We Have The Ball:

• Stretches the field.

Why?

1. To Create space.
2. To pull away defenders.
3. To allow the team to have an outlet if deep inside own half.

• Occupies the opponent’s defensive unit.

Why/How?

1. Play on the opponent’s defensive line.
2. Play off the defensive line’s shoulders, looking to make runs in behind.
3. Keeps defenders from stepping into the midfield.
4. Tying up a defender will help create open space for your teammates.

• Mobility into the outside channels.

Why/How?

1. To make diagonal runs into open space in the wide areas of the field.
2. To not only play vertically, to also play horizontally, in order to find space and passing lanes.
3. If an opponent’s full back gets forward, look for the open space left behind them to receive the ball.

• Ability to hold up play.

Why/How?

1. To shield the ball away from the opponents.
2. 1st touch is tight to your body, looking to keep the ball.
3. To allow teammates to move up the field.
4. To create an outlet for your team in order to progress up the field, when in deep areas of your own half.

• Makes runs behind opponent’s defensive unit.

Why/How?

1. To create a nightmare for defenders to mark.
2. To get into open spaces.
3. Play off the opponents’s shoulder and time your runs.

• Provides outlet.
  

Why/How?

1. To not drop off deep when the ball  is in your defensive half.
2. If you do not stay forward up the field, then your team will not have an outlet for them to get up the field, into opponent’s half.
3. Find’s gaps and seems, which will allow team to get the ball forward.
4. Constantly scanning the field.

• Goal scorer.

Why/How?

1. To have composure in front of goal.
2. To take advantage of shooting opportunities in and around the penalty box.
3. To be able to finish using all surfaces. (Shot, header, volley, pass).
4. To be confident.

They Have The Ball

• Cut off angle of opponent’s attack.

Why?

1. To cut out the wide pass.
2. Force players to the middle of the field into supporting players.
3. Make play predictable.

• Collective action to high press.

Why?

1. To press as a team so that we do not open up dangerous spaces in the middle of the field, or in between units.
2. To make play predictable.

Being a Fremont YSC Withdrawn Striker:

• Stretches the field.
• Occupies the opponent’s defensive unit.
• Mobility into the outside channels.
• Ability to hold up play.
• Makes runs behind opponent’s defensive unit.
• Provides outlet.
• Goal Scorer.
• Cut off angles of opponent’s attack.
• Collective action to high press.

1 / 10

I made my international debut for the Republic of Ireland in a 1-0 defeat to Turkey. I captained my club before my 21st birthday. Only Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse (334km) has covered more distance than me in the Premier League.

1. Jeff Hendrick
2. Declan Rice
3. Jack Grealish
4. Enda Stevens

2 / 10

I made my professional debut for St Mirren. I was snapped up by Man City in the same transfer window as when they signed Leroy Sane and John Stones. Both my goals this season came against Bournemouth.

1. Phil Foden
2. James Milner
3. Fabian Delph
4. Aaron Mooy

3 / 10

I moved to the Premier League for £30m in 2014. I have missed a penalty in a World Cup knockout match. Only Christian Eriksen has scored more free kicks than me in England since 2013.

1. Willian
2. Kevin de Bruyne
3. Jordan Henderson
4. Juan Mata

4 / 10

I was signed by Eddie Howe for £1m in 2011. I scored the last goal of the Brendan Rodgers era at Liverpool. This has been my best scoring season since firing 26 goals in the 2013/14 season.

1. Danny Ings
2. Callum Wilson
3. Jamie Vardy
4. Andy Carroll

5 / 10

I am of Irish descent but decided to play for England. I made my professional debut for Notts County in 2014. I am the Premier League’s most fouled player this season.

1. Jack Grealish
2. James Maddison
3. Raheem Sterling
4. Will Hughes

6 / 10

I was scouted playing for Nathaniel Boys in an open trial in the Nigerian city of Lagos. I am currently studying a degree at De Montfort University. My average of 4.4 tackles per 90 minutes is the highest in the Premier League.

1. Etienne Capoue
2. N’Golo Kante
3. Wilfred Ndidi
4. Lucas Torreria

7 / 10

I signed for Celtic in a £2.3m transfer in 2013. I have been managed by Ronald Koeman at club and international level. I have played every minute of my club’s last 80 Premier League games.

