Teaching players how to effectively attack when there is a numbers up situation (3v2) using combinations and tactical cues.

Attacking Objectives
* Numerical superiority means to go with speed at defenders
* Player with ball attacks 1st defender and plays him/her out of the game
* Becomes 2v1 with last defender

Tactical Cues
* Can 1st attacker find 3rd attacker with long pass?
* If pressured can 1st attacker combine with 2nd attacker to eliminate 1st defender 

2nd Attacker
  (i) Does 1st attacker need support – where?
  (ii) Where can I best position myself to exploit 2v1 advantage?
  (iii) Can I support 3rd attacker if played to him/her?

3rd Attacker
  (i) Can 3rd attacker get behind the defense? 
  (ii) When does 3rd attacker make check run and come back for support?

Exercise I
Warm up - 2 Groups of 6 players in 20x30 grids, passing and moving creating short and long support, width and depth.

Exercise II
Possession – 3v2 in 20x30 grid (define roles of 1st, 2nd & 3rd attackers, encourage combinations).

Exercise III
Directional - 3v3 to small goals (30x20 grid). 1 defender becomes GK to create 3v2 situations.

Note: Parts of this session were taken from the NSCAA National Diploma Curriculum.

Soccer Camp: Toby Rappolt from Sunset Soccer Supply will be running a adult soccer camp for Sports 4 Good on 3 Saturdays: Feb 21, Feb 28, and Mar 6. This is ideal for anyone who wants to re-learn the basics or sharpen their ball handling skills. Click here to register

This is the annual call for donating your women's cleats to the Leadership high school girl's soccer team!!!!
 
For those who don't know or need a refresher, this year is the 6th year  for the girls soccer team Leadership High School (In SF). Leadership is a  public charter school, and the girls are all awesome but none of them have  much money to spend on cleats, sports bras, soccer socks, or shin guards.
 
 The season starts Feb. 13th, I usually have about 25-30 come out and at  least half of the girls do not have cleats and cannot really afford to buy them. I only take 19 girls on the team but I love being able to give any girl who wants to play soccer a pair of cleats. The other cool thing is that
 half of the girls have never played soccer, so this is their first  experience.
 
 Besides CLEATS, we also need:
 Long soccer socks (used or new)
 Shin guard (used or new)
 Sports bras (used or new)
 Soccer track pants (wind resistant)
 $$ donations (go to girls to help them buy a team sweatshirt)
 
 So please donate your old cleats or that sports bra that never fit quite  right or some old soccer socks that you never use or the pair of sweet ass cleats that don't fit right or just give yourself an excuse to get rid of your cleats and buy yourself a new pair.
 
 Send or drop off donations to:
 Leadership High school
 300 Seneca Ave, SF, CA 94112
 attention: Amy Dobras/room #14
 
 http://www.leadershiphigh.org

Adult Futsal/Indoor Shoes
 
7 Styles
Sizes 6 1/2 to 14
Prices from $49.99 to $116.99
 
 
Kid’s/Youth Futsal/Indoor Shoe
 
5 Styles
Sizes Infant2 to 10
Child 10 ½ to 3
Junior 3 ½ to 6
Prices from $34.99 to $52.99

Boxes Warm-Up -- Challenging Players to Think
By Paul Payne, NSCAA Academy Staff

Quite often when players are asked to warm-up among themselves passing and moving they do so without a purpose. This warm up exercise ask players to play quickly and smartly based on the coach's directions.  

In a 50 x 35 yd area divide into 6 boxes (see diagram). Players need to understand all boxes are not the same size which will affect the activity.  

6 players in red, 6 in blue, 6 in yellow. 1 ball per box.  

Have players pass and move within their box with coach giving specific patterns and movements. I’ve listed some that will challenge players not only technically but will challenge the players off the ball as well.  

1) All 1 touch passing using color scheme for sequence (example red to blue to red to yellow). Yellow needs to support ball as it moves between red-blue.
2) Change number of touches (example: 2-2-1 1st player takes two touches then passes to next player who takes two then finally into a 1 touch pass, repeat sequence without stopping).

How do players off the ball move to support knowing 3 of the touches of the person in possession? How does one move to support a one-touch pass? Preparation of 1st touch to play 2nd touch passes.

Variations

- Ask 1 color from each group to move to another box after playing a pass (Example: Yellows play 1 touch then immediately joins another group of red-blue).

- Ask players to switch balls between the boxes.

- Have players leave a ball in box and quickly find another box, once all in begin play.

- Have all single colors join to form a group of three, thus 2 boxes of all blue, 2 of all red, 2 of all yellow.

Several coaching points that can be stressed here in order to be done successfully:

• Recognition of space and other players
• Movement off ball
• Communication
• Vision
• Technique of passing for possession

By asking your players to think while executing quality passing is relative to the game and one that can be fun at the same time. Be creative in challenging players by mixing up the “play” based on your directions. Good luck!

We are pleased to announce our involvement with the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival!

22ND ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
With more than 121 films and videos the 22nd San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) unspools March 4-11 at the AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres and the Castro Theatre in San Francisco and at Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, and March 19-21 at the Camera 3 Cinemas in San Jose.

The film opens with Zhang Yimou's highly anticipated swordplay film HERO, a breathtaking masterpiece. Its dazzling colors and epic setting will be celebrated decorously on Opening Night at the Asian Art Museum, hosting of the evening's Gala Party. Additional highlights of the Festival include IMELDA, a fascinating portrait of Imelda Marcos, the "steel butterfly" of the Philippines, and our Spotlight on Anna May Wong, legendary Chinese American actress.

PURCHASING TICKETS
Tickets are now on sale at:
http://www.naatanet.org/festival, or call 415.478.2277.

