really plays to me like a short story book where you can skip the sections you don't find as enjoyable.

That being said, the stories are very entertaining.Some more than others.

I wonder what Simon Kuper would say looking back on it (20 years later) now that he is a respected soccer journalist.I would not be surprised if he agrees with part of my sentiment as I do think it feels a little bit like a younger writer finding his voice.

That is all I have to say, if you are interested in Soccer (Football), definitely pick it up.I would recommend How Soccer Explains the World much more though.

Soccer as Psychotherapist
For a book originally published in 1994, Soccer Against the Enemy remains surprisingly relevant. It is a very similar book to How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, both in structure and topic, although Soccer Against the Enemy is the better of the two. Broken into chapters that focus on countries, or regions of countries, Soccer Against the Enemy tries to explain the cultural and social meaning of the beautiful game all around the world.

Take the chapter on soccer in the U.S., "Short, Dark, Americans." Kuper begins the chapter by writing about attending an international game in L.A. during the 1994 World Cup--Denmark v El Salvador. The L.A. coliseum was packed, but the next day, even the L.A. Times sports section didn't mention the game. This dichotomy, so typical of America's relationship with soccer, becomes Kuper's theme for "Short, Dark, Americans." This chapter, like the others, is built partially from Kuper's direct experiences as he visits each location, partially from commentary on the region's soccer histoy, and partially from anecdotes about the lives of the fans who live in the region.

The piecemeal nature of the chapters is the book's biggest weakness. There is no single narrative to follow through each chapter, much less through the entire book, leaving the reader (or at least me) a little unsure of which direction Kuper was heading at any one time. Also, the book's intended readers are soccer fans. Those without a lot of soccer trivia, stadium names, and player biographies floating through their heads may feel a bit lost. I picked up the book in the U.S., but I suspect the initial printing was in England for English football fans. ... Read more

Product Description
It's an exciting time in Fairyland.Everyone is getting ready for the Fairy Olympics!But Jack Frost's goblins have stolen the Sports Fairies' magic objects.Now they're threatening to take over the whole competition!

Rachel's favorite soccer team is ready for the big game.But without Stacey the Soccer Fairy's magic ball, they'll never reach their goal!

Find the enchanted object in each book, and help keep the Fairyland Olympics magical!

... Read more

Product Description
Stop every shot! The Soccer Goalkeeper is the single most comprehensive guide to the key position in soccer. From drills and tactics to equipment and fitness, coaches Joe Luxbacher and Gene Klein cover all of the mental and physical skills you need to maximize performance on the field.

This revised and expanded edition includes many new and improved drills and tactical information on restarts, organization of the defense, angle play, and more. Coaching points and actual game examples from top goalies provide special insight.

The text features these topics:

· Training programs like those used by top goalkeepers in the world

· Footwork and positioning techniques to cover more of the goal

· Tactics to gain a competitive edge in every situation

· Choosing the right equipment

· Using mental skills to maximize physical skills

The Soccer Goalkeeper presents everything you need to know to shut out the opposition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

T.S.G. book
I have played keeper for about 8 years and this book has taught me so much. This is a must have for any keeper.

Fairly Complete GK book
As the title and description states, it is a complete GK training book. Descriptions of the various techniques are understandable and complete but I'd prefer a bit more. Being a visual person, I'd prefer more stop action photos with the words to truly call it 6 star book.Lots of drills that logical and targeted to the skill. My one standard complaint with most GK instruction is that there isn't enough "progression" development details. This book is no exception, for example power diving instruction is 3 photos and 1 page of words. There is only one targetted drill with no progression from baby jump to full on flying.

GOOD
THIS BOOK IS VERY INFORMATIVE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS I'VE HAD TO TEACH GOALIE TACTICS AND DRILLS, THIS BOOK HAS HELPED.

An outsiders opinion
This book was purchased as a gift for a goalkeeper in training.From what I can tell it has all the information he will need.

FOR BEGINNERS OR EXPERIENCED KEEPERS
Whether you are a keeper yourself or coaching them, I highly recommend this book.It's a book for anyone who wants to learn the skills needed to be a top-notch keeper.The book focus on the key skills in a very comprehensive fashion: describing when the skill is used in game situations, how the skill is performed, and creative exercises for mastering the skill.These discussions are supplemented with photographs and illustrations.The author really knows what he is talking about.Read the book, then watch goalkeepers playing at the highest level of the game (such as in the world cup) and you will see the keepers utilizing the key skills detailed in "The Soccer Goalkeeper"over and over again. ... Read more

Product Description
The official playing and coaching manual for youth soccer of the United States Soccer Federation.