1. Virgil van Dijk
2. Sadio Mane
3. John McGinn
4. Andrew Robertson

8 / 10

On my professional debut I came off the bench to replace Neymar. Tony Pulis called me “his best buddy”. I am the Premier League’s most prolific ball carrier.

1. Bruno Fernandes
2. Adama Traore
3. Nicholas Pepe
4. Sergio Aguero

9 / 10

I am the youngest ever player to play for Wales. I have been managed by Frank Lampard. I have scored three goals from outside the box for my club this season.

1. David Brooks
2. Daniel James
3. Ben Davies
4. Harry Wilson

10 / 10

I was relegated to League One in my first season as a professional. I have scored in a World Cup knockout match. I have been part of a defence that has kept 11 clean sheets in our last 15 games.

1. John Egan
2. Harry Maguire
3. Gary Cahill
4. James Tarkowski

Source: SkySports

Dear Northern California Soccer Family,

We hope all of you and those close to you are healthy and safe during this time.

A few weeks ago, US Club Soccer suspended competition until April 30th effective for all its members – including NorCal Premier Soccer. US Club Soccer’s Board of Directors will meet on April 20th to review their policy going forward. NorCal Premier Soccer’s Board of Directors will meet immediately thereafter to review all of our competitions and create a new timeline, based on the US Club Soccer decision, along with the latest recommendations from medical and public health experts.

By the end of this week, we will have finished hosting a series of Regional Advisory Committee(RAC) online meetings, with each Club’s Director of Coaching. The initial RAC meetings, held over the past week, while sobering, were very encouraging. The overwhelming sentiments shared by those in the meetings were a sense of community and a deep concern for players and club members (coaches, board members, referees and of course the families). Competition between clubs has been set aside, replaced by an open sharing of ideas and collaborative attempts to help each other get through this crisis while playing a positive role in our members’ lives during this difficult time.

Our club soccer community has moved with remarkable speed to provide a “soccer outlet” for its members while providing other types of support as well. One club leader, working in a lower-income area, said his club’s primary focus was ensuring their players had meals to eat. Others spoke of developing a social outlet, organizing time for the players and parents to just visit with each other, team chat time and online happy hours, virtual support groups and delivering meals. Many clubs are using videos, online meetings, providing training plans, skills contests and even developing book clubs. Most importantly, club leadership has recognized we can use off-field soccer opportunities to connect with players and provide some normalcy, routine and support to players and their parents, during these abnormal times.

Most soccer clubs are non-profits with operations funded by their members. Few have reserves in place to survive months without collecting fees. In fact, a few soccer clubs have already furloughed their coaches and administrative staff, while others may soon be forced to do the same. Some clubs may not be able to survive the financial hardship COVID-19 has created. Hopefully, some of the support coming from the government will arrive quickly enough to enable soccer clubs to be ready to serve their players, once team sports are allowed to reconvene.

NorCal Premier Soccer recommends our clubs, parents and coaches work together to ensure clubs continue to operate, providing “virtual” connection and virtual soccer during this shutdown whenever possible, and that clubs be ready to start up immediately when permitted.

We encourage clubs to apply for all the government support of loans or grants feasible for their club to ensure they are utilizing every resource possible during these trying times. NorCal Premier Soccer has created a Coronavirus resource page to assist clubs in this area.

Recognizing there will be families struggling financially during this time, we encourage clubs to work with parents who have lost the ability to pay club fees, to remain in good standing. We encourage parents who are able to continue to support their club in any way appropriate, to try to do so. Should families have the means, we encourage them to consider making a tax-deductible donation to the club instead of taking a refund or credit to ensure our clubs can continue providing soccer to our youth players moving forward.

We encourage clubs who are able to provide virtual instruction to do so during this time. NorCal will provide resources to assist clubs in getting virtual soccer up and running.

NorCal Premier Soccer remains in close consultation with US Club Soccer, our sanctioning body, and the Northern Californian Club Soccer community. We will communicate an update to the post-April 30th timeline after the US Club Soccer announcement following their BOD meeting on April 20th. While we are not sure when we will return to playing soccer, we believe it vitally important that a healthy sports structure is at the ready once kids are allowed back on the field together.

Finally, we hope everyone is safe and healthy during this time. We look forward to a resumption of soccer and a return to more normal times.

