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1v1 Soccer

Help Your Child Win The 1v1 Soccer Battle

Welcome to 1v1 Soccer!

While there is plenty here for the soccer coach and the soccer player, the inspiration for 1v1 Soccer is the soccer parent.  I created 1v1 Soccer for the many parents who may not know a lot about the game of soccer, but desire to support their child’s development.

The purpose of 1v1 Soccer is to show parents how to modify effective soccer instructional resources for home use.  By applying these resources in the myriad of different ways demonstrated on this site, you can help your child win the 1v1 soccer battle. 

 
Why The Name 1v1 Soccer?

The best thing a developing soccer player can do is develop dominant ball skills needed to master the 1v1 (one verses one) game.

This means getting thousands of touches on the ball to develop deep comfort and control with all parts of the body and feet.  This also means mastering specific skills to keep the ball away from an opponent, move the ball around an opponent, and take the ball away from an opponent. 

I am not suggesting passing is not important or that a younger player should not learn how to pass.  I am suggesting that passing is far down the list of skills to emphasize both during training and games for developing youth players.  As child grows up, dominant ball skills provide the best foundation for developing dominant passing skills.


What Makes 1v1 Soccer Unique?
 
1v1 Soccer was designed specifically for the youth soccer player and youth soccer parent. 

1v1 Soccer outlines exactly which soccer moves to work on and the order in which they should be worked on. 

1v1 Soccer details exactly what age specific moves should be mastered.

1v1 Soccer demonstrates how to effectively train at home (see benefits below).

1v1 Soccer teaches you how to get more touches on the ball in less time. 

 
How Will 1v1 Soccer Improve My Game?

Technique is the one element within the control of every player and there are great rewards for those that commit to learning the skills outlined on this site.  Consider the following scenario:

You are Dribbling towards the goal when a defender closes down on you. 

You make a Move – Inside Cut or maybe Double Touch – and the defender falls down as you move around him. 

Just inside the penalty box you use a strong 1st Touch to play the ball at an angle to your strong foot. 

You finish by unleashing an Angle Long Air Kick toward the corner of goal.  The keeper never had a chance. 

No opportunity for an Angle Long Air Kick?  That’s okay.  You have also mastered the Inside Foot Ground Pass.  Finish your dominant dribbling with a nice pass to a teammate.

Bottom line - My daughter Avery is not a superior athlete.  She is not as big, as strong, or as fast as many other soccer players her age in our state.  But she is able to successfully compete at a high level in her age group because she has learned the correct way to dribble, pass, kick, touch, and manipulate a soccer ball. 

 
What Are The Benefits Of Practicing At Home?

Train whenever you want – train during days and times most convenient for you. 

Train during a thunderstorm, blizzard, or heat wave – the weather is irrelevant. 

Train wearing whatever you want – soccer gear is irrelevant. 

Get hundreds of touches on the ball – in minutes. 


How It Works

The process I follow is simple.  Anyone can do it!  

1.    Identify the best moves to work on using the Top Soccer Moves - Ranked Lists series on this site. 

2.    Purchase an effective training resource which teaches the technique you want to learn. 

3.    Review the training resource until both you and your child learn the technique.

4.    Utilize the Custom Indoor Training Sessions & Custom Outdoor Training Sessions on this site to learn how to practice the technique at home.   

5.    Practice the technique until mastery.  

 
1v1 Soccer Is Not A Technical Training Website

1v1 Soccer videos are not designed to teach proper technique.

Instead, take advantage of the resources linked at the end of most posts.  These resources are the best of what is out there.  These resources contain professional trainers and skilled players correctly demonstrating (often in slow-motion) the techniques you want to learn. 

The purpose of 1v1 Soccer is to show parents how to modify effective soccer instructional resources for home use.  By applying these resources in the myriad of different ways demonstrated on this site, you can help your child win the 1v1 soccer battle. 



1v1 Soccer Resources
 

The Best Advice Series is a valuable resource you likely won’t find on other sites. Follow the advice in these posts and your child will be well on their way to becoming skilled in 1v1. The posts in this series are ranked in order of importance. Read the first post for the most important advice, the second post for the second most important advice, and so on.


Top Soccer Moves - Ranked Lists
The Ranked/Ordered Skills Lists section is the most valuable and unique resource on this site.  I have researched hundreds of soccer skills and ranked them in order of importance in these lists.  The Ranked/Ordered Skill Lists indicate which soccer moves to work on and the order in which they should be worked on.  Your child will quickly become a much improved player by mastering the moves in these lists.     

These lists will also show video of Avery completing each of the listed skills and written commentary whether she has mastered the skill.  Finally, these lists will indicate the best resources to purchase to effectively learn the skill.     

This is the second most valuable and unique resource on this site.  I select key skills off the Ranked/Ordered Skills Lists and demonstrate how to train these moves in your own home.  I have created several Custom Indoor Training Sessions to make it easy for you to find what you need.  The Custom Indoor Training Sessions include a video to demonstrate the skills as well as a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.     

There are many benefits to learning soccer skills at home.  Follow this link for an explanation of these benefits.  

The Custom Outdoor Training Sessions are also a valuable and unique resource on this site.  I select key skills off the Ranked/Ordered Skills Lists and demonstrate how to train these moves outside.  I have created several Custom Outdoor Training Sessions to make it easy for you to find what you need.  The Custom Outdoor Training Sessions include a video to demonstrate the skills as well as a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.     