The definitive playing and coaching manual for youth soccer. Compiled by the coaching, educational and technical staff of U.S. Soccer, this book offers extensive information on all aspects of the game, technique, tactics, laws, prevention and care of injury, coaching preparation, organizational structure, model training sessions, and more than 100 practice games suitable for developing aspects of every player's game.

Features numerous games for developing dribbling * passing * finishing * heading * defending * goalkeeping, as well as games specifically for young beginners * games to teach tactics * overall soccer decision-making.

Extensive technique section offers detailed pointers on dribbling and turning moves * shielding * passing * receiving * drives * chips, bending the ball and volleys * heading * marking * tackling * goalkeeping catches * dives and saves.

Tactical chapters offer detailed information on fundamental attacking tactics * defensive principles * restart tactics for defensive and offensive success.

Model training sections construct excellent practice sessions, from warmup through cool down exercises * useful for all coaches as a guide to improving performance * efficiency * enjoyment of training.
Amazon.com Review
Soccer continues to grow in popularity in the United States,with another huge surge thanks to the U.S. Women's Team winning theWorld Cup in 1999. But players can only be as good as their coaches,and coaches are always looking for help. Soccer: How to Play theGame contains detailed information on necessary skills, frombasics like dribbling the ball and throw-ins to advanced skills likesliding tackles and goalkeeping. Each is presented separately, withphotographs and drawings of a player executing the skill, advice onhow to perform it and when to use it, and most common mistakes. Over100 practice games, coded for different player ages and levels ofinstruction, are also outlined to help players develop theirtechnique. Throughout the book, the authors stress the need to createa positive environment in practice and encourage creativity as well astechnical correctness. Most importantly, the authors understand thatkids are not just small adults--and they back up their understandingwith advice on how to help kids fall in love with "the beautifulgame." Published under the auspices of the United States SoccerFederation, Soccer: How to Play the Game will inspire coachesand players alike. --Sunny Delaney ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Excellent soccer reference!
This is an excellent book for experienced and novice soccer fans, parents and coaches alike. I have read several books on different aspects of the game, from skills to drills to tactics, but this book puts it all together in an easy to read and comprehensive single volume. The laws of the game are also included for reference to round off the book.

Youth coaches bible
Although this book is good for a "D" license, and entry level players, it does not seem to have the technical "how to" that I am looking for.My experience includes player, referee, and coach at many levels.The strengths of this are the detailed bio-mechanics breakdown of basic skills that are vital to player development.These breakdowns also guide the new coach as she analyzes the problem areas in player skill and technique.Book has greatest value to lesser experienced coaches, players and programs.

A great all-in-one book for soccer instruction
It's a very nice concise manual on modern soccer.It has very good illustrations and good coaching ideas.All parts of the game are very well explained.Would be much better in hardcover, as it is a book to keep and use, not just to store on the shelf.

Coaching Book
GREAT book. I love it. Very helpful, even during the middle of practice, I can run over and look up something the team needs to work on.

A good book!
How to play soccer is a good book. It teaches most of basic techniques separately, like dribling, heading goalkeeping. But it does not teaches exercises to achieve strength, speed and agility. It is good for coaches who want to train their team to better football. It may not be as good for players who are learning individually. ... Read more

Product Description
Build a winning girls' soccer program, on the field and off. In Coaching Girls' Soccer Successfully, one of the nation's top high school coaches, Debra LaPrath, shares her expertise on all aspects of coaching. From establishing a coaching philosophy to making decisions during a game, this is the approach that has made her program a perennial powerhouse.

Coaching Girls' Soccer Successfully covers every aspect of the coach's role:

• Developing and perfecting skills
• Evaluating players and defining their roles
• Organizing productive practices
• Scouting and preparing for games
• Adding variety to training
• Developing leadership qualities
• Motivating the team
• Communicating on and off the field

Featuring seasonal training plans, drills for developing fundamental to advanced skills, and advice for handling off-the-field challenges, Coaching Girls' Soccer Successfully is the most comprehensive resource available for novice and experienced coaches alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Esp. for girls
As a boys and girls high school coach, this book gives great insight to the coaching needs that girls require to be successful.Great book!

sportsmom :) -Texas
I played soccer growing up!I have coached youth soccer ages 3-10 and wanted to get ideas about moving up to coach teenagers. I learned so much reading this book-tactical,drills and team building! Ireally enjoyedthe personal stories about the authors' team! I especially liked the one about"Jared's Wig".I even had my 13 year old read some of the stories and look at the drills!She really enjoyed the stories and was looking for heading drills and found some great ones she really liked, and great passing and receiving drills! I went ahead and ordered 2 of these books from Amazon since I got free shipping if I did, and gave one to my daughters soccer coach as aGift and he really thought it was awesome!I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the game of Soccer and Coaching it!

