DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ How often do MLS NEXT players actually train?

3 days?
4 days?
5 days?

Elite youth players can train 3–5 days a week with their teams, depending on age, club, and schedule.

But here's the lesson soccer parents should take from that:

DON’T COPY THE HOURS. COPY THE PRINCIPLE. 🔥

High-level development gives players consistent opportunities to:

⚽ Train
🏆 Compete
👨‍🏫 Receive coaching
🔥 Develop individual skills
😴 Recover
🔁 Repeat

Your child doesn't need an MLS NEXT schedule to improve.

They need the right opportunities to develop.

Team practice builds the game.

Individual training sharpens technical skills.

Games test those skills under pressure.

Free play builds creativity and love for soccer.

And individual training doesn't have to mean another 90-minute practice.

15 purposeful minutes can be enough to get meaningful extra touches.

One ball.
One skill.
One plan.

CONTROL FIRST. SPEED SECOND.™

Want a structured way to get those extra touches?

⚽ Try Foundation Academy™ for 7 Days for $7.

Press Play → Follow Coach Scott → Get Your Touches.

🔖 SAVE this carousel for your player's next training week.

📲 SHARE it with another soccer parent.

#YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #SoccerTraining #SoccerDevelopment #SoccerSkills

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1 week ago | [YT] | 0

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ How often did professional soccer players practice as kids?

The research points to something more important than one magic number:

They spent a LOT of time with the ball. 🔥

And it wasn't all team practice.

⚽ Team training
🏡 Backyard soccer
🧱 Kicking against a wall
👥 Playing with friends
🔥 Individual skill work

Does your child need to train for hours every day?

No.

But small amounts of purposeful practice can add up.

15 minutes × 4 days/week = 1 extra hour.

Over 40 weeks?

40 HOURS of additional individual practice. 🤯

No guarantees. Just more opportunities to get touches, build skills and grow confidence.

Team Practice + Individual Practice + Play.

Don't compare your child to a pro.

Compare them to the player they were yesterday. ⚽

Want a plan for those extra touches?

Try Foundation Academy™ for 7 days for $7.

Press Play → Follow Coach Scott → Get Your Touches.

🔖 Save this for a soccer parent.

#YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #SoccerTraining #SoccerSkills #DIYSoccerAcademy

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1 week ago | [YT] | 0

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ “My first touch is TERRIBLE.”

The pass comes in…

BOING. 😩

The ball bounces 5 feet away.

The defender closes you down.

And now you're chasing the ball instead of deciding what to do with it.

Sound familiar?

Here’s the good news:

Your first touch isn’t hopeless. It needs repetitions. 🔥

And a great first touch isn't just about stopping the ball.

It's about preparing your NEXT MOVE.

Receive → Prepare → Play.

Try these 3 simple exercises:

⚽ Pass → Control → Pass

Use a wall or rebounder and work on keeping the return close.

↔️ Receive Into Space

Don't just stop the ball. Use your first touch to move left or right.

🎯 Touch Through a Gate

Set up two cones and try to guide your first touch through them.

And don't forget one of the most important parts:

LOOK BEFORE THE BALL ARRIVES. 👀

Where's the space?
Where's the defender?
Where's your teammate?
Where do you want to go next?

Your first touch starts before you touch the ball.

🔥 THE CHALLENGE:

Save Slide 7 and try the 10-Minute First Touch Workout during your next training 
session.

You don't need a perfect first touch tomorrow.

You need more purposeful repetitions today.

More reps → Better control → More confidence → More options.

Stop saying:

❌ “My first touch is terrible.”

Start saying:

✅ “My first touch is developing.”

⚽ Want a structured plan instead of wondering what to practice?

Try Foundation Academy™ for 7 days for $7.

PRESS PLAY → FOLLOW COACH SCOTT → GET YOUR TOUCHES → KEEP IMPROVING.

CONTROL FIRST. SPEED SECOND.™

Save this carousel 🔖 and send it to a player who needs to work on their first touch.

#SoccerTraining #SoccerDrills #SoccerSkills #YouthSoccer #SoccerTrainingAtHome #SoccerParents #YouthSoccerTraining

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ “My weak foot is useless.”

If your child has ever said this, here’s what they need to know:

Their weak foot probably isn’t bad.

It just hasn’t gotten enough reps. 🔥

Every time a player avoids their weaker foot, their strong foot gets another touch… and the gap gets bigger.

So instead of avoiding it, TRAIN IT.

Start with these 3 simple drills:

1️⃣ Inside-of-the-Foot TouchesKeep the ball close and build comfort.

2️⃣ Weak-Foot Wall PassingPass. Receive. Reset. Repeat.

