Juan Jose Aranguri, 46 and director of the South America Soccer Academy, has stepped down as coach of a girls’ team with the Bethesda Soccer Club and he has been suspended from other coaching duties with MSI soccer, which is one of the county’s largest soccer clubs, pending the outcome of the criminal case against him. He was arrested last week for allegedly inappropriately touching a girl in July while she was a student at the academy.

According to police, Aranguri began massaging the 12-year-old’s legs after she developed leg cramps and then proceeded to inappropriately touch the child, prompting her to repeatedly push his hand away, said Lt. Paul Starks, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Police, citing the statement of charges against Aranguri.

Lt. Paul Starks said police have received numerous calls from parents expressing concern on both sides of the issue including from some parents seeking advice for determining whether there had been any inappropriate contact between Aranguri and their own children.

“This is simply probable cause for arrest and charging him,” Starks said. “It doesn’t rise to the level of conviction.”

Members of Bethesda Legacy, the girls’ team associated with the Bethesda Soccer Club, has come to his defense.

Families of the players recently held a meeting to discuss the charges, at which the sentiment was one of support for Aranguri, said Mark Lauda, team manager and the father of a team member.

“It’s absolutely the general perception – we think he’s going to be vindicated,” Lauda said.

“The parents all saw this as a time to come together, rather than the opposite,” said Doug Schuessler, executive director of MSI soccer. Though Aranguri was not employed by MSI, he coached one of the organization’s teams, and has been suspended from his coaching duties, Schuessler said.

“We’ve taken the appropriate protective action — which is imperative,” he said. “But beyond that, we’ll let the process play itself out before drawing any conclusions.”

Aranguri, was arrested Aug. 11 and charged with sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of third-degree sexual offense, according to a statement issued by Montgomery County Police.

Lauda said his daughter had never complained of an inappropriate incident involving Aranguri. “I’m certain if something like that was going on, we would have known about it,” Lauda said. “I know my daughter wouldn’t keep quiet about something like that.”

Schuessler said that Aranguri, like other coaches, had been subject to routine background checks. “There were no flags raised,” he said.

A preliminary hearing for Juan Jose Aranguri, was postponed to Sept. 19 in Montgomery County District Court.

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Young children need a disciplined environment to learn effectively but they also need that environment to be both fun and encouraging. The important thing to remember is that a successful youth soccer coach spends time to plan training sessions carefully. Having a plan that lays out the fundamentals that will enable your team to achieve success now and in the future will set you on the right road towards becoming a successful soccer coach. There is nothing worse than being unprepared for a coaching session.  It doesn’t matter if you are coaching the U5’s or an U17 team, as a coach, you need to be prepared for the session.

When planning training sessions for your players you will need take into account their ages and skill levels. If the children you are coaching are especially young, the sessions that you plan need to be highly focused on ensuring they gain the most fun and enjoyment out of the experience. The majority of soccer coaching sessions tend to follow a similar patter that covers all of the basics.

Soccer training sessions will usually start with a warm up. This will help raise the children’s heart rate and stretch their muscles. This can be followed by a demonstration of a particular skill or technique that the coach would like them to learn. The session will then move on to a period of fun exercises that encourage the children to practice the skill or technique that they have just learn t. A small-sided soccer game in which the children are able to express themselves and enjoy without any intervention from coaches will most often end the training session.

Successful youth soccer coaching requires that you understand the importance of the fun element in the children’s training sessions. Try to maintain a relaxed atmosphere that allows the children to express themselves and just play soccer. Although an element of discipline is of course important with ground rules that everyone understands you don’t want come across in the style of a P.E teacher.

A successful youth soccer coach always treats everyone of his players with the maximum respect, listening to the children’s views and ideas when they express them. Coaching youth soccer is about letting the children develop their technique and individual playing styles in a fun, relaxed environment lead by a soccer coach who understands their needs.

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I have written a post some time ago on a similar topic which can be viewed Here , however I thought it was a timely reminder that I write another post on the involvement of parents in a game. This has come about as a result of an experience I had last weekend at a game I attended.  At the outset, I would like to add that from my experience, I have never had any trouble with 99% of the parents of children I have coached.

In the incident I witnessed on the weekend, there was an overly vocal parent on the sideline that was yelling and berating not only their child but the opposition players along with their own coach. Unfortunately, this then lead to another parent having their say as well along with the coach and in the meantime the game was still going on. What a mess! Believe it or not, both the parents and the coach were close friends and these parents attended each training session and assisted the coach in running the sessions. The bottom line is that these parents felt that as they were assisting during the week at training that they then had the right to also assist at the game on the weekend and were yelling out instructions that were negative and contradictory to what the coach had planned. End result, confusion for the kids and an unsatisfactory result.