Excellent Book!
This book is invaluable for every coach, player and parent.Not only is it informative from a technical and tactical standpoint, but it also teaches values that are important off the field (committment to your teammates, respect for others and building relationships).I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the team experiences and team building exercises.I highly recommend this book to all sports enthusiasts!

Thorough and detailed
I was pleasantly surprised by the level of detail and thoroughness in this soccer coaching how-to book. Whether you are coaching very young girls (or boys) or coaching older young women, I recommend this book.Laprath offers unusual insight, tips, and relevant strategies from her many years in coaching.

LaPrath Is A Success
This book is not only for the coach but the player as well.The passion that is expressed in this book will clearly motivate coach and player to rise to the highest level.I'm giving this book to my niece so it will help her understand the philosophy behind coaching.She will learn life values, make long lasting friendships, and realize anything is possible if you put your mind to it.Great Book!!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Deserves a dual location on philosophy and sports shelves
Soccer and Philosophy provides an unusual pairing: soccer notes by philosophers - and offers insights on ethics, metaphysics, and issues of beauty and form in the soccer environment. By blending philosophical principles and inquiry with soccer specifics, this will reach an audience not ordinarily attracted to philosophy books, and deserves a dual location on philosophy and sports shelves alike.

Wonderful, Whimsical and Cogent
First, ignore the comments on the back cover. They are banal clichés (See Chapter 3: The Boy Done Good? Football's Clichés). I doubt the comments were written by people who actually finished the book.

Second, although this is a book about soccer, the analysis and conclusions may be applied to all sports. (See Chapter 8: What's Luck Got to do with it?).

Third, think about how sports overlap with life and demand the attendance of prominent politicians - to toss the first ball, etc. (See Chapter 24: When a Soccer Club Becomes a Mirror).

Fourth, think about how the officials on the field, in the ring or on the court influence the outcome of the game. (See Chapter 28: The Loneliness of the Referee).

Fifth, Consider whether prayer before, during or after the game influences its outcome. (Chapter 29: God is not a Referee)

This enumeration of thoughts about soccer could to go on without end, just like a 0 to 0 soccer game, requiring a shoot out (see Chapter 27: It's a Lottery!: Penalties and the Meaning of Winning). Oh, did I tell you about the wonderful creative writing in Chapter 26: Kierkegaard at the Penalty Spot?

This is a wonderful, whimsical and cogent book for soccer fans and soccer players, particularly those who enjoyed their philosophy courses in college. The book has multiple authors with uneven writing, but the good writers more than make up for the others.

Soccer in Football Country (Florida)
A great book with a different bent. An easy read even if you don't know a lot about either soccer or philosopy. I recommend it highly.

What a great collection!
What a great book!A collection of different philosophical treatments of the beautiful game from the sublime to the humorous.And just in time for the World Cup too! ... Read more

Product Description
Part diary and part reportage, The Soccer War is a remarkable chronicle of war in the late twentieth century. Between 1958 and 1980, working primarily for the Polish Press Agency, Kapuscinski covered twenty-seven revolutions and coups in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Here, with characteristic cogency and emotional immediacy, he recounts the stories behind his official press dispatches—searing firsthand accounts of the frightening, grotesque, and comically absurd aspects of life during war. The Soccer War is a singular work of journalism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Hemingway he ain't
or at least should not attempt to be.Kapuscinski's personal anecdotes are at once his strength and his weakness.Relating the mundane details of the residents of a hotel in Nigeria both makes the situation accessible, but trivializes the book at the same time.

The main content is unassailable.The author's adventures and the misfortunes of the countries he reported on are fantastic.If the book had been kept a work of reportage, instead of trying to prove the author was a Great Writer, it would be unquestionably five stars.