3️⃣ Weak-Foot-Only DribblingInside. Outside. Sole. Change direction.

You don’t need an hour.

Even 10 purposeful minutes can give that weaker foot valuable repetitions.

And remember:

Don’t judge progress by whether the weak foot becomes as good as the strong foot overnight.

Look for:

⚽ Better control
🎯 More accurate passes
🔥 Less hesitation
🦶 More confidence using both feet
📈 More options on the field

The goal isn't two identical feet.

THE GOAL IS TWO USEFUL FEET.

Save this carousel 🔖 and try the drills during your next training session.

More reps → More comfort → More confidence → More options.

CONTROL FIRST. SPEED SECOND.™

Want structured follow-along training? Foundation Academy™ helps young players develop ball mastery, dribbling, passing, first
touch, weak-foot ability, coordination and more—in just 15 minutes a day.

PRESS PLAY → GET YOUR TOUCHES → KEEP IMPROVING. ⚽🔥

#SoccerTraining #SoccerDrills #SoccerSkills #YouthSoccer #BallMastery #SoccerParents #SoccerTrainingAtHome

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1 week ago | [YT] | 1

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ Training soccer alone? Stop wondering what to practice.

One of the biggest mistakes young players make when training on their own?

They grab a ball… do a few random drills… juggle for a minute… and call it training.

You don’t need 100 random drills.

You need a PLAN. 🔥

When you train alone, focus on the fundamentals:

⚽ Ball mastery
🔥 Dribbling
🦶 Both feet
🎯 First touch + passing
⚡ 1v1 moves
🏆 Juggling
📈 Consistent repetitions

And you don’t need to train for hours.

Try this 15-minute session:

3 min → Ball Mastery
4 min → Dribbling
3 min → First Touch + Passing
3 min → Weak Foot
2 min → Juggling / Challenge

That’s it.

One ball. A little space. 15 purposeful minutes.

The goal isn't to collect more drills.

The goal is to build better skills.

Save this carousel 🔖 and use it the next time you’re standing outside with a soccer ball wondering:

“What should I practice today?”

Want the plan already built for you?

Foundation Academy™ gives young players structured, follow-along training with Coach Scott.

PRESS PLAY → FOLLOW ALONG → GET YOUR TOUCHES → KEEP IMPROVING. ⚽🔥

Control First. Speed Second.™

#YouthSoccer #SoccerTraining #SoccerSkills #SoccerDrills #SoccerParents

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DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ Is team practice enough?

Team practice is essential, but it has a different job than individual training.

🔵 TEAM PRACTICE teaches players how to play the game:
🧠 Decision-making
📍 Positioning
🤝 Teamwork
👀 Game awareness

🔴 INDIVIDUAL TRAINING builds the tools:
⚽ Ball mastery
🔥 Dribbling
🎯 First touch
🦶 Weak foot
💪 Confidence

Your child's coach has an entire team to develop. That's why even 15 minutes of purposeful individual training between practices can provide valuable extra touches.

Think of it like this:

🏠 Individual training → Builds the tools
⚽ Team practice → Teaches how to use them
🏟️ Games → Put them to the test

You need all three.

That's why Foundation Academy™ helps young players make the time between team practices count.

⚽ One ball.
⏱️ 15 minutes.
🔥 Purposeful repetitions.

Save this for your soccer player.

#YouthSoccer #SoccerTraining #SoccerParents #SoccerSkills #SoccerDevelopment

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ “My child loves soccer… but they just don’t play with confidence.”

If you’ve ever said this about your child, here’s something important to remember:

Confidence isn’t something young players are born with. It’s something they BUILD.

And it’s usually built long before game day.

When a player hesitates…
When they stop asking for the ball…
When they immediately pass instead of taking on a defender…
When they’re terrified of making a mistake…

It may not be because they lack ability.

They may simply not trust their ability yet.

That trust comes from preparation. 💪⚽

One clean first touch.
One successful move.
One accurate pass.
One stronger weak-foot touch.
One more training session where they realize:

“I’ve done this before. I can do this.”

Those small wins create momentum.

Small Wins → Momentum → Belief → Confidence.

And parents can help too.

Instead of only asking:

❌ “Did you win?”
❌ “Did you score?”
❌ “Why didn’t you shoot?”

Try asking:

❤️ “What are you proud of today?”

Because young players need to know that mistakes aren't something to fear.

They're part of becoming better.

Your child doesn’t need hours of extra training every day.

Sometimes 15 minutes of purposeful practice is enough to give them more touches, more preparation, and more reasons to believe in themselves.

Because when confidence grows, something changes.

They ask for the ball.
They try the move.
They use the other foot.
They stop worrying so much about mistakes.
They start playing with freedom.

⚽ Every Great Player Starts With Confidence.

Read the full article at www.diysocceracademy.com/blog/build-confidence-in-…

Follow @DIYSoccerAcademy for practical youth soccer training and player development tips.

#YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #SoccerTraining #SoccerDevelopment #SoccerSkills

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ Your child just had a terrible soccer game.

They missed the shot.
Made the mistake.
Got benched.
Lost the game.

Now you're getting in the car together.

What you say next matters.

Your instinct might be to coach:

❌ “What happened?”
❌ “Why didn't you pass?”
❌ “You need to be more aggressive.”

But your child probably already knows they struggled.

They don't always need another coach. Sometimes they just need their parent. ❤️

Try:

“I know that was tough. I'm proud of you.”

Give them space.

Then, when they're ready:

💬 What went well?
💬 What was difficult?
💬 What did you learn?
💬 What do you want to work on?

Because a bad game isn't a failure.

It's feedback.

Bad first touch? → Train it.
Weak foot struggled? → Train it.
Lost confidence under pressure? → Work on it.

Just don't make practice a punishment for playing badly.

Make it an opportunity to improve.

Because real confidence isn't:

“I'll never make a mistake.”

It's:

“I can make a mistake and keep going.”

That's resilience. 💪⚽

And that's bigger than soccer.

The goal isn't to raise a player who never has a bad game.

It's to raise a player who knows how to respond when they do.

Read the full article at www.diysocceracademy.com/blog/supporting-your-chil…

— Coach Scott

DIY Soccer Academy™

#YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #SoccerDevelopment #SoccerKids

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3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 0

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ How often should your child actually practice soccer?

2 days a week?
4 days?Every day?

Here’s what many soccer parents get wrong:

More practice doesn’t automatically mean more improvement.

The goal isn’t to fill your child’s schedule with soccer.

It’s to give them the right amount of purposeful practice for their age.

A simple starting point:

👦 AGES 5–7
2–3 sessions/week
⏱️ 15–30 minutes
Focus: Fun + confidence + comfort with the ball

⚽ AGES 8–10
3–4 sessions/week
⏱️ 15–30 minutes
Focus: Fundamentals + technical development + consistency

🔥 AGES 11–15
4–6 quality sessions/week
⏱️ 15–30 minutes
Focus: Technical consistency + purposeful development + bigger goals

But here's the part that matters most:

QUALITY > QUANTITY.

A focused 15-minute session where your child gets hundreds of purposeful touches can be more valuable than spending an hour casually kicking a ball around.
And team practice?

It's important, but remember:

Team practice develops the team.
Individual practice develops the player.

Your child doesn't necessarily need another two-hour practice.

They may just need more opportunities to work on the ball themselves.

⚽ Practice.
😴 Recover.
🔁 Repeat.

That's how development compounds.

Small improvements today → better player tomorrow.

Read the full article at www.diysocceracademy.com/blog/how-often-should-my-…

#YouthSoccer #SoccerTraining #SoccerDevelopment #SoccerKids #SoccerSkills #SoccerDrills

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

DIY Soccer Academy

⚽ How often should your child actually practice soccer?

2 days a week?
4 days?
Every day?

Here’s what many soccer parents get wrong:

More practice doesn’t automatically mean more improvement.

The goal isn’t to fill your child’s schedule with soccer.

It’s to give them the right amount of purposeful practice for their age.

A simple starting point:

👦 AGES 5–7
2–3 sessions/week
⏱️ 15–30 minutes
Focus: Fun + confidence + comfort with the ball

⚽ AGES 8–10
3–4 sessions/week
⏱️ 15–30 minutes
Focus: Fundamentals + technical development + consistency

🔥 AGES 11–15
4–6 quality sessions/week
⏱️ 15–30 minutes
Focus: Technical consistency + purposeful development + bigger goals

But here's the part that matters most:

QUALITY > QUANTITY.

A focused 15-minute session where your child gets hundreds of purposeful touches can be more valuable than spending an hour casually kicking a ball around.
And team practice?

It's important, but remember:

Team practice develops the team.
Individual practice develops the player.

Your child doesn't necessarily need another two-hour practice.

They may just need more opportunities to work on the ball themselves.

⚽ Practice.
😴 Recover.
🔁 Repeat.

That's how development compounds.

Small improvements today → better player tomorrow.

Read the full article at www.diysocceracademy.com/blog/how-often-should-my-…

#YouthSoccer #SoccerTraining #SoccerDevelopment #SoccerKids #SoccerSkills #SoccerDrills

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0