Xavi, Spain's 30-year-old midfield maestro, has played with just one club, Barcelona, since age 11. His memory of one youth coach helps explain the smooth passing style of Spain's World Cup team, which is stocked with products of Barca's youth program.

By Mike Woitalla (from SoccerAmericaDaily)

Long gone are the days when soccer in the USA existed on the fringes. Its massive popularity among the nation's youth, among other factors, moved it deep into the American mainstream. So it's easy to forget there are still battles to be won.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America Magazine's Youth Insider)

When U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati announced the hiring of Claudio Reyna as Youth Technical Director, they spoke much of learning about player development from foreign clubs. That's the least crucial element of Reyna's quest to improve the youth soccer environment in the USA.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America Magazine's Youth Insider)

By Mike Woitalla (from PLAYSOCCER Magazine)

I thought it must have been some kind of mistake. E-mails were being sent out to the wrong address list or something. There's just no way that 7-year-olds were being invited to soccer tryouts, I figured.
But it was true.

The youth coach faces many formidable tasks. Carrying a net full of soccer balls, a big duffle bag, the fold-out bench and pop-up goals from the parking lot to the field - that's no mean feat. But probably the most critical challenge for the youth coach is how to use the limited practice time in the most productive manner.

By Mike Woitalla (from Soccer America Magazine's Youth Insider)