Are you kidding?
This is my first Amazon review, and I think it's appropriate.Because this book, this glimpse into what life really is, this subtly gut-wrenching, overtly gritty, piercing, surgical probing into a tiny snippet into another man's battle with consciousness, is well, basically Hemingway being one-up'd, in a contemporary palatable way that constantly leaves you wanting more.I mean, people go traveling, sure.People visit exotic places and write about it.But this, this, this is a man with something going on, and who knows how to put it on paper, and who knows - or is probably just unconscious enough and doesn't know - so it's that much better.Enjoy.

a nice accidental find
This intriguing collection of essays chronicles the author's experiences as a foreign correspondent covering war and revolution between 1958 and 1980. The titular piece refers to a brief war between Honduras and El Salvador, but the collection mostly deals with Africa, especially the Congo, Ghana, and Algeria. Some of the essays are, inevitably, not as strong as others; nevertheless, Kapuscinski, an internationally acclaimed journalist, communicates with immediacy and heart in an engaging, readable style. Speaking of his childhood in Poland during World War II, he writes, "In my country, the war did not pass anyone by; it went through every home, it smashed its rifle butt against every door, it burned dozens of cities and thousands of villages. The war wounded everyone, and those who survived cannot cure themselves of it. A person who has lived through a great war is different from someone who never lived through any war. They are two different human beings. They will never find a common language, because you cannot really describe the war, you cannot share it, you cannot tell someone: Here, take a little bit of my war. Everyone has to live out his own war to the end."

Tragically good
I think other reviewers have covered how great this book is.I would like to respond to some of the critical reviews.One reviewer, in particular, claims that the book is an incoherent mess because there's no "coordinating thesis".This person asks for "clear eludication" (I would add SIC, but I believe the person actually thinks this is a word).Anyone asking for "eludication" is not worthy to judge Dan Brown novels much less Kapuscinski.

Why does everything need a neat bow? The world is complex.Too complex, seemingly, for some.To read this book is to better understand our shared experience and, ultimately, your unique experience.I can't recommend it more highly.

Vivid account of life in war zones
This is very worthwhile reading for residents of North America or Europe to gain a better understanding of conflict and politics in other parts of the world, even if it dates back to the 1960s and 70s. Kapuscinski describes events and situations that most of us will never experience, fortunately. His style is direct, immediate, sometimes blunt, but especially effective in conveying what war is like on the ground. He was an "official" journalist for a Communist country. He had the privilege of traveling abroad, but everything he wrote for publication was censored. Presumably Kapuscinski's masters wanted him to paint a picture of brave Third World peoples fighting for freedom against capitalist exploitation. But there is little or nothing here that you could call Communist propaganda. Instead it is engaging reporting of historic events in conflict zones (Africa, Central America, Syria, Cyprus) by an intelligent, humane observer who has good insights. ... Read more

Product Description
The ultimate resource for getting on the ball.

The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Soccer Basics explains anything and everything a parent or new coach needs to know to understand the game and make the most of a child's soccer experience. From the rules of the game to playing techniques, this is a one-volume course for parents and children to score winning goals.

*Since 1974, total individual participation in U.S. soccer programs has grown from 100,000 to more than 3 million, primarily young players between the ages of 6 and 14
*Most parents of today's youth soccer players didn't play soccer themselves growing up, and will welcome this reference book
*Includes game strategies and practice techniques for every player position
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Help!
I'm a beginner soccer coach for my daughters' soccer team.U8 is when they start playing positions and more rules are enforced but, having never played soccer myself, I was clueless.This book was a great help to me.Now I know what the referee calls mean and can more effectively guide my team. I would recommend this book for any begging coach or soccer parent who just wants to know what's going on.

A Must for the Newbie Soccer Mom
I didn't play soccer as a child. I know, I know, but it was a different place and time. With my offspring developing near soccer-mania at tender ages, and their dad a coach and aficionado, I figured I'd better figure out that "offsides" thing once and for all. This book is great for that purpose, including not only all the details of the "beautiful game," but lots of helpful hints for those who have never tried to size shin guards before. Though the title does give some latitude for snarky adolescent comments from aforementioned offspring, "Hmm, idiot, that could be true...", the content is great. highly recommend if you gotta get up to speed fast.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Soccer Basics
As a parent of an avid travel-team soccer player (age 10), this book is perfect.My son's been playing on a travel team for over 2 years and I wish I had read this book when he started.Although I know a lot about sports in general, soccer is one sport that I never played or followed.The more I learn, the more I enjoy watching his team play.The book contains a perfect blend of technical soccer info and related "off-field" soccer knowledge pertinent for parents of highly competitive and not-so-competitive youth soccer players.The author clearly has an excellent perspective on placing youth soccer in its proper place. ... Read more