Purchasing in advance is highly advised, as shows will sell out! Discounted group tickets are available, as well as our special CASTRO PASS: $50 for access to all 12 films showing at the Castro Theatre, including PICADILLY, our Centerpiece Presentation.

This year we are co-presenting the following program(s) with the Festival.

THE OTHER FINAL

San Francisco Premiere
The Netherlands 2003 | 78mins | 35mm Color

FRI 03.05 5:00PM
OTHE05  Castro Theater 

Nation, race and culture take to the soccer field in Johan Kramer's THE OTHER FINAL. As most of the Earth's population turns its attention to the 2002 World Cup Finals in Japan, THE OTHER FINAL pits football's two last-ranked teams against each other. On one side is the squad from Bhutan, a small country nestled high in the Himalayas, facing off against the men from Montserrat, an equally small Caribbean island nation. 

What initially seems like a gimmick match between the world's worst teams becomes an intriguing entry point into exploring the contrasting cultures and societies of the two countries. THE OTHER FINAL avoids descending into "It's a Small World" clich about global sameness, instead acknowledging the unique challenges that these tiny nations face. The host Bhutanese respond with a fervent burst of pride, but still live under the shadow of their region's geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, Montserrat struggles to recover from the damage wrought by the devastating Soufriere Hill volcanic eruption of 1995. 

Most of all, THE OTHER FINAL celebrates the power of sport to bring out the best in competitive and cooperative spirit. Though millions ignore their game in favor of the World Cup, THE OTHER FINAL captures how these countries take a big step towards shrinking the distance between themselves and the world.

Four Nutrition Myths Among Soccer Players
By Donald T. Kirkendall

There are more myths that coaches, players and parents may be following, but below four of the more common myths are dispelled. By following the nutritional guidelines below, players, coaches and teams can put themselves in an advantageous position before the match starts.

Myth 1: Game performance is not affected by what you eat.
Virtually every study on athletic performance for both team and individual sports shows that a diet rich in carbohydrates improves running performance. However, nutritional research from the 1970s to present day still show that soccer players choose a diet that is approximately 40 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent fat and 20 percent protein.

What is discouraging is that in the very early 70s, the Swedes conducted a study that showed soccer players with low muscle fuel (glycogen) walk about 50 percent of the game. Even 30 years later, a study showed that more than half of a national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup thought food had nothing to do with their performance. The bottom line is that players eat what is put in front of them.

The more carbohydrates an athlete eats, the more endurance he or she will have. This means that when the end of the game approaches, the player will be able to run faster and longer if he or she consumed the proper amount of carbohydrates.

Myth 2: What you eat after the game does not matter.
At games and tournaments around the country, players will sometimes eat the worst post game snacks possible including soda, sweet drinks in soft packaging, potato chips, candy bars and fries. Everyone who has ever been to a soccer field on a weekend has seen this.

Muscles are most ready to receive a fresh supply of fuel during the first hour or two directly following exercise. The smart coaches and parents supply food that will start refilling muscles with carbohydrates at just that time.

A proper supply of carbohydrates is needed. It can come from a carbohydrate replenishment drink or other foods like bagels with jelly, pretzels, raisins or other dried fruit. This is even more critical between tournament games when the time between games is even shorter.

Myth 3: A diet is good as long as an athlete gets enough protein. 
While most every survey of the athletic diet shows that players get all the protein they need from food, there is a problem. The vast majority of protein is consumed in conjunction with fat.

Marbled meat, ground beef, and fried chicken all are examples of protein that is combined with lots of fat. Red meat should be trimmed of fat, and ground beef should be very lean. Chicken should have the skin removed before cooking.

One place protein isn’t commonly found is the immediate post-exercise meal. A little protein helps in storing new fuel in the muscles faster than when there is no protein. Players can try to figure out a protein source after the game or drink a carbohydrate replenishment drink that contains protein.

Myth 4: Your body is the best indicator of when to drink; Mother Nature knows best.
For most mammals, it is OK not to drink until thirsty. However, the thirst mechanism of humans operates differently than the average mammal. In fact, the human thirst mechanism doesn’t even kick in until a person has lost about two percent of body weight from sweating. At this level, a decrease in performance begins to become evident.

Players should drink before starting the game, every 15-20 minutes during play if possible, and at halftime. Make sure the team has drink bottles along both sidelines and in the goals so players have easy access to fluids during stoppages of play. Don’t forget that playing in the cold is also dehydrating, so drinking fluids is just as important in cold weather.

Overall, it is important for the well-rounded player to keep an eye on what the eat and drink in order to get results on the field. For more information on nutrition in soccer, check out the Resource Center archives on the Services page of ussoccer.com.

Questions can be directed to Hughie O'Malley, U.S. Soccer's Manager of Sports Medicine Administration. Hughie can be reached at homalley@ussoccer.org or at (312) 528-1225.

Two female Soccer players with intermediate and over skills needed for a co-ed indoor soccer league in Alameda on Friday nights... The league starts on Friday, 2/27/04 and lasts 8weeks... You have to be 17 or older and league fee for the female players will be waived this time around... But you have to pay the annual membership fee of $75 to the Bladium... Anyone interested please contact Jimmy Paek at jimmy_paek@yahoo.com or Victor Wang at victorwang@aol.com for more information...

Looking for an over 40 men’s  team for a friendly match at Beach Chalet on one Saturday morning 9-11am... Please contact Jimmy Paek at jimmy_paek@yahoo.com so we can set up the field date...

Click here for information about and an application for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Residential Program for 2004.

Click here for information about the NSCAA National Diploma Course to be held at San Francisco State University June 21-27, 2004.