A soccer parent who is throwing out overly negative instructions to their child can destroy his morale, making the whole experience distressing. Children want to hear praise from their parents. Unfortunately, most of the instructions given by your self-appointed assistants will be completely wrong. It’s especially disruptive when they are shouting out the exact opposite to what you have been working hard on with the children in training.

The soccer coach needs to be extremely tactful when trying to deal with this situation to ensure there are no misunderstandings. After all, everyone involved will have the best interests of the children at heart. The best way to resolve this problem tactfully is to organize a preseason meeting, however in the case above  a meeting with everyone concerned immediately.  Make it clear to the parents that the children need to be able to use the soccer games as a learning experience. Explain that criticisms coming from the stands will only hinder their children by making them feel like failures when of course they are not.

The only thing that the children should hear from their parents on game day is general praise such as well-done, great job, unlucky and so on. Soccer parents shouldn’t shout criticisms at the opposition or referees either. If this is occurring you should politely nip it in the bud. Make sure that your assistants at soccer training understand how much you appreciate their help but on game day you need them to take a step back and let you as coach get on with your job. Make sure that they understand that when the children hear instructions coming from every which way, it is only going to confuse them and spoil their game.

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Have you seen the size of some of the trophies that are handed out? Some of these trophies are bigger than the kids themselves. The pressure to excel and win in soccer can push our kids to be more competitive. They’ll work hard to become fitter, stronger and more skilled than their counterparts.

There needs to be a balance in a child’s soccer training program. The development of fitness and technique is important but it must be managed correctly in order to prevent over training. When any type of athlete is asked to do too much both physically or mentally then this could lead to over training.

It is important for parents to maintain awareness of how their kids are responding to the physical and mental strains that participating in soccer can entail. Changes could be a sign of their child being pushed just a little too hard. This can often lead to injuries such as muscle strains.

There are some tell tail signs of over training that we can watch out for such as poorer technique than normal, lack of motivation, getting tired easily, irritability towards team mates and an unwillingness to cooperate with their soccer coaches. It is common for some of these tell tail signs to be misinterpreted.

Parents and soccer coaches may believe that the child is just being difficult or is simply lagging behind due to lack of practice. They’ll then push the child even harder to try to generate improvements in the kid’s performance. Any increase to the amount of soccer training the child is put through will only make the situation worse if the child is suffering from over training.

Pushing our kids too hard in this type of situation could lead on to injuries in the future. These types of injuries are called overuse injuries. Damage can occur to the bones and soft tissues because the body isn’t allowed to have enough time to recover from the demands placed on it by the repetitive physical demands that are involved when participating in soccer.

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It’s hard not to let their attitude rub off on you. Just watching their smiling faces hunt down the soccer ball like a swarm of bees in the wind and rain will do wonders for your own enthusiasm. No matter how complicated we like try and make this sport these kids do well to remind us of just how much fun it is to play, especially in it’s most simplest of forms.

When soccer coaching with children this young you’ll have to deal with a bunch of other experiences that you’ll seldom come across with older kids. There are huge differences developmentally between coaching kids under 6 years old and kids just 2 or 3 years older.

Many of your players will often cry when they get hurt. They’ll cry when they can’t get the ball, when they miss a goal or when they miss kick the ball. Some of them will cry for no reason whatsoever. Don’t expect to see any passing either. It doesn’t matter how much you shout or how much you try and drill it home to them in training they will never pass the ball.

It is always handy to have toilets close by when coaching the U’6s. There will always be one that needs to come off for an urgent trip to the toilet. Moreover, don’t be surprised if the odd kid stays on the field when they should be in the toilet. It happens regularly. If you’re playing with a keeper, you can usually expect him to keep his position. Don’t expect anyone else to though. Teaching these young stars positional play will be a waste of time.

What tickles me the most every time though is when the whistle is blown at the start of the game. Ten or twenty seconds later every player on the pitch will be within 5 yards of the soccer ball and it pretty much stays that way for the duration of the game. Soccer coaching with the U’6s is a completely different experience than coaching any other age group but it is an enormous amount of fun.

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These gala days are designed around the kids and their families.  We have about 20 teams that pay a nomination fee to be part of the day and this fee covers the cost of trophies and prizes for the teams.  Every team and player gets something.  Each team will play a minimum of about 5 games during the day culminating in semi finals and a final at the end of the day.  Families come along and bring their friend and grandparents and have lunch they set up tents and the kids run around having a great time.  Its hard work for the committee and a long day but it is great to see so many kids having a great time.