Product Description
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America assembled an all-star lineup of 30 top coaches to bring you the most complete collection of soccer insight ever put into print. The Soccer Coaching Bible covers every important aspect to coaching the sport, including coaching priorities and principles, program building and enrichment, practice management, technical and tactical instruction, player and team development, and career growth. The contributing coaches include:

C. Cliff McCrath, Anson Dorrance, Steve Sampson, George Perry, Joe Bean, Charlie Slagle, John Rennie, Mike Jacobs, Joe Morrone, Lauren Gregg, Jeff Tipping, Barry Gorman, Ron McEachen, Layton Shoemaker, Jim Lennox, Peter Mellor, Tony Waiters, Jay Hoffman, Peter Gooding, Al Miller, Tracey Leone, Jay Martin, Miller Bugliari, Tim Schum, Chris Petrucelli, Colleen Hacker, Jeff Vennell, Schellas Hyndman, Tony DiCicco, Glenn Myernick,

Each time you open this book you’ll learn something new and useful for your next practice, game, or season. Whether you coach at the club, high school, or college level, The Soccer Coaching Bible is an essential addition to your coaching library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Steve's Review
Great introductory reference for beginning or intermediate soccer coaches.Lots of good ideas for team and club building

Some useful chapters, some not so much.
I bought this book when I first began coaching High School soccer.This book covers a variety of topics, most of which were not in any way applicable to my program.

I gave this book three stars because I firmly believe that a book which calls itself "The Soccer Coaching Bible" should be far more usable by far more people than just the high-end club coaches (who frankly, probably don't need the help).There were some very useful discussions on tactics and strategy, but for the most part this book has sat on the shelf.

Some very big name coaches contributed to this work, and there is a lot of information here, but most of it will be completely not useful to the majority of coaches who could really use a soccer 'bible'.

Intermediate to advance
This book is great but I have not had timeto finish reading. All the topics are well done.

Tom Hull - Review as Coach and Owner
Nicely organized book for any soccer coach or aspiring coach.This covers ground that some books tend to miss.We've used this in our youth clinics and drill instruction.I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone that will be putting time into the development of athletes and/or teams.
We've move onto Football in that season as many people do but there are drills that translate into other sports.This includes Basketball and Baseball as the top-3.Again this is highly recommended and can help with strategy and scoring.Very appropriate.
Tom Hull
Coach
Binghamton New York
Richmond - Central Virginia
Boca Raton - Glades & Federal Highway

Superb
This book is for every soccer coach out there, at any level. It has fantastic contributions from the likes of Anson Dorrance and Steve Sampson. I am a UEFA A licensed coach, and this book was well worth me reading! ... Read more

Product Description
This handy how-to food guide addresses the nutrition questions and concerns of soccer athletes of all ages and abilities to help them reach their goals with energy to spare. It includes tasty recipes from some of the world's top women players. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great for athletes & Their Families
I'm a soccer dad of two grown players, and coached their teams when they were young. I'm also an avid learner on the topic of soccer, sports, conditioning, fitness etc. This is a great book for helping sports-minded people and their families to realize the under-appreciated lifestyle area of their activity. It is helpful not just for sports, but for life education.
I like that the book isn't "trendy" or offering either obvious or esoteric tips. These are enlighteing and doable chapters with useful advice.
I've been to some Women's Professional Soccer games. To really support the sport, and that new league, buy this book!

Been waiting for a book like this!
Got this book last week and my daughter still hasn't put it down.She is on a youth soccer team, and we used to have frequent discussions about what foods to eat pre-game and post-game.Now she knows.The bonus is the Women's Professional Soccer connection, which gives it some credibility.This is a great book for rec soccer players as well as competitive players.

