The Maradona

This skill is one that needs to be practiced thoroughly in order to correctly do the move. If the move is effective, you’ll spin right by your defender and be on your way to scoring a goal. Ace McCloud, the author of “Soccer Strategies” says that “This is one of the hardest moves to perform, but if executed perfectly, it’s virtually impossible for the defense to stop it” (McCloud 21). The Maradona is a very difficult move to do, but Ace gives us step-by-step instructions on how to correctly do it. First, you dribble forward then place your right foot on the ball to make it stop. Then keep it there and jump in the air while doing a spin. During the spin, put your left foot on the ball, roll it forward, and continue on your way.

When I first tried doing the move I struggled with it. The YouTube link that Ace McCloud includes at the end of his description helps me to see exactly how the move is performed. I’m more a visual learner so this helped me out a lot. After trying the move about five times I started to get it down. Now it’s easy for me to do even with a defender in front of me. Just by reading a few pages out of a book, I added a new move to my game.

Are there any moves that you guys recommend I try out? I know some of the basic ones like the “Scissors” or the “Rainbow” but I’d like to add some more advanced moves to my arsenal. Thanks for reading and comment regarding any new moves.

McCloud, Ace. Soccer: Soccer Strategies: The Top 100 Best Ways to Improve Your Soccer Game. Charleston, SC: CreateSpace, 2015. Print.

Improving Your Throw-In Strategy

Throwing in the ball can be just as important as any other aspect in the game. A great throw-in can give your team excellent field position that could possibly lead to the scoring of a goal. Ace McCloud, the author of “Soccer Strategies” goes through a number of different techniques that will allow the reader to acquire more ways to throw the ball in. One of the strategies he describes is an attack down the sideline. According to Ace McCloud, the player need to “Face the other team’s goalie and throw it to the sidelines in the right direction” (McCloud 19). This action will give the team a down field attack and will open up the middle for other players to get position. As soon as the player throws the ball in, he needs to get inbounds immediately to become a safety valve for the person he threw it in to.

Example of bad throw-in form 

Ace McCloud does a great job at not only giving us his expert advice, but also giving us other sources to learn from. He gives us a visual representation of what we need to do to better our throw-in technique and improve our down field attack. Ace sends us to a YouTube channel named Epic Soccer Training, where they take you step-by-step through the throw-in process. The expert soccer instructor leading the video tells us that the first rule of throwing the ball in is not lifting up your feet. Although it may look like the superstars lift their feet when they throw it in, they’re really just dragging them on the turf. The dragging of your feet allows you to get the most velocity behind the ball.

Example of good throw-in form

After receiving some handy tips for throwing the ball in, I hope you can incorporate them into your game. Feel free to leave a comment below giving, or asking for more tips.

McCloud, Ace. Soccer: Soccer Strategies: The Top 100 Best Ways to Improve Your Soccer Game. Charleston, SC: CreateSpace, 2015. Print.

Exercises to Improve Your Game

To be on your game all of the time, you need to make sure that you’re getting in the right work outs. Running is one of the top exercises that will improve your overall game, but some extra work targeting specific muscles will do wonders to your abilities. Ace McCloud, a soccer expert goes in depth on a few workouts that drastically take your talents to the next level.

Squats:

Squats are one of the best workouts for building up your upper leg muscles. According to the book “Soccer Strategies” by Ace McCloud, “Increasing your squat by 50 pounds can add an extra 10 miles per hour behind your kicks” (McCloud 23). Squats are a great workout for strikers, the ones who have the most shots on goal, but are also useful for defenders as well. Having more power in your legs help when trying to body an opposing player off of the ball. If you don’t know what squats are, you begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your spine straight, stick your butt out, and lower your body until the knees are at a 90-degree angle. If you continuously perform squats correctly, you will see an improvement to the power behind your kicks, and your abilities to defend the opposition.