Well, now we have been advised that if we want to continue to have these sort of days, we will have to take all the competition out of it.  In other words no trophies because we can’t have a winner! no scoreboard set up to show everyone how their team is progressing on the day! and of course - NO FUN.

I thought they were joking at first but no, they weren’t.  I know I struggle to remember what I did yesterday at times but I do remember some things from my childhood and one of those things was racing other kids in the playground to the school fence and back.  I also remember playground games like handball and football where there was always a winner and a loser.  I know I have got my problems (well my family tells me that anyway) but I am darn sure I cant blame the playing of competitive games as a child for anything that may happen now.

Some of us are competitive by nature others are not.  Some people thrive on the challenge and the intensity of competition, others don’t.  Life is a competition.  We are faced with this on a daily basis.  I say let the kids play and show them that even though there is a winner at the end of the day,  they have all won something and had fun and spent the day with their families and friends.  In the current climate today, isn’t this more important?

I’d appreciate your thoughts - am I totally off the mark here?

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Soccer equipment is regulated by soccer’s governing body, FIFA. The soccer equipment that players wear includes a jersey, shorts, and a pair of socks, shin guards and shoes. Wearing gloves and goggles is permitted by players in any position not just the goalie. The goalie can sometimes wear caps when they face the sun, so as to have an interrupted view without the sun being in their eyes. Each side must also wear a different color jersey in the team’s colors; all teams’ equipment including youth soccer equipment is identical.

Each soccer club will buy soccer equipment in particular jerseys for all their teams, including a ‘home’ and an ‘away’ strip. Usually, a team has its main colors at home and must change the colors when playing away. Some coaches like to train their teams in a particular jersey which is not their normal playing strip. This is not a bad idea as it adds a degree of professionalism to the team. There are a number of outlets that sell discount soccer equipment including cheap soccer jerseys.

The first jerseys were fairly thick woollen items they were worn during the first half of the twentieth century. With the adoption of cotton shirts and synthetic fibres from the 1960’s, soccer jerseys have become very light. Additionally, Polyester and nylon, which these days incorporates fibre drainage systems to take away perspiration, has made jerseys more comfortable and cooler to wear in all conditions.

Football boot styles changed considerably post World War 2. The South Americans started the style change with a lighter, more flexible football boot. It was not until 1948 when the Adidas company was formed by Adolf Dassler that we saw the emergence of the first modern soccer shoes marketed by Adidas soccer equipment. Since 1990, the best shoes are usually made of kangaroo skin with plastic soles and aluminum studs.

The soccer ball has set dimensions and style, adapted from those first introduced in 1872. The ball must be spherical, leather or any other matter, must have a circumference of not more than 70 cm and at least 68 cm, weighing 450 g or less and 410 g of at least the beginning of the match and pressure 0.6 to 1.1 atmosphere (600 - 1100 g / cm ²). These dimensions for kid soccer equipment require that they are smaller for the balls used for players under 13 years of age. Since 1 January 1996, only balls Fifa Approved soccer balls are used in international competitions organised by FIFA

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If you mostly play on soft surfaces then shoes which utilize screw in studs are probably the most suitable. These shoes are both longer lasting and incorporate the advantage of a high level of grip, such as found in Adidas soccer footwear.

It is very simple and inexpensive to replace the studs if they wear out, it is also possible to purchase different lengths of stud or blade for different conditions. The tips of the studs produced by Nike soccer shoes, in metal or very dense plastic and it is this part that is actually known as the cleat.

For harder surfaces, the best soccer footwear choice is the moulded stud soccer shoes, they differ from traditional ‘football boots’, in that they do not have studs that can be removed. They give an excellent grip for hard surfaces, and most major soccer shoes manufacturers such as Adidas soccer footwear now sell ‘firm ground’ soccer footwear which is very suitable for play on astro turf.

Some of the more expensive Nike soccer shoes incorporate leather uppers but most soccer footwear is made from a variety of synthetic materials that offer different properties. Leather soccer footwear is comfortable and is popular with professionals. A big drawback with these shoes is that they often can not be used in games for sometime, as they need to be used extensively until they become supple however soccer training is a good opportunity to do this.

The sole design of soccer footwear as well as the relative stud pattern is highly important when choosing a pair of soccer shoes. In the end, comfort and proper fit are the two most essential factors, providing ease of movement and far less risk of injury. Nike soccer shoes offer an interesting selection of footwear that incorporates a firm but flexible sole, along with a comfortable gripping upper.

It is important to take your time choosing the correct pair of soccer shoes which are right for your normal playing surface. Additionally, ensure the fit is correct and the shoe provides the most comfort for your feet and lower legs while playing.

If you are looking for a great pair of soccer shoes, I have selected a large range of shoes which will cover all sizes and budgets. You can browse through these in my online soccer store by clicking here.

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As a muscle contracts it gives off a very high amount of force, this is the point where it gives off its most energy. This optimum power output is a very important part of a soccer fitness program as it plays such an important role in the basics, such as kicking, when the force is applied at the moment of impact.

A total soccer fitness training program is very effective for the building of not only strength but also a high level of speed. Following a program is the fastest way to total soccer Fitness. Fitness training in soccer is considerably simpler when players and their coaching staff work in harmony to enhance strength combined with speed to produce a high degree of total soccer fitness.

One popular way of working towards these goals is plyometrics exercises that are constructed in such a way as to stretch groups of muscles before the muscles contract. This will result in a far more forceful contraction of the muscles. This is an excellent way of enhancing as well as increasing the strength and speed in a soccer fitness program. Plyometrics exercises avoid the use of free weights or weight machines, instead working with basic exercise mechanisms to produce excellent results.

An example of these very simple but effective plyometrics exercise routines is to simply run in slow motion, just as seen on the instant replay at an athletics event. Then jump up and down using alternate legs, the idea is to obtain fitness training in soccer by steadily increasing the length and height of these jumps as well as the length of the slow motion running stride creating muscle strength and flexibility.

A total soccer fitness regime is the only way to improve the overall performance of individuals or the whole team by stretching all the elements to produce a team that can achieve total soccer fitness.

A number of months ago I was looking to implement some form of fitness program for my teams. After much searching and talking to fitness trainers I came across a book that has proved to be a tremendous resource. The first six sections of the book cover the core elements of an effective soccer conditioning program… everything from aerobic training to fitness testing. In each of these sections you will find sample programs, exercises and drills.

The final section pulls everything together. It features sample annual and pre season programs you can begin using immediately.

I challenge you to find a more comprehensive soccer fitness and conditioning book on the market. If you are a parent that has a child playing soccer, if you are a coach or a player, this book covers everything to do with fitness. You will not need to buy another fitness book again. If you follow the program in this book you will be fit enough to outlast any opposition. By the way, if you purchase this book, you will also receive a comprehensive book on Soccer Nutrition.

I highly recommend this book, check it out by clicking on here.

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The biggest complaint I receive from parents is that the coach is not giving their child sufficient game time. The complaint not only comes from parents with children in the older age groups, unfortunately it also comes from junior teams as well, sometimes as low as U6. I must clarify at the outset, that I am talking about club youth soccer here, not elite representative soccer where players are playing at a much higher level and have undergone a rigorous trial and grading process.

I must admit, when I first started coaching youth soccer, I was guilty of this as well. My attitude was more about winning the game and I would always look to put my strongest team on the field. If this mean’t that a couple of the weaker players in the team only got limited time, well unfortunately that was the sacrifice that had to be made for the team to be successful. I have always been a very competitive person and hated losing so I would not accept defeat well. It was very quickly pointed out to me the error of my ways.

One of the most important things that you have to know about coaching youth soccer is that the emphasis should never be on winning games. The kids that you are teaching should be able to do what they are supposed to do in a soccer game but always the emphasis should be on having fun and on learning the rules while they play and not on results.

Give each of the children equal playing time. It doesn’t matter if some of them don’t get it or they aren’t very good at playing soccer. This isn’t the point of learning how to play soccer. You want to be sure that you are able to have each of the kids play for the same amount of time and when it comes to various positioning, you want to be sure that you provide the child an opportunity to try out different field positions. This is something that is very important when coaching youth soccer because you have to be sure that you are teaching them correctly. One of the most important things that you can do when [tag=tec]coaching youth soccer[/tag-tec], is make sure that everyone is getting a fair amount of game time and that no one is feeling like they are being left out.

I know as a coach sometimes the players you have in your team are not always at the same level. This becomes especially difficult if you are coaching a higher graded team and there have been players graded in your team with lesser ability. Having been involved in numerous grading processes within our club, we don’t always get it right and unfortunately, due to team size restrictions, we have to place players in teams that do not necessarily match their abilities.

In conclusion, when coaching youth soccer, if you are in a position to have a number of reserves in the team, ensure everyone gets a good run on the field and share the substitutions around amongst all players. This will lead to greater team harmony both on and off the field and also provide you with a greater opportunity to coach the children and for all players to learn more about the game.

Good luck with it and I welcome any comments on your experiences as either a coach or a parent.

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