Great Recipes!
This book not only guides you through good nutrition information especially from the viewpoint of a soccer player but the book also contains delicious recipes for everyday healthy eating.I have to say that the recipe for Allison Falk's Black Bottom Cupcakes are a healthy way to indulge.I highly recommend this book to athletes, mothers.. actually anyone!!

eating like pros
Before reading this book, I never really ate "pre-game" meals cause I was worried that I wouldn't feel well before playing, but after seeing what the pro's eat and taking recieps from this book really helped. My favorite recipe was the "Cori Alexander's Strawberry Banana Smoothie," I found out that it tastes really good and it gave me a lot of energy for my game. It's now become a pre-game ritual for me, I have to have one before I play everytime so I'm afraid we'll lose! ... Read more

Product Description
Master the essentials for winning soccer from one of the game's most successful coaches. In Premier Soccer, Michael Parker, the wins leader among active NCAA Division I men's soccer coaches, teaches every key technique and tactic, with accompanying drills and special tips for executing them when the match is on the line.

Premier Soccer tackles the skills and traits necessary for each position on the field, both offensively and defensively, as well as systems, set plays, restarts, and practice drills. With an emphasis on player development, on-field awareness, conditioning, and team play, Parker reveals his proven approach to team and player success.

Whether you are a player or coach, this is your guide to consistent and winning play at every level of competition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

EXCELLENT!
Was captivated by the level of soccer knowledge from years of experience in playing and coaching by the author.

Great read for the serious soccer fan!
A well-written and insightful look into the game of soccer.If you're a fan of the game then you need to read this book.Author and Coach Michael Parker's knowledge of soccer explains why he is one of the winningest coaches in the collegiate game.A must read for the soccer enthusiast!

Superb Book
This is a wonderful book and extremely interesting.I would highly recommend this book to everyone who has an interest in Soccer!!!I read it first and now my son is reading it.Great content and great tips that are helpful regardless of your age!!!!!!

A coaches dream
This book not only is full ideas for a coach but also the athlete.Easy to follow directions and diagrams.Very helpful! Every soccer enthusiast would benefit from the information in this book, from nutrition to training and drills. ... Read more

Product Description
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Soccer is the most comprehensive and up-to-date soccer-specific training guide in the world today. It contains descriptions and photographs of over 80 of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by athletes worldwide. This book features year-round soccer-specific weight-training programs guaranteed to improve your performance and get you results.

No other soccer book to date has been so well designed, so easy to use, and so committed to weight training. This book contains the type of training needed to overwhelm the opposing team with speed, stamina, and overall strength. By following this program, you will have the energy and power to move past and out-muscle your opponent which guarantees soccer players of all skill levels better results when fighting for position, running the field, and scoring goals.

Both beginners and advanced athletes and weight trainers can follow this book and utilize its programs. From recreational to professional, thousands of athletes all over the world are already benefiting from this book and its techniques, and now you can too!

As an added bonus, this book also contains links to free record keeping charts which normally sell separately for $20. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

ok
i guess it's good if you're completely lost and want to get started on weight training or something. and i agree with markb57, the exercises offered are rather mediocre... nothing ultimate about it.

OK, but not enough soccer specific.....
I'm looking for an up-to-date, soccer specific weight training guide, and checked this out of the library, hoping that it would be my choice. While it gives good generic weight training and programs, to my mind it did not include enough discussion about why the given exercises are recommended for soccer, as opposed to generic weight training, and there is no discussion about integration with other soccer-specific training, like ladder work, stairs, etc.There are a couple of chapters written by soccer trainers, but they seem disjointed form the rest of the book. So it gets a 3, being a decent weight guide, but loses 2 due to lack of soccer specificity.

Fullfilling covers all aspects .
Can't wait to get started on these programs.Just what I was looking for.
Easy to understand,great programs.

Play like Beckham!
This book is great for any soccer player!I recommend it to anyone who wants to increase agility and stamina.This book has improved my game through its various exercises and weight lifting techniques.I highly recommend it to any soccer player at any level.A great buy!!!

awesome!
This is the best book I have found of its kind! A workout plan just for soccer players that is clear and easy to understand.You can use this program at any skill level and see results fast.Definitely worth the price - I have introduced this program to my whole team! ... Read more

Product Description
Increase strength to dribble through traffic. Pack more power into shots on goal. Improve quickness and agility to find open passing lanes and evade opponents. Complete Conditioning for Soccer shows you how to achieve all of these performance goals and more.

Soccer players are faster and stronger than ever before. In this special book and DVD package, renowned soccer strength and conditioning coach Greg Gatz provides a comprehensive training approach that builds players' physical abilities as well as the soccer-specific skills required for dribbling, tackling, passing, heading, shooting, and goalkeeping.

