Stanford vs Boston College - Friday @ 7pm WEBCAST

Stanford Women's Soccer is playing Boston College tonight. If you don't have a ticket or can't make it down to Stanford, NCAA.com is streaming the game FOR FREE. Click Here. (Or HERE and find "LIVE WEBCAST")

Enjoy.

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GOTM Winner - October

And the Winner is.......



Goal #8 - Chelsea doing their best EA FIFA 2010 impression. (My new favorite part about this goal is how Frank Lampard looks over his shoulder to see Drogba when the ball goes past him. That's all it took. It's such brilliance. Put it on full screen and look for the head-on-a-swivel action @ the 16 sec mark.)

The winner.... For the second time... Troy.

You get to choose. $25 at Kombat or Soccer City.

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No Practice Next Week

There will be no practice the week of November 23 (We still have Futsal on Sunday Nov 22nd). Sorry for the late notice.

We will resume training on November 30.

I would recommend players attempt to stay fit by hitting the park and spending time with the ball or doing some running on their own.

Have a wonderful holiday!

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GameNotes: 11/21 vs San Juan White

Sac United eXtreme 1 - 3 San Juan White:

Loses like this are tough to except.

I think the most difficult thing to take from Saturday's defeat against San Juan is that we were the better team and we lost the game. We were in front and had chances to score the second goal and got punished on three goals. It is beyond belief.

Overall I would like to keep the positives of the game for the girls. Our buildup play and passing from the backs to the midfield was enthusiastic, inventive & very effective. What we lacked today was the killer instincts in the final third: the soccer ideas, the creativity & the execution to get behind the D, carve open a chance and finish.

I think all three goals they scored were soft for us to concede. We as a team must continue to search for the mental strength to fight off these mistakes, not panic & see these games through to the victory.

On a positive note, our roster is regaining full strength. T & Inessa have begun the last phases of their recovery and should be back by our next matches with Gabby to follow shortly after.

Thanks for your continued support.

One Club! One Love!

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Easiest Way to Score: World Cup Qualifying Edition

The Cut-Back cross is the easiest way to score from open play in soccer.

Here is another example from today's World Cup 2010 Qualifying. Ireland were down after the first match last Saturday which they lost 0-1 in Ireland.

They needed an away goal in France to even it up and under the such pressure this is how they scored to even the series...



**Update**

But Ireland go out! France are through to WC 2010! All thanks to another cut-back cross (and not one but two handballs by Thierry Henry in the same play) Incredible!


It's a cruel game sometimes!

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GOTM

Get your GOTM votes in by this Saturday November 21 to be eligible for the $25 gift cert to Kombat Soccer.

Make sure to leave a COMMENT with your name & your favorite goal number.

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Goalkeeping: Angles

Angle play: This area alone separates the pretenders from the contenders. By simply taking up the right position you can make goalkeeping look very easy.
-- Tony DiCicco, Goalkeeper Soccer Training Manual

Here is a good quick read about Goalkeeping from JB Goalkeeping a decent resource for all things GK related.

Along with footwork and good catching skills, positioning provides the foundation of good goalkeeping. A keeper who is always in position makes it look like every shot goes right to them, because the shooter has nowhere else to put the ball. Poor positioning leaves vast areas of net for a shooter, or even an empty net.

Basic Positioning Principles

Fig 1. The Center Line Position

Fig. 2 Covering the Angle

First, to position themselves accurately, the goalkeeper must know where the goal is! It sounds obvious, but during the scramble of a game a keeper can lose track. When the play starts moving towards the goal, the first thing the keeper must do is check the posts to make sure they are starting off with good position. Then, whenever they can divert their attention for a split second, they should check the posts again to make sure they've maintained that good position in the face of a moving ball.

Second, the goalkeeper must always try to position themselves on an imaginary line that runs from the center of the goal to the ball (Fig. 1). This puts them in position to get to either post equally well. The center line determines the side-to-side positioning.

Third, the goalkeeper must position themselves far enough off the goal line to cover the angle created by the ball and both posts. They should be able to cover either post with a couple of quick steps (footwork!) and a dive if necessary (Fig. 2). The angle and the keeper's ability determine the forward/backward positioning. Many young or timid goalkeepers tend to stay very close to the goal line - sometimes right on it. They must be taught to come off the line if they are to cover any shots near the posts.

How far out a keeper must come depends on their size and ability - smaller goalkeepers or keepers with a poor range will need to come farther out to be able to cover the entire angle.

But don't forget the third dimension not represented in these pictures: height. A keeper who is far off their line is more likely to be beaten by a chip over their head, so that must also be put into the equation. The keeper must adjust the forward/backward position so that they're confident they won't be beaten easily over the top.

