As we continue further into a time where Covid-19 continues to have a great affect on us and the opportunities for youth players to participate in sports, we are now seeing more reports and research come out. Please see below a report from SportsPath, researched and written by Robin Russell (UEFA Football Development Consultant), and contributed to by Fremont YSC.

Grassroots – Post Covid

Additionally, 10 key points to what we have learned about youth sports during the pandemic from Positive Coaching Alliance –

1. The pandemic has exacerbated some of the most pernicious trends in kids’ sports, especially related to access and inequality.
2. Many kids have lost interest in sports altogether, and getting them back will take work.
3. Among kids who do participate in athletics, they’re competing and practicing a lot less.
4. It’s not clear if sports are a vector for spreading the virus.
5. The variation in states’ response to the pandemic has generated turmoil and exposed the absence of governance in youth sports.
6. Though no state or national body is tracking this data, anecdotal information suggests that many older coaches are retiring from the job rather than taking a chance on their health during a pandemic.
7. A complete picture of how the pandemic affects kids’ mental health is lacking, as the research so far is mixed.
8. Disruptions at colleges and universities could trickle down to youth sports.
9. Some pandemic-induced changes are likely here to stay.
10. The pandemic has exposed the need for reform in the youth sports ecosystem.

For the full article please see the following link – https://positivecoach.org/the-pca-blog/10-things-weve-learned-about-youth-and-high-school-sports-during-the-pandemic/?fbclid=IwAR05tzAwaX4UkbXmyW8qdP0eSqVAX6xcSmpJjgLNcs5YlCCgwX37wXneG_Y

The weeks sessions can be affected by the number of players attending sessions due to the playing group conditions due to Covid, however the majority of teams were able to complete a full weeks cycle of sessions. In the event of the original session plan not being completed, the coaches use the same practice sheet to make sure the appropriate concepts and elements are being addressed .

The following contains information about the weeks practice. This will outline the sessions that have been completed and what the players worked on. We have a player centric, proactive curriculum which ensures the players will cover all the necessary mechanics, skill work, and give players a chance to be decision makers and creative players. Through the long-term development from U8 to U19, the players will pass through different stages and priorities as outlined in the program welcome meeting.

While during practice the players will be given the tools they need, if an individual wants to push on with playing at a higher level and performing to the best of their ability, practicing at home will always give them that extra edge, and we can’t encourage enough for those with passion for the sports to practice in their own time. This also avoids unnecessary over-training of structured practices continuously throughout the week.

Every session is structured to facilitate all four pillars of the players development, and to include challenges, targets, and competition to get players to push themselves further. We are a program that heavily focuses on the players individual development, and not to get caught up in the race for trophies and excessive travel to unnecessary tournaments. If you ever have any questions about the Fremont YSC philosophy, and the proactive curriculum, we are always available to answer.

Fremont YSC Playing Identity – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/playing-identity-of-the-club/

Returned and Active in Play, September 2020

Fremont YSC is back on the fields! We have thoroughly thought out and have planned for a safe and controlled environment. We are now on Week 10 of our 44 Weeks of play. It marks 10 successful weeks of following protocols and guidelines to assure player safety while out on the field. Having players involved in “on field” training sessions, benefits the player’s physical and mental health, as players need an outlet and form of release during the week. Many players are behind a computer screen for hours each day and have zero physical activity during this time.

Protocols we are following each day at training

• Health Check: Before each session, all players must complete a Health Check questionnaire on the Team Snap App.
• Reduced Numbers: No more than 10 players are allowed on the field for their team. teams that have more than 10 players registered for on field training, are split into two groups of 10 players and have different start/end times.
• Social Distancing: Upon arrival to the fields, players are spaced out 6 ft apart from each other, as they wait for their session to start.
• Temperature Checks and Sanitized Equipment: Once their session starts, players are socially distanced with their coach. The coach then goes by each player to check their temperature, spray down their soccer ball with sanitizing spray and gives a squirt of hand sanitizer if they do not have any of their own.
• Masks: All players must wear a mask upon entering and exiting the field. Players have the choice to wear their mask during the session, it s not required during, as some players have a harder time breathing with it on while doing physical activity. All coaches must wear their mask for the entire training session.

Curriculum

• Reduced length of Training Sessions: Each training session right now is 40 minutes long. That is plenty of time for a training session as we have eliminated the small sided games (4v4-7v7) portion that usually takes up 30-40 minutes towards the end of training.
• Socially Distanced Training Sessions: During the session, players are socially distanced and cannot “defend” each other in a close proximity. If we are doing a session with defenders, the defenders must cut off the passing lane in order to steal the ball. Players must maintain social distancing at all times while in their activity

Tonight’s practice has been cancelled, the current AQI reading has lead us to cancel due to the unhealthy air which has detrimental affects on youth players health.