Complete with assessment tests for determining a players' fitness status and specific programs that improve balance, quickness, agility, speed, and strength, this book will help you dominate your position. The DVD puts the training into action by demonstrating key tests, exercises, and drills from the book.

With nutritional guidelines as well as seasonal workouts, Complete Conditioning for Soccer provides a multidimensional training approach that will show you how to get the most from your time in the gym and on the pitch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Soccer training and conditioning guide
This book is lots of reading and not very practicall to take to the park and workout. Would preffer less reading and more practical sheets or cards to take with you for guideance. All the workouts are great, but little overwhelming for mom to take and train her kids, memorizing it all. What I would preffer planner like style book, with takeaway pages and plan for the whole year, so the progress could be recorded as well. ... Read more

Product Description
Simplicity, clarity, authority: these are the three main ingredients that have made Soccer Rules Illustrated the most sought-after reference book for all levels of soccer throughout the world.Stanley Lover, with a lifetime's experience in soccer as a player, coach, referee, instructor of international referees, administrator, and writer, explains logically, clearly, and most importantly, with illustrations, the often mysterious rules of soccer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very good soccer reference
I'm very happy with this book.It's well laid out, easy to follow, and has great examples and illustrations.My 3 kids have all used this book as a supplement to pass their soccer referee certifications.
I take the book to games and use it to double-check calls and to show other parents why things turned out the way they did.

vital
it is a useful book who is dealing with the soccer . by that book, you can follow-up the game consciously. ... Read more

Product Description
Pressured by his family to play football instead of soccer, Jabber must choose between his own interests and his family's wishes. Black-and-white illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Soccer Halfback
This book was full of energy. As you know this book is a sports book and is very exciting. The book seems as if the author tells the story with play by play action, making sure you don't miss any action. The book is mainly about a boy who plays soccer, but some of his family really wants him to play football. It is his first year of soccer to and he is very good. That's why it is such a hard decision for him. I recommend this book to middle school kids. The vocabulary isn't hard and it's really just a book that's fun to read.

Socer Halfback
Jabber Halpkins is in the team, the Razorbacks. Throughout the year he and his team play against the Blue Jackets. The team goes through team problems with injuries and people quitting, but they win and beat the toughest team ever and make some new friends. I recommend this book to book worms that like sports.

Soccer Halfback: A Goal Kicking Book
BAM! "The Razorback player kicked the ball and hits Jabber Morris in the chest and knocked the breath out of him" That is just a small portion of the action that happens in "Soccer Halfback".
In the story "Soccer Halfback" this boy named Jabber Morris plays soccer and loves it. Bit the problem is that his dad (who played football) has passed away and now his whole family wants him to give up soccer and switch over to football. Will Jabber destroy all of his dreams to make his family happy?
I thought that "Soccer Halfback") has the so far the best book I have ever read it has action, love, and a lot of feeling. This book keeps you guessing until the very end when all of your questions you might ask yourself while reading get answered.
I think that this book could influence on anyone who has a lot of pressure on them and is someone who wants to make a lot of people happy. Well this is like all the bad things that happens to Jabber in "Soccer Halfback".See most people in this world has parents who wants you to do something you absolutely hate and you have a dream of being a soccer player, dancer, singer etc.
I recommend this book to anyone who plays soccer or like the game or for anyone who has a lot of things of their plate and your parents are pressuring to do something you hate, well this is the book for you.
Do you want to know if Jabber is going to destroy his dreams? You better read this book! You can check this book out at any local library.

Super Soccer Story
Do you like playing soccer?If so you might want to read Soccer Halfback by Matt Christopher.The book is about two brothers, Jabber and Pete.Jabber plays soccer and Pete plays football.Pete loses his wallet and Jabber finds it but Pete thinks he took it!This causes a minor problem.To read about other problems in this story, read this book.

I liked this book because it is really exciting reading about the teams playing each other.On a scale of one to ten I would give this book a nine.

I think Matt Christopher�s purpose for writing this book is to show that team work is special.

Super Soccer Story
Do you like playing soccer?If so you might want to read Soccer Halfback by Matt Christopher.The book is about two brothers, Jabber and Pete.Jabber plays soccer and Pete plays football.Pete loses his wallet and Jabber finds it but Pete thinks he took it!This causes a minor problem.To read about other problems in this story, read this book.

I liked this book because it is really exciting reading about the teams playing each other.On a scale of one to ten I would give this book a nine.