Positioning Around the Goal

The goalkeeper must constantly adjust his or her position as they move around the goal. Let's look at what happens as the ball changes spots.

Fig. 3: The Goalkeeper's Arc

Fig. 4 Adjusted Arc

At a tight angle, with the ball near the end line, the angle the keeper needs to cover is very small, so they can stay near their goal. However, the keeper must stay outside the near post. This will prevent them from deflecting a shot into their own net inside the near post. At sharp angles the goalkeeper should always position themselves so any ball they deflect at a right angle (they should already be square to the ball) will go outside the near post.

Here's a quick way for goalkeepers to tell if they are outside the near post: if the goalkeeper, while square to the ball, points their arms straight out sideways, the arm nearest the goal should be pointing outside the near post. If it is pointing into the net, the keeper needs to take another step or two out from goal.

As the ball moves further out onto the soccer field, the near post is not as much of a concern any more, but the keeper must move further out to cover the angle.

Figure 3 shows conceptually where a keeper should be positioned (red dots) as the ball (black dots) moves around the edge of the penalty area. The blue line shows the shape this makes. The actual size of the arc will differ depending on the size and skill of a particular keeper, but the general shape will remain the same. (The angle lines are only drawn on the left side of the illustration to avoid clutter.)

If we look at the top of the arc, though, we notice that the keeper is very far off the line (sometimes 10-12 yards out!) and likely to get chipped, especially if they're not very tall. So we need to adjust the top of the arc to account for high balls. The top of the arc gets flattened, bringing the keeper back to a position where they have a chance to get to any ball over their head (Fig. 4). Again, the exact position will depend on the size and skill of the player. Shorter, less skilled keepers will be more comfortable closer to the goal line, others may be comfortable closer to the six.

Tony DiCicco calls this concept the "Arc Angle". It can easily be demonstrated on the soccer field with three ropes about 50 feet long, one attached to each post and one to a stake at the middle of the goal line. Place the ball at varying spots around the penalty area and have the keeper find their position, then place a cone there. When the exercise is finished, the cones will show that keeper's arc as in Figure 3. Adjust for chip shots and you'll end up with the keeper's arc as in Figure 4.

A keeper should learn this arc and use it as a general guideline for how they position themselves as the ball moves. Notice that this arc roughly follows the goal box. Make sure the keeper notes how their own arc matches or differs from the goal box, so they can use the goal box as a reference during practices and games. However, do not let a keeper, especially a young one, think they must move along this arc at all times. If the ball quickly changes position, they must move as quickly as possible to cover the new position, cutting across the box if necessary.

Also, remember a given keeper's arc will change as they gain size, strength and ability. You may want to run the exercise with the ropes once a season to see if their arc has changed.

Positioning Within the Penalty Area

Discussion of where the goalkeeper should be in the penalty area when the ball is elsewhere on the soccer field is in the tactics section.

---

Quick Summary - Positioning:	Mistakes to Watch For:
Know the location of the goalposts Stay on line between the center of the goal and the ball Move far enough off the line to cover the angle to each post Be aware of balls over the head when way off the line At sharp angles, always play outside the near post	Not checking the goalposts frequently Staying planted on the goal line Standing inside the near post on sharp-angled shots

Continue Reading

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Futsal this Sunday

Remember that this Sunday we have futsal at the Boys & Girls Club Gym.

Here is something to get you warmed up.



And here is a great example of a buildup goal. I the first few sessions we talked about the movement of the four players and that they weave and fill the space. Mobility, awareness and fluidity are the keys to success. Watch here as the Brazilians react to each other. If one makes a run forward to create space, another fills. If the flow of play moves to the right the players on the opposite side use their awareness and balance the attack.

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Street Soccer

Please to do not try this at home. This is a professional on a closed course....



Practice where you can.

**Update**

More Street Soccer Silliness. For all you Wayne Rooney Fans.

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Do You Practice at Home

Does it look like this?



Shin juggling, using the crossbar to juggle, lift-up tricks, aerial tricks & ground moves make for a confident footballer.

Get out and play!

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The Assist

Not half bad at football, this guy.

Vision. Touch. Awareness. Class. And unselfish too.

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October Goal of the Month Competition

GOTM time again. I think this month is pretty obvious... but what do I know I've been wrong everytime...



$25 Gift Cert to Kombat for the player or parent who gets it right.

Goal Roundup after the fold..



#1 - Andre Bikey picks up the ball in the mid, rides a challenge to burst forward into the attacking third and completes the goal with a great one-two and finish. Not bad for a central defender.