The only reason these training sessions are not as valuable as the indoor training sessions is because these must be completed outdoors which is less convenient.  



The Indoor Game Summaries provide a description of Avery’s technical and tactical play in the indoor games she plays. These indoor games may include formal league games or informal scrimmages. These summaries often include video to demonstrate the skills as well as a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.

The primary purpose of Indoor Game Summaries is to demonstrate how skills we work on at home show up in a real game. One of the main critiques of this site is that simply working on a skill over and over in the basement is not like a real game and that these skills will not transfer into a game setting. This is simply not true. Nearly every soccer technique that we have prioritized has shown up in a game setting. These videos will prove this to be true.


Indoor Practice Sessions
The purpose of Indoor Practice Session posts is to inform readers of brand new soccer skills I am working on with Avery.  These posts also include a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.

These are skills which can be effectively learned indoors.  There are many benefits to learning soccer skills at home.  Follow this link for an explanation of these benefits.  

I do not video most practice sessions.  The purpose of 1v1 Soccer is not to teach technical skillsThis link will provide a detailed explanation of why 1v1 Soccer is not a technical training website and you will be disappointed if you attempt to use it in this way.  

The purpose of 1v1 Soccer is to show parents how to modify effective soccer instructional resources for home use.  By applying these resources in the myriad of different ways demonstrated on this site, you can help your child win the 1v1 soccer battle.


The Indoor Training Sessions demonstrate the soccer skills Avery is currently working on at home. These are skills that either cannot be found or cannot be found in the same order in the Custom Training Sessions. The Indoor Training Sessions often include video to demonstrate the skills as well as a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.

The primary purpose of the Indoor Training Sessions is to provide a daily record of what Avery and I are working on. One benefit to occasionally viewing these videos is to see how Avery gradually improves her skill through consistent practice. Another benefit to occasionally viewing these videos is to listen to the specific instructions I give Avery when she doing something incorrectly. For the most part, however, these videos are not designed for all of them to be viewed beginning to end. They are designed to be viewed only occasionally for the reasons listed above.

There are many benefits to learning soccer skills at home. Follow this link for an explanation of these benefits



One of the best ways to learn soccer is to watch it. The purpose of Match Analysis posts is to provide a description of techniques and tactics we observe while watching skilled players on television or in person.

Almost any match could be analyzed here including men’s and women’s professional soccer, national teams, college teams, and highly skilled youth teams. The goal is for Avery to deepen her understanding of the game and possibly even apply some of what we observe in her own games




The Outdoor Game Summaries provide a description of Avery’s technical and tactical play in the outdoor games she plays. These outdoor games may include formal league games or informal scrimmages. These summaries often include video to demonstrate the skills as well as a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.

The primary purpose of Outdoor Game Summaries is to demonstrate how skills we work on at home show up in a real game. One of the main critiques of this site is that simply working on a skill over and over in the basement is not like a real game and that these skills will not transfer into a game setting. This is simply not true. Nearly every soccer technique that we have prioritized has shown up in a game setting. These videos will prove this to be true.    


 
The purpose of Outdoor Practice Session posts is to inform readers of brand new soccer skills I am working on with Avery.  These posts also include a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.

These are skills which can only be effectively learned outdoors.  Going outside is less convenient than being able to stay inside, but sometimes it is necessary.  

I do not video most practice sessions.  The purpose of 1v1 Soccer is not to teach technical skillsThis link will provide a detailed explanation of why 1v1 Soccer is not a technical training website and you will be disappointed if you attempt to use it in this way.  

The purpose of 1v1 Soccer is to show parents how to modify effective soccer instructional resources for home use.  By applying these resources in the myriad of different ways demonstrated on this site, you can help your child win the 1v1 soccer battle.

 
The Indoor Training Sessions demonstrate the soccer skills Avery is currently working on outside.  These are skills that either cannot be found or cannot be found in the same order in the Custom Training Sessions.  The Outdoor Training Sessions often include video to demonstrate the skills as well as a list of resources to purchase to effectively learn these skills.     

The primary purpose of the Outdoor Training Sessions is to provide a daily record of what Avery and I are working on.  One benefit to occasionally viewing these videos is to see how Avery gradually improves her skill through consistent practice.  Another benefit to occasionally viewing these videos is to listen to the specific instructions I give Avery when she doing something incorrectly.  For the most part, however, these videos are not designed for all of them to be viewed beginning to end.  They are designed to be viewed only occasionally for the reasons listed above.  

These are skills which can only be effectively trained outdoors.  Going outside is less convenient than being able to stay inside, but sometimes it is necessary.  


There are a million youth soccer training DVD’s and books out there. Much of it is not very good and not worth purchasing. Let 1v1 Soccer review these resources for you and recommend what is worth purchasing and what should be avoided.

 
The Soccer Journal provides an inside look into the soccer decisions Avery and I make and why we make them.   Most of these decisions fall in a few broad categories as outlined below.  

  • What soccer club or team should we join?
  • What soccer techniques should we focus on?  
  • What soccer tactics should we focus on? 

Your child will be better off if you as a parent are involved in these decisions.  It is not uncommon for Avery and I to make decisions that contradict advice parents typically receive from a local soccer club.  The information provided in the Soccer Journal posts will deepen your understanding of these issues and allow you make better informed decisions yourself.  


Whiteboard Training Sessions

 

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