I think Matt Christopher�s purpose for writing this book is to show that team work is special. ... Read more

Product Description
Illus. in full color. In a perceptive tale of friendship and sports, Sam's visiting Mexican cousin overcomes the language barrier by teaching soccer to his new friends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great book for beginning readers
I got this book along with several other step-4 books for my 6 year old son.He really enjoyed them especially since they seemed relevant to his life.He plays soccer and enjoyed reading the books and looking at the pictures.These books are well structured and provide kids with engaging stories at a level that pushes them to learn new words while also learning about social situations.I highly recommend these books to any beginning reader.

A great book that anyone to enjoy
I first read this book, when I was in the second grade. I was having trouble reading. I loved this book so much that I read over and over and eventually I became a strong reader. This is a great book that anyone who likes soccer will love. I am now in the sixth grade, love reading, and thisis still one of my favorites. My favorite part of the book has always beenwhen the second graders scrimmage the third graders. If you would like tofind out who won, you should read this superlative book, Soccer Sam.

A great book that anyone to enjoy
I first read this book, when I was in the second grade. I was having trouble reading. I loved this book so much that I read over and over and eventually I became a strong reader. This is a great book that anyone who likes soccer will love. I am now in the sixth grade, love reading, and thisis still one of my favorites. My favorite part of the book has always beenwhen the second graders scrimmage the third graders. If you would like tofind out who won, you should read this superlative book, Soccer Sam. ... Read more

Product Description

"When I was playing, they said soccer was a man's world and that women should remain on the sidelines. All I can say is I'm glad I never had to go up against Mia Hamm."-- Pelé

For the more than seven million girls -- from knobby-kneed tykes to high school and college stars -- who are tearing across the of country chasing a soccer ball and dreams of glory, there is one name that eclipses all others, male or female: Mia Hamm. With her cheetahlike acceleration and lightning-bolt shot, Hamm has broken nearly every record in her sport, while galvanizing a whole generation of fans and players.

Go for the Goal is not only the inspiring story of how a tiny suburban sprite became a global terror with a ball (and the world) at her feet -- it's also a step-by-step or dribble-by-dribble guide for any kid with the all-American dream of making the team and becoming a champion.

Filled with personal anecdotes and fully illustrated with both action and instructional photographs, Go for the Goal shows readers exactly how to master the silky skills and techniques that have made Hamm and her teammates the finest women's soccer team in the world.

Customer Reviews (48)

my go for the goal review
i love this book!Mia Hamm is a great soccer player who knows what shes talking about.i recomend it to anyone who is serious about soccer and wants to learn how to improove thier game.it has pictures about the world cup in 1999 and of her as a kid.it is great for coaches, players, and pretty much anyone. it also tells about mia's life outside of soccer.hanging out with her friends, family, and teammates.overall this is a great book.

Golden role model
It's written with Mia's innocent perspective on competitive sports and life. Her role model status, team dedication,and work ethic dominate the main themes for tween and teen girls. The morals put forth are tried and true: practice makes perfect, never be selfish, and respect and treat others as you would yourself. The book is inspiring due to Mia's incredible determination to improve and succeed and, ergo, is motivational. It's an easy read, but I give it 4 stars since it could be more thought provoking regarding life balance and choices for girls. Nonetheless, she is a golden role model. Recommended.

Maddie's Review
This is a great book.I really recommend it for anyone who is interested in sports, or really just succeeding at anything you are passionate about.I learned a lot that I think will help me with my life.She is a great example of how to pick a dream and reach for it.I will take a lot of the tips for living she shared and use in my life.I think a lot of my peers will also benefit from this book and hope you do too!

Lesson on hard work
I purchased the book for my two daughters who play soccer. I was very pleased that the book discussed many aspects of life, not just issues on the soccer field (just like the book cover promised).It was especially interesting to see Mia Hamm's handwritten practice notes - it demonstrated that Mia's success didn't come with talent only, but with much discipline and hard work.I would recommend this book to anyone with teen daughters, whether they play soccer or not.

Mia Hamm Tips
"Go for the Goal" is about Mia Hamm, one of the best soccer players in the world and about her struggles, difficulties, and accomplishments in her life.She helped lead the women's world cup team to a victory in 1999. She has faith that every one that dreams about being a soccer star, go for it! This is one of my favorate books not only because I play soccer competitively but because she has showed me some techniques and strategies she used to be an amazing soccer player.This book is interesting and factual about Mia life and could help change your idea about soccer. ... Read more