#2 - A classy team goal. Let's break it down (1) Long Diagonal ball (2) Chest pass to a willing midfield runner (3) Backheal one-two, talk about deception (4) great chip to the back post (5) and a brave header to seal the deal

#3 - Arsenal are so dangerous on the counter-attack. This goal comes from a corner kick... The other teams corner kick. Arsenal break with speed and timing, but what makes the goal is run of the center forward. When the left winger slows his run and takes a touch in-field, the #9 makes a darting diagonal run behind the defense. The run holds the defenders in place which creates the 2v1 on the far side and with two passes (so often a great goal is two passes away) the opposite winger is in with a classy inside the foot finish. Great Goal!

#4 - From the same game as #3. We talked some weeks ago with the girls about the value of dribbling across the top of the box to create chances. So often defenders are coached to deal with attackers who go North & South, but don't know what to do with players when they go East & West. Watch how the first defenders lays off, the second and third don't commit and the strike is impeccable. Another great sound of the game - thump the post and in!

#5 - Once again a counter-attack goal. Great control in midfield by Elliott. Watch again how the run from the central attacker this time creates the space for the shot.

#6 - Great positioning to pick the ball up in space and run at the defender. Excellent finish from outside the box as the defense sits back at their own peril.

#7 - Such composure. Watch as Deco pulls away from his marker to find space. The fake shot to floor the first defender is awesome but the calm finish is what makes it special. He looks in complete control from the moment he receives the ball.

#8 - This is the beautiful game. Chest pass by Deco. Mid-air backheel over the defense by Lampard. Cool side-foot finish Drogba. What can I say. That is Class.

#9 - A predators strike. Torres only sniffed the misplaced control. It's still in the air and he's able to set himself and rocket it in. Great reaction.

#10 - One touch to chest control. One touch to blister the ball in the upper corner.

I'll let you know how wins in a couple wins.

Make sure to vote.

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Live Women's College Soccer Alert - SUNDAY 11/8 @ 1PM

THE #1 RANKED STANFORD CARDINAL PLAY THEIR LAST HOME GAME OF THE SEASON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8TH @ 1PM.

IT WILL BE BROADCAST ON COMCAST SPORTS NET! (but check your local listings)

Another option - although it would be a diehard one - would be to head straight there after our game finishes in San Ramon. Our game is about 45 minutes from the Stanford campus.

This will be a great game and a great way to finish off a busy soccer weekend.

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Juggle Month Results & Winners

All throughout October the girls have been focusing on there juggle skills. We spent five minutes every practice juggling. Two minutes to warm-up & a three-minute juggle test.

The Benefits of Juggling:

Players gain more confidence on the ball while increasing overall skill.

Juggling is a fantastic exercise to develop touch with the soccer ball. When juggling, learning to control the body is very important. Being able to make quick, bodily adjustments with all muscles is developed through juggling.

Juggling also improves Balance & Coordination . With good juggling skills, players will become better passes, beat defenders more easily, and be able to hold the ball against defensive pressure, because of better touch on the ball.

Winners

Record High / Highest Total: Kayla 364/364
Honorable Mention: Sierra 233/324

Most Improved: Stacy 18 to 51 +183%
Honorable Mention: Julia +105%, Lindsey B. +84%, Bravo +73%, Kayla +50%

Record High Head Juggles: Kayla


Congratulations to all the players for their improvements over the last month. Great Job.

Player	OG High	New High	High Dif	OG Total	New Total	Total Dif
Kayla	242	364	122	272	364	92
Sierra	172	233	61	248	324	76
LP	121	121	0	186	186	0
Claire	63	91	28	178	213	35
Alondra	51	69	18	265	265	0
Jo	42	61	19	124	124	0
Julia	36	74	38	150	200	50
Bravo	32	44	12	116	201	85
T	31	31	0	31	31	0
L. Bock	25	46	21	120	194	74
Gabby	22	22	0	135	135	0
Mo	21	35	14	184	191	7
Stacy	18	51	33	113	130	17
Maddy	18	30	12	147	195	48
Jaime	17	27	10	190	200	10
Francesca	11	17	6	142	151	9
Inessa	0		0	-		0

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Gamenotes: vs Reno Sagebrush

eXtreme family,

We were 4-0 up at halftime but I was disappointed with the way the half had went.

I thought the girls were missing an opportunity to work on some of the more advanced soccer ideas they would need for us to progress as soccer players and as a team.

To the girls credit, they came out in the second half and dominated with a much better brand of soccer and a much more positive attitude towards soccer improvements.

Lots a goals means beaucoup bucks for the goal jar. So thank you to Kayla & Sierra for each picking in 3 and Alondra for getting her first of the season (I think... we might have to ask the resident statisticians).

See everyone Monday Night! Lots to prepare for next weekend. A rematch with the Rage & a NorCal Cup match we have to win!

One Club! One Love!

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