Archive for October, 2009

Will Michael Owen Make The England Squad For The World Cup?

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Is Michael Owen past it? Do you think he should still command a regular starting place in the England team? Has Michael Owens injuries affected him too much? Has Michael lost some of his passion to the play at the top level of the game? In this article I give my own opinion about these questions, I hope you enjoy the read.

Michael Owen burst onto the international football stage with what can only be described as a wonder goal against Argentina in the World Cup. At this stage he had pace to burn and was lethal in front of goal. The future was very exciting for his club, country and of course for himself.

At this stage I should point out that I am not and have not ever been involved with professional football. In my working life I am involved with stuttering therapy, DVD authoring and also offering advice on becoming a foster parent.

Going back to Owen, he played for Liverpool for many years and scored lots and lots and goals. A couple of years ago he moved clubs to Real Madrid. At Madrid he did not in my opinion seem to get much a chance, however his goals to games ratio was still very impressive. During this period Michael started to have a few problems with niggly injuries. He has found it quite difficult to have a sustained period free from injury. Last season he moved clubs again with a big money move to Newcastle United. This renewed the famous partnership that he had in the English national team with the one and only Alan Shearer. Owen however has played only a handful of games for his new club due to his fitness levels.

It seems that Owen is now on his way back and think that Michael is way past his best, I think that due to the fact that he is not getting any younger and all of the injuries he has sustained, that he has without doubt lost some of his electric pace. He is however and should remain for a number of years to come a potent and top striker but whether he is still world class remains to be seen.

Michael Owen has never in my opinion let England down. He always seems to pop up with a goal and has certainly been one the nations hero’s over the last eight years. I would prefer to see Michael come off the bench for say the last thirty-five minutes of matches instead of starting the games. I think England should have lanky Peter Crouch with another pacy striker such as Theo Walcott to really rough up and bruise the opposition. Michael could then come on when they are starting to become a bit weary.

I do not think Michael Owen has lost any of his passion or desire to play for club or country. In fact I think the opposite is true. He will be itching to get back to somewhere near his best and will be very determined to help his country to win the World Cup.

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Memorable 65th birthday present gives voice to a winning soccer team

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

When varsity soccer coach Lawrence Jackson said goodbye to his seniors at his team’s end of year award ceremony, it also happened to be his 65th birthday. On that memorable day, he received a nostalgic 65th birthday group present that was far more personal than any soccer trophy his players or fellow coaches could ever give him. He received a special CD filled with the voices of his colleagues, his graduating players, and their parents, expressing their thanks and warm wishes. The recordings ranged from funny to sentimental, and showed him how much he had meant to the Wildcats.

“I go out there and urge my players to be the best that they can be every day. I’ve always focused on the team, and when they gave me this gift it made it clear how much my coaching meant to them personally”.

The players and their parents wanted to give the coach a fun present that was very personal. However, with frantic schedules, the players and their parents knew that the group gift would have to be easy for everyone to contribute to.

The CD the coach received is called LifeOnRecord.

Team mom, Tiffany Levernier, got the idea when her husband gave her a LifeOnRecord CD as a special birthday gift.

The process is simple: friends and family call a toll-free number and are directed to record a favorite story, memory or wish. There’s no limit on the number of callers that can phone-in or on the total number of recordings you receive. The recordings can be downloaded for free using iTunes so that you can make your own compact disc, or LifeOnRecord can create a keepsake CD with a personalized label and metal case. An unlimited plan with free download capability into iTunes costs $49.99, or an unlimited plan with a keepsake CD costs $74.98.

It is a unique, affordable service that allows you to create a highly personal gift with ease.

“My players mean the world to me, and this is the perfect way for me to remember them and their impact after my coaching days are over. The mom who organized and put this together is my hero”.

If you’d like to be a hero to your loved one, you can purchase LifeOnRecord and give them a personalized birthday.

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Which sports are most popular in America? Here are what is supposed to be the top 20!

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Without much doubt, the 5 at the top should definitely be here, but what about the others?

  1. American Football – Everything that an American needs, excitement, food, and fantastic sports.
  2. Baseball – A sport that not many people know how how to play, unless you already know how to play it.
  3. Basketball – This is taken very seriously by the Americans and the Russians, but bigger in America.
  4. Hockey – It is difficult to get bored watching this, and the Americans love it for that.
  5. Golf – Well what made this big, let me think, oh yeah – Tiger Woods.
  6. Wrestling – Well it gets massive views every weekend, loved by Americans.
  7. Tennis – Americans have always played very good tennis, coming to Wimbledon and winning many trophies.
  8. Skateboarding – America launched this sport from nothing to everything, now being taken up around the world.
  9. Surfing – Well, America helped this sport to make its mark.
  10. Ice Skating – A Sport in which men and women have become very famous for.
  11. Boxing – Doesn’t happen enough, otherwise it would be higher in the list.
  12. Soccer- Although no where near as big as American Football, still a growing sport.
  13. Archery – Well when you have the likes of Geena Davis, your guaranteed to get a medal.
  14. Volleyball – Definitely, who ever thought this up knew exactly what they were doing.
  15. Cycling – A very tough sport, especially in competition with nations, but America sticks to its usual greatness.
  16. Athletics, or Track and Field – A big one for Americans, they always take strong hold in the Olympics.
  17. Horse Racing – Back in the day this was much bigger than Auto Racing.
  18. Rock Climbing – A sport for all to enjoy, indoors or outdoors, much fun to be had, and in great American scenery.
  19. Extreme Sports – The Americans love this, especially when things go wrong, not sure why though.
  20. Auto Racing – If i were to mention all of them, they would take up most of the list, but bring on Monster Truck.

Is this the right culmination of sports? Should they be in a different order? What a great way to find out – try Las Vegas holidays or New York holidays to really find out

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8 Things Not To Do When Coaching Youth Soccer

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Youth Soccer Training Tips

Coaching Youth Soccer can be exciting and fun but there are important aspects every coach needs to take into consideration. Here’s a list of some of these important guidelines that can help you in many different ways:

1. Don’t make speeches. This may not seem important but kids really get bored and distracted when coaches have the habit of making incredible long speeches and instructions. This as nothing to do with your players age group. When it comes to making speeches and giving instructions, make it short and sweet.

2. Don’t complicate things. When coaching a soccer exercise you should try to keep it as simple as possible. People have problems in implementing complecated things. I can bet your players will lose their interest in the practice sessions if you try to give them over complicated exercises with lots of instructions.

3. Don’t be a ball boy- this is essential. If you want to keep your players’ respect, don’t run after balls. This can affect the relationship between you and your players. Make it as a rule that every player is responsible for their shots (that includes getting the balls.)

4. It’s important that you don’t allow the ball-kids to join practice if they are there just to get the balls. This simply signals a laxity in discipline- ball boys are just there to get the ball. If they want to join in the practice, they have to join the team like everyone else.

5. Never, ever criticize the player. One of your players missed a goal? or a decisive pass? Don’t blame them. Point out the flaws in their technique or skill and do that calmly. Screaming at a player for being ’stupid’ is a great way to make them want to leave your team.

6. While Coaching Youth Soccer, explain it clearly and as briefly as possible. Next it’s time to show it. i’m sure you’ll do well and you’re players will understand perfectly everything you teach. Conversely, don’t try and demonstrate something that you can’t do.

7. Health and safety should always be foremost in a coach’s mind. This means making sure that the ground and the equipment are in good shape before your soccer training session starts. Remember that if a kid sprains his ankle because the ground was slippery, then it’s technically your fault.

8. Don’t leave the parents out in the dark. Meet with parents regularly and always keep them up-to-date when it comes to the team’s problems and challenges. Always remember that your player’s parents can be your best ally.

When Coaching Youth Soccer, these are important aspects that every coach should consider. Learn how to literally explode your players’ skills and make trining more fun in less than 29 days at SoccerDrillsTips . com.

About The Author:

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching. If you want to learn how to explode your players’ skills and make practice more fun and interesting, get your free Soccer Coaching guide at http://www.soccerdrillstips.com – Coaching Youth Soccer Drills

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Is It Possible to Find Affordable Manchester United Tickets?

Monday, October 26th, 2009

The chase to find affordable Manchester United tickets is back on as the 2009/2010 Premier League season is about to start. Now that it has won its third title in a row, Man Utd is even more popular and that won’t change despite Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez leaving the team.

Joining the One United fan club offers the  best chance of finding reasonably prices Man Utd tickets. {Becoming a member for the 2009/2010 season will cost between 30 and 36 GBP {Great Britain Pounds} for adults and 20 to 26 GBP for juniors.~Joining the fan club for the 2009/2010 season will cost an adult between 330 and 36 GBP {Great Britain Pounds} for adults and 20 to 26 GBP for juniors.~Adults will pay between 30 and 36 GBP {Great Britain Pounds} for membership in the fan club for the 2009/2010 season, and juniors 20 to 26 GBP.} Membership to the club can easily be purchased on the team’s website and every club member has an equal opportunity to apply for tickets for all home matches of the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Curling Cup, and the Champions League. A random lottery drawing determines the success of an application.

Subscribing to the One United email newsletter is the easiest way to know when applications for tickets, which usually need to be made 4-6 before the game, are due. Lottery winners usually find out 2-3 weeks later and then pay for their tickets by credit card, and then the tickets will be shipped out to them. Members who were unlucky in the lottery still have another chance of buying reasonably priced Man Utd tickets by monitoring the teams’ ticket exchange. This exchange lets season ticket holders who can’t attend a game sell their seats to One United members. These Man Utd tickets are sold on a first-come first-serve basis so members should purchase these tickets immediately they become available.

Games that are held during the middle of the week such as some of the Premier League games and all of the Champions League games offer the best chances of securing tickets through the lottery. A ticketing agency with a good reputation is worth checking out for Man Utd ticket prices. Tickets are usually sold well above face value, but as the game approaches, it is occasionally possible to buy broker tickets at reasonable prices.

For Manchester United Tickets and other sports tickets and acccess to the biggest sporting events, visit your concierge for global sporting events, www.premiumtickethub.com.

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