Coach Jesse

10/06/2026

At training this evening, we worked on passing and moving, team possession with 2–3 touches, switching the field to create goal-scoring opportunities, and a corner kick routine.
We often talk about having a clean first touch and continuing to master the basic technical skills. While the players are working on those things—both at team training and on their own at home—just as important is how we position our bodies before receiving the ball.
If we're looking to scan the field and play away from pressure, then we have to be facing and seeing the field.
Look. Think. Then do.
We need to have an idea of what we're going to do with the ball before it gets to us. All too often, we're waiting until the ball is already at our feet before deciding what to do, and by then it's too late. The better we become at scanning, thinking ahead, and positioning our bodies correctly, the quicker and simpler we can play.
Johan Cruyff famously said, "Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is."
Cruyff also talked about how playing baseball as a young athlete helped develop his awareness. As a catcher, he learned to anticipate where the ball needed to go before the play happened—something he later carried into soccer. It's a great example of why scanning, anticipation, and thinking ahead are so important.
Today, we think of these things as fundamentals, but if they helped shape the understanding of one of the greatest players to ever play the game, they're probably more difficult—and more important—than they sometimes appear.

10/02/2026

After team training a parent approached and thanked me for working on "the details" with the players. You can have a great plan with good tactics and strategies, they said, but it doesn't mean much without the technical abilities (a good touch) needed within these moments. An hour earlier with another team, another parent asked why US soccer or the state doesn't "do more" to introduce the basics and fundamentals to young players. I welcome these conversations because I view them as a "light at the end of the tunnel." We're getting somewhere. This is why I respect recreational and grassroots environments who give attention to all players, allowing them to learn the fundamentals and basics, not only giving attention to a small handful of selected "travel" players. Doing this is not only the right thing to do (showing players and volunteers at these levels that they matter), but it grows the game, and gives us a better product at the travel levels. Yes, a small percentage of players will "work on this stuff at home" as many coaches advise, but most players do not. They're kids. We cannot continue to ignore the basics and fundamentals, because it shows at the high school levels, and by then it becomes a much more difficult "fix" which is why many teams at these levels fold and/or players decide to hang up their boots. Intrinsic motivation is very much needed to catch up to the other players who were given attention to these details early on.

09/14/2026

09/14/2026

⚽️ WEEKEND RECAP - Gettysburg Battlefield Blast: Red Devils U9 Boys

A lot of good things to reflect on and plenty of opportunities to work on from the weekend for the Red Devils!

The players showed a real desire to go forward and attack, and they weren't afraid to look for goal — a great starting point for this group.

They're learning, they're growing, and there's plenty to be excited about.

It's going to be a rewarding season as the Red Devils enjoy the journey!

09/02/2026

⚽️ WEEKEND RECAP - Gettysburg Battlefield Blast: Liverpool U12 Boys

A great weekend in Gettysburg for Liverpool, finishing 2nd in their division!

The players competed hard, created opportunities going forward, and showed some really good soccer throughout the weekend. Just as importantly, each game provided opportunities to learn, grow, and develop together as a team.

A great start with plenty more to come. Way to go, Liverpool!

08/31/2026

I know some coaches don't like having parent team managers on the sideline with them, but I welcome the help.

There's a lot happening on a game day beyond just coaching the game. Having someone there to help set up our team bench, set up the VEO camera, aid a player who needs basic first aid attention, tie a shoe while I'm coaching during a live game, or handle any number of little things that come up is extremely helpful.

I also don't mind that these parents hear what I have to say to the players. It's never inappropriate. They're hearing me tell players what to do on the field, how to do it, when to do it, and why we're doing it.

And oftentimes, those directives and actions have to be repeated multiple times before they "stick." That's normal with anything, but especially at the youth playing levels.

I think this is what usually catches the attention of our parent team managers. They hear how many times we're talking about the same concepts throughout a game. Play outside. First look forward. Keep possession. Don't just kick it. Get compact defensively. Move off the ball. Lock your ankle. Better first touch. Scan the field. Check your shoulder. Stay onside.

We've talked about these things before. We've trained them before. And we'll talk about them and train them again.

Without that transparency and open dialogue, it's easy for parents to ask questions like, "Why don't you teach the players [insert any number of technical or tactical strategies here]?"

The answer is often: We do.

But explaining a technical or tactical moment is a lot easier than consistently executing it in a game.

Talking about something once doesn't make a player better at it. Running through something once at training doesn't make a team better at it. It requires repetition. And patience. Then more repetition.

When I open up the sideline to a team manager and communicate our players' development throughout the season with families, I've found that the dialogue becomes a lot more receptive—not only from the players, but from the parents as well.

They start to see the process.

The families and team managers I've had really start to respect the coaching process and the journey when they regularly hear and see these things being taught, reinforced, corrected, and then eventually executed by the players.

Development doesn't happen because we talked about it once. It happens over time.

08/31/2026

A coach's reflection:

A lot of good things to reflect on and a lot of opportunities to work on from the weekend. Overall, our players were primarily looking to go forward, as I asked of them, and they were hungry for goal. That's a great start!
Just a couple years older, I tell those players that these are some of the qualities I look for at the younger ages: desire for the ball, comfortability on the ball, and the soccer IQ to read the game. Without those qualities, as players get older, their game is too slow and players can become too predictable when trying to evade defenders. These things become more difficult to develop as players get older, so our players are in a great spot to start learning them now.
Speaking of comfortability on the ball, we'll be doing a lot more technical work at practice: passing and shooting fundamentals, and ball mastery.
Ball mastery doesn't mean trying to take on four defenders by yourself. It's having the confidence and ability to take on a player 1v1 when the opportunity is there, while also being able to combine with teammates and execute good one- and two-touch passes. It's knowing when to dribble and when to pass.
Additionally, soccer IQ isn't only about strategies and tactics. At this age, it's learning the positions on the field, knowing the basic rules of the game — keeping our feet down on throw-ins, for example — understanding where we are on the field, and recognizing what's happening around us. Are we attacking? Are we defending? Where is the ball? Where should I be to help my team?
Although these concepts may sound "simple" on paper, they challenge teenage players, too. That's why it's good to start introducing them now.
At the beginning of the tournament, I had players tell me, "I don't play [insert position]," or, "I only play [insert position]." At seven and eight years old, with the exception of the goalkeeper, no player should be pigeonholed into playing only one position. That does a disservice to their overall development.
Learning different positions teaches players to see the game from different perspectives. A player who learns to defend better understands what defenders are trying to do when they're attacking. A player who learns to attack better understands what they're defending against when they're playing in the back. It all connects.
I'm glad our players became open-minded about this throughout the weekend because, at first, it was starting to sound like we only had one or two players willing to play defense. We got over that little hurdle, and I'm excited that they're open to learning and growing into well-rounded soccer players.
It takes time. We're not going to learn everything overnight, and we don't need to.
It's going to be a rewarding season. Let's enjoy the journey!

08/28/2026

I coached Boaz 9 years ago when he was kicking around a size 3 ⚽ ball. He's now playing college ball for Coach Justin. Where do the years go!?

08/28/2026

Attention volunteer rec ⚽ coaches!

This time of year, I often get questions from parents and coaches asking for help or looking for resources for their players and teams, and I'm more than happy to have that dialogue.

Even though I may not be physically available to coach your player or team, I'm still more than happy to have the conversation, answer questions, share ideas, and point you toward resources that might help.

Gratis. Free of charge, of course.

It's what we do. Coaches help coaches. We share ideas. We share resources. We learn from one another, and ultimately, we help grow the game and create better experiences for our players.

Welcome, Coach! Reach out anytime. Talk soon!