Thank you, NorCal Board of Directors

No matter how bad the current situation is, we can always find a positive out of any situation. One thing we are all now getting more than normal is a lot of family time. The Adlers have made the most of this time and created their own challenge, see below their creative soccer minds working together.

Adler Family Challenge from Fremont YSC on Vimeo.

Get creative with your family, and submit your family challenges, even if it’s not soccer, we can still all work together and provide entertainment throughout the club.

Our Meet Your Coaches Series, submit your questions and answers clip to be posted online.

Meet the Coach – Alan from Fremont YSC on Vimeo.

We Have The Ball:

• Understands space, creation and occupation.

Why/How?

1. To create space for themselves by stretching the field, then checking in to the space that was created.
2. To play in the space between the opponent’s center backs and defensive mids.
3. To drop off, which then forces a center back to step with, creating space in behind for a teammate to make a run in.

• Mobile / Movement between opponents.

Why/How?

1. To continue to create angles and space to receive the ball.
2. To be able to play in the spaces in front of the center backs and defensive mids.
3. Ability to keep possession of the ball.

• Good receiving skills.

Why/How?

1. To hold up play, in order for the midfield/supporting unit to get forward.
2. To be able to receive the ball on their first touch and quickly move into open space.
3. Keep your body between the defender and the ball.
4. Cushion the ball with your first touch of you are trying to hold up the ball in order for teammates to get forward.
5. 1st touch is pushed out of your feet into open space, if dangerous space is available and you are able to turn a defender when their is space to get in behind.

• Effective decision maker.

Why/How?

1. To keep he ball.
2. Think of what you are going to do with the ball before it gets to you.
3. Constantly scan the field.
4. Know your options. and decide what would be the best decision upon the ball’s arrival.

• Desire to get inside the penalty area.

Why/How?

1. To create scoring chances.
2. To get a shot off inside the box.
3. Dribble.
4. Combination of a pass with a teammate.
5. To create unpredictability in attack.

• Good finisher.

Why/How?

1. Score goals.
2. On target.
3. Composed infant of goal.
4. Knows what type of shooting technique to perform.
5. Driven shot, finessed shot, pass to a side.
6. One touch finish.
7. Volley. Half volley.
8. Header.

They Have The Ball

• Cut off angle of opponent’s attack.

Why?

1. To cut out the wide pass.
2. Force players to the middle of the field into supporting players.
3. Make play predictable.

• Collective action to high press.

Why?

1. To press as a team so that we do not open up dangerous spaces in the middle of the field, or in between units.
2. To make play predictable.

Being a Fremont YSC Withdrawn Striker:

• Understands spaces, creation and occupation.
• Mobile, movement between opponents.
• Good receiving skills.
• Effective decision maker.
• Desire to get inside the penalty area.
• Good finisher.
• Cut off angles of opponent’s attack.
• Collective action to high press.

We’ve not forgot about the parents, I am sure you are all scratching at the door to get out and get some exercise. With gyms and parks closed we can be limited within our workouts, but we’ll be posting a number of workouts you can do in a very small space, and with very limited equipment needed. If you don’t have the equipment shown in the video, be creative and use alternative instruments, a few suggestions can be found in the video.

Workouts also appropriate for players, and can even be a family workout.

Here is our third installment of the practice at home program from Fremont YSC.

Coaches will be conducting online conferences with their teams to cover the session, and provided guided discovery to ways in which the player can further develop the session at home, along with individual challenges and competitions.

Players, do not forget to upload a 15 second clip to your TeamSnap account under the media files.

We’re not quite on the fields, but that can’t stop us from training an staying engaged. The following clip is great collection of what players from all ages have been doing to stay active, and practice at home.

This week we set the at home practice of a small playing area as the theme will continue with practicing in small spaces, with an obstacle central to the area for players to dribble at in a 1v1 scenario. The area was only a 3 x 3, so had to keep the ball close and under control, we video for this can be found at the following link – https://www.fremontyouthsoccer.com/2020/03/parks-pitches-and-patios-week-2/

On his ‘first attempt’, so he let us believe, Jason Adler was able to pull off this impressive ladder challenge. Send in your creative challenges.

Board Member, Manager, and Ladder Soccer Expert, Jason Adler from Fremont YSC on Vimeo.