Uphill Runs:

Uphill runs take sprints to the next level by working out new muscles of the leg. When first performing these exercises your legs will become very sore the next day. This happens because you never work these muscles out. Uphill runs are a great workout because it doesn’t require any extra equipment, all you need is a nice sized hill to become a faster, stronger, and more athletic player. Adding speed to your game helps every position on the field not only on the defensive end, but also on the offensive attack.

There’s hundreds of different workouts that soccer players can do to become faster, stronger, and overall improve their game. These are just two examples that one can do without all of the fancy equipment that the pros use. After reading this blog post did it motivate you to want to get out there and work on your game? Maybe even try one of the workouts out?

A Healthy Lifestyle

Foods all Soccer Players Should Eat

All players should have an equal balance of nutrition in order to stay healthy on and off the field. If you read my previous blog, you’d know that exercise is a critical component to keeping your body in shape. Ace McCloud, the author of “Soccer Strategies” says that “In addition to the exercise that you should be doing and the drills you need to practice, you need proper nutrition to keep the body going” (McCloud 10). Staying on top of your nutrition will allow you to become a better soccer player because they carry the necessary nutrients that will help you stay energized throughout the entire 90-minute game.

Turkey and Chicken

Turkey and chicken are lean sources of meat that will help you get the protein that is necessary for an athlete. These are great ways to acquire protein without all the added calories and fat that other food groups have.

Complex Carbs

Complex carbs include many different grains such as cereals, potatoes, pastas, bread, and rice. Eating these carbs in their whole wheat or whole grain forms is when you’ll get your best results. Loading up on carbs before a game or practice can help you play longer and have the energy you need to perform at a high level.

Milk

Drinking milk a few times a say is a good way to get a lot of nutrients into a meal. Choosing a low fat or skim variety will be giving your body lots of great nutrients, such a calcium, as well as avoiding the extra fat.

It is very important to maintain a healthy diet while being an athlete. Eating these three basic foods will help to keep your energy throughout the entire game. I believe that a healthy lifestyle will allow you to improve and grow into a better player and will allow you to do more on the field.

What is your go-to meal before an important game? Do you think it helps you play better?

McCloud, Ace. Soccer: Soccer Strategies: The Top 100 Best Ways to Improve Your Soccer Game. Charleston, SC: CreateSpace, 2015. Print.

The First Strategy for Becoming a Better Soccer Player

Growing up, I was involved in many different sports and soccer was one of the biggest ones. In second grade I made the switch from soccer to football and kind of regretted it. That’s why I chose the book “Soccer Strategies,” by Ace McCloud. I have an athletic background so my footwork is good, but that’s only the basics that’s needed to become a successful soccer player. I’m not trying to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo, but being able to impress my family and friends who are soccer lovers would be pretty cool. The book “Soccer Strategies,” claims to have “The Top 100 Best Ways to Improve Your Soccer Game.” Having this on the cover really caught my eye and it seemed to be exactly what I needed.

               The first strategy the book lists is the endurance of the player. Page 13 tells us that it is highly recommended that players have an activity outside of soccer that keeps them in shape and conditioned (McCloud 13). Luckily for me, I play basketball at Kentridge. Coach Jamison doesn’t take conditioning lightly, and has us run for very long periods of time. This is a bonus for me because my endurance and stamina will most likely be higher than someone else that didn’t play a sport in the off season.

               Ace McCloud also offers helpful YouTube links that give a visual representation of great workouts that can be done to improve your endurance. One example of Ace’s helpful tips also comes from page 13, when he says “Here is a good YouTube video from MOVE-MENT you can check out called: Run Faster in one week! DO THIS!!!” (McCloud 13). I’ve only been doing these workouts for a few days but I’m already starting to see some results. I’ve become quicker on feet and have started coming in first during conditioning at basketball practice.

               So far, this book has taught me many things that are needed to become a better soccer player. It covers everything from what you eat, your mentality, physical abilities, and drills that will help you become better with dribbling and shooting. 

What do you guys do to stay in shape and maintain endurance? Is soccer one of the most popular sports at Kentridge? Slide your opinion in my comments👍

McCloud, Ace. Soccer Stategies. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.