For more information about the Air Quality, player welfare policy, please see the following link – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/air-quality/

We wish all the people fighting the fires all the best for their safety, and the health of everyone affected.

We are going through incredibly challenging times, and this is taking its toll on all of us.

I got into coaching by accident! I did a working abroad project during a summer and landed myself in the San Jose area coaching summer camps, at this time I was still a full time student in university. I was hooked! The enjoyment and fulfillment of providing for others, and giving back to the sport from which I had already taken great experiences from. Then, many years and a career later, Covid-19. It completely changed the landscape of coaching, and it pushed us to an online format, something none of us had been expecting and nor had we trained for. It was during this time that motivation to coach, to be in the soccer world, took a huge hit. The limitations of what we could do and how we could engage.

However, through Zoom meetings with players, continued contact with all the staff, and being able to talk about how we felt and learn from each other with how we can cope, I got my motivation back. We weren’t defeated, we just had to learn to adapt, and with that multiple age group curriculums were rewritten, and any coaching course or webinar available I was registering for, and now we are back on the field. While it’s not at the level we want, we are back, and like when I first started, we as coaches are able to positively provide for others and support those close to us.

This post I hope is to show and open up everyone to that it’s OK to be struggling right now, it’s OK to feel down, but by opening up to each other and speaking to each other, and finding the reason ‘WHY’ we used to do things, we can keep going and even thrive.

We as staff are here for not only all the players, but also for each other, and you the parents, we want to best support everyone involved with Fremont YSC. That also includes those who are not currently playing and waiting to return, or have previously been a Fremont YSC player.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and we are all together stronger.

This week was affected by the smoke and poor air quality, some teams were able to complete a full weeks cycle of sessions, other have been rescheduled.

The following contains information about the weeks practice. This will outline the sessions that have been completed and what the players worked on. We have a player centric, proactive curriculum which ensures the players will cover all the necessary mechanics, skill work, and give players a chance to be decision makers and creative players. Through the long-term development from U8 to U19, the players will pass through different stages and priorities as outlined in the program welcome meeting.

While during practice the players will be given the tools they need, if an individual wants to push on with playing at a higher level and performing to the best of their ability, practicing at home will always give them that extra edge, and we can’t encourage enough for those with passion for the sports to practice in their own time. This also avoids unnecessary over-training of structured practices continuously throughout the week.

Every session is structured to facilitate all four pillars of the players development, and to include challenges, targets, and competition to get players to push themselves further. We are a program that heavily focuses on the players individual development, and not to get caught up in the race for trophies and excessive travel to unnecessary tournaments. If you ever have any questions about the Fremont YSC philosophy, and the proactive curriculum, we are always available to answer.

Fremont YSC Playing Identity – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/playing-identity-of-the-club/

Returned and Active in Play, September 2020

Fremont YSC is back on the fields! We have thoroughly thought out and have planned for a safe and controlled environment. We are now on Week 10 of our 44 Weeks of play. It marks 10 successful weeks of following protocols and guidelines to assure player safety while out on the field. Having players involved in “on field” training sessions, benefits the player’s physical and mental health, as players need an outlet and form of release during the week. Many players are behind a computer screen for hours each day and have zero physical activity during this time.

Protocols we are following each day at training

• Health Check: Before each session, all players must complete a Health Check questionnaire on the Team Snap App.
• Reduced Numbers: No more than 10 players are allowed on the field for their team. teams that have more than 10 players registered for on field training, are split into two groups of 10 players and have different start/end times.
• Social Distancing: Upon arrival to the fields, players are spaced out 6 ft apart from each other, as they wait for their session to start.
• Temperature Checks and Sanitized Equipment: Once their session starts, players are socially distanced with their coach. The coach then goes by each player to check their temperature, spray down their soccer ball with sanitizing spray and gives a squirt of hand sanitizer if they do not have any of their own.
• Masks: All players must wear a mask upon entering and exiting the field. Players have the choice to wear their mask during the session, it s not required during, as some players have a harder time breathing with it on while doing physical activity. All coaches must wear their mask for the entire training session.

Curriculum

• Reduced length of Training Sessions: Each training session right now is 40 minutes long. That is plenty of time for a training session as we have eliminated the small sided games (4v4-7v7) portion that usually takes up 30-40 minutes towards the end of training.
• Socially Distanced Training Sessions: During the session, players are socially distanced and cannot “defend” each other in a close proximity. If we are doing a session with defenders, the defenders must cut off the passing lane in order to steal the ball. Players must maintain social distancing at